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Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Dark Winds Season 4, Episode 1.Dark Winds Season 4 is off to a strong start as Joe Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon), Bernadette Manuelito (Jessica Matten), and Jim Chee (Kiowa Gordon) begin searching for Billie Tsosie (Isabel Deroy-Olson). Reviews for Dark Winds season 4 promised that this season would be just as exciting as previous iterations, and the first episode already delivers on that promise.
We learned a lot about Leaphorn’s retirement plans, Chee and Bernadette’s new relationship, and this season’s central new mystery in the premiere episode. However, like a mysterious spectacle, Dark Winds Season 4, Episode 1 presented more questions than answers, and some important information is worth a closer look. As Leaphorn, Chee, and Manuelito continue to search for Billie, these are the most important things to remember.
Who was the woman who chased Billie and Albert in Dark Winds Season 4, Episode 1
Viewers got a glimpse of the carnage caused by a mysterious woman as she hunted Billie and Albert Gorman at the end of Dark Winds season 4, episode 1. Unfortunately, we haven’t learned much about this mysterious antagonist, but we do have some information about her. The woman stalking Billie and Albert is named Irene (Franka Potente), but she is currently shrouded in mystery beyond her name..
As we saw at the beginning of the episode, Irene drives a green van that Albert shoots multiple times as he flees. She was also wearing what appeared to be military gear, and the way she killed the waitress and the cook seemed to confirm that she had combat training. When she first met Albert, she also called him by his name, indicating that the two know each other in some way. Additionally, Irene also spoke with some sort of accent, potentially German.
At present, it is unclear what Irene wants with Albert and Billie. We saw her at the trading post at the same time that Leaphorn and Chee were there, so it’s clear that she’s been following Albert for at least a while. For now, Irene’s story and her motivations will remain a mystery until further episodes of Dark Winds season 4 is available.
Why Albert took Billie out of school and where they are going
Towards the end of the episode, we also learned why Billie left St. Catherine’s in the first place. Obviously, Albert pulled Billie out of school so she could help him search for a man named Leroy.. We don’t know much about Leroy yet, but we can speculate about why Albert needs Billie’s help. Given that Albert told Billie to buy a map, it seems he doesn’t know about the Navajo reservation.
Billie, on the other hand, regularly runs away from school and takes a five-day trip to her grandfather’s house, so she clearly understands the reserve. Albert probably took Billie so she could help him navigate the landscape while he searches for Leroy. Why he needs Leroy remains a mystery, but it’s safe to say he’s putting Billie’s life in danger by having her searched.
Why Leaphorn chose Bernadette to replace him instead of Chee
One of the biggest bombs of Dark Winds In Season 4, Episode 1 indicated that Joe Leaphorn was considering retirement. This wasn’t a big surprise in itself, but what was even more surprising was that Joe chose Bernadette to replace him as lieutenant of the Navajo Tribal Police instead of Jim Chee..
The move was especially surprising given Bernadette’s whereabouts recently. In Dark Winds season 3, Bernadette had left the reservation entirely to take a job with Border Patrol, and she hadn’t even fully returned to NTP before Joe offered her the job. Joe, however, explained that he chose Bernadette because of her sense of spirituality.. He said you can’t separate work from culture, and that Chee just isn’t as in tune with his Navajo heritage as Bern.
Why Dark Winds Season 4 Was the Hardest to Adapt for TV, Explained by Showrunner
EXCLUSIVE: Despite already being a critically acclaimed and beloved series, Season 4 was Dark Winds’ most difficult season to adapt to date.
Leaphorn’s decision will certainly cause problems for the casting of Dark Winds. Bernadette was caught off guard and it will likely take her more time to accept her new role. Chee’s failure to get the promotion could also create a rift in his new relationship with Bernadette, which could cause drama. It also remains to be seen whether Leaphorn actually plans to retire, as he has unsuccessfully tried to do in the past.
Why Leaphorn wants to retire in Dark Winds season 4
The last great revelation of Dark Winds Season 4, Episode 1 was Joe Leaphorn wanting to retire. Leaphorn has devoted himself entirely to his role as police lieutenant since Dark Winds started, so his sudden decision to retire came as a bit of a shock. At first, it seemed that Joe had decided to retire to get back together with Emma, who had moved to Los Angeles in end of Dark Winds season 3but there is more than that.
As Leaphorn told Bernadette, he’s not just trying to win Emma back, he’s decided he doesn’t like the person his job has made him.. Joe made a lot of mistakes with BJ Vines and with the way he kept Emma out of his life, and he’s making a concerted effort to be better. As we’ve seen, he goes off to the mountains to sweat and work on his spiritual life, and it seems like he’s really determined to change.
Dark Winds Season 4 Release Schedule | |
|---|---|
Title | Release date (Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on AMC+) |
Baptism of fire | February 15 |
Towards their unknown paths | February 22 |
What was torn | March 1 |
The New World | March 8 |
Those who hurt themselves | March 15 |
Those who were looking for me | March 22 |
We came back | March 29 |
The glittering world | April 5 |
It remains to be seen whether Joe’s spiritual journey will be enough to win Emma back. Trailers for Dark Winds Season 4 teased that Leaphorn and company would be heading to Los Angeles this season, so he should at least have a chance to talk to her again. For now, however, it appears that Leaphorn is actually considering retiring from the police force after Dark Winds season 4.
- Release date
- June 12, 2022
- Network
- AMC
- Showrunner
- John Wirth, Vince Calandra
- Directors
- Michael Nankin
- Writers
- John Wirth, Steven Judd, Max Hurwitz, Rhiana Yazzie, Thomas Brady, DezBaa’
