Yellowstone Season 3 Episode 3 Recap With Spoilers “An Acceptable Surrender”

The second episode of Yellowstone‘s third season saw the real threat of Market Equities revealed as well as a major issue for Jamie as the new livestock commissioner. In Episode 3, “An Acceptable Surrender”, Ellis at Market Equities makes a major move with the government while Jamie must deal with the deaths caused by livestock agent Herndon. Here’s what happened in the episode.

Fair warning: Spoilers for Yellowstone beyond this point. Read only if you want to know.

What Happened in “An Acceptable Surrender”?

The episode opens with Tate and John trying to help protect a baby elk from a wolf. Tate ends up asking John why anyone would be a rancher if it’s hard after the two talk about all the things that must be done and John says it’s a “hell of a life”. At Rip’s house, Beth enjoys her morning coffee but is sad as she thinks future generations won’t have the ranch. Rip disagrees.

Elsewhere, Governor Perry tells the State Attorney General Stewart that the president has made Cassidy Reid Deputy AG of the United States and she’ll have to go to Washington. Perry must appoint someone in her place and she begs Stewart to stay on — he was retiring — until she can figure things out. Ellis shows up with his associates to talk about the plans for the airport. Ellis wants the state to give them the land for the airport, but the state will keep ownership. He says that his company will get a 30-year lease and that the airlines will be responsible for building the terminals while his company builds the infrastructure. He wants $400 million in land and a tax subsidy of $500 million over 10 years.

Ellis also explains that once things are built up and ski resorts become operational, the airport would handle two million people per year. Perry asks if the forest service has agreed to lease the land and Ellis says they have and they could be moving fast. He also compares things to Jackson Hole, and Perry doesn’t like this because she doesn’t think Jackson Hole is a good example. Ellis thinks it’s all a good idea and would bring three to six billion in tax revenue.

He also explains that the original plan for the airport was the golf courses at the Sporting Club, but since that won’t work, they want to put it in the middle of the Yellowstone Ranch and he wants Perry to invoke eminent domain. Perry tells Ellis that’s been tried before and failed. Ellis is confident John Dutton won’t win a third time because the airport is progress. Back at Rip’s, Beth gets a call from someone in Perry’s office who tells her about Ellis’s plans. Beth goes to confront Roarke who ends up telling her that they can afford to fight in court and tells her to make a fair proposal to avoid a legal fight.

Meanwhile, Jamie meets with Hendon and Jamie isn’t thrilled with Hendon’s explanation. Hendon goes over what happened and admits that he hit the brakes too hard, but it was deputies that put the men in the trailer. Jamie then suggests that maybe the men were assaulted before Hendon’s arrival. Even though that’s not true, Hendon reluctantly agrees. Jamie tells Hendon what he needs to say and do to deal with this and get away with what’s happened.

At his office, County Attorney Randy Harper shows up and. Jamie is mad, warning Randy that he’ll testify in court that randy called him and asked him to send an agent to assault the suspects. Jamie also says he recorded that call. Randy tries to convince Jamie to let Hendon take the fall, but Jamie isn’t going for it. He suggests that because the men were from out of state, they get treated as John Does who were found drunk and dead. But that doesn’t work because the victim saw it all.

John goes with the trailer when it’s released to the family who was robbed. The girl’s father is happy it’s back. Jamie talks with the man and ends up telling him that his own sister was beaten and more, though she won’t say specifically and the father understands and says his own daughter won’t say if anything other than a beating happened. The father becomes emotional and says that he’s considered standing outside the jail to shoot the men responsible. Jamie tells him there’s no need because they’ve been dealt with and shows them the trailer which still has blood inside. The father is happy and says Jamie should run for governor.

Later, Perry tries to call John but gets voicemail so she calls Jamie and tells him that she needs to meet with Jamie and John because time is of the essence. Jamie freaks out thinking it’s about the dead suspects. He calls Randy and it seems like Randy is freaking out too and not going to stick with the story.

Back at the ranch, John, Rip, and Lloyd are talking having noticed Teeter up on the roof and Jimmy is trying to take off work to go to the rodeo and make his buckle — and is warned that if he breaks his arm he’s not staying on payroll — when Jamie drives up. Jamie tells John about the meeting with the governor and John says they should meet at the rodeo in Livingston. Perry meets him there. She says the solution is to appoint Jamie as interim attorney general and then John must appoint someone else to the livestock commission. The issue is John doesn’t have anyone to replace Jamie, but Perry suggests Kayce.

When it’s Jimmy’s turn at the rodeo, he’s distracted by flirting with a girl and isn’t ready when the chute’s gate opens. Jimmy is bucked off and he seems to be seriously injured, not moving as he’s loaded onto a stretcher.