The “Yellowstone” spinoff’s season 1 finale unmasks the real villain in our heroes’ midst.

Marshals season 1 ending explained: Who wants Rainwater dead?

The "Yellowstone" spinoff's season 1 finale unmasks the real villain in our heroes' midst.

By Randall Colburn

Randall Colburn

Randall Colburn is a writer and editor at **. His work has previously appeared on The A.V. Club, The Guardian, The Ringer, and many other publications.

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May 24, 2026 10:45 p.m. ET

Luke Grimes as Kayce Dutton in the 'Marshals' season 1 finale. Credit:

- *Marshals* wrapped its first season on May 24, 2026.

- The finale sees Thomas Rainwater nearly killed by a hit squad — before revealing the surprising figure behind it.

- The *Yellowstone* spinoff has been renewed for a second season.

**Warning: This article contains spoilers for *Marshals* season 1, episode 13, "Wolves at the Door."**

Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes) is a haunted man on *Marshals*, the *Yellowstone* spinoff in which John Dutton's youngest son embarks upon a new career as a U.S. Marshal. Not only is he still mourning the death of his father, but he’s also grieving the loss of his wife, Monica (Kelsey Asbille), who died of cancer in the year between the end of *Yellowstone* and the beginning of *Marshals*.

As if that weren't enough, Kayce also lost his old friend Garrett (Riley Green) in a fire at East Camp, the patch of land he preserved after selling Yellowstone Dutton Ranch to the Broken Rock reservation.

So, yes, there's been a "dark cloud" over East Camp, as Kayce himself puts it. But it's not all doom and gloom. Kayce's work with the marshals has given him a renewed sense of purpose, as well as a community among his fellow marshals: Cal (Logan Marshall-Green), Belle (Arielle Kebbel), Cruz (Ash Santos), and Miles (Tatanka Means).

Emotionally, Kayce is in a better place by the end of the season than he was at the beginning of it. Unfortunately, the final moments of "Wolves at the Door" prove that wolves aren't just *at* the door — they're in his home.

Below, we're digging into how *Marshals* season 1 ends — and how its chilling cliffhanger sets up the show's second season.

Does Kayce sell East Camp?

Luke Grimes as Kayce Dutton in the 'Marshals' season 1 finale.

Kayce has spent the back half of the season wondering whether he even wants to live on East Camp anymore. Initially, he rejected an offer from wealthy rancher (and former Wall Street bigwig) Tom Weaver (Chris Mulkey) to buy the land, but Garrett’s death has him reconsidering things.

Early in the finale, Weaver arrives at the ranch alongside his daughter, Dolly (Ellyn Jameson), and ranch foreman Jeb (Kevin McNamara). He makes an “extremely generous” formal offer.

“My family’s had this land for almost 150 years,” Kayce says. “A lot of blood, pain, and heartache came with it. Lord knows I’ve had my share.”

He looks down at the remnants of the barn fire that killed Garrett. “Carrying out the ashes of the fire that killed my friend and standing in the shadow of the house where my wife died... there’s definitely been a dark cloud over East Camp,” he says. “But come spring, grass’ll grow. Calves’ll start hitting the ground. This ranch will be full of life again. My life has been defined by losing the things I love. East Camp’s one thing I can hold onto.”

Weaver is disappointed, but he respects Kayce’s decision. Later, Kayce tells his colleagues that, inspired by Garrett’s love of horses, he wants to turn the ranch into an equine therapy center for veterans.

Tate (Brecken Merrill), Kayce’s son, praises his dad’s decision. “Before you became a marshal, East Camp was just us and our family ghosts,” he says. “But with your teammates, Mo, Rainwater, the Weavers, we brought life back to it.”**

Is Cruz leaving Montana?

Ash Santos as Andrea Cruz on 'Marshals'.

Sonja Flemming/CBS

Cruz is a city girl, not a country mouse, but Big Sky Country has charmed her throughout season 1. Last week, she was offered a job in Washington, D.C., and while she readily accepted it, part of her seems reluctant to leave.

Throughout the finale, Cal, Belle, and Kayce all make appeals for her to stay, noting that she’ll find less action and more politics in D.C. “Just make sure you’re running toward something you want, not away from something you don’t,” Cal says.

By the end of the episode, she’s willing to miss her flight to help chase down a lead with Cal and Belle, but they tell her they have it handled. Cruz seems to want a reason *not* to leave, so we wouldn’t be shocked to see her back in action next season.

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Who is trying to kill Rainwater?

Mo Brings Plenty, Ash Santos, Gil Birmingham, and Arielle Kebbel in the 'Marshals' season 1 finale.

Somebody really wants Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham) dead.

Throughout the first season, the chairman of the Confederated Tribes of Broken Rock has dodged assassination attempts and bombs while trying to address the drugs and toxic waste being poured into the reservation. For the good of the land and its people, he has fought to stop the development of a rare earth mine. By the finale, he’s headed to a high-stakes meeting with a senator — provided the “dark forces” working against him don’t stop him first.

While driving to the meeting alongside Miles and his right-hand man, Mo (Mo Brings Plenty), their car is ambushed by unknown hitmen armed with some serious weaponry. “The wolves have returned,” Mo intones.

They escape the attack unscathed, and Kayce hides them out at East Camp. “Can’t be a coincidence that this happened as we’re firing our last salvo against the mine,” Rainwater says.

But someone tipped off the assassins, and it isn’t long before a group of armed, masked shooters descends on the ranch. A brutal battle ensues, with the Marshals rallying behind Rainwater and Kayce to take out the hitmen. Rainwater is nearly killed after being cornered in a bedroom, but he’s saved by Tate, who shoots the assassin dead. (Kayce, obviously, feels terrible about his son getting involved. “I thought I could break our family’s cycle of violence, but it always ends up in a familiar place,” he laments.)

Later, the team pieces together that the assassins were professionals who had been hired by someone with deep pockets. All signs point to Nathan Irons (Gary Nohealii), a Broken Rock council member who has repeatedly clashed with Rainwater. The marshals later find him dead in an apparent suicide.

“When the attack failed, he must have felt the walls closing in on him,” Belle says.

But Rainwater is skeptical. “If Irons is involved,” he says, “he did somebody else’s bidding.”**

So, who is really behind the hit on Rainwater?

Rainwater succeeds in getting the mine suspended and subjected to a full review, which bodes well for its eventual shutdown.

But he's not out of danger yet. Irons' autopsy reveals defensive wounds and a lack of powder burns on his hands, casting serious doubt on his death being a suicide. The marshals investigate further, and find a suspicious video of an East Camp ranch hand making a call before the attack.

When Cal and Belle visit the ranch hand’s home, they find him dead. Parked outside is Jeb, the ranch foreman introduced earlier alongside the Weavers. After he drives away, a pair of shooters emerge and open fire on Cal and Belle.

And that's the last we see of them — for now.

What happens at the end of Marshals season 1?

Luke Grimes as Kayce Dutton and Ellyn Jameson as Dolly Weaver in the 'Marshals' season 1 finale.

Kayce and Tate are visited by Tom and Dolly at East Camp. Tom has heard about what happened and wants to take Tate down to Texas for some bass fishing. Kayce, who fears for his and his son’s safety following the shootout, agrees.

Later, as Tom and Tate board Tom’s private jet, Jeb arrives on the tarmac. “It’s handled, sir,” he tells Tom.

Back at East Camp, Kayce is riding the land with Dolly by his side, unaware that he has just sent his son off with the man who appears to have been financing the violence around Broken Rock.

This leaves us with plenty of questions. What are Tom’s intentions for Broken Rock and East Camp? Is Dolly, with whom Kayce has grown closer, aware of her dad’s nefarious actions? And what does Tom have planned for Tate in Texas? We’ll find out next season.**

Where can I watch Marshals?

*Marshals* airs on CBS and streams on Paramount+.

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