50+ Memorable John Dutton’s quotes from Yellowstone!

John Dutton is the main highlight of the Yellowstone TV series as he owned a big portion of land in Montana, the “Yellowstone” Valley, which initially belonged to the native Americans and was then taken or ‘bought’ by John Dutton’s grandfather.

Starting from the very beginning of the series, we could see John surviving an accident which was later revealed to be a planned attack on him. As the series progressed, several new enemies emerged for John Dutton as they wanted to grab a hold of the Yellowstone Valley.

John Dutton is an experienced warrior and a politician who wouldn’t hesitate to take cruel steps to deal with the situations that threatened his land or people.

Regardless, not everything goes according to his plans which involves the bold decisions made by his family. This article presents most of those John Dutton’s quotes that came out of his experiences and motivated or threatened others.

Below are the Best John Dutton’s quotes from ‘Yellowstone’

About angels and devils:

All the angels are gone, son. There’s only devils left.

Kayce has always had doubts about the decisions he makes. As a father and a son, things began to take a turn for the worse when he was cast aside by Monica, which caused him to harbour several unnecessary doubts about the people he’d be fighting with.

John Dutton provides the solution to deal with evil:

You can’t reason with evil, son. Evil wants what it wants and won’t stop until it’s won or you kill it. The only way to kill it is to be meaner than evil. That’s going to be your last lesson, son: how to be meaner than evil and still love your family. And still, enjoy a sunrise.

The ranch isn’t something worth protecting and losing lives, however, John clines to the thought of protecting it, even if that was the last thing he did. There were countless threats faced by the Dutton family, and John’s ideology was to beat the evil in its own game. There’s no good in paving a path of kindness when the entire world has resorted to evil means.

The definition of greed:

It’s the one constant in life- If you build something worth having, someone’s gonna try and take it.

John Dutton has inherited the legacy of his forefathers. The Yellowstone Valley has belonged to the Duttons for generations now. Today, the world lacks no means to point out the possible outcomes through which they can make better use of that land. John is referring to the quality of humans when it comes to taking things from others and making them their own.

Absolute rejection:

When you say no, it must be the death of the question. If there’s even a hint of maybe, the questions won’t stop until they find something you can’t say no to.

It was in the very first episode of the Yellowstone series when Jamie was merely trying to mention the proposal set forward about a housing development project. John teaches his son about the way of rejecting things. All he meant was that there should be no further conversation on a topic that has been rejected by us, and it should be denied in a way that leaves no room for further talks.

Allience isn’t friendship:

We’re enemies now.

The first two seasons mainly focused on the Dutton families and the two main emerging threats to their lands. Dan Jankins and Thomas Rainwater are making constant efforts to get their hands on the Yellowstone Valley. However, it was at the end of the second season when two new enemies emerged for John Dutton as well as for Dan and Rainwater, who they masterpiece face together.

Although John hints at an alliance with Thomas Rainwater, he never looks at him as a friend.

The decisions a dad needs to make eventually:

Someday your son’s gonna test you. He’s gonna force you to make a decision that not only determines his future but your place in it. I want you to remember me standing here, son, before you make that decision, because this… this is a consequence of choosing wrong.

Kayce has been the one troublemaker that even John Dutton couldn’t deal with. He married Monica and had a child, which was totally against the will of Jonh Dutton. As it stands now, Kayce is living on the reservations with his wife and son, leaving behind the fortune his father worked hard to build and maintain. John refers to this outcome as a father’s failure.

A conversation between Rip Wheeler and John Dutton:

If you’re joining the family can you please be the one person in it who f#ckin’ talks to me?
Rip Wheeler – I love her, sir. I’Il always take care of her.
John – That’s why I said yes.

John was slightly disappointed by the fact that Rip was about to end up similar to the rest of his family members, as most of the time they try and ignore to have a decent conversation with their father. However, Rip opens up and speaks his heart about his relationship with Beth Dutton.

About the thing we call “right”

-No one has a right. You have to take the right. Or stop it from being taken from you.

Rights won’t imply to someone who doesn’t speak up and fails to gather the courage to go and take them. Technically, rights would only work if one’s aware of their existence and makes efforts to bring out the best in them.

John is a mastered warrior:

It wasn’t a move. I’m just meaner than you.

It happened during the moment when he approached Dan Jenkins and made a proposal to have a friendly meeting with both Thomas and Jenkins. This quote and the way John presented it, implies the accumulation of experience he has had in the field of combat.

John Dutton explains life and “living” to Monica:

Living day to day isn’t living, Monica, it’s surviving, with no regard for tomorrow. Tomorrow’s the only thing a parent is supposed to live for.

Out in the reservations Kayce and Monica built a small settlement for themselves and their son. Things were functioning smoothly until Kayce realised his place, which was not with the Indians. He eventually had to choose his side which was the Dutton family. John simply lets Monica acknowledge the quality of life they can have there in the Dutton family.

Another word for Yellowstone Valley is “John Dutton”

Yeah, that’s right. Nothing happens in this valley I don’t know about.

It was during the first season when fans were introduced to the amount of control John holds in the valley. He isn’t merely the owner of a big portion of land in the United States. He represented the Yellowstone Valley, and as a consequence, things that happen in his lands don’t go unnoticed.

About losing the most valuable things of his life:

My whole life is just a long… series of losing things I love. But I’m not gonna lose this one, Rip.

The first thing that hurt John the most was the death of his wife. According to Beth, Evelyn Dutton was the centre of their family, and after losing her, John Dutton lost most of himself. Following her, the next emotional strike on John Dutton was when Lee, the eldest son. Understandably, Lee was the closest to John, as both of them looked over the ranch so far. The next generation of Dutton to inherit the entire valley was supposed to be none other than Lee.

About the overwhelming strength of lawyers:

-Lawyers are the swords of this century, Words are weapons now. I need you to learn how to use ’em.

Yellowstone is as much about politics as it is about violence and love. It was John Dutton’s experience with the world that suggested Jamie to become a renowned lawyer who would stand by his father and help him face the emerging threats on a day-to-day basis. Later in the series, it was seemingly obvious that Jamie’s role as a lawyer would aid John Dutton to a larger and greater extent.

John Dutton’s polite warning:

You think you’re winning this game, you don’t even know the goddamn rules. But don’t worry: I’m gonna teach them to you.

Roarke arrived at the Yellowstone Valley and went all out on the Dutton family from the get-go. At first, his encounter with Beth didn’t unwrap much to the audiences, and later, he was discovered to be a major part of the ‘market equities ‘ who had a plan to build an airport around the Yellowstone Valley in Montana, which requires a small portion of land that belongs to John Dutton.

Roarke plays dirty and assaults John Dutton’s wranglers with the help of some hired players. However, he wasn’t aware of the kind of response John Dutton presents when it comes to matters such as those.

The meaning and purpose of a Yellowstone Brand:

Brand isn’t something you earn, it’s something you live up to.

Multiple things get done in the Yellowstone series, and one of them is to get rid of others. When a man is branded with the “Y” sign, he continues to serve John Dutton till the very end of his life. It’s something that’s given to others as a second chance, a reminder that they are now free from their previous sins. Every Branded man is involved in the dark side of Yellowstone Ranch. They perform their daily life activities but when the situation demons, they will have to get their hands dirty.

Some of the branded men at the beginning of the series are Rip Wheeler, Kayce Dutton, and Lloyd. They are responsible for getting rid of problems that have no other solution.

The prices John need to pay to keep living:

Tell you the truth… I don’t regret one sin I’ve committed. It’s the one I’m about to commit that worries me.

The moment when the first episode begins is when John Dutton is starting to encounter various threats that he might face today or tomorrow, he is aware that they’re inevitable and accepts the fact that there are more sins that he must commit even though it means choosing evil.

Having something matters, regardless of its use:

It doesn’t matter how many… people sit at the table, honey. What matters is they have a place to sit. The table’s the only thing that matters.

It was during the last episode of the first season when Beth goes all emotional at their dining table by recalling the past when all the seats on the dining table used to be filled with family members. She hints at their family condition getting worse day by day.

John’s feelings for Beth and Rip Wheeler:

Happy is all I’ve ever wanted for you, sweetheart. You… Give him your hand if he gives you that.

Beth had to go through various painful experiences and one of them was the death of her mother. She still believes herself to be partly responsible for that. Rip Wheeler was that one person she loved since childhood, and it was time to seek her father’s approval and merry Rip.

About his family falling apart:

Oh, it killed mine, too. Just taking it longer to die.

For someone who had a legacy to protect and pass down to the next generation, Job Dutton was always in a constant war with himself as to whether to give up or keep fighting. There are multiple instances in the series where he appears to be broken or unsatisfied with the way things turned out. Here, in this line, he accepts the ultimate demise of the Dutton family and that there could be no such thing as a happy ending for him.

When he was attempting to motivate Tate:

Your grandfather used to say that you… that you can’t fix a broken wagon wheel. But you can use the parts to make a new one.

It was when Tate was feeling low and slightly losing interest in things after he was abducted and had to go through a rough incident. Both Jamie and Beth envied Tate as their father never paid them enough attention as much as he did to Tate. Tate was the one thing that kept the ray of hope burning inside John Dutton.

When he called Beth ‘evil’

She can be what you won’t ever be. She can be evil. And evil’s what I need right now.

Jamie has been a major help and a significant contributor to the Dutton ranch in various fields despite lacking the quality of being mean and evil. Beth, on the other side, never bothered about choosing right or wrong; reaching the end goal was her only ambition without any regard for being good or bad, which is why John Dutton preferred Beth over Jamie in most cases.

His wise reply to the tourist:

This is America. We don’t share land here.

The weirdest thing John came across included some tourists trespassing on his land and making suggestions about sharing the land with other people and making it a fair place.

Here’s one of his sad quotes that hurts every time you read it:

132 years this ranch has… been in my family, and… I’m the one to lose it. To be honest… I don’t even know who I’m trying to save it for, anymore.

Just as I explained in the quotes above, there are certain situations when others break John Dutton’s expectations and fail to carry out their responsibilities. Beth had no interest in the land since the very beginning, Kayce had ignored his father multiple times, Lee was no more and Jamie simply couldn’t understand his father well. John Dutton always had to go through internal conflict.

The world turns against John Dutton:

The whole county’s turning on me, Rip. The whole f##king place.

John Dutton owned a large portion of land which made others envious of him. Not just the wealthy outsiders but even the government turned against him, keeping in mind the overall increase in GDP after Yellowstone Valley was converted into a city. However, John never agreed on losing a single inch of his land to someone. He remained resilient.

About the daughters who ride horses:

There’s an old saying out here: “If your daughter’s riding a horse, no one’s riding her.

It was when Thomas Rainwater was out for a friendly conversation with John Dutton and asked a horse for his daughter.

About dreams and their reality :

-Every man needs a dream, Dan. But dreams take courage.

For someone as experienced as John Dutton, defining concepts like dreams and goals isn’t hard. He has been through he!l and has witnessed many people chasing a dream and yet failing to achieve it. Dan Jenkins dreamt of making paradise garden in the valley but failed to predict the complexities he would face along the way.

About the tricky world of ours:

Well, all the world’s a test, son. Don’t ever let it trick you into thinking differently.

Kayce and Jamie both had to choose to make difficult decisions. Most of the time they were confused about the path they should choose. When it comes to tricks, every enemy of the Duttons was smart enough to design their own game.

When John explains the meaning of dreams we have at night:

Know what dreams are? It’s your memories and your imagination all mixed together in… into this soup of what’s real and what’s made up. But the thing about this soup is: you can change the ingredients, Tate. You can put in whatever you want to.

John started a fire camp and took Tate along with him. Tate was still recovering from the trauma he faced after being abducted.

Other quotes from John Dutton:

Leverage is knowing that if someone had all the money in the world, this is what they’d buy.

Even your walk is angry, sweetheart.

Now go ruin someone else’s day.

I never would have let you walk into a room like that, son. You’re gonna make a great politician.

what did you do to scare the only person I know who doesn’t get scared?

You’re a thief. And you’re going to prison, where the past catches up to everyone….

That rifle has the power to take a life. Whatever you point it at. You knów that, right? So if you know that, you also know you don’t have the power to bring it back, do you? Even if it was a mistake.

Spend most of my days wondering why I bother, then see something like that. And it all comes back to me.

I know who loves me. I know who’s loyal. I always have.

If there’s a heaven, and I sure hope so…

You’re my son. I know exactly who you are. And don’t you ever be sorry for it.

decide what you’re gonna dream. And that’ll be the dream.

This is my home. If I did this to your home, what would you do?

I’d kill you.

John – That’s right.

Resistance the kind of thing that defines itself, Jimmy.

My man said you if you didn’t leave we’d bury you here. And you didn’t leave. We keep our word in this valley.

-I don’t want you to leave. I want you to dig.

I never had much luck leading men and being their friend.

Of all the promises I’ve made in my life, son. If I didn’t love your mother so much… I would break it.

The world’s just got a little too fast, honey. We need to find a way to slow it down.

Secrets are like a callus on your heart. And every secret feels just like that. Tell enough of them, and before long… Your heart won’t feel a thing.

They’re perfect for each other. Both allergic to logic.

-No pride, honey. It’s just… I made a promise. And I’d rather lose it than break it.

You don’t send them off half-cocked. You be smart about this. You figure out a plan that works, and you take that trash to the f##king train station.

John Dutton stands as the main reason behind the Yellowstone series. The whole series is filled with complex and outstanding characters who possess their own sense of life. The Yellowstone Valley isn’t just a land, it’s a legacy that John promised to protect and not lose, regardless of the consequences.

People loved Kevin Costner’s performance as John Dutton and showed great interest towards the series. It isn’t every day that we come across a series with characters like John Dutton who stands against the entire world and fights to protect it while maintaining a family and keeping it connected.