Sumith Prasad
The second part of the fifth season of Paramount Network’s Western series ‘Yellowstone’ starts with several startling developments or revelations. While an unbearable death leaves Kayce and Beth Dutton heartbroken, Jamie Dutton fails to process the loss despite the enmity he has nurtured against the deceased. The world of the Duttons and the individuals associated with them turns upside down with this shocking demise. However, the ninth episode of the installment doesn’t address where Piper Perabo’s Summer Higgins is. The intricate character has been part of the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch for a while, which makes her absence all the more concerning! SPOILERS AHEAD.
Summer Higgins is Nowhere to be Seen After John Dutton’s Death
Summer Higgins becomes an unignorable part of the Dutton household when her path crosses with John Dutton. Even though they do not share any common values or principles, they get together like two opposite poles of two magnets. She remains in his life even though his daughter, Beth Dutton, disapproves of her relationship with Montana’s governor. Eventually, Summer ends up fighting the resilient Beth to earn her place on the ranch. She has to suffer and struggle a lot to become a new member of the Dutton household. Still, she cannot be found anywhere in the ninth episode of season 5, especially after John’s death.
The episode begins with Kayce and Beth learning that John has died in his official mansion. When his sister starts to accuse their brother, Jamie Dutton, of being involved in the death, the livestock commissioner takes her to the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch to calm her. Although Summer is supposed to be in the house, she doesn’t appear in the scenes set on the same property. There can be several reasons behind her absence. She may have left John when her term of house arrest concludes. Since their relationship is nothing more than a fling, there is nothing stopping her from leaving.
Meanwhile, John has been dealing with several setbacks, one after the other. He faces his potential impeachment, proposed by Jamie and Market Equities’ Sarah Atwood. To make matters worse, his cattle are diagnosed with a severe illness, forcing Rip Wheeler to take them to Texas and severely affecting his business. Since John gets engaged in the predicaments, he may not have had the time to be with Summer, possibly paving the way for their separation.
Summer Higgins’ Absence Hints at Piper Perabo’s Exit From Yellowstone
As of now, neither Piper Perabo nor Paramount Network has officially announced the actress’ exit from ‘Yellowstone.’ However, John Dutton’s death doesn’t leave much scope for Summer to warrant Perabo’s appearances in the upcoming episodes. The environmental activist’s character arc mainly concerns her relationship with John and conflicts with Beth. Both of these narrative avenues cease to exist since the Montana governor is no longer alive. Summer does not have any reason to remain in the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch after her boyfriend’s demise, which explains her absence in the ninth episode of season 5.
Similarly, the storyline concerning Beth’s hatred towards Summer is concluded when the latter’s relationship with John becomes non-existent following his death. Considering the environmental activist’s values and principles, she is expected to embark on a new journey to get involved in the causes she believes in. Therefore, we may have seen the last of Perabo in the Western drama unless Summer appears in the tenth episode to attend John’s possible funeral. Even if she takes part in the potential ceremony, she doesn’t have much scope beyond such a guest appearance. Having said that, ‘Yellowstone’ has never failed to surprise the audiences with outrageous plot developments.
It won’t be surprising to see Summer teaming up with Beth to deal with the aftermath of John’s death. However, since the latter is focused on exacting her vengeance on Jamie, the chances of the pacifist joining her boyfriend’s daughter to kill someone are low. Otherwise, Summer should spearhead the conservation processes to protect the Dutton Ranch on Beth’s behalf. But she is not really qualified to deal with an assignment that rewrites the fate of the Duttons’ family and land. Beth may not trust her enough to place the future of her “home” in the hands of the activist, who doesn’t even like life on the ranch. Thus, we may not need to be hopeful about seeing Perabo in the remaining episodes of the Western drama.
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