Despite the shocking death of Kevin Costner’s character John Dutton in the season 5 part 2 premiere of Yellowstone, Cole Hauser says his character Rip Wheeler remains steadfast in exacting the late Montana governor’s wishes for his family’s sprawling ranch.

Hauser, 49, tells PEOPLE that Rip, who is the son-in-law of Dutton, will continue to be “there 100%” for wife Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) “and the family” during the show’s remaining episodes while they continue to try “to figure out the best way forward.”

“That’s what John Dutton would want. That’s what he’s been taught throughout his life,” Hauser tells PEOPLE while catching up for his new collection with Lucky Brand.

The return of Yellowstone after nearly two years since the midseason finale, has seen Hauser’s character thrown directly in the middle of turmoil that threatens to undermine the very way of life that he and the Dutton family have fought tooth and nail to maintain.

Between Dutton being murdered, the death of longtime ranch hand Colby Mayfield (Denim Richards), Rip’s relocation to Texas to aid fellow ranch hands (and fight off snake attacks) and the future of the ranch in the balance, Hauser’s character certainly has his hands full this season.

Despite that heavy load of personal strife, Hauser maintains that his character is “as embedded as the mountains around him” and won’t have his resolve falter in such a precarious time for the Dutton family.

Though the actor acknowledges that “s— happens” in terms of Dutton’s death, he maintains that “you got to move on” for the sake of the storyline.

“So that’s how I feel,” he adds.

Hauser previously told PEOPLE in April that “what makes [Wheeler] special is that he has an unbelievable heart, too. I mean, his loyalty is to not only the Dutton family … but to Beth and his kindness. Other than wanting to kill people at times … to me, it’s the best of both worlds to be able to play.”

In his recent interview for his Lucky Brand collection, Hauser tapped into his decades of experience in the field (and in the saddle) to inspire his all “Americana” designs.

“I wear jeans nine months out of the year,” he says. “I wear cowboy boots nine months out of the year. And for me … designing with Lucky was trying to find a way to even make it more comfortable,” he says of the collection which is available to shop now.