What Happened Emma Dutton on the Paramount+ Series ‘1923'? Inside Her Arc
Emma Dutton is emotionally distraught after the death of her husband, John Dutton Sr., at the hands of family enemy Banner Creighton.
Published April 1 2025, 1:02 p.m. ET
When you find a television show that you love, it’s easy to become emotionally attached to the characters, as you go right along with them on their journey of highs and lows — which can sometimes not have the outcome you expected, such as the characters on the Paramount+ hit series 1923.
Portrayed by actor Marley Shelton, Emma Dutton may not be the biggest character or have the largest storyline on the series, but her fate still matters to fans of the series in the Yellowstone franchise.
What happened to Emma Dutton on ‘1923'?
Emma, emotionally distraught after the death of her husband, John Dutton Sr., at the hands of family enemy Banner Creighton, makes a drastic and heartbreaking decision.
In the fifth episode of the 1923’s first season, Emma dies by suicide after shooting herself, unable to deal with the grief of losing her husband. With Emma’s death, the couple’s son, Jack Dutton, now has no parents left.
What is ‘1923’ about?
The American Western drama from creator Taylor Sheridan, 1923, is the third series in the Yellowstone franchise, following 1883. It follows the Dutton family in 1923 as they face a host of hardships and hurdles, including Prohibition, the Great Depression, drought, and threats from enemies and outsiders.
The first season of 1923 premiered on Dec. 22, 2022, with eight episodes dropping of Paramount+. Following a renewal, the second season premiered on Feb. 23, 2025, with seven episodes.
What Marley has said about playing Emma Dutton.
In a 2022 interview with Decider, Marley shares her views on who Emma is as a character and her worries for her son and her marriage. “The ranch is very important to Emma and something she worries about,” she said.
“Her worry with Jack, especially in his marrying Liz, is maybe he won’t continue on and uphold the family legacy of the Dutton Ranch. Liz is pretty starry-eyed and went to school on the East Coast. Emma is pretty wary that she could take Jack away from his family and his obligations,” Marley said of Emma’s concerns about Jack.
She continued, speaking about the strong marriage between Emma and John Sr. “John and Emma are very solid in their marriage. We have a 25-year-old son. We are committed to ranch life. John and Emma are committed to being Duttons and carrying the burden and responsibility of that legacy,” Marley told the outlet.
Will there be a third season of ‘1923?’
The series was initially planned to only last two seasons, as evidenced by a 2023 interview with series star Brandon Sklenar. But fans want to know if there will be more.
The actor told The Hollywood Reporter, “No, no, it’s bookend. It’s still limited, but I think of it as one piece — there’s just a split in the middle, but it’s all one piece. It will conclude.” However, things in the world of television are often unpredictable, so it’s possible that fan demand and good ratings could change course on the decision to end the series.