Created by Spencer Hudnut, Paramount+’s ‘Marshals’ is as much a story about Kayce and his relationship with the legacy of ‘Yellowstone’ as it is about his teammates in the US Marshals unit. While he joins the crew after being encouraged by his Navy SEALs brother-in-arms, Pete Calvin, Kayce is also joined by Miles, Andrea, and Skinner, who form a found family of sorts. Out of all of these characters, Skinner has perhaps the most complicated inner life, as she is simultaneously juggling a turbulent marriage and raising her child in a world that is getting more violent each day. Throughout all of this, she finds support in the form of Pete, which makes it all the more intense when the duo is ambushed in the season finale of this western police-procedural series. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Pete and Skinner Will Likely Live by the Skin of Their Teeth
While season 1 of ‘Marshals’ ends Pete and Skinner’s journey on a cliffhanger, it’s unlikely that they will get killed off-screen or that the next season might continue without them. For starters, there has simply been too much of a buildup about their respective character arcs for a sudden ambush to end it all, which makes it more probable that they will survive and recalibrate in true ‘Marshals’ fashion. The biggest hurdle in this line of logic, however, is the ominous words by Weaver’s enforcer, who says that Pete and Skinner have been “dealt with.” While, on one hand, it’s unlikely for an assassin to boldly proclaim that without verifying the bodies, on the other hand, we do see him speed off with the truck before the ambush even takes place.
Chances are that Weaver’s team has grown overconfident about their ability to be one step ahead of the Marshals. While the enforcer might just be making a guess about Pete and Skinner, in reality, the two Marshals are probably already underway. One person who can easily factor into this equation is Andrea, who is last seen leaving for her plane to Washington. Given that she is the one to smoke out the enforcers’ location in the first place, there’s a possibility that she might ditch the flight and make it back into the action, saving Pete and Skinner just in time. However, this is merely the first step in a much larger battle against the Weavers, whom they don’t even know or understand well as of yet. The same also applies to Weaver, though, as his underestimation of the Marshals will likely come back to haunt him.
Logan Marshall-Green and Arielle Kebbel Are Set to Return in Season 2
Though Skinner and Pete have a close call with death, both actors Logan Marshall-Green and Arielle Kebbel are expected to return for season 2. In a conversation with CinemaBlend, Logan effectively confirmed the nature of his comeback, stating, “We’re dogging, right out of the gate, about seven, eight pages a day. . . . (Season 2 will) pick up right where we left off, literally and figuratively. No rest for the wicked.” What this does not confirm, however, is Arielle’s return in the grand scheme of things. While the narrative supports the idea of her returning to close this arc, the real question, then, is whether the duo will stick around after the Weaver saga is wrapped up.
Pete and Skinner’s bubbling romance has been the subject of much fandom interest, which makes it too valuable a plot point to ditch in favor of a sudden death. That said, the show has pulled off similarly bold stunts already, killing off Garrett almost right after he begins a romantic relationship with Andrea. Nothing is ever certain when it comes to character fates in the larger ‘Yellowstone’ universe, which means that fans will have to keep guessing as the writing team comes up with the next set of dramatic highs and lows for the story.
For Arielle, the characterization of Skinner has always been about showing “what it means to be a woman and carry it all, all of the time,” as she expressed in a conversation with CherryPicks. Her potential return, as such, can be an opportunity for the show to flesh out these thematic threads. That said, everything ultimately depends on what the writers think is best for the show, and for now, Logan Marshall-Green and Arielle Kebbel’s journey with the show is firmly in unpredictable territories.
Read More: Is Andrea Quitting the US Marshals? Is Ash Santos Leaving the Show?
