Lt. Joe Leaphorn and Sgt. Jim Chee search for a runaway boarding school student. Manuelito considers returning to the NTP. A menacing killer comes to the reservation in search of a target close to the investigation.
The third season of Dark Winds was the strongest of the series to date. I regret missing out on it when it was airing live. That also set high expectations for the fourth season. This premiere jumps straight into the action. It doesn't require multiple episodes to catch up to the violent sequence that kicks off the new season. That's a notable change of pace. Moreover, Leaphorn is seen outside of police work when he appears for the first time. He's on a spiritual quest in the mountains. He's hunting and sweating out his problems. He's still not entirely sure why Emma left him. He and Chee can't figure out the women in their lives. That makes life more difficult for them. The four central characters boast a ton of complexity. Emma isn't seen in the premiere but the opening credits assure the viewer that Deanna Allison remains a part of the show. Leaphorn has his eyes on the future beyond police work. He's ready to retire. People have heard that before. He has never wavered in his commitment to the job. He's certain Manuelito can replace him. He has doubts about Chee. He has none with Manuelito. She has returned home. She's ready to take on this mantle and do the job the right way. She has proven she won't compromise herself no matter what happens. She just has to make that choice for herself.
The central story of the new season revolves around a teenage girl, Billie, who has run away from the Catholic boarding school. Plenty of characters have endured the harms of Catholic upbringings. It was an attempt to strip away their Native identities. Leaphorn felt even more lost after he served his country during the war. Emma provided the path back to his heritage. He became a stronger man because of her influence. Now that she's gone, he's willing to work on himself. That doesn't offer any guarantee that she will return. Joyce mentions that he must genuinely want to change. He can't expect anything to come from it. The benefits that return to him may be more prosperous than he ever could have imagined. And yet, he once again gets pulled into a violent mystery on the reservation. He's in charge of the investigation. He isn't necessarily the best voice for this story. Manuelito experienced this boarding school too. She ran away. She escaped to build something much more genuine. She had Leaphorn's help. She's proud of who she is. Yet she remembers all too well the perils of this place. Not much has changed. That allows her to connect with the students and retrieve Billie's location.
Manuelito fears making a mistake if she returns to the tribal police. She has more to lose because she and Chee are trying to make a relationship work. They pretend otherwise when she returns to the station. No one's buying it. This community knows each other well at this point. Even Chee has established relationships. He still has to work on his spirituality. That's why Leaphorn is passing him over in favor of Manuelito as his replacement. That vote of confidence propels her back to work. She left to establish herself elsewhere. She saw an opportunity to thrive with the U.S. Border Patrol. She entered that environment with only her moral convictions. She was betrayed by those she thought she could trust. She survived a brush with death. Her return could be seen as nothing more than her residing in her comfort zone. The show provides a way to empower her. Her instincts must be trusted. She can prevail when others fail. That includes Leaphorn and Chee. She has her own way of doing things. She simply must trust in herself. With that, anything is possible. It serves no one to worry about what might possibly happen. She and Chee are either in or not at this point.
Billie didn't just run away. She left with her cousin. Their dynamic is tense. He wants a map of the reservation. He doesn't know how to navigate this terrain. He resides in California. Billie just wants to enjoy a milkshake. It's only when they delight in that simple pleasure that they are attacked. No clarity is provided as to the mysterious woman stalking both sides of this investigation. She's nearby when Leaphorn and Chee search for clues. She's also the source of the chaos at the diner. The staff are killed. Billie and her cousin escape. The police only see the aftermath. It's an eerie scene with the jukebox music distorted. That can't cover up the brutality that occurred. They have no idea what they just wandered into. The station cheered when they heard a girl ran away from the boarding school. It was a victory for them. Their job is only to guarantee she's safe. She's been missing for three days. They can be trusted with her well-being should they find her. The direction Manuelito leads them only further highlights how little they actually know about what's happening. Their land has been invaded once more by those who wish to exploit their resources for personal gain. Time is running out for the police to make a difference. That's reflected in Leaphorn and Gordo's stories. Meanwhile, Chee and Manuelito must lead with confidence to uncover the truth.
