Paramount Network’s Yellowstone season five episode 13, previously announced as the series’ penultimate episode, opens with the ranch preparing for a huge auction. Beth (Kelly Reilly) is selling everything, and Rip (Cole Hauser) worries that selling all their livestock will leave him with nothing to do. Beth believes businesses shouldn’t own anything outright. Businesses should run on loans.

“And you never pay any income tax because you never show a f**king profit – no matter how much money the ranch makes,” explains Beth.

Rip confirms Travis Wheatley is selling the big-money horses in Texas, and the first sale is happening tonight. Beth doesn’t trust Travis and jumps on the phone and books a flight. Rip doesn’t want her to see Travis without him. Travis is trustworthy around horses but a real player around women, including the wives of his friends. Of course, Beth is going anyway because she can take care of herself.

Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham) and Mo (Mo Brings Plenty) watch as the pipeline work continues. Their hands are tied, legally, but Thomas thinks the people can stop things by tampering with the pipe. Mo believes that’s declaring war, and Thomas reminds him they’ve been at war for two centuries.

Ellis Steele (John Emmet Tracy) leads the Market Equities team as the news breaks that Montana Governor John Dutton was murdered after canceling Market Equities’ planned community. Ellis calls his superiors and suggests they consider the possibility that the recently gunned-down Sarah Atwood was involved. His call’s interrupted by a commotion in the main office.

Detective Dillard (Rory Cochrane) presents Ellis with a warrant and orders everyone to vacate the premises, backed up by a swarm of cops. Ellis confirms Sarah Atwood had an office in the building.

The chickens are also coming home to roost for Jamie (Wes Bentley). He’s home alone when a news report comes on with details about his relationship with Sarah. The breaking news includes the fact that Jamie will profit from the Market Equities land lease. Jamie screams, “How could you know that? What evidence? What? Who the f**k are you talking to?” (Absolutely love seeing Jamie squirm!)

Beth’s flying to Texas when Jamie (labeled as “F**ktard” on her phone) calls and warns her he’ll reveal all their family’s secrets if she destroys him. Beth reminds him it’s not his family and that, unlike him, she keeps her promises.

Kayce (Luke Grimes) arrives home and, without going into specifics, tells Monica (Kelsey Asbille) that he paid a visit to the people who murdered his father. He showed them what he’s capable of and warned them to stay away from his family. Kayce also reveals he’s been trying his entire life to leave this place, and now he’s finally going to do it.

The Texas crew – Teeter, Ryan, Walker, and Jake – return to the ranch, surprised to see bleachers set up. Carter informs them the ranch is auctioning everything. Teeter (Jen Landon) heads to the bunkhouse, and Ryan (Ian Bohen) wants to follow since Colby was his best friend. Walker (Ryan Bingham) believes that’s exactly why he’s the one who needs to check on her. Lloyd (Forrie J. Smith) and Teeter agree the horse that killed Colby should have been put down a while ago.

Walker reminds Teeter that Colby was doing what he loved when he died and that his death came quickly. Lloyd hands Teeter Colby’s hat, and Teeter pauses for a minute before putting it on.

Ryan hands Rip a check for $15 million for the sale of the cattle in Texas. Ryan wonders if they’ll still have jobs after this big sale, and Rip doesn’t mince words. He wants everyone to stay until after the auction. After that, the ranch will just need day workers. Lloyd and Carter will stay, but everyone else should try to catch on at other ranches. Rip suggests Ryan should put “wagon boss” on his resume. Ryan walks away without responding.

Beth walks into the 6666 Ranch’s big house as Travis (Taylor Sheridan) and some of his men are playing strip poker with a bunch of pretty women. Beth would rather have a gasoline enema than play and informs Travis that he’s keeping the buyers waiting down at the arena.

Minutes later, Travis shows the Dutton horses to Brazilian buyers. Travis’ girlfriend, Sadie (Bella Hadid), seems intelligent, and Beth is genuinely curious when she asks about his appeal. Beth describes him as arrogant, condescending, and misogynistic, but Sadie confesses it doesn’t matter after watching him ride.

Beth watches and says, “Okay, yeah, I get it.”

The Brazilians offer $2 million for the horse Travis just put through his paces. They’re shocked when Travis asks another small group of men if they want to top that. Travis didn’t inform the Brazilians they’d be bidding against anyone, and they up their offer to $3 million–take it or leave it. They win because, unbeknownst to them, they’re bidding against the ranch’s maintenance crew. Even Beth’s impressed with the ruse.

The ranch hosts a party to celebrate, and Beth learns from a cowboy that $3 million is a fair price for that horse. She asks Travis for a private chat and tells him she needs him in Montana for their auction. Beth’s impressed by the fireworks he just pulled off in the arena and admits she doesn’t know anyone else who can do what he does.

Travis isn’t interested because auctions don’t earn him a commission. Beth did not know he just netted $300,000 for selling that horse, but she’s undeterred. She reminds him that Rip is his friend, and their ranch is in trouble. Surprisingly, Beth politely asks if he’ll help at the auction without a commission. She even adds “please” at the end.

Travis suggests they play strip poker for it, and Beth warns Rip will tear out his heart for this. They both go all-in on the first hand and Travis wins easily. He pulls out his cell phone to film her stripping, and Beth stands up, ready to pay off the bet. Travis tells her to stop before she removes anything. He will help without a commission and plans to fly out tomorrow morning.

Back at the ranch, Rip tells Lloyd he’s invited everyone who meant something to the ranch to the auction. That includes Charlie, another chuck wagon cook. Rip informs Lloyd that he wants him to stay on, and Lloyd confesses that after 43 years, he hated the thought of leaving.

Jamie pays a late-night visit to his ex, Christina (Katherine Cunningham). He confesses to sleeping with Sarah, but denies any involvement in his father’s death. Their son’s asleep, so they talk quietly in the living room. Jamie sticks to his claim that he did not know what was planned. Sarah did, but he was clueless until after the fact. Jamie also insists that although he knew Sarah was involved, he said nothing since the company she hired for the hit would take him out.

Christina says he’s complicit, and Jamie asks for her advice. Christina agrees to help, but only to protect their child’s legacy. She suggests Jamie call a press conference and launch an investigation into Sarah and John’s deaths. He must announce that he was working with Sarah to restore the development, but never had an affair. Christina believes he should threaten legal action against those who say otherwise. She also thinks he needs to praise John’s love of Montana.

Christina, in full political advisor mode, says Jamie should say that John’s murder was an act of violence against the citizens of Montana and their right to choose their representatives. He’ll also need to release all findings of the investigation and connect Sarah to the murder. (This won’t work because Jamie told Detective Dillard they were in a relationship and that they weren’t discussing business.)

Beth returns home, and Rip’s sleeping on the couch. She admits he was right about Travis and wonders how he could possibly be his friend. Rip recalls being on a date 20 years ago (Beth isn’t happy about that) and having a man hit on the girl he was dating. Travis, who was training horses for John, was at the bar and stood up for him. The fight was brutal, but Rip noticed Travis smiling during the fight.

After they were kicked out of the bar, Travis went back in to get his hat. Travis’ nose and jaw were broken, and he was a bloody mess, but when he noticed a guy wearing Rip’s hat, he stared him down. The guy handed over Rip’s hat with no further bloodshed.

Rip asks Beth how many friends she has like that, and Beth says, “Just you.”

Travis shows up, like he promised, and the auction’s crowded with potential bidders. Monica quietly asks Beth if this will raise enough to cover the taxes. Beth admits it won’t and that they’ll have to start selling off pieces of the land soon to cover the debt. “There is no solution. We’re just buying time while we look for it,” says Beth.

Kayce joins them with an update from the coroner. They need to know where to send John’s body, and Monica volunteers to handle the arrangements. Beth’s touched and thanks her before walking away to collect herself. She tells Rip her dad’s coming home and that they’ll hold the funeral after the auction ends. She doesn’t want to invite anyone.

Travis and the cowboys get busy impressing buyers in the arena. The Turnpike Troubadours entertain the crowd after day one of the auction wraps up in the arena. The Yellowstone gang spends some downtime discussing their potential next jobs, and Walker asks Jimmy if the 6666 is hiring. Jimmy informs them they only hired married men to work the cattle.

Laramie (Hassie Harrison) shows up, and she and Walker immediately kiss. (In real life, Harrison and Bingham fell in love and got married after meeting during Yellowstone season three.) Teeter walks off, deep in mourning for Colby.

Beth reminds the head bartender to make tonight’s drinks light and make tomorrow’s drinks doubles. She doesn’t want the bidders to be hungover. Beth spots Senator Lynelle Perry (Wendy Moniz) and joins her for a drink. Lynelle recalls her private times with her dad. she knew Beth’s mother well and confesses she’s been to more funerals on this ranch than anywhere else in Montana. Beth invites her to John’s funeral, a private affair with just family and the ranch’s cowboys.

Kayce asks Monica to dance and she jokes she didn’t know he knew how. They hit the dance floor and Kayce says they’re making memories while they still can. Monica admits Beth made it sound like the ranch has no future. Kayce reveals he’s got a plan that he knows in his heart will work, but he can’t tell anyone–including her–yet. He’s also certain it’s the right thing.

Beth and Rip are having a quiet moment when Teeter walks by, heading to the bunkhouse. Beth knows Teeter needs someone to listen to her and follows her to Colby’s bunk. Beth confesses that when she’s upset, she goes to a tourist bar and waits for one of the men there to hit on her. When they do, she metaphorically slices them from pecker to sternum. She invites Teeter to get drunk with her and f^^k with a bunch of out-of-towners.

They head to a fancy bar full of garbage people invading their beautiful state. A man glances over and smiles, and Beth and Teeter primp before he comes over and introduces himself. Beth assesses him and guesses he went to Penn State, which his dad paid for, then worked as a trader and is a deadbeat dad. He left them behind and moved to Miami where he’s been banging wannabe models, trying to forget the one time he sucked a man’s penis.

He walks away, tail between his legs. Teeter thinks Beth is psychic or a witch. Another man walks over, and Beth lets Teeter take this one. Teeter threatens him with violence, and Beth admits this might not be a game for her. Teeter doesn’t care, she’s just thankful that Beth took her out. Beth admits this feeling won’t go away and that there will always be a hole in her heart. Teeter wonders how she’s supposed to fix it, and Beth confesses she still hasn’t figured that out.

Day two of the auction starts with the National Anthem followed by Teeter and Kayce riding into the arena with two horses, saddled but riderless. The auctioneer asks the crowd to remain standing to honor the memories of two men who loved this land. He says that if John Dutton were here today, his one hope would be that he “inspired in you the tenacity to persevere in a world that sees you – the farmer, the rancher, the food producers of this nation and the world – as an obstacle instead of the keystone to their very survival.”

After the auction ends, Beth walks through an empty barn, footsteps echoing in the quietness. Carter walks up, confused about what he’s supposed to do now that he doesn’t have chores to look after.

Beth informs Kayce they brought in over $30 million. That should buy them at least a year, but Kayce doesn’t smile even though this is good news. He asks Beth to promise him not to spend any money that she’s earned on this place. She makes him make the same promise.

Kayce finally reveals part of his plan, but it takes Beth a minute to catch on. He asks what her car is worth, and she says, “$300,000.” He wonders how much he’d have to pay in sales tax if she sold it to him for a dollar. Would it be based on the car’s actual value or how much he paid? Beth confirms it would be based on the purchase price.

Kayce walks away and Beth stands there for a second as it finally hits her. As he’s driving off, she wonders why she didn’t think of it first. Beth screams, “Kayce!” and he stops. She asks who, and he says she needs to give him the day to make sure. “You’re smarter than you look, little brother,” says Beth, giving him a kiss on the cheek before adding, “Thank you.”

Monica still doesn’t know Kayce’s plan, but now Beth does. Kayce believes the only way to save this place is to give it away!

• Luke Grimes and Kelsey Asbille Talk Yellowstone Season 5
• Yellowstone Season 5: Wes Bentley Interview on Jamie’s Shattered Relationships
• Yellowstone Will End With Season 5 and Sequel’s Greenlit
• Filming Begins on the Final Episodes

• Yellowstone Season 5 Episode 1 “One Hundred Years is Nothing” Recap
• Yellowstone Season 5 Episode 2 “The Sting of Wisdom” Recap
• Yellowstone Season 5 Episode 3 “Tall Drink of Water” Recap
• Yellowstone Season 5 Episode 4 “Horses in Heaven” Recap
• Yellowstone Season 5 Episode 5 “Watch ‘Em Ride Away” Recap
• Yellowstone Season 5 Episode 6 “Cigarettes, Whiskey, a Meadow and You” Recap
• Yellowstone Season 5 Episode 7 “The Dream is Not Me” Recap
• Yellowstone Season 5 Episode 8 “A Knife and No Coin” Recap
• Yellowstone Season 5 Episode 9 “Desire Is All You Need” Recap
• Yellowstone Season 5 Episode 10 “The Apocalypse of Change” Recap
• Yellowstone Season 5 Episode 11 “Three Fifty-Three” Recap
• Yellowstone Season 5 Episode 12 “Counting Coup” Recap
• Yellowstone Season 5 Episode 14 “Life is a Promise” Season Finale Recap