“Marshals” boss and Luke Grimes share reasoning behind [SPOILER]'s death

Samantha HighfillMon, March 2, 2026 at 2:00 AM UTC

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Brecken Merrill as Tate and Luke Grimes as Kayce on 'Marshals'Credit: Sonja Flemming/CBS

This article contains spoilers for the premiere of Marshals, "Piya Wiconi."

It's been the question on Yellowstone fans' minds ever since the spinoff series Marshals was announced: What is going on with Monica (Kelsey Asbille), a.k.a. the one member of Kayce's (Luke Grimes) family not confirmed to be part of the show? After all, when the Paramount Network drama ended, Kayce and Monica had moved into East Camp with their son, Tate (Brecken Merrill).

"The way that Yellowstone ended for Kayce was literally he rode off into the sunset," Grimes tells Entertainment Weekly.

So when he and the creative team started discussing the story behind Marshals, it was clear that something needed to change. "Obviously we can't just watch this guy have his dream life. There's no drama," Grimes says. "Something's gonna have to happen that gets in the way of him having that. Otherwise, why is he gonna take a badge? The last time we saw him, he was throwing a badge in a field. Is he gonna go pick it up?"

Luke Grimes as Kayce and Kelsey Asbille as Monica on 'Yellowstone'Credit: Peacock

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The answer the Marshals team settled on was to kill Monica.

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The first episode of the new CBS series reveals that, like many members of the Broken Rock reservation, Monica got cancer as a result of toxins dumped onto the land. At a protest for the victims, Tate tells his dad, "After how much Mom suffered, we should be leading the charge here — not waving the white flag."

"It was important to try to honor that character," showrunner Spencer Hudnut tells EW. "And also to use her passing as a way to shine a spotlight on a real issue that reservations are facing."

It was also a way to keep her in the story. "She passed, which is why Tate wanted to go to the rally, which is why Kayce goes to the rally. And so she really is guiding his journey," he says. "Her presence and spirit will remain throughout this series. She's such a huge part of who Kayce Dutton is that she will be with him along the way."

Kelsey Asbille as Monica on 'Yellowstone'Credit: Paramount Network

For Grimes, the idea came as a bit of a surprise. "I was not at all expecting that when I got the call that that's their idea," he says. "And I felt two things simultaneously. One was I was incredibly bummed because Kelsey's one of my really good friends and the coolest actor I've ever worked with. We're really close, and for a while I couldn't imagine doing it without her. I was like, 'That doesn't even make sense. Kayce and Monica are the same thing. They're one.' But I also realized, well, there's a big story there."

That story is something the show will continue to explore as Kayce and Tate grapple with their grief. "A person in that kind of pain could do anything," Grimes says. "There's something very volatile and very kinetic about that. So at the same time, I did think it was a good idea, even though it was heartbreaking."

Marshals airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.

on Entertainment Weekly

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