The saga of the Dutton family has been told as it grew out of the American frontier in1883through the early twentieth century in1923and into modernity withYellowstone. Taylor Sheridan introduced the world to the Duttons withYellowstonein 2018 and took viewers back to the origins of the family in Montana in1883.The ongoing challenges the Duttons faced were revisited in1923andwill continue in future spin-offslike1944.
There are necessary connections through every show in theYellowstoneuniverse. References to events and people from the past accompany narration from1883’sElsa Dutton (Isabel May) in1923. Symbolic acts and small details also appear, many of which go unseen by the keenest observers. One of the most meaningful and difficult to spot Easter eggs involves Elsa’s knife. From1883to1923to (perhaps)Yellowstone, Elsa’s knife has been a sentimental and essential part of the overall Dutton story.
Elsa Dutton Received a Knife From Her Husband in ‘1883’
Thecomplicated Dutton family treebegins with Margaret and James Dutton (Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, respectively), settlers in the American West. In1883,they traverse the plains with their children, Elsa and John Jr (Audie Rick). Elsa, a head-strong 17-year-old, and her brother, the five-year-old John Jr., are the older siblings of Spencer Dutton (Brandon Sklenar) who, in1883, had not yet been born.
Through the sole season of1883, Elsa Dutton and her free-spirited ways contrast with her parents' efforts to keep her close and keep her safe. Elsa falls in love twice in1883, first with Ennis (Eric Nelsen), a young man who dies in a shootout. Later, Elsa met and informally wed Sam (Martin Sensmeier), a Comanche warrior. Sam also gifted Elsa a knife in a leather sheath, one she carried with her when she returned to her family.
Elsa’s life does not extend past1883and her death remains one of the most gut-wrenching in theYellowstoneuniverse. The knife and its representation of family and strength continues, however, and carries Elsa’s legacy with it.
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Spencer Dutton’s Knife in ‘1923’ Belonged to the Sister He Never Met
Spencer Dutton didn’t meet Elsa,as he was born after she died. In1923, it’s revealed that Spencer and John Jr. were raised by their aunt and uncle, Jacob (Harrison Ford) and Cara (Helen Mirren). Jacob is James Dutton’s brother.
By the time1923began, Spencer Dutton had fought in World War I and had become a game tracker in Africa. He carries with him a knife in a leather sheath, one that actor Brandon Sklenar revealed had special significance in the Dutton family. According to Sklenar, he and the producers of1923discussed how to connect him to his past:
I felt like Spencer needed to have something from Elsa, and we kind of came up with the idea of having the knife.
Granted, Spencer never met Elsa but her influence upon him and presence in his life was undeniable. Sklenar also explained that the knife raised the possibility that Spencer “first learned to track animals and to hunt with the Natives.” On the whole, Spencer’s reserved nature and Stoic presentation of himself makes the knife such a huge, emotional Easter egg for fans of1883and1923.
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While Taylor Sheridan’s hit series ‘Yellowstone’ expands into more spin-offs, here’s a guide to help fans keep up since its ‘1923’ Season 2 debut.
Elsa’s Knife May Have Served a Brutal Purpose in ‘Yellowstone’
AsYellowstoneclosed out its fifth and final season, the animosity between Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley) finally reached its apex. In Episode 14, “Life Is a Promise,” the family prepares to bury patriarch John Dutton III (Kevin Costner) and say goodbye to the Yellowstone ranch.
Beth She vows to avenge her father, grabbing a knife as she runs off to do so, with Jamie as the target of her wrath. Beth attacks Jamie and in their struggle, she stabs him in the gut with a knife. Fans of the show theorize thatthe knife Beth plunged into Jamie’s belly was Elsa’s knife, bringing the story full circle. As oneRedditorput it,
It could be Elsa’s knife seeing that Spencer used it to kill a predator in1923. Beth uses the knife to kill the predator (Jamie).
It’s not clear if this is the case, but it would be another meaningful connection within theYellowstoneuniverse.
