Abhiroop Das
Created by Chad Feehan, Paramount+’s ‘Dutton Ranch‘ expands on the world of ‘Yellowstone,’ this time with Rip and Beth trying to step out of John’s shadow in their attempt to create something new and everlasting. However, a series of unfortunate events drives them out of Montana and lands them somewhere in the town of Rio Paloma, Texas, where they are no longer the biggest natural predator of the land. In the previous episode, both Rip and Beth settle into their new jobs at the 10 Petal Ranch, and though things seem to be going in Beulah’s favor for now, there is still the undiscussed subject of her son, Rob-Will, being a loose cannon. This episode, titled ‘Den of Sin,’ takes up that exact tangent and lets it tread all over the narrative unannounced. SPOILERS AHEAD.
A Look Back at Beulah’s Past Reveals a Tragic Turn of Events
‘Dutton Ranch’ season 1 episode 7, titled ‘Den of Sin,’ begins with a flashback to the 1980s, as Mariano, a cowhand at the 10 Petal Ranch, drops off a young Beulah and her friends at an up-and-coming honky tonk. Though he is tasked with essentially babysitting Beulah, much like how she treats Oreana in the present, the queen of the ranch proves to be impossible to restrain. In high spirits, she joins a young man, named Luke, in a Country Two-Step, just as a young bartender begins flirting with Mariano. However, this turns out to be a part of Luke’s plan to distract him from watching over Beulah and the girls, and by the time he realizes this and catches up, it is already too late. Beulah walks out of Luke’s house, her face bloodied and her boot missing, and there is nothing that Mariano can say that could alleviate the situation even a bit.
The scene then returns to the present, and it’s the day of the annual 10 Petal Ranch soiree. As always, Beulah is super precise about even the minutest of details, and being her guests, the Duttons don’t disappoint either. Though Rip tries to come to the party wearing his signature black shirt, Beth convinces him to don a suit for only perhaps the second time in his life. Going above and beyond in showmanship, the Duttons decides to visit 10 Petal on horseback. The guest list spans quite a lot of bigshots, with even the celebrated Xane Nash paying Rio Paloma’s biggest ranch a visit. At the cowhand shed, Beulah personally arrives with the good news that there is an open tab at the Split Heart bar, and they can celebrate to their hearts’ content.
Carter Risks Ruining Everything He Has Built up With Oreana So Far
At the party, Carter can hardly contain his excitement to meet Oreana, but things soon get awkward when he finds her in conversation with another friend. Almost pointedly in contrast to Carter, that friend is a collegiate and already has quite a bit of land to his name. Feeling insecure, Carter walks away in silence as Beulah’s party continues in full swing, even at Split Heart. Though Zachariah and Azul are perfectly fine sitting in a corner sharing stories of the yonder, a few members of the group soon pick a fight with other cowhands, who accuse the 10 Petal of being corrupt. While Zachariah and company manage to win the fight with their fists, there still remains a lingering sense of doubt about Chet and Wes’ successive disappearance, and whether the ranch has a hand in it.
Meanwhile, Carter is rescued by Everett just as he starts to get lonely, and the old man recommends that he simply walk away from the hum-drum when it feels too much. Carter, however, seems to have taken the wrong lesson out of this and instead gets too drunk for his own good. When Oreana does attempt to catch up with him, Carter instead spews nothing but pure hatred, accusing her of toying with his heart and sleeping with her friend. The fact that she quasi-rejected his proposal a few days ago undoubtedly has something to do with these frustrations, but Oreana chooses to stay mature, confronting Carter about his misogyny and walking away from the scene.
The Prodigal Son Returns as Beulah Comes Scarily Close to Death’s Door
Elsewhere, Beulah seems to be at the top of her game, successfully wooing Xane Nash into taking a ride on the ranch the next morning. However, a surprise awaits her inside her own chambers, and it turns out to be none other than Rob-Will. Having escaped from rehab before being cleared, Rob-Will has a very specific reason for coming back, and it’s to threaten Beulah into making him her official successor. Beulah’s real plan for this entire soiree was to crown Joaquin and Mariano as the next head of the ranch, but with Rob-Will threatening to kill if necessary, she had no heart but to lie at her grand speech. Heartbroken, Joaquin doesn’t even waste a second in walking out of the ranch, but not before Rob-Will mocks him about the death of Chet, and how he will never be the true heir to the land.
Though Beulah is left dejected by the end of the soiree, her sorrows are far from over. The succession news comes as a surprise to both Beth and Xane, and in the latter case, this threatens to be a partnership-breaking revelation. Before Beulah can calm him down, however, Carter emerges from her house, clearly in a stupor and carrying a giant trophy skull in her arms. Though Rip tries to contain the situation and his son as quickly as possible, this becomes the tipping point for Beulah, as a twitch in her neck turns into what appears to be a stroke.
As Beulah lies down in pain, at the cusp of losing her consciousness, the scene returns to the 80s once again, except this time it’s the night of the ranch’s annual soiree. It’s been some time since the night Luke sexually assaulted her, and it appears that no major action was taken against him. More surprisingly, Beulah reveals that she is pregnant with his child, and asks Mariano to drive her up to his home. Though she enters under the pretense of informing him about the baby, Mariano is shocked to hear gunshots not long after, and out comes Beulah, having retrieved her second boot and taken her revenge, all in one stroke.
Read More: Dutton Ranch: Is Rio Paloma Based on a Real Town in Texas?
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