Diksha Sundriyal
‘Dark Winds’ follows the story of Joe Leaphorn, a tribal police officer who is investigating a double murder. Because the crime happened in the Native American territory and happened to Native American people, Leaphorn takes it upon himself to solve it, even though it falls under the jurisdiction of the Feds. The investigation, time and again, leads him to the heist that took place three months before the murders. Leaphorn is convinced that something sinister is going on in the reservation.
The show is a slow burn that stretches out the mystery just long enough to tease the audience. In its fourth episode, it starts to give some answers. As pieces begin to fall into place, it is revealed that much more blood has been shed since the heist. If the case is not solved soon enough, it might lead to more tragedies for the people on the reservation. Here’s what the events of the fourth episode mean for the rest of the season.
Dark Winds Season 1 Episode 4 Recap
While the third episode opened up in the immediate aftermath of the heist, the fourth episode gives the audience an idea of the intention. Benjamin Tso meets with BJ Vines and warns him about his plans regarding the drill site. He knows that the site might be worth a lot, but it is actually what’s underneath it that really counts. His subtle threats to Vines go unnoticed. And then, the robbery happens.
Back in the present, Wanda ends up in a coma after the spider bite which leaves Chee and Leaphorn with nothing to go on. However, a brief conversation with Father Tso leads Leaphorn to look into his past. It is discovered that Father Tso is actually James Tso, Benjamin’s twin brother. What remains to be seen is why he is impersonating the priest.
His own mistake doesn’t go unnoticed by Tso and he tells Frank to be on standby. Should the officers come to arrest him, Frank should kill them both. Rewind a little and we discover that Raymond, who found his way to the bottom of the lake, after all, is killed by Tso. The helmet he’d found in the lake ends up in the flea market and is bought by a boy who catches Bernadette’s attention. She goes to the lake to find Raymond but instead stumbles upon a shootout.
Dark Winds Season 1 Episode 4 Ending
The mysteries that the first half of the season had built up start to unravel in its second half. The tip by Sally works wonders for the case and gives it a boost that pushes the investigation forward in a major way. When Sally told her about Frank Nakai, neither Emma nor Joe knew who he was. Chee, on the other hand, was already familiar with the name.
It turns out that Nakai had been involved in some previous robberies, one of which crossed his paths with Chee. Now, with his name attached to the armored truck heist, Chee realizes that there might be some familiar names attached to the case. Despite knowing exactly who Nakai is, Chee doesn’t share the information with Leaphorn, which was previously agreed upon between them. Chee keeps the information for Whitover, who is extremely happy with his performance.
The only thing left for Chee to do now is to get his hands on Nakai, bring him into custody, and then have the FBI barge in with a warrant and take over the investigation. The solving of this case means big things for him, because he really wants to get out of the reservation and get that promotion in DC he has been promised. His ambition creates a hurdle for Leaphorn who is still focused on the double murders and is in for a surprise from him.
The slip-up on Father Tso’s part confirms Leaphorn’s suspicions. When he and Chee arrive at his door to bring him in for questioning, they discover that Tso was already anticipating their arrival. He plans an ambush with Nakai, which would have worked out in his favor, if not for Bernadette’s unplanned investigation at the lake.
When Nakai is arrested, he recognizes Chee, which outs his secret. Bernadette is taken aback at the fact that Chee is FBI, while Leaphorn feels betrayed over the fact that he kept Nakai’s identity a secret from him. Later, this leads to a scuffle between Leaphorn and Chee, who don’t part on good terms. Chee promises Leaphorn that he will continue to help him with the investigation of the double homicide. But Leaphorn’s experience dictates that the FBI has never before shown any interest in the lives of Native Americans, and they are not going to start now.
Read More: When and Where Does Dark Winds Take Place?
