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The season 2 finale of 1923 has added another layer of uncertainty to the Dutton family tree, with the unexpected arrival of Spencer and Alexandra’s baby boy. The birth, which took place under high-stakes circumstances, came earlier than expected and has left viewers wondering about the child’s place in the Yellowstone lineage. While the show has long teased answers about the Dutton family’s origins, the latest developments in 1923 have complicated rather than clarified those questions.
1923 season finale ends with a birth but offers little concrete detail about the newborn’s future. Alexandra survives and gives birth to a premature baby boy, and she tells Jacob she would like to name the child John, after Spencer’s late brother. Though this appears to suggest a connection to John Dutton II, the show does not confirm the baby's eventual identity. The scene shows Cara caring for the infant as Elizabeth, who is also pregnant again, departs the ranch.
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This scene continues 1923’s trend of leaving critical family history open to interpretation while hinting at major ties to characters in the present-day Yellowstone series. As of the season finale, there is no confirmed information about how Spencer and Alexandra’s son fits into the established family lineage.
The 1923 baby's birth doesn't confirm the link to John Dutton II
One of the major questions raised in the finale is whether Alexandra and Spencer’s newborn is John Dutton II, the father of Kevin Costner’s John Dutton III in Yellowstone. The show avoids making any direct confirmation. Although Alexandra suggests the name John, the child’s full identity remains uncertain.
No voiceover or additional narrative confirms whether this child grows up to become John Dutton II. Julia Schlaepfer, who plays Alexandra, said in an interview with Blavity’s Shadow and Act, published on April 6, 2025, that she and Brandon Sklenar would love to believe their characters' son is John II, stating:
“I think that Brandon and I would both absolutely love to believe that [their Alex and Spencer’s son is John II] and probably do deep down in our hearts, but there are many, many years between present day and back then. And a lot could happen. So until Taylor writes it, that’s what I’ll say.”
Throughout 1923, there has been speculation about which characters are ancestors of the present-day Dutton family. Jack Dutton and his wife Elizabeth were initially assumed to be the forebears of John Dutton II. However, Elizabeth suffered a miscarriage earlier in the season, though by the end of the finale she is shown to be pregnant again, keeping that theory open.
With Alexandra now giving birth, some assumed that Spencer’s son might be the next link in the family line, but the show offers no evidence to support this idea as fact. Sklenar also commented on the recurring use of the name John in the same interview with Julia, saying:
“Could be another John popping up now and again—it’s a strong name. My brother was a strong man and I think that it’s certainly possible.”
Spencer is also said to have had another son with a widow later in life, as noted in the season’s closing narration. The identity and fate of that child also remain unexplored in the series.
Spencer’s absence creates more uncertainty about the future
In the same finale episode, Spencer remains unaware of his son’s birth. He is last seen traveling separately after being detained and separated from Alexandra. This physical and emotional distance raises further uncertainty about his involvement in his son’s life and whether he ever returns to the family ranch.
Spencer’s journey back to Montana has been long and filled with challenges, but the finale confirms that he does make it home. Upon returning, he takes revenge by killing Donald Whitfield after Alex’s death.
Spencer does eventually arrive at the hospital to see Alexandra and their child, but Alexandra dies shortly after childbirth due to complications. The finale's closing monologue narrates what Spencer does next. After burying both Jack and Alexandra in the family graveyard, Spencer assumes full responsibility for the Yellowstone ranch, allowing Jacob to begin his retirement.
Jacob and Cara remain at the ranch to help raise Spencer’s son. Spencer later fathers another child with a widow and lives out the rest of his life, ultimately dying as an old man beside Alexandra’s grave.
The 1923 family tree mystery deepens with more than one possible heir
The introduction of Spencer and Alexandra’s child adds another potential heir to the Dutton legacy, but it also creates confusion in 1923 season finale. The growing cast of characters and intersecting timelines make it difficult to establish a clear Dutton family tree. Elizabeth’s pregnancy reopens the possibility that she and Jack’s child might be John Dutton II, especially since Jack is the son of John Dutton I.
In addition, the 1923 season finale narration mentions that Spencer fathered another child with a widow later in life. This raises the possibility that there are multiple potential ancestors of John Dutton III, none of whom have been identified as John Dutton II within the show.
Michelle Randolph, who plays Elizabeth, addressed the ongoing speculation in an interview with Blavity’s Shadow and Act, published on April 6, 2025, by saying:
“I want them [the fans] to know that we are there with them. I don’t know. I wish that we knew if people say there’s some people who are very confident in their theory, and I’m happy for them"
Theory regarding a possible Yellowstone sequel series titled The Madison, which may explore the descendants of lesser-known or unmentioned Dutton family tree lines was discussed by Michael Balderston in an article published on April 6, 2025, on What to Watch. However, there is no official confirmation about the show’s content or its direct relation to the central Dutton lineage.
The finale of 1923 brings several narrative developments but avoids providing definitive answers about the Dutton family tree. Spencer and Alexandra’s baby is born and named John, but the child’s role in the family’s legacy remains unclear. Elizabeth’s pregnancy also keeps open the possibility of another Dutton heir. Spencer’s later son with a widow further complicates the lineage.
As of now, 1923 has not confirmed which of these children, if any, is John Dutton II. Until further information is provided in upcoming series like 1944, the origins of John Dutton III’s father remain unresolved.
