Let me start out by addressing my own Yellowstone bias. Kayce and Rip are my two favorite characters, so of course, I want them to share more scenes together. However, as I’ve been reflecting on the show’s earlier seasons throughout the Memorial Day Marathon on Paramount that’s been airing on the 2024 TV schedule , I have become passionate about the idea that the final episodes of Taylor Sheridan’s Western should feature more of Luke Grimes and Cole Hausers’ characters interacting.
Honestly, I'm desperate for it. In the early seasons of Yellowstone , Kayce lived in the bunkhouse, and he took some of the authority that Rip had for quite some time. This caused a power imbalance between the two, and climaxed in a fight.
The two got into a literal fistfight over who got to run the bunkhouse, and it implied the history between Cole Hauser and Luke Grimes’ characters -- clarifying this idea that Rip was kind of like the son John always wanted while Kayce could never quite meet his dad's expectations. Rip ended up sacrificing his pride for John, however, he by no means liked that Kayce was in charge. A bit later on, Kayce and Rip’s relationship evolved after the reveal that Walker wasn't dead because the youngest Dutton let him go.
As the show progressed, their relationship and rivalry took a backseat as Kayce dealt with his life with Monica while Rip and Beth’s relationship grew tenfold. Unlike Beth and Jamie’s rivalry though, Rip and Kayce’s relationship hasn�.
