After the steady but gradual breadcrumbing throughout the season, this Dark Winds episode finally revisits some lingering questions.
However, it still holds out on the biggest question of all: Where is Leroy?
As the Navajo police scramble to find the elusive man, the show peels back the curtain behind Chee’s erratic behavior and haunting visions.
Unfortunately, there are moments when Dark Winds Season 4 Episode 5 relies too much on the new setting to avoid a mid-season slump.
However, the inevitable reward of unraveling the mystery and trust in the process makes the patience at this point in the season worth it.
FBI, Hands Up!
Given the arc of the FBI’s investigation into Joe in Dark Winds Season 3, it’s no surprise that the FBI is once again causing trouble for the Navajo Police.
Their introduction of attacking Joe in a clear display of police brutality gets right to the point: they don’t have the Indigenous community’s best interests in mind.
It’s more than telling that Joe only receives an apology after the FBI agents realize that he’s Chee’s friend.
These agents aren’t sincere about their blatantly abusive tactics; they’re just sorry they were caught.
The FBI storyline effectively drives home the central thesis echoed by earlier seasons of Dark Winds about how governmental institutions like the FBI frequently fail–and even harm–Indigenous folks.
Additionally, the FBI’s reluctance to help the Navajo Police highlights how government systems often disregard issues prevalent to the Indigenous community, even going so far as to downplay the urgency of a missing young Indigenous girl.
The FBI storyline also gives us a closer look at Irene’s motivation for breaking and entering a house on Dark Winds Season 4 Episode 4.
Her threatening graffiti and skillful infiltration skills underscore that the potential convict who has hired her to carry out his bidding has ordered her to stop at nothing, proving she’s a danger even to the FBI.
But even under contract, Irene still operates on her own to some degree.
The horrifying scene with Irene and Joe’s toothbrush was difficult to watch, but it points to how her unhealthy obsession with Joe could reach a boiling point soon.
And if Irene decides to stop playing nice and go for what she wants, then Joe may have bigger problems than dealing with incompetent FBI agents.
Chee Gets Caught Up in a Mess
If anybody deserves a break, it’s Chee.
I probably say this every episode, but actor Kiowa Gordon has been absolutely killing it with his performance, delivering the perfect performance of a complicated but restrained emotional landscape.
The episode spotlights Chee, as much time is dedicated to unraveling his roots in LA and bringing us closer to understanding what’s causing his visions.
To make things worse, Sonny seems to be finding innovative ways to make Chee’s investigation as hard as possible, frustratingly drawing out the hunt for Leroy.
On the bright side, I’m loving the new persona that Chee is developing with Sonny, as he gets to bust out his creative and acting chops.
But while he’s running around Los Angeles with Sonny, it’s also glaringly obvious that he’s throwing himself into work as an unhealthy way of coping with his conflict with Bernadette.
The show has been giving us snippets of Chee and Bernadette figuring out how to navigate the entanglement of their work and personal lives.
However, I wish we got to see more of the push-and-pull of their avoidance, especially since Bernadette’s side of the story hasn’t been as prominently featured.
This episode also finally confirms that Chee’s spiritual struggles are clearly connected to his unresolved familial trauma, as demonstrated by his visions of his dying mother.
His relationship to his trauma mirrors his conflict resolution skills with Bernadette, as he insists on pretending everything is fine.
Chee’s inner turmoil and rejection of the opportunity for healing connect how a lack of support, particularly from a loving community, in unpacking trauma can lead to extreme consequences.
I hope we get to see him take a break from the chase from Leroy to do some much-needed personal introspection.
Looking for Leroy
While the last episode was Billie-less, we finally get to see her again.
My main critique about her storyline is that we haven’t gotten to know her beyond the case.
We already know she’s capable of surviving on her own, but now that she has a new friend to support her, I hope we get to see what it’s like for her to work with someone she fully trusts.
Especially after Albert’s traumatic death, this young girl has more than earned the right for someone else to finally start looking out for her.
At this point in the story, Dark Winds has already given us more than enough to work with. So, the next step is for us to finally meet Leroy.
The show has already banked on the suspense of this chase for several episodes, so it would be great to finally introduce some new conflict.
Finding Leroy would also move us a step closer to seeing Chee finally take some time to heal and reconnect with his past.
The best part of Dark Winds is always the piecing together of the bigger picture, and I can’t wait until we get to take a step back to see it in all its glory.
What did you think of the latest episode of Dark Winds? Do you feel like we’re closer to solving the larger mystery?
Share your theories in the comments!
New episodes air on AMC and AMC+ on Sundays at 9/8c.
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Dark Winds Season 4 Episode 5 Continues The Neverending Chase For Clues
Dark Winds Season 4 Episode 5 chugs along at a slow and steady pace as the unending hunt for Leroy continues.
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Dark Winds Season 4 Episode 4 Dives Into The Underbelly Of Los Angeles
Dark Winds Season 4 Episode 4 introduces a new character, a new setting, and a new set of stakes on the continued search for Leroy.
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Dark Winds Season 4 Episode 3 Kicks Up The Emotional Turbulence
Dark Winds Season 4 Episode 3 wrestles with the quiet contemplation of personal entanglements and deals with loss and grief.
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