The penultimate episode of Dutton Ranch Season 1, titled “Whiskey Limits,” dropped a bombshell that has completely shifted the landscape of the Yellowstone spin-off. While the episode was packed with tense confrontations and family drama, it was Joaquin’s (Juan Pablo Raba) final act—a desperate phone call to his biological father—that planted the seeds for what could become the show’s biggest conflict yet.
The Paramount+ series is barreling towards its highly anticipated Season 1 finale on July 3, and Episode 8 made it clear that the stakes have never been higher for Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly), Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser), and the entire 10-Petal Ranch.
Why Joaquin Made the Call That Will ‘Change Everyone’s Life’
Episode 8 picks up right after the shocking events of Episode 7, where Beulah Jackson (Annette Bening) suffered a heart attack and collapsed at her 10-Petal Ranch’s 190th anniversary party. The emotional fallout from the party, combined with Beulah’s decision to name her biological son Rob-Will (Jai Courtney) as her successor over Joaquin, pushed the adopted son over the edge.
Still fuming over Beulah’s betrayal, Joaquin decides to take a risky step. He visits Sheriff Handy Wade (Josh Stewart) and hands over the gun that Rob-Will used to kill Wes Ayers, the ranch’s former foreman, in the season premiere. His plan is simple: get a warrant issued for his brother’s arrest and stop him from taking over the ranch. However, Sheriff Wade is not interested. Without the location of Wes’ body, the sheriff dismisses Joaquin, telling him, “You can go play your game of ‘Clue’ elsewhere.”
Joaquin’s frustration reaches a breaking point. After his plan fails and he has nowhere else to turn, he makes a decision that actor Juan Pablo Raba describes as akin to “pressing a nuke.” In the episode’s final moments, Joaquin is seen in a cemetery, making a phone call. He says, “Hola, papá. Necesito tu ayuda” which translates to “Hi, Dad. I need your help.”
“He knows that by making that call, he’s going to change everyone’s life trajectory. He had the possibility to make that call for years, and he hasn’t done it. He knows that by doing this, everything’s going to change, and he’s going to try to get what he thinks he deserves, but now, he is willing to play dirty.”- Juan Pablo Raba on his character’s decision in Dutton Ranch
Raba explained that Joaquin had been solving problems his entire life, and being passed over by Beulah was his biggest heartbreak. But having to call his father and ask for help is described as his “second biggest heartbreak.” Joaquin knows that by making that call, he is bringing a dangerous element into the mix.
Who Is Joaquin’s Father? The Mystery of Mariano Reyes
While the episode never revealed the face of the man at the other end of the line, eagle-eyed fans and cast interviews have confirmed that Joaquin called his biological father, Mariano Reyes.
Mariano has largely been a shadowy figure throughout Season 1. He was first mentioned in Episode 4, where he was suspected of being behind an illegal cattle smuggling operation that resulted in a bull infected with Foot-and-Mouth disease wiping out Beth and Rip’s herd. This act put him on a collision course with the Duttons before he even appeared on screen.
Episode 7 provided a crucial flashback to Beulah’s past, where a young Mariano was introduced as a ranch hand working for Beulah’s father. He was assigned to chaperone Beulah and was shown to be attentive to her, even rescuing her from a troubling situation. This backstory reveals that Mariano isn’t just a random criminal—he has a deep, complex history with the Jackson family and the 10-Petal Ranch. We still don’t know what happened in the years between those flashbacks and the present day, but it’s clear he has risen from being a ranch hand to the head of a smuggling operation.
How the Duttons Are Drawn Into the Conflict
While Joaquin is unleashing a new threat, Beth and Rip are discovering the truth about the 10-Petal Ranch, which is setting the stage for an explosive finale.
In Episode 8, Austin Lewis (Sterlin English), a ranch hand, finally reveals the Jacksons’ darkest secret to Beth and Rip: the 10-Petal Ranch is running an illegal cattle-smuggling operation in Mexico. They are stealing cattle and forging paperwork to smuggle them across the border, which is the only way the ranch has stayed in business. This operation also explains how the Foot-and-Mouth disease spread to Beth and Rip’s herd.
Austin reveals the next shipment is expected in two days, putting Beth, Rip, and Mariano’s forces on a collision course. It was revealed that Wes was killed because he was getting too close to this truth, confirming that Rob-Will is willing to kill to protect the family business.
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What This Means for the Season 1 Finale
With Joaquin calling in his dangerous father and Beth and Rip now knowing the truth about the 10-Petal Ranch, the Season 1 finale, titled “El Padrino,” is shaping up to be a war. Mariano, who has already proven to be a threat by destroying Beth and Rip’s herd, is now about to enter the picture in a personal way. The finale is expected to feature a major gunfight and could potentially result in a character meeting a grim fate. Everything is in place for an explosive end to the season, and viewers will have to wait until July 3 to see who survives.
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