We begin with Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler exploring the breathtaking scenery of the Yellowstone area. As they ride out until sunset, they eventually sit under a tree, drinking and reflecting on the quiet and tranquil life they've managed to carve out for themselves. The pair promise that they'll always find time to ride together, but as they drift off, crackles of lightning strobing across the sky ignite a fire in the distance.
The angry, orange inferno heads straight for the ranch. While Rip gets to work cutting fences and getting the cattle out, he tasks Beth with grabbing Carter. The trio scrambles, grabbing everything they can before heading out to safety. With their home lost and the land a smoldering mess of shattered dreams, they drive out to parts unknown.
Six months later, we find ourselves in Rio Paloma, Texas, a place that's blistering hot and a far cry from the ranch they grew up with. The pair have bought a new ranch, initially belonging to the Edwards.
Meanwhile, we get our first glimpse of the rival ranch we'll be following this season. Rob-Will Jackson awakens a guy called Wes in the middle of the night. They head out to the fields where Rob-Will shoots the guy dead for looking at his tally books. Rob-Will is not going to tolerate having snitches on his payroll, and Chet, another guy here, is shocked to see this. However, it seems that Rob-Will is not the head honcho here. Along with Rob-Will's brother Joaquim, who seems to be the more business-minded of the two, there's also their mother Beulah Jackson. She's the matriarch around these parts and calling the shots. She's the one keeping everything in check.
Interestingly, she bumps into Beth in the morning when she shows up at the slaughterhouse needing to schedule her steer in. Beulah stonewalls her, and Beth is not best pleased. When the pair butt heads over logistics, she realizes the game is rigged in their favor and leaves.
The Jackson family seems to hold all the keys to the locks and control the doors in Rio Paloma. Unless Beth wants to get into the extortion game, this may not end well.
Meanwhile, a heated altercation at the gas station between Rip and Rob-Will sets the stage for a drama that could escalate into something far more sinister. However, the Jacksons have much bigger fish to fry, given the situation involving Wes' untimely demise.
Rip has only one other helper on his vast land, with a loyal companion named Azul by his side. As for Carter, he struggles to fit in at school but does manage to catch the eye of a young blonde named Oreana. She lures Carter to meet her at the rodeo that night, where she essentially uses him to purchase alcohol. It's an old trick in the book, and he falls for it hook, line, and sinker.
But out in the parking lot, Carter witnesses Oreana in an altercation with a man. When he puts his hands on her, Carter snaps and beats the man down, resulting in his own arrest.
Meanwhile, we meet a veterinarian named Everett McKinney who shows up to euthanize an injured horse by the side of the road. However, Beth is also there and gets cold feet. She urges him not to kill the animal, despite the odds being against her. Ultimately, Beth makes the right call and decides to keep it alive. Although it will take some time for the horse to recover fully, it seems like the right decision.
It's been quite a day for the family, and Carter is even let go thanks in part to Oreana, the girl from school. She bails him out and seems to have strong connections around town, especially with Sheriff Wade.
As the episode comes to a close, Joaquim encourages his mother to send Rob-Will away for a while. He believes the kid needs rehab and a fresh start, but unfortunately, it's not quite so simple. While Rip is out patrolling the Ranch, he discovers Wes' body, half buried in the dirt.
