Yahoo Lifestyle What Does 'Counting Coup' Mean in 'Yellowstone'?
There was so much to unpack in tonight's episode of Yellowstone, from the heartbreaking death of an original character to the reveal of who killed John Dutton.
In the episode titled "Counting Coup," we saw the dark side of former Navy SEAL Kayce (Luke Grimes) as he began his Revenge Tour with Grant Horton (Matt Gerald) at the top of his hit list. Horton was a former NSA agent-turned-hired-assassin on Market Equities' payroll and the one Sarah Atwood (Dawn Olivieri) called in to eliminate a problem for Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley), his father, Gov. John Dutton (Kevin Costner). Horton took out the governor and staged the death to look like a suicide.
Kayce knew his father would never have taken his own life so he delved into the death and discovered Grant Horton as the hitman. He tracked the family man to his daughter's soccer game, where he got into the car with Horton and his daughter as they left the game. Kayce threatened the lives of Horton and his family and gave him a big whack on the head, leaving a mark. He called it "counting coup" that Mo (Mo Brings Plenty) when he picks Kayce up.
You may remember Kayce underwent the Hanbleceya ritual to be accepted as a full member of his wife Monica's (Kelsey Asbille) tribe. Kayce's indigenous understanding paired with his training as a Navy SEAL uniquely positions him as a multifaceted warrior.
What does 'counting coup' mean?
After hitting Horton, Kayce explained, "Where I come from that's called 'counting coup.' It means I took a piece of your soul and I'm going to keep it."
We turned to PBS' appraisers for a more technical description. Douglas Deihl offered this explanation at a 2005 Antiques Roadshow event.
"In Plains warrior societies," Deihl says, "Sioux warriors gained their status by being brave in battle, and one way this was done was known as 'counting coup.' What these warriors tried to do was to get close enough to the enemy to touch them without getting injured or killed. To do so was considered the highest honor for the warriors, an act considered more honorable than going in and killing and scalping them. To touch the enemy and survive was considered the greatest honor in battle."
Basically, it's a sort of bragging right gained by harming and intimidating the enemy but leaving him alive and scared or with a wounded ego.
What's the origin of 'counting coup'?
The term "counting coup" seems to have originated with the Plains Indians of North America as a way to count victories amongst warriors. Some tribes counted these victories by putting notches on a coup stick while others allowed their warriors to wear a feather in their hair. The phrase is very similar to the phrase, "put a notch on your belt."
Next, Yellowstone Kills Off Another Original Character in Heartbreaking Episode
