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Dan Jenkins was an antagonist in seasons one and two of Yellowstone. He was a predominant character, starring in 19 episodes, so why did Dan Jenkins leave Yellowstone?
Dan Jenkins was a land developer for Paradise Valley. He sought to build a casino next to Yellowstone Dutton Ranch and in the process, bring down the Dutton dynasty.
While developing a housing project near Boseman, Dan became acquainted with John Dutton and Thomas Rainwater.
While neither John nor Rainwater liked Dan’s plans, Rainwater saw an opportunity in Dan. The two collaborated with plans to build a hotel and casino together.
After things started to heat up, Dan moved his family away for their protection. He ultimately met his demise not at the hands of the Duttons, but at the hands of the Beck Brothers.
Why Did Dan Jenkins Leave Yellowstone?
Danny Huston, who played Dan Jenkins, left Yellowstone because his character was killed on the show. It appears killing Dan off was a creative decision to help move the plot forward and not Huston wanting to leave the show.
Prior to the filming of his last episode, Huston knew that his character was going to die. Later on, he made a post on Instagram saying “Farewell my dear friends @yellowstone I have now left the chair.”
“The noose is not only tightening around his neck, it’s also tightening around the story, and things are becoming tighter, like the skin of a drum,” said Huston.
“And many things are starting to happen and some sinister ingredients are being introduced and that requires sometimes an alliance between enemies. But nothing is quite that simple in a Taylor Sheridan screenplay,” he continued.
Many fans of Yellowstone agree that Dan’s death was instrumental in the series moving forward. The Duttons needed to face a stronger villain than Dan that was going to test their strengths more.
Also read: Yellowstone Characters Who Have Died So Far
Who Kills Dan Jenkins?
In the season two finale, Jenkins was shot and killed by hitmen hired by the Beck Brothers. The assailants came to his home, entering after making their way past his security guard Torry.
At first, Dan was able to hold his ground and kill two of the attackers. However, he did not see the third one coming which proved to be fatal.
Also read: 15 Facts You Didn’t Know About the Yellowstone TV Series
How Did Dan Jenkins Survive Being Hanged?
After getting on the bad side of the Duttons, Kayce, Rip and other members of the bunkhouse tied a rope around Dan’s neck and hung him from a tree.
While at the time it seemed like they were going to kill him, they were just warning him as they ultimately cut him loose.
The scenario did not look good for Jenkins. He was put on a horse with a noose around his neck and then Kayce scared the horse away, leaving Jenkins hanging from a tree.
Since the hanging was not done in the traditional sense where a person is dropped from the gallows, causing their neck to snap, he was able to survive. If, however, the ranch hands were to have left him there he would have eventually suffocated.
The Duttons wanted to ensure that Dan knew not to test them and try to take their land. It was a terrifying way to get their message across.