“1923” viewers have seen three simultaneous storylines unfold across the seven episodes that have aired so far.
First, there is Spencer Dutton’s (Brandon Sklenar) perilous odyssey across the world to return home to Montana where, in a separate but connected plot, Jacob (Harrison Ford) and Cara Dutton (Helen Mirren) are desperately fighting to keep hold of their land and legacy.
Lastly, there is Teonna Rainwater’s (Aminah Nieves) own journey back to her homeland after being ripped away from her tribal nation. As the finale of the show’s first season looms, fans are still wondering how and when Teonna’s storyline is going to intersect with the Duttons.
Speaking to Insider, Nieves said that while she hasn’t actually been told by creator and writer Taylor Sheridan what’s to come for her character, she has “so many theories” of her own.
“I’m not gonna lie to you, I probably have about seven different theories about what happens as a whole,” she said.
“I’m like, hmm, what if she has a love interest? But what if her love interest is a Dutton? But, no, that wouldn’t work…”
One popular theory among fans is that Teonna is in some way an ancestor of “Yellowstone” character Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley), the adopted son of rancher John Dutton III (Kevin Costner). While viewers of the flagship series know who Jamie’s biological father is, the identity of his mother has never been revealed.
Alternatively, if a romantic arc isn’t on the cards for Teonna any time soon, Nieves said she’d like to see the tormented teen reunited with her father, Runs His Horse (Michael Spears).
“She could just be a kid again and not have to be in fight or flight all the time,” she suggested.
Nieves also told Insider that she’s equally in the dark about how her character is related to Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham), the chief of the Broken Rock Indian Reservation in “Yellowstone” who shares the same surname as her character.
Many have speculated that Teonna is Thomas’ grandmother, assuming that the “Yellowstone” character is sixty-something like the actor who plays him. This at least gives audiences hope that Teonna will somehow manage to escape the clutches of the sadistic priests and lawmen who are now chasing her across the Badlands of Dakota.
“Yeah, I don’t know anything,” she said of her character’s family tree, echoing the comments of costar Michelle Randolph. “I’m glad that they do that and keep us on our toes.”
Nieves added that she worries if she knew all the details she’d be “a little bit of a Tom Holland,” and accidentally spoil things for fans.
“They didn’t really tell us anything until each episode got in our hands and it kept us giddy and hungry to find out more as, as the weeks and months went on. I really like that they do that though, to be honest,” the actor said.
