Kayce Dutton is the hot 'Yellowstone' savior who can also dance. What happened?

Sorry Rip & Beth. There's been one Most Valuable Dutton family member in these six new episodes: unassuming Kayce (Luke Grimes).

The grieving son, easily the best hugger on "Yellowstone," intervened with the coroner to push the investigation into Governor John Dutton's death, threw his guilty brother Jamie (Wes Bentley) straight across the attorney general's desk and threatened the head of the assassins who killed the governor.

Kayce keeps rolling in Sunday's penultimate episode, showing his adoring wife Monica (Kelsey Asbille) that he actually knows how to dance. He's making final Yellowstone Ranch memories. Then he goes full spiritual-financial-guru, suggesting to his sister Beth (Kelly Reilly) a fix to the seemingly intractable ranch money problems.

We kinda hoped that numbers-whiz Beth, the one-time head of acquisitions for the Schwartz & Meyer bank, would have considered the land sale idea that clear-eyed Kayce drops on her like mystical lyrics. But Beth looks wonderstruck with hope. Here's what happened:

Teeter barely keeps her balance after Colby's death

Sunday's episode marks one TV week since bunkhouse favorite Colby (Denim Richards) was killed by a "man-eater" stud horse while saving Carter (Finn Little), who then shot the offending animal, which was fed to wolves.

So after three "Yellowstone" human fatalities (and one horse), this is the rare episode with no death.

But Teeter (Jennifer Landon) still deals with the pain of her lost lover, Colby. It doesn't help that everyone is pairing up with their sweeties during the big auction of horses and cattle. Bunkhouse poet Walker (Ryan Bingham) reunites with his cowgirl Laramie (Bingham's real-life wife Hassie Harrison) and they canoodle right in front of Teeter. Her spirits sink so low that Beth is compelled to take Teeter out for mental recovery drinks.

Can Jamie be saved by his tough-talking baby mama?

Where has Jamie's power ex-girlfriend Christina (Katherine Cunningham) been hiding? The former Democratic National Committee consultant has the real Dutton stuff, telling her desperate ex Jamie that she's only helping him because of their shared child's legacy. She's not listening to Jamie's whining about police investigations into his murdered lawyer girlfriend, Sarah Atwood (Dawn Olivieri), who hired the governor's killers.

Christina gives Jamie the script to follow: Deny everything, bluster forward and call for investigations. This could pin the deaths on Sarah's bosses at Market Equities, the evil firm trying to build the airport once blocked by the now-conveniently dead governor. (Cops have already raided the firm's offices.) Christina's plan could help her emotional, deadbeat ex's legal problems.

Maybe the threat of revealing Dutton secrets can even save Jamie's bacon from Beth-and-Rip justice. Maybe not. But at least Jamie's back to his smug smirking. Sadly, no maniacal laugh. We'll see how Jamie does in the speech of his life to be given in the finale.

One week before 'Yellowstone' finale, Taylor Sheridan horses around with Bella Hadid

On December 15, "Yellowstone" is supposed to end with its fifth-season finale, which features the funeral of John Dutton (once played by Kevin Costner). Reports of a new spinoff — or another "Yellowstone" season with Rip (Cole Hauser) and Beth at the helm —are still unconfirmed. Fans jumped all over the preview for this episode, which dubbed it the "season finale."

More: Taylor Sheridan gets ample screen time, Bella Hadid cameo in new 'Yellowstone'

Whatever the ending or new beginning, creator and executive producer Taylor Sheridan is in no rush to tie up loose ends. Much of Sunday's episode zeroes in on the Han Solo-esque Texas horse trainer Travis Wheatley, who happens to be played by Sheridan. We see a lot of Travis, including many shots of his impressive exposed physique and a veritable herd of moments in which he performs skilled equestrian feats. Travis even masters two games of strip poker, where he is apparently allowed to cheat roguishly.

Of course, Travis' stunning girlfriend is played by none other than model Bella Hadid (who is too smart to play strip poker).

There seems to be a purpose as Rip tells Beth how loyal bestie Travis stood by him during that fateful bar fight when they got hammered by a bunch of railroad workers and a busted-up Travis returned for his hat. It would be an even better story if Sheridan hadn't written it for himself, but we're quibbling. Travis is a cool character, and this universe-building could set up a landing place or partnership for Rip and Beth should they — gasp! — seek livelihoods beyond the Yellowstone Ranch. Or maybe Travis is just Western eye candy before the killing resumes next week. There's still at least a Rip-ignited burning car coming, as promised in the season trailer.

And, of course, there's the fate of Yellowstone Ranch and the Dutton clan, all very much in the air. Not to mention the very existence of "Yellowstone" itself. Next week is going to be a ride.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Yellowstone' recap: Kayce Dutton shows moves, Jamie rises again