Paramount’s neo-Western Yellowstone follows the conflicts the Dutton family faces as they run the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch,

one of the biggest ranches in the country, and face numerous threats, from personal conflicts to political challenges.

Since its premiere in 2018, Yellowstonehas quickly gained a loyal fanbase, and its popularity led to two prequel

series, 1883 and1923, which both follow earlier members of the Dutton family. Fans are eagerly anticipating Yellowstone‘s long-awaited final episodes, with Season 5, Part 2, set to air in November.One of the series’ best characters is rancher and Dutton family patriarch John, played by Kevin Costner, who departed the series in the first half of Season 5 and recently confirmed he will not be returning for its final episodes. John’s personality means he’s also responsible for some of the show’s most memorable quotes, whether he’s commenting on his children and his role as a parent or delivering brutal truths about people and the world. No matter the subject, his best lines leave an impression long after the episode’s credits have rolled.

10.“His whole life’s in your hands now, Tate. How you treat him is how his life goes.”

“Resurrection Day,” Season 2, Episode 7

In “Resurrection Day,” things between the Duttons and the Becks escalated, with the two brothers specifically targeting and threatening Beth (Kelly Reilly). Meanwhile, Tate (Brecken Merrill) expressed to John that he wanted to be a cowboy as an adult but needed a horse and asked John to buy him one, promising to take care of the barn as payment and Kayce (Luke Grimes) agreeing to train it. John agreed, and Tate became the owner of the aptly named horse Lucky.

As an experienced rancher, John had plenty of advice for not just his children but for grandson Tate, as well, especially as Tate was given the responsibility of having his own horse. But John’s comment to Tate about having a life in his hands wasn’t just about horses—it also applied to parenting and John’s role in the lives of his kids. Just as with people and the Dutton children themselves, the horse’s future would be decided by how Tate treated him.

9.“He is a disappointment and my greatest failure, but I raised him, and I love him, as much as I’ve tried not to.”

“Grass on the Streets and Weeds on the Rooftops,” Season 4, Episode 10

In the Season 4 finale, Jamie killed his biological father, Garrett (Will Patton), and dumped his body, only to be caught and photographed by Beth, while John, who respected environmental activist Summer’s (Piper Perabo) protest efforts, worked to keep her out of jail as she faced a life sentence, and Beth apologized to him for her role in Summer’s situation. Meanwhile, Kayce experienced numerous visions during the Hanbleceya, or “crying for a vision.”

The final episode of Season 4 was an intense game-changer for the series. The only thing John cares about more than his ranch is his children, and that’s often made clear through his best quotes—especially this one, which speaks to a parent’s unconditional love for their children. Despite expressing that he’s disappointed in his son, he recognizes his role in his life and, most importantly, acknowledges that he loves him, even though he’s tried not to.

In Season 3’s aptly titled “Meaner Than Evil,” Rip (Cole Hauser) and Lloyd (Forrie J. Smith) jumped Walker (Ryan Bingham) outside of a bar and kidnapped him, and Rip later took Kayce to the barn where he was holding Walker and criticized Kayce for failing to kill Walker like he was supposed to—but Kayce hadn’t killed anyone yet and had no intentions of doing so. In the episode’s final moments, John shared some words of wisdom with Kayce about evil and how to combat it.

The Dutton family has faced a lot of challenges, including a lot of cruel enemies, and they’re not so innocent themselves. John understands there’s plenty of evil in the world making life difficult and that there isn’t much anyone can do about it—and that to fight it requires a little bit of evil, too. But that doesn’t mean totally succumbing to it. The quote perfectly sums up John’s character, from his ruthlessness to his love for his family