AceShowbiz - Hollywood star Kevin Costner's battle with "Yellowstone" creator Taylor Sheridan reached a dramatic climax in Sunday's episode, as his beloved character, John Dutton, met a tragic demise.

After Costner announced his departure from the show, Sheridan summarily killed off Dutton in the opening moments of Season 5, Part 2, in an inglorious bathroom gunshot death made to look like a suicide.

However, Sunday's episode unveiled the truth about Dutton's death, which was orchestrated by three masked assassins who dragged him to the bathroom, drugged him, and forced the gun into his hand.

This revelation set off an investigation led by Dutton's loyal son, Kayce. The coroner re-examined Dutton's body at Kayce's insistence and changed her ruling to "undetermined," prompting police to re-classify his death as a homicide.

Kayce confronted his adopted brother, Jamie, about John's death, but Jamie vehemently denied any involvement.

Meanwhile, Beth, Dutton's daughter, began formulating a plan to sell off part of the Yellowstone to preserve as much of the land as she could.

However, Sarah Atwood, the attorney general's girlfriend who hired the assassins, became a loose end in the investigation. As she sat in her car talking to Jamie, a seemingly innocuous couple approached her window to ask for directions.

To Jamie's horror, the man suddenly pulled out a gun and shot Sarah dead, killing her in cold blood over the open line.

The episode ended with a distraught Jamie realizing the true extent of his isolation and the dangers that now threatened him.

With only three more episodes remaining in Season 5, questions abound about the fate of the Dutton family and the Yellowstone Ranch. Will Kayce turn against Jamie? Will Beth take revenge? Will any of the Duttons survive the coming storm?