Yellowstone‘s spinoff Marshals killed off Kelsey Asbille‘s character Monica, but what was the reason for her onscreen death?
The Sunday, March 1, episode of Luke Grimes‘ new CBS show revealed that Kayce Dutton’s wife previously died after she got cancer as a result of toxins dumped onto the Broken Rock reservation. Amid a strong reaction from Yellowstone fans about the offscreen death, Grimes, 42, and Marshals showrunner Spencer Hudnut addressed the narrative decision.
“The way that Yellowstone ended for Kayce was literally he rode off into the sunset,” Grimes told Entertainment Weekly after the series premiere. “Obviously, we can’t just watch this guy have his dream life. There’s no drama.”
Grimes defended the decision to shake up Kayce’s world.
What Does Monica’s Absence From ‘Yellowstone’ Spinoff Mean? Drama Explained
“Something’s gonna have to happen that gets in the way of him having that,” he continued. “Otherwise, why is he gonna take a badge? The last time we saw him, he was throwing a badge in a field. Is he gonna go pick it up?”
Hudnut, meanwhile, argued that Monica’s death would allow them to address issues happening in real life, adding, “It was important to try to honor that character. And also to use her passing as a way to shine a spotlight on a real issue that reservations are facing.”
He continued: “She passed, which is why [her son] Tate wanted to go to the rally, which is why Kayce goes to the rally. And so she really is guiding his journey. Her presence and spirit will remain throughout this series. She’s such a huge part of who Kayce Dutton is that she will be with him along the way.”
In a separate interview, Hudnut explained why Monica was the one chosen to die.
“Kayce had such a perfect ending in Yellowstone,” he explained to TV Line. “His dreams had finally come true. As we were trying to figure out how to tell the next chapter in Kayce’s story, it felt like he really needed to be shaken out of that. Unfortunately, tragedy tends to find Kayce, so something bad was going to happen for him one way or the other. It just sort of played out that it was going to be Monica.”
Hudnut stood by the fictional death despite possible backlash.
“To me, Monica is really guiding Kayce through this first episode, trying to help him find his new path,” he said. “And if you actually break it down, Tate is at that rally to honor his mother, and Kayce goes there to protect Tate. So if not for Monica, Kayce never would have been in that position and may not have found this path.”
Signs That ‘Yellowstone’ Spinoff ‘Marshals’ Hinted at Monica’s Death
Paramount Network’s Yellowstone, which aired from 2018 to 2024, introduced Us to Kayce and Monica, who remained at the center of the show until the finale. After working with Asbille, 34, for many years, Grimes revealed how he broke the news of her character’s death.
“I was heartbroken for myself and for [Kelsey]. It felt like, ‘I don’t even know what that would look like doing it without her, what that would feel like.’ Kelsey’s become one of my best friends,” he told TVLine. “She’s the coolest actor I’ve ever worked with. She’s down to earth, sweet and kind to every other actor and the crew.”
The actor personally told his former onscreen love interest about Monica’s fate.
“I worked up the courage to call. I didn’t know how she was going to feel about it. I had to see how she was doing. We had a great conversation,” he concluded. “In true Kelsey fashion, she handled it like a pro and totally understood. She’s going to do just fine. She is so talented, gorgeous and awesome. She’s going to work. That’s not an issue.”
Marshals airs on CBS Sundays at 8 p.m. ET.
