The season finale of 1923 premiered on Paramount+ on Sunday morning (Feb. 26), and Episode 8 brought one of the most surprising deaths of the season, resulting in a twist nobody could have seen coming to end the season.

What Happens With Spencer and Alexandra in Episode 8 of 1923?

1923's season finale finds Spencer Dutton (Brandon Sklenar) and Alexandra (Julia Schlaepfer) boarding a ship for passage to London, where they will proceed to America. But there's an immediate complication as she sees her former fiance, Arthur, and his party also boarding.

She's hoping to avoid trouble, but when she and Spencer get dressed up for a nice dinner on board, he's there, and he repeatedly causes trouble until finally challenging Spencer to a duel, which he goads him into accepting. Spencer easily bests him, and his own father urges him to yield and walk away. Instead, he pulls a pistol and tries to attack Spencer — who ends up hurling him overboard, presumably to his death.

That results in Spencer being thrown in the brig and Alex being confined to quarters, but after one of her old friends speaks in his defense, the ship's captain realizes Spencer is innocent. However, Arthur Sr. has insisted that he be put ashore, so the crew prepare to take him ashore by dinghy, while Alex will remain onboard. She prevails upon her friend to help her reach him, but she fails, and the recently married lovers are separated, with her screaming to him that she will meet him in Montana.

While Episode 8 does not state that Alex is pregnant, it's implied as the veteran traveler experiences sickness in the morning on the ship, and viewers are left to wonder if she is carrying Spencer's child as they are separated.

What Happens With Teonna Rainwater in Episode 8 of 1923?

Teonna Rainwater (Aminah Nieves) finally gets some reprieve in Episode 8 of 1923 as Hank's son, Pete Plenty Clouds (Cole Brings Plenty) and her father finally arrive to save her from the marshals who are looking for her. They set out for Wyoming, but Father Renaud (Sebastian Roche) and the other men who are looking for them seem to have the drop on them, as they realize their destination and vow to take the train and lie in wait for them.

An unexpected new romance also begins to brew between Teonna and Pete, as her father cautions them that they can "fall in love later," since their job right now is to simply remain alive.

"I don't believe in later," she says, since she has been hunted so much. "I believe in right now."

Teonna later relieves herself of some of her pain over recent events by crying in Pete's arms as her concerned father overhears.

What Happens With Banner Creighton in Episode 8 of 1923?

Jacob Dutton (Harrison Ford) and the family attend the arraignment of Banner Creighton (Jerome Flynn), who ends up getting bail after Donald Whitfield's (Timothy Dalton) high-priced lawyer makes a fancy argument.

He taunts the family as he's leaving, telling Jake that their differences will not be settled in court; they'll be settled in the field outside the Duttons' house — a scenario Jake says he's more than happy to oblige.

What Happens With Jack and Elizabeth Dutton in Episode 8 of 1923?

Sadly, Jack and Elizabeth's storybook story arc is shattered in Episode 8 of 1923 as she loses their baby, which causes her to call into question her entire purpose in life. But as Jack points out, his aunt, Cara (Helen Mirren), never had children of her own, and her life has plenty of purpose. He tells Elizabeth that if they can't have children, then that's his destiny, too.

What Happens With the Duttons in 1923's Episode 8?

Elsewhere, Jake Dutton (Harrison Ford) rides to town to ask the bank for a loan to get the ranch through the winter, which his banker denies, since so many other ranchers have defaulted in recent months. He suggests Jake take a mortgage instead, a notion he shoots down immediately.

Later, Donald Whitfield comes to visit the Yellowstone Dutton ranch, and there's a tense standoff between his men and Jake's which Cara defuses. He coolly informs them that he has paid the property taxes that they were behind on, which means they have to pay him back within a set period of time, or the deed for their land will revert to him, leaving the future of the Yellowstone very much in limbo.

What Happens to Zane in Episode 8 of 1923?

In a very surprising subplot of 1923's Episode 8, we see Zane (Brian Geraghty) go home to visit his wife and two kids, unknowingly followed by the red-haired man who is serving as a spy for Creighton. After he reports that Zane is married to an Asian woman, "peace officers" show up the next day to arrest her for "miscegenation," a criminal statute from that period of time prohibiting marriage between races.

When Zane tries to intervene in her arrest, the peace officers beat him savagely, and it's not clear if he will survive as the season ends.

What Can We Expect From the Rest of 1923?

1923 serves to connect the original Yellowstone prequel 1883 with the modern-day Duttons. It is slated to run for two seasons, and Paramount+ recently confirmed 1923's Season 2, with details forthcoming.

As part of Taste of Country's comprehensive coverage of all things Yellowstone, check out our Dutton Rules podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

You Can Rent a Cabin on the Ranch From 'Yellowstone' - See Pictures

The stunning Montana ranch that serves as the setting for the hit TV show Yellowstone offers cabins for rent, and the price includes tours of the set and ranch. Scroll below to see photos of the extraordinary property.

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