"Why Yellowstone Killed Off Colby in a 'Simple' Yet 'Shocking' Way"

"With Only Two Episodes Left in Season 5B, Latest Character Death Has Fans Speculating on the Series' Finale"

"Yellowstone Shocks Fans with Colby's Death in 'Simple' Yet Heartbreaking Way"

No one is safe on the Dutton ranch anymore.

In the Sunday, Dec. 1 episode of Yellowstone, Colby (Denim Richards) became the latest member of the Dutton family’s inner circle to meet a tragic end. His death came in an unexpectedly simple, yet deeply shocking manner.

Christina Voros, who directed the episode, shared her thoughts with The Hollywood Reporter, saying, "The thing that I think is such a gut-punch about Colby’s death is that, in a season filled with twists, dark forces, and dramatic narrative swings, Colby’s death is powerful because it’s so simple."

Voros described the death as a "gut-wrenching" and "freak accident" in which Colby was tragically trampled by a horse while assisting Carter (Finn Little), an inexperienced cowboy. She emphasized that the death was reflective of the real-life "risks" that come with being a cowboy.

“It’s a dangerous job, and this kind of thing can happen in the blink of an eye,” she said. “The shock comes from how simple it is, yet so grounded in the world these characters inhabit. It’s profoundly tragic.”

Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) took Colby’s death especially hard, remarking, “It’s a dangerous job, and one day it’ll kill me, too.” Given Rip’s grim words, Voros noted that it’s "a natural instinct to wonder if everything anyone says could be foreshadowing."

She continued, "Kayce saying goodbye to Monica, Beth saying goodbye to Rip — it’s easy to start reading into those moments when you experience sudden, shocking loss after several others. That’s just where one’s mind goes."

Colby’s "Simple" Death on Yellowstone Stuns Fans, Says Denim Richards

Denim Richards, who has portrayed ranch hand Colby since Yellowstone's first season, reflected on how the simplicity of his character’s death made it all the more shocking for viewers.

“I think this death really emphasizes how tenuous life can be,” Richards, 36, told The Hollywood Reporter. “Going forward, it grounds the show a bit more and gives more foundation to everything happening. Sometimes, the stakes on this show get so high that you can lose sight of how fragile life really is.”

In a separate interview with Entertainment Weekly, Richards shared that he found out about his character’s fate just a day before receiving the script for the episode. "I was actually flying back from Texas when I got the call that this was going to happen," he explained. "That was probably back in May."

Richards also noted how creator Taylor Sheridan has been emphasizing the gritty realities of cowboy life this season. “We always say, everyone’s going to fall off a horse at some point — it’s not a matter of if, but when, and how bad. This isn’t just a phenomenon; these things happen,” he said. “I think it’s important to show that element of reality.”

Reflecting on the poetic nature of his character’s death, Richards pointed out a connection to a scene from season 3, where Colby is trampled by horses in the river. “Maybe this was those horses’ ancestors coming back for retribution,” he joked. “But more than anything, it was about as clean a death as you could have.”

Following the episode, Richards shared a heartfelt post on Instagram, showing a photo of his chair from the set. "Grateful🙏🏾✊🏾🙏🏾," he wrote, and fans flooded the comments with messages of love and admiration for his performance.

Several of his co-stars also paid tribute, including Jen Landon, who portrayed Colby’s love interest, Teeter, for three seasons. “You are beyond loved, my dear friend and actor,” Landon wrote. “So many hearts broke tonight. 💔💔💔."

Colby's Death in Yellowstone Season 5B Follows Major Losses, Including John Dutton’s Shocking Exit

Colby’s death in episode four of Yellowstone season 5B marks yet another heartbreaking loss in a season already filled with shocking farewells. His passing follows the devastating death of John Dutton, which was revealed in the season’s opening episodes. While John's death came as a shock to many fans, it was somewhat expected after Kevin Costner confirmed his departure from the role prior to filming in the spring.

In episode 3, John’s death was partially avenged when Sarah Atwood (Dawn Olivieri), who had plotted his murder and staged it to look like a suicide, was killed.

Costner, 69, admitted he wasn’t particularly thrilled with the creative direction surrounding his character’s demise. Speaking on SiriusXM's The Michael Smerconish Program, he shared, “Once I heard it was a suicide, I wasn’t in a rush to go see it.”

Yellowstone's new episodes air Sundays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Paramount Network. Stay updated on all the latest developments by signing up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter, bringing you the best in celebrity news and compelling stories.