Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge

Dillon is ambushed on a riverbank by men trying to steal his rifle and furs. He is stabbed in the back and drifts downstream in a canoe, gravely wounded. A wagoner discovers him and carries him to Dodge City for care.

Dillon is taken to Dodge City, where the townsfolk recognize the beloved former marshal. He is nursed back to health during a three-week recovery. The community's care helps restore his strength and resolve.

Miss Kitty returns from New Orleans upon learning Dillon is dying. She visits him in Dodge City, rekindling old memories and stirring unresolved feelings. Dillon begins to reconnect with life through her presence.

In the territorial prison, after twelve years, Will Mannon is lashed one last time before release. He vows revenge on the judge and Marshal Dillon. His impending freedom sets a dangerous vendetta in motion.

Flagg overhears Mannon's plan and warns Marshal Dillon. He chooses to aid Dillon despite the dangers, setting a path toward confronting the outlaw together. The warning triggers a new alliance against a common foe.

Flagg escapes with the warden by taking him hostage. The escape turns chaotic, and the warden is wounded in the struggle. Flagg heads toward Dodge City with Mannon looming behind him.

Mannon finds the judge fishing on a river and murders him. He presses on toward Dodge City to pursue Dillon. The town tightens its watch as trouble draws near.

In Dodge City, Lt. Dexter announces a reward for escaped felon Jake Flagg. He intends to pursue Flagg without relying on his cavalry troop. Dillon vows to find Flagg first, before Dexter can get to him.

Flagg arrives at an Indian camp and is greeted by his wife Little Doe and daughter Bright Water. Bounty hunters soon arrive and take his wife hostage, heightening the danger for Flagg and his family.

More bounty hunters hold Bright Water at the camp, but Lt. Dexter and Dillon manage to rescue her. Flagg's daughter is saved, and the group prepares for further confrontations ahead. The rescue underscores the stakes of Mannon's pursuit.

Mannon arrives in Dodge City, intent on finding Dillon. He captures Kitty again to use as leverage, triggering painful flashbacks to the abuse she endured. Kitty steels herself for the looming confrontation.

The new marshal, Newly, rides into town to bring Dillon back to Dodge City. Dillon heads out toward the danger, knowing Kitty is in Mannon's clutches. The town braces for a final confrontation.

Mannon holds Kitty in a Dodge City hotel room, signaling leverage against Dillon. Kitty throws Mannon's gun belt out the window to signal help. Dillon arrives, and Mannon is tossed from the window in a tense scuffle.

In the dusty night street, Dillon and Mannon face off one last time. Dillon's shot is decisive and Mannon dies, ending the threat to the town. The townspeople gather to witness the end of the vendetta and the return of their marshal.

With the danger resolved, Kitty watches from her window as Dillon rides away. The moment is bittersweet, reflecting on a romance that endured but could not be fully repaired. Dillon leaves Dodge City, carrying the weight of their shared history.