My humble hope for this show's ending is:
...that Beth discovers the "let's get you into the Governor's seat Jamie" plot, killing Sarah Atwood in an alcohol-induced, somewhat Oedipus complex fueled rage. This abrupt c-block by Beth sends Jamie over the edge, and he slays Beth, unfortunately in front of Rip. This transgression, taken as a singular event might have been allowed to stand, but as Beth had previously disclosed the sterilization to Rip, he feels he has no choice but to send Jamie to the train station. John decides this is indeed a happy day and refuses to be sad at their passing.
However, the toll of trying to please two women finally catches up to John, who passes away while engaged in a celebratory tryst in his office with the Vegan. His assistant, whom he was also secretly romancing, opens the Governor's office door to find the bitter sting of death still hanging heavy, as John lays motionless on the crying Vegan. Realizing life is short, the Vegan decides then and there to embrace the Montana life fully, renouncing her vegan lifestyle and takes a position working as a ranch hand under the tutelage of Teeter. John's assistant covers up the exact manner of death, and the fine citizens of Montana elect Kayce as the new governor.
Unfortunately the Market Equities lady Caroline Warner's bloodlust for the Duttons is not yet satisfied, so in she comes, guns-a-blazing, striking down Kayce and Monica on inauguration night. Arrested and tried by a jury of her peers, she begins 2 consecutive life sentences, sparking a new Sheridan spin-off show, Shelby, the town in Montana where federal prisoners are held.
Newly single and longing for a son, Rip adopts Tate, who inherits the entirety of the Dutton ranch upon his 18th birthday. Heartless Market Equities STILL has their lawyers pursuing the land for the development, but thankfully Kayce taught young Tate how to speak with wolves, and our young hero Tate rallies the Facebooking, collared pack to disrupt the development at every turn, finally causing ME to decide they can't win against the federally-protected species.
In the final scenes, Rip, now an old man, sits on the porch with a middle-aged Tate and a couple of wolves, "O-Six" and "Beth". They share a drink while reminiscing about the past. Out walks Tate's two kids; a boy, named Kayce, and a girl, named Autumn. Next walks out his wife, surprisingly, the Vegan. They all gaze out at the setting sun.
Fade to black...