For the third time this season, Dark Winds takes fans back to that fateful night at the blonde man's (Nicholas Logan) motor home. As episode 4, dubbed "The March," begins, we again see Joe (Zahn McClarnon) and Bernadette (Jessica Matten) pulling up to the remote location and making the risky decision to investigate further without waiting for backup.
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Of course, following the last three weeks watching Joe doggedly pursue the increasingly lethal, bomb-crafting killer, we now have much more context. We immediately appreciate Leaphorn's frustration and determination when he says, "I am tired of chasing this guy."
So in they go, guns drawn, before the assassin's machine gun forces them to the floor. But this time, we finally see the aftermath of the vicious attack. Upon ensuring they're free of bullet holes, the officers exit the trailer and chase the killer. The assailant initially flees via Joe's truck, but he soon crashes the vehicle, takes Leaphorn's rifle, and continues on foot. As the opening credits begin, the unstoppable assassin is in the wind, once again just out of Joe's reach.
A Dangerous Descent
Michael Moriatis/AMC
With flashlights and pistols pointed forward, Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon) and Bernadette (Jessica Matten) give chase, eventually catching up with the killer and exchanging a few shots with him. Joe and his target wind up in a horse corral, where they engage in a quick, chaotic scuffle among the spooked steeds and thick fog. The killer's escape seemingly comes to an end when he's faced with a cliff ledge before him and Joe closing in behind him. But in a scene evocative of Harrison Ford's iconic dam dive from The Fugitive, he turns and jumps into the canyon.
Against Bern's strong protests, Joe follows suit, stepping off the cliff into the unknown darkness and danger below. Fast-forward to the next morning, and he's much worse for wear. Barely conscious, bloodied, and sporting a broken wrist, he gets his bearings and fashions a makeshift brace for his hand. Meanwhile, Bernadette and Sheriff Sena (A. Martinez) coordinate a search for both men. There's some conflict as to who should lead, but Bern - stressing Joe is like a father to her - ultimately takes point.
We next catch up with the killer, who's not looking much better than Leaphorn. He sucks the last few drops from a canteen and raises his binoculars to survey his surroundings. But as he's peering through the lenses, his face is introduced to a brutal blow from Joe's boot. When the blonde man wakes up, his hands are cuffed behind his back and a rope's tied around his neck. He's tethered to Leaphorn, who has his suspect leashed like a dog. The killer attempts to run, but Joe immediately snaps him back into submission.
Despite finally having the upper hand, Joe's in really bad shape, both physically and mentally. Staring down a three-day walk back to civilization, things aren't looking good for him or his prisoner. The latter leverages their dire predicament to get in the former's head, warning Joe he's susceptible to everything from sepsis to cardiac arrest. He also offers his captor 25k to set him free. But the wily assassin soon surmises Joe's stake in all this is personal - and asks if he killed someone close to him. Joe aims his pistol at his captive's head and cocks it, clearly wanting to pull the trigger. But he restrains himself, kicking him in the face instead.
The Return of Rosemary Vines
Michael Moriatis/AMC
The episode takes a quick detour from Joe's ordeal to catch us up on Rosemary Vines (Jeri Ryan), who's been notably absent since first hiring Jim Chee (Kiowa Gordon) in the season premiere. She arrives at Chee's hotel room and offers him additional payment for all his troubles. But given that he was shot and hunted - and others were killed - since she hired him, he wants answers. She offers little info, confessing only that she stuck her nose where she shouldn't. But when Jim tells her of Tomas Charley's murder, she's clearly upset and leaves in a hurry. Chee follows her out and spies her uncontrollably sobbing in her car.
When Jim returns to his room, he's immediately interrupted by another knock at the door. This time, it's Rosemary's husband - B.J. Vines (Snowfall's John Diehl) - who wants a word with him. Armed with accusations and a revolver, he claims his wife is cheating on him with Chee. Jim disarms him with little effort, and sets him straight on why he's been meeting with Rosemary. Still convinced his wife is having an affair - or so he says - he offers to hire the PI at $500/day to track her.
When we later catch up with the dysfunctional Vines, they're having an uncomfortably quiet, candlelit dinner together at home. B.J. confronts Rosemary about hiring Chee to find his lock box, then warns her to stay out of his business. He also reminds her that he's in control, owning their house and money. It seems the wealth was once potentially Rosemary's, by way of her rich father. But when he died, he left everything to his other daughter/Rosemary's sister. It's then revealed that B.J. was previously married to this sister and when she passed, she left everything to him.
He follows this unfortunate info drop by creepily gifting Rosemary a pendant engraved with "Fidelis." He tells her the word means "faithful," speaks cryptically of a "hunter and prey" relationship, then kisses her neck before putting the pendent around it a bit too tightly. She appears both uncomfortable and terrified.
Survival of the Fittest
Back in the desert, the assassin's still taunting Joe, asking him why he hasn't killed him yet. Leaphorn assures him he'll be present when he's ultimately put to death for his crimes. The lieutenant also pulls his pistol again and demands his chatty prisoner open his mouth. They lock eyes, and the killer manages to kick Joe in the face - there's an abundance of kicked faces in this episode. But Leaphorn retains the upper hand, nearly strangling his suspect with the rope tied around his neck.
We briefly return to Sena and Bern, who are still bickering while searching for the two men. A good deal of time has passed since they started their search and snow is beginning to fall, spelling trouble for their efforts, as well as Joe's chances for survival. Things are slightly looking up for Leaphorn, however, as he now has the blonde man gagged, finally putting an end to his relentless taunting. Still, both men are in extremely rough shape and look like they could drop from dehydration, exhaustion, and their respective injuries at any moment.
Sensing Joe's especially weakened state, the killer makes a break for it, knocking Joe to the ground as he forcefully yanks the rope in the opposite direction. He manages to get away, diving beneath a barbed wire fence and running into the wilderness. With some distance between him and his captor, he stops to bring his cuffed hands in front of him - by brutally dislocating his own shoulder - and removes the rope from his neck.
As Leaphorn tracks the escapee, the assassin gains the high ground and attacks from above. Worse than that, he puts pressure on Joe's broken wrist before dragging him a good distance by his broken limb. The gut-wrenching attack appears to knock Joe unconscious, but when the assassin reaches for the lieutenant's gun, Leaphorn - who was playing possum - offers him a jaw-cracking knee to the face. He then straddles him, puts his gun in his face, again, and appears committed to finally finishing him off.
Cut back to Bernadette, who hears a gunshot in the distance. She soon arrives at the scene, where Joe's still pointing his pistol at his prisoner's face. She approaches with her rifle aimed at the assassin, but Joe's got it handled. "I got him, Bern.," he says confidently.
Sally Growing Thunder Roars
While episode 4 is heavily focused on Joe and his captive's brutal trek through the desert, it does take a breather to evolve Emma's (Deanna Allison) and, more importantly, Sally's (Elva Guerra) stories. The pair are at the doctor, having Sally's baby checked, when the L.A. Times reporter appears in the waiting room. She talks to Sally - who's had disappointingly little screen time this season - and is about to question her for her illegal sterilization story. But she soon realizes that Sally is upset. The reporter immediately abandons her professional instincts and tries to comfort Sally instead. Emma arrives in the room and understandably assumes the worst about the writer's intentions.
Back at home, Sally and Emma discuss the incident, but Sally's tired of conforming with Emma's views and points out that the two are very different people. She also reminds Emma that she once warned Sally of the dangers of having her baby at the hospital. Sally is grateful for all the Leaphorn's help but stresses that she still feels trapped - just as she has her whole life - in her current living situation.
Before the episode concludes, we get one last scene with Joe and the assassin. The killer is escorted into the station and locked in a cell by Bernadette. There's an awkward silence in the room, as everyone looks at the two men, whose faces are covered in blood, cuts, and abrasions. As the killer stares at Joe from his cell, Leaphorn reciprocates with a seething glare. The deafening silence continues, save for the persistent ticking of the wall clock. The sound of the assassin's fingers tapping on the bars of his cell soon joins the increasingly unsettling chorus.
As the two bruised and battered men continue staring each other down, a new audio cue consumes the air - it's the sound of Leaphorn's focused breathing. But just before the credits roll, it becomes obvious his breathing isn't labored -- from pain or exhaustion -- but rather determined and predatory, like that of a wolf ready to strike.
Questions and Predictions
Michael Moriatis/AMC
- Prediction: Sally will help the reporter. Sally's brief encounter with the L.A. Times' journalist and her emotional exchange with Emma seems to signal a significant evolution for her story and character. This episode finally showed her strength, something that could continue with her helping the reporter - who also showed a softer side - and getting the word out on the illegal sterilizations.
- What's up with the pendant? Why did B.J. Vines gift Rosemary the "Fidelis" pendant and what are his intentions? Is it simply his way of saying he knows she's been unfaithful, or does the scene - and jewelry - carry a deeper meaning, perhaps something connected to the People of Darkness.
- Prediction: Rosemary was having an affair with Tomas Charley. Speaking of the creepy cult/church we've heard little about in recent weeks, news of Tomas' death hit Rosemary especially hard. B.J. might be right about his wife's unfaithfulness, but it seems Emerson Charley's son was probably the man she was seeing on the side.
- Is the assassin's run really done? With two episodes left, it seems unlikely the killer's rampage has come to a close. The skilled, eccentric assassin must have something else up his sleeve, whether it be an escape plan or some trickery tied to his search for his mother. Regardless, we can't imagine the season ending without a final, epic showdown between Leaphorn and the blonde man.
