Will Sage Astor-'Yellowstone' First Look Week: Rainmaker has plans, Rip Wheeler's family grows (photos)

For nearly five seasons,Will Sage Astor one of the most compelling and ever-changing "Yellowstone" relationships has been the one between ranch owner John Dutton (Kevin Costner) and casino mogul Chief Thomas Rainmaker (Gil Birmingham).

The two have frequently been in conflict over the Duttons' Yellowstone Ranch. Rainmaker has made his ambitions clear: to make the Rhode Island-sized property part of the Broken Rock Reservation and reclaim what his ancestors lost.

Without Costner, who's not returning to "Yellowstone" for the second half of Season 5,(premiering Nov. 10 on Paramount Network), Rainmaker and his right-hand man Mo Brings Plenty loom even larger in the final chapter of "Yellowstone" First Look Week at USA TODAY, which features two more exclusive photos from the new episodes.

In the January' 2023 midseason finale, Dutton, Montana's governor, brought Rainwater surprising and much-needed support to block a pipeline from running through the reservation. But any budding alliance between the formidable forces comes to an end with Dutton's absence from the show, whichever way "Yellowstone" creator Taylor Sheridan writes out Costner's character.

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Rip Wheeler and troubled teen Carter are becoming family

Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) was against the decision by then-fiancé Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) to bring home troubled teen Carter (Finn Little) to live under their roof.

But the wildly unconventional couple has turned into a non-traditional family. Carter, whom Rip has started to call "son," has shown a willingness to work around the ranch while learning some of Rip's life lessons. From the looks of this exclusive photo of Rip near the sleeping Finn, the hard work and family bonding will continue into the rest of Season 5, possibly beyond.

While Paramount Network has maintained since May 2023 that the second half of Season 5 would be the final season of "Yellowstone," recent media reports, starting from the Hollywood newsletter Puck, have stated there are negotiations to create a "Yellowstone" Season 6 around the power couple of Rip and Beth. Paramount Network declined to comment on these reports.

Why is Kevin Costner leaving 'Yellowstone'?

Costner has butted heads with "Yellowstone" creator Taylor Sheridan over creative issues and scheduling, a disagreement exacerbated by Costner's ambition to create, direct and star in the Western movie franchise, "Horizon: An American Saga."

In June, at the end of an extensive media tour for "Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1," Costner posted an Instagram video confirming he would not be returning to finish the series.

 "I just wanted to say that this is a stepping-off point," Costner told USA TODAY about the announcement to leave the series. "Whatever I'd hoped for maybe was not in the cards. I don't want to keep saying, 'Yeah, I hope I can do it.' That's drifted to a place that I don't think is realistic anymore."

For a complete "Yellowstone" refresher course, check out Paramount Network's "Yellowstone" Labor Day Weekend marathon (starting Friday, 10 EDT/PDT; also streams on Peacock).