Dutton Ranch Episode 6 Turns Deadly: How The 'Pivotal' Death Of A 'Pawn' Changes The Game At 10 Petal Ranch

In the "Yellowstone" spin-off's latest shocking twist, "Dutton Ranch" wipes a key player off the chess board in Episode 6, now streaming on Paramount+. 

Determined to take back what's "rightfully" his, Rob-Will goes gun shopping and cooks up a plan. It's not a good plan, mostly fueled by hubris and cocaine, but it's one Chet is willing to go along with — a decision he would not live to regret.

The half-baked plan goes down under the cover of night, with Chet approaching Joaquin outside the 10 Petal Ranch, gun in hand. As Chet incoherently babbles about all of Joaquin's misdeeds, you just know this whole thing won't end well. Sure enough, Chet fires a shot at Joaquin's hand, only to receive a bullet in his own head as Miguel emerges from the shadows with a smoking gun. (R.I.P., Chet!)

Actor Berto Colon is grateful for Miguel's hero moment, which not only marks a turning point in the story but also demystifies the character, establishing as him an important member of the team.

"People have basically just gotten to see Miguel as like a mysterious presence," Colon tells TVLine. "He's not quite part of the rest of the wranglers. He kinds of blends in, but not really. There was still something about him that made him feel like an outsider. He spends most of the time with Beulah, so there's obviously a connection there, but to come out of the dark and save Joaquin like that was pivotal."

Chet may not have been anyone's favorite character by design, but Colon's heart still goes out to Hart Denton, who portrayed the ill-fated ranch hand. Colon says he didn't know Chet's death was coming, but once he received the script, his conversations with Denton were "heartbreaking." 

"I've been on the other side of that," Colon says. "If you've seen some of my work, you'll know I've definitely not lived through a full season in other shows. I know what that feels like. [Denton] was so graceful and kind, and we got to spend a lot of time together. It was a mutual respect."

Rip takes Joaquin to have his hand stitched up at Everett's, where Joaquin reveals the truth (most of it, anyway) about Wes' murder. He also explains that Rob-Will sees himself as a prince who never became king, a sentiment echoed by Rob-Will's portrayer Jai Courtney. 

"I do feel there's some integrity in what he hopes to achieve," Courtney tells TVLine. "I don't know that Rob-Will really wants to have all that responsibility, but I think his ego attached to the control element is a really powerful thing. To be stepped over, left behind, or cut out is something that'll fuel his ambition in a really serious way."

And don't expect Courtney to apologize for putting Chet in the path of a bullet. Even though Rob-Will's reckless plan cost Chet his life, Beulah's son won't be carrying around too much guilt over the whole ordeal.

"There's obviously a history and a loyalty between them, but it's pretty obvious by now that Rob-Will is mostly out for himself," Courtney says. "Chet is a bit of a pawn in the game, I dare suggest. You can't get to the top without breaking a few eggs, you know what I mean?"

"Dutton Ranch" Episode 6 is also a biggie for the show's blossoming couples. For starters, Beulah and Everett appear to be back together — or at least back in bed — as the hour begins with the kindly veterinarian waking up after spending the night with his old flame. Beulah is practically glowing (dang, Everett!) and she invites him as her date to the 10 Petal Ranch's 190th birthday celebration. He doesn't just accept, he says he'd be "honored." These two!

Meanwhile, Carter and Oreana find themselves in slightly rockier waters during an emotional fishing date. After bonding over their difficult pasts and more recent traumas, Carter admits, "I think I love you." Sadly, his feelings aren't quite reciprocated. "I don't think either of us know what love is," Oreana replies, effectively sinking the rest of their date.

Now for the team-up we've been dying to see: Beth and Beulah board the Jacksons' private jet to meet with business tycoon Zane Nash, hoping to sell him on their new line of ranch-to-table steaks. Unsurprisingly, the women make a dream team, gassing each other up while charming Zane every step of the way. It's an undeniable success, giving the new business partners an excuse to celebrate... and exchange way too much information.

Beth and Beulah's talk begins innocently enough; they acknowledge they both had fathers who died to save their ranches, and who expected their daughters to do the same. Beulah even opens up about her "tough" pregnancy with Rob-Will, adding that baby Joaquin fell in her lap after a ranch hand got on the wrong side of the law. The two women connect over taking in wayward sons, and it seems like they might actually become friends.

That is, until Beulah abruptly (and suspiciously) changes the subject to Montana's former attorney general — aka Beth's dead brother Jamie Dutton. "One has to wonder what really happened," Beulah says, but Beth (who absolutely killed him!) maintains her cool, saying, "I don't think about that anymore." But Beulah persists. "Going missing after what happened with your father?" she asks, earning a similar reply from Beth: "I don't think about that either." Beulah ends the conversation with a thoughtful "hmm," but what exactly is she thinking? That's the million-dollar question right there. 

OK, let's talk: How do you feel, if you feel anything at all, about Chet's death? Are you glad Beulah and Everett appear to be back together? And what do you make of that curious Jamie mention? Drop a comment with your thoughts on "Dutton Ranch" Episode 6 below.