Warning: This post contains spoilers for 1923‘s Season 2 finale. Proceed accordingly.

The plains of Montana are a harsh place where life moves on. So even though the smoke has barely cleared at the ranch after 1923‘s series finale, it’s time to dry our eyes and turn our attention to the next chapter in the Yellowstoneverse: Will any of the Duttons we met in 1923 show up in the franchise’s next prequel, 1944, which Paramount+ greenlit 1944 in November 2023?

First, let’s start with which main characters possibly could appear in the saga’s next series, based on what happened in the finale. If you saw the episode, you know that Jack Dutton and Alexandra Dutton both died before the end credits rolled; he courtesy of Clyde’s traitorous bullet, and she of necrosis brought on by frostbite. (Read a full recap here.) Higher up on the Dutton family tree, Jacob and Cara survived, but it’s unlikely that the elderly couple have another 21 years of hard livin’ left in them. It’s harsh, but it’s true!

Then there’s Spencer Dutton, who does pass away by the end of the episode — but only after he lives 45 more years, according to Elsa’s voiceover. (Check out our interview with Brandon Sklenar and Julia Schlaepfer’s about the tearjerking finale here.) Spencer would be in his mid-to-late 40s, and only 21 years into the aforementioned 45, by the time the new show’s era comes around; it would make sense to have him be at the center of it, given that he’s likely to inherit the ranch from Uncle Jake and Aunt Cara when they go.

Next up is Teonna Rainwater, who receives a slight reprieve in the finale after two seasons of agony: With effectively no one to press charges against her for killing the nuns and Father Renaud, aka her abusers at the boarding school for Native American children, she is released from custody a free woman. From the teen’s last name, we’re guessing that Teonna is a relative of Yellowstone‘s Chief Thomas Rainwater. And because she is an adolescent, ostensibly with her whole life ahead of her, we can see her popping up in 1944.

Finally, there’s Elizabeth Dutton, who ends the series as a pregnant young widow preparing to return to her hometown of Boston after learning firsthand that life on the ranch is grueling and deadly. (And yes, 1923 star Michelle Randolph, who played Elizabeth, confirms to TVLine that her alter ego is still with child as she bids Cara farewell.)

To this point, we’ve been discussing characters — whether the actors who played these roles in 1923 will continue with Taylor Sheridan’s storytelling empire is a different matter. Though when we asked them, they were uniformly on board.

“I’m in. If it’s written, I’m in,” Randolph said. “Same!” cried Aminah Nieves, who played Teonna. “Age me up, do what you need to do. I’m here for it,” Randolph added, laughing.

“We’re also closer to a 1944 age than a 1923 age,” Nieves pointed out. “In life, yeah, you’re right,” Randolph agreed, “but we don’t look it!” Nieves laughed, adding “Amen, sister!” (Both actresses are 27; their 1923 characters were younger.)

Sklenar acknowledges that it would be “possible” for another chapter of Spencer’s life to unfold on 1944. “I think someone’s gotta teach that kid” — Spencer’s son, John, who was born during the finale — “how to ride a horse and shoot a gun and take better care of himself than Spencer did. So yeah, if that’s something in the cards, I’d be down.”

Who would you like to see show up on 1944? Hit the comments, and let us know!