Yellowstone fan theory changes everything about Taylor Sheridan’s Travis

Thanks to a limited episode run for the final season of Yellowstone, many fans were upset to see so much of Taylor Sheridan’s Travis Wheatley – but one theory could make Travis a completely different character.

Anyone who’s also watched 1883 or Lioness will know that Taylor Sheridan isn’t above putting himself into his shows. Starting his career as an actor, Sheridan’s on-screen legacy isn’t as major as his creative universe, but it certainly makes for some characters you won’t soon forget.

When it comes to Yellowstone, Travis might be Sheridan’s most over-the-top creation yet. The cowboy superstar often pops up to sell the Duttons a million-dollar-plus horse, and in Yellowstone’s final season, he showed up to save the day at the Dutton Ranch’s auction.

Viewers weren’t so happy about seeing this much of Travis (particularly when it came to one poker scene in Episode 13), but there’s a fan theory floating around that could completely alter his purpose.

Jimmy could be Taylor Sheridan’s self-insert instead

As far as Travis is concerned, many fans assumed he was Taylor Sheridan’s “self-insert” character. A cowboy and rancher himself, Sheridan isn’t too dissimilar from his Yellowstone counterpart. As such, his inclusion in the past has been seen as self-indulgent.

However, one theory suggests that Travis isn’t Sheridan’s self-insert at all. In fact, it may actually be Jimmy.

“I think Jimmy is TS’s self-insert character,” one Reddit user explained. “I know he actually self-inserted himself into the show as Travis, but Travis is a pretty empty character that was clearly just originally written as a cameo. I think who Taylor really wants to be is Rip, but who he is is Jimmy.”

Paramount

Jimmy begins life on Yellowstone as a down-on-his-luck drug dealer. After his grandfather implores John Dutton to give him a job and a purpose, Jimmy is picked up, branded, and given a new role on the ranch. He doesn’t take to the life easily, but by the end of the show he’s a bona fide cowboy who works on the famous 6666 ranch.

It’s an underdog story through and through, and this theory suggests that Jimmy’s origin is more similar to Sheridan’s than Travis.

“Per his Wiki page, TS was ‘the rare weekend wrangler who was also a theater kid.’ He’s also short (not quite 5’9″), and pretty awkward,” they continued. “Jimmy being his stand-in makes all the nonsense like having two hot barrel racers fighting over him make a lot more sense, as well as the storyline with Jimmy getting sent down to 6666 where he can be verbally abused into a ‘real’ cowboy by Travis.

“Jimmy following around Travis like a puppy and kind of hero-worshiping him very much gives ‘Ha old loser version of myself, look at how cool I am now.'”

The responses to the post vary from agreement to disbelief, with some suggesting that Beth might also be Sheridan’s dream persona.

Either way, it’s an interesting theory that might be worth keeping in mind when Travis and Jimmy inevitably turn up in the upcoming spinoff, 6666.

For more, revisit some of the best Yellowstone characters. You can also find out if there’s going to be a Yellowstone Season 6, and learn more about the Dutton family tree.