Marshals Episode 2 Sets Kayce Dutton Apart From Other CBS Heroes In One Major Way
Contains Spoilers for "Marshals" Season 1 Episode 2 — "Zone of Death"
CBS's prime time lineup is laden with honorable-but-conflicted heroes, from "Boston Blue" stalwart Danny Reagan (Donnie Wahlberg) to every single agent who ever cracked a case on "NCIS." But Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes) is a grey sheep among his procedural brethren — in "Zone of Death," he participates in a mercy killing on a terrorist suspect who begs him for death. Ironically, fulfilling the man's final wish results in Kayce committing his first murder in the titular area — better known to "Yellowstone" fans everywhere as the train station.
The events leading up to the killing are quite routine. Kayce and his team are involved in a high speed chase with the suspect, but before he can safely capture the man, the vehicle overturns. The suspect is mortally wounded and, though Kayce tells him his death will be long-lasting and painful, the other man points out that it doesn't have to be. Though he's an evil person, Kayce can't resist the man's pleas to end his suffering. He doesn't tell anyone else why he killed the suspect — a typical act for Kayce, whose grey-hatted morals defined his time on "Yellowstone."
This isn't the first time Kayce has crossed a moral event horizon
While Kayce Dutton has often protested that he's kinder than his ice-cold family and less ruthless to boot, he had a long history of toeing the Dutton family line in "Yellowstone." He acts as his dad John's (Kevin Costner) muscle more than once, and commits acts of violence with impunity in his own name as well, though most of his actions are justified.
Memorably, he murders dirty-dealing entrepreneur Teal Beck (Terry Serpico) while he's sitting on a toilet. Kayce's actions are understandable in this case — the Beck brothers had kidnapped Kayce's son Tate (Brecken Merrill) in an attempt to get to John. But Kayce also does questionable things like holding the child of evil corporate bigwig Grant Horton (Matt Gerald) at gunpoint and demanding that he stay away from the Dutton family. Yet Kayce frequently shows mercy to others as well as kindness. Which side of his personality will win out? Better watch "Marshals" to find out.