She showed affection for him as well and he nicknamed her Lightning with the Yellow Hair, after the color of her hair and the speed of her horse (who she had named Lightning herself). Sam saved Elsa's life twice, first during a storm and later on when cattle thiefs were out to shoot her.
Sam names Elsa “Lightning Yellow Hair,” and when she asks for his name, he simply responds, “Sam.” Once Elsa asks why his name is simply “Sam,” he responds: “That was the name of the man who killed my wife. I know because I made him tell me, and I killed him and took it.”
One of the Comanche introduces himself to Elsa as Sam, a name he took from the man who killed his wife. The two race their horses; Elsa wins and Sam nicknames her "Lightning With The Yellow Hair". A storm approaches and tornadoes threaten the group; Sam and Elsa take shelter together and embrace.
This he explains to Elsa after she beats him in a horse race, and he nicknames her Lightning Yellow Hair.
When the tornado finally passes and the storm lifts, James heads off to try and find Elsa, while Margaret helps the caravan. The thing is, Sam joins Elsa on a horse as they head out to try and find the horses. When Sam returns to his horse, he shouts down to Elsa that she's free to come and go in his land at any time.
And because this is one of the few shows in which that phrase might be taken literally, allow me to clarify: Elsa gets married in Sunday's episode. The groom? Handsome Sam, the Comanche man she met [checks notes] last episode.
Sam. A Comanche warrior who the Duttons met along the wagon trail in 1883, Sam professed to have taken his name from the man who killed his wife. He later began a romance with Elsa Dutton, and the two married without official ceremony.
Elsa was also planning to split from the group to stay with Sam, but after many goodbyes, everyone decided they were going to Oregon anyway. Even Elsa decided to leave her boyfriend so she could find out where Oregon was, while planning to return to the plains in June to reunite with him.
'1883' Reaches a Strangely Happy Ending
Elsa, who had decided to see her family in Oregon before returning to be with Sam, may be dead, but just as her spirit narrates the series (and the following 1923 series), so it's implied that her spirit reunites with Sam's in the afterlife.
He wipes away her tears and adds, “Lightning doesn't do that, either.” Sam compliments her face and hair, and she cuts off some and gives it to him. In exchange, he gives her his knife. She believes it's too much, but he explains it's hers because she won the race.
She later met a Comanche warrior in Kansas named Sam who she connected with, giving her a second chance at love. She later agreed to accept Sam's hand in marriage, but there was no ceremony. She did carry on with the caravan with a promise to return back to Sam once her family settled.
Taking in the news, the leader asks Elsa her name. She responds, “Lightning with the yellow hair,” in Comanche. Surprised and amused, the leader tells her, “Good name,” and rides away with his men.
Elsa was born on April 9, 1866 to James and Margaret Dutton, one year after the ending of the American Civil War. She is a farmer's daughter with a younger brother named John.
After Elsa and Ennis had sex in Episode 5 of 1883, there were several conversations of pregnancy and raising babies, which may be a premonition. Margaret Dutton (Faith Hill) warns her daughter that she won't help her raise the child if she's pregnant, which sends Elsa straight to Ennis.
Originally Elsa was simply a short form for the biblical name Elisabeth and some of its variants: Elisabet, Elisabetta and Elizabeth. The first record mentioning the name were in Sweden at the 15th century, and became generally used after the 19th century.
Though the settlers had nothing to do with the massacre, 1883's Lakota chief (Tokala Black Elk) logically assumed that they were responsible for the slaughter. The misunderstanding resulted in most of the caravan getting brutally attacked and Elsa taking a poisoned arrow to the liver.
Yellowstone fans know that Duttons have been buried in the same spot in Montana for over a century. The Dutton family cemetery makes more sense after 1883 revealed that Elsa was the first person to be buried on the land.
Does Elsa get pregnant in 1883? The Yellowstone prequel never clarified whether Elsa (Isabel May) and Ennis (Eric Nelsen) consummating their relationship in 1883 season 1, episode 5 “The Fangs of Freedom" resulted in Elsa getting pregnant.
Elsa Dutton - John's great aunt
Elsa is the sister of John Dutton Senior, but her relationship with Costner's character is more complicated. As John Dutton Junior came into the mix, Elsa is Costner's character's great aunt.
Fans of the show 1883 will recognize Martin Sensmeier as Sam. Sam, a fan favorite, is a Comanche Warrior who is a love interest of Elsa Dutton.
They stopped under some trees and she informed her father: ”This is the spot.” As James cradled her, the two shed tears while sharing their precious memories and taking her final breath, Elsa said: “I know what it is. I'm not scared. I'm not scared, daddy.”
Margaret Dutton
Margaret (Faith Hill), married to James, was the original leading lady of the Dutton family. She served as a nurse in the Civil War in which James fought in. She was the mother to three children (whom we meet in 1883), Elsa, John, and Spencer.
Jacob is the brother of James and Claire Dutton, who both set out on a northward journey in 1883, James with his wife Margaret, son John and daughter Elsa, Claire with her daughter Mary Abel.
Spencer Dutton is the younger son of James (Tim McGraw) and Margaret Dutton (Faith Hill) from the 1883 series. He is also the younger brother of John Dutton Sr (James Badge Dale). As James Dutton from 1883 was John Dutton's great-grandfather, this makes Spencer one of John's grandfathers.