In the pursuit of the truth, Dark Winds Season 4 Episode 4 has taken us to the city of Angels.
While I’ve enjoyed seeing the extensive world-building on the reservation, bringing the characters to a new city is a good way to shake things up.
This AMC show does a great job of breadcrumbing new information to answer old questions while raising new ones as this season’s mystery deepens beyond what we could have imagined.
Plus, we get to meet a new character who seems friendly at first but appears to have a sinister side that may prove relevant in finding the elusive Leroy Gorman.
The best part of this Dark Winds episode is the continued focus on the central three main characters and how their shifting relationships with one another evolve.
The show is beginning to feel a slight midseason pacing slump, but let’s dive into everything happening on this Los Angeles trip so far.
Joe’s Reunion
One of the highlights of this episode was seeing the return of the wonderful actress Deanna Allison as Emma.
After Emma’s incredibly written emotional arc on Dark Winds Season 3, I haven’t stopped thinking about what Dark Winds Season 4 holds in store for her.
While her scenes on the latest episode were disappointingly brief, it still felt rewarding to see Emma and Joe finally speak again.
It’s clear that Joe continues to love Emma deeply, but she doesn’t seem ready to return to him, solidifying the extent to which she continues to be affected by the traumatic death of their son and Joe’s decision to kill BJ.
I appreciated that Dark Winds doesn’t shy away from the reality that the healing process after such a deep betrayal can’t be solved over one simple lunch.
Given what Joe’s mother said to him on Dark Winds Season 4 Episode 1, Joe may have more work to do, which requires self-reflection first and foremost.
This leaves us with the ever-looming question of when we’ll be able to see him find the time to embark on that exploration, amid traveling to Los Angeles to solve this case.
Killer Smile
Speaking of Joe, we finally get answers about the mysterious blonde killer.
While she doesn’t get much screen time, we get vital details, including her name and who she works for, which suggests she might not have a personal vendetta against Leroy.
Instead, she appears to be an overzealous professional assassin whose incorrectly assumed right to partake in Indigenous rituals and obsession with Joe override her focus on the job.
Additionally, it’s evident that she has a tendency for fierce loyalty, as she still tends to her sick father despite his mistreatment of her, emulating the theme of complicated family relationships that recurs throughout this season.
This duality of her harmful behavior and sympathetic background highlights one of the best parts of Dark Winds; no matter how evil the villains are, they’re always nuanced, well-rounded, and relatable.
Even if we’re getting closer to understanding this killer, the progress with the Leroy Gorman case seems to be stagnating for the Navajo Police.
From the moment Sonny appears on screen and invites Chee out for a drink, it’s clear that this character has far from the best intentions in mind.
Sonny is another perfect example of a villain that you can relate to. He’s surprisingly grounded, but he’s also unwilling to reveal his hand without reaping benefits from Chee’s desperation.
Also, the introduction to the dark underbelly of LA is a skillful but necessary commentary on the lack of support that Indigenous veterans like Sonny often don’t receive in terms of job assistance after their service.
But from the perspective of the main investigation, Sonny has a home turf advantage against Bernadette, Chee, and Joe that may prove problematic for the detectives.
Chee Continues To Struggle
Poor Chee seems to be going through some of the worst moments this season.
From his argument with Bernadette on Dark Winds Season 4 Episode 3 to the increasingly frequent nosebleeds, he’s operating on a very thin margin of self-awareness.
So, it makes sense that he would only veer towards borderline harmful behavior by indulging in whatever Sonny’s offering under the guise of continuing to solve the case.
The payoff around the buildup of Chee’s backstory still hasn’t arrived, but it would be fascinating if it were somehow connected to the case.
And even if it’s not, I hope these details culminate in a rewarding character arc for Chee that justifies how much time they’ve spent highlighting his hallucinations.
With so many obstacles working against him, Chee has been an easy protagonist to root for this season.
Unfortunately, this episode wasn’t quite as effective at incorporating Bernadette’s storyline, but I have my fingers crossed that her connection with Billie will become relevant later.
Considering how Dark Winds Season 3 gave Bernadette significant solo screen time, it’s been jarring to see her somewhat removed from a main storyline outside the impending job offer.
Thinking ahead, Dark Winds has its work cut out in guiding us toward offering a closing for all the character storylines, while also bringing us to a satisfying conclusion for the case.
But I’m trusting they will find a way to successfully reward our patience as we dive into what Los Angeles holds in store for Chee, Bernadette, and Joe.
What did you think of the latest episode of Dark Winds?
Share your theories in the comments, and don’t forget to give a rating in the poll below!
New episodes of Dark Winds air on AMC and AMC+ on Sundays at 9/8c.
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