Yellowstone: What Being Branded Really Means
Warning: the following contains SPOILERS for Yellowstone.
Yellowstone Dutton Ranch hands and family members bear the stylized, hooked “Y” brand or symbol that represents the ranch. Yellowstone is one of the most successful shows in the history of neo-Western dramas. Since it aired on Paramount+ and NBCUniversal's Peacock streaming platform, Yellowstone has wowed fans with its unique take on the cutthroat American ranching business, drawing comparisons not just to other Westerns, but also to shows like The Sopranos, Breaking Bad, and even Ozark. One of the key reasons for these comparisons is the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch's ritualistic branding of those who join its fold, a practice that's typically reserved for cattle and other livestock.
Jimmy Hurdstrom (Jefferson White) has the honor of being the first character to be shown being branded in Yellowstone season 1. Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) administers the painful brand. And while Jimmy's experience suggests that the practice is a form of punishment, it's later revealed that the “Y” brand makes Jimmy untouchable in the ranch, and that those bearing the brand are afforded a mandatory level of respect. At the same time, as shown from the first season to Yellowstone season 4, anyone bearing the brand is expected to be wholly loyal to and responsible for the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch. Although some real-life ranches also brand their workers, Yellowstone treats the ritual with utmost reverence and secrecy.
Related: Yellowstone: Every Upcoming Season & Spinoff Show
Yellowstone's practice of branding is highly similar to the initiation rituals of the Sicilian mafia and other secret organizations and fraternities – except it's calibrated for the cutthroat ranching business. Just
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