Franka Potente as Irene wearing a black tactical suit in Dark Winds season 4Michael Moriatis / ©AMC / Courtesy Everett Collection
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Sean Morrison
Published Feb 15, 2026, 10:05 PM EST
Sean is a senior writer for ScreenRant and has been writing about new TV releases since December 2023. He has received multiple advance screenings of popular shows and ideated his own coverage read by hundreds of thousands of readers.
Sean is a self-published author of a Western novel. Sean has also written award-winning opinion pieces related to local politics while getting his Bachelor's degree in journalism.
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Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Dark Winds season 4, episode 1.Dark Winds season 4 got off to a strong start as Joe Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon), Bernadette Manuelito (Jessica Matten), and Jim Chee (Kiowa Gordon) begin searching for Billie Tsosie (Isabel Deroy-Olson). Reviews for Dark Winds season 4 have promised that this season will be just as thrilling as previous iterations, and the premiere episode is already delivering on that promise.
We learned a lot about Leaphorn's plans to retire, Chee and Bernadette's new relationship, and this season's new central mystery in the premiere episode. As a mystery show, however, Dark Winds season 4, episode 1 presented more questions than answers, and there are some important pieces of information that deserve taking a closer look at. As Leaphorn, Chee, and Manuelito continue searching for Billie, these are the most important things to remember.
Who The Woman Hunting Billie & Albert Was In Dark Winds Season 4, Episode 1
Zahn McClarnon as Joe Leaphorn and Kiowa Gordon as Jim Chee in Dark Winds season 4Michael Moriatis/©AMC/Courtesy Everett Collection
Viewers got a look at the carnage a mysterious woman wreaked while hunting Billie and Albert Gorman at the end of Dark Winds season 4, episode 1. Unfortunately, we didn't learn much about this mysterious antagonist, but we do have some information about her. The woman hunting Billie and Albert is named Irene (Franka Potente), but she's currently shrouded in mystery beyond her name.
As we saw at the start of the episode, Irene drives a green van that Albert shot several times while he escaped. She was also dressed in what appeared to be military gear, and the way she killed the waitress and cook seems to confirm she has combat training. When she first encountered Albert, she also called him by name, which indicates that the two know each other somehow. Additionally, Irene also spoke with some kind of accent, potentially German.
At present, it's not clear what Irene wants with Albert and Billie. We saw her at the trading post at the same time Leaphorn and Chee were there, however, so it is clear she's been following at least Albert for some time. For now, Irene's story and her motivations are going to remain a mystery until more episodes of Dark Winds season 4 are available.
Why Albert Took Billie Out Of School & Where They're Going
Joe (Zahn McClarnon) in uniform walking in front of a Navajo Police sign in Dark WindsMichael Moriatis / ©AMC / Courtesy Everett Collection
Towards the end of the episode, we also learned why Billie left St. Catherine's in the first place. Evidently, Albert took Billie out of school so she could help him search for a man named Leroy. We don't know much about Leroy yet, but we can speculate about why Albert needs Billie's help. Based on the fact that Albert told Billie to buy a map, it seems he doesn't know his way around the Navajo reservation.
Billie, on the other hand, regularly runs away from school and makes a five-day trek to her grandpa's house, so she clearly has an understanding of the reservation. Albert probably took Billie so she could help him navigate the landscape while he looks for Leroy. What he needs Leroy for remains a mystery, but it's safe to say he's putting Billie's life in danger by having her search for him.
Why Leaphorn Chose Bernadette To Replace Him Instead Of Chee
Jessica Matten as Bernadette Manuelito looking at the camera in Dark Winds
One of the biggest bombshells of Dark Winds season 4, episode 1 was that Joe Leaphorn is planning on retiring. That itself wasn't a huge surprise, but what was more surprising was that Joe chose Bernadette to replace him as the Navajo Tribal Police's lieutenant instead of Jim Chee.
That decision was especially surprising considering where Bernadette has been recently. In Dark Winds season 3, Bernadette had left the reservation entirely to take a job with Border Patrol, and she hadn't even fully returned to the NTP before Joe offered her the job. Joe, however, explained that he chose Bernadette because of her sense of spirituality. He said you can't separate the job from the culture, and Chee simply isn't as in tune with his Navajo heritage as Bern is.
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Posts By Tatiana HullenderLeaphorn's decision is sure to cause some problems for the cast of Dark Winds. Bernadette was caught off guard by it, and it'll likely take her more time to come to terms with the new role. Chee being passed up for the promotion may also drive a wedge in his new relationship with Bernadette, which could cause drama. It also remains to be seen if Leaphorn is actually serious about retiring, as he's tried and failed to do it in the past.
Why Leaphorn Wants To Retire In Dark Winds Season 4
Joe Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon) riding a horse in Dark Windsvia AMC
The last big reveal of Dark Winds season 4, episode 1 was the fact that Joe Leaphorn wants to retire. Leaphorn has been completely dedicated to his role as a police lieutenant since Dark Winds began, so his sudden decision to retire came as a bit of a shock. At first, it seemed like Joe decided to retire to get back together with Emma, who left to live in Los Angeles at the end of Dark Winds season 3, but there's more to it than that.
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Dive into the world of movies and TV shows with Screen Rant, your source for news, reviews, and exclusive content. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.As Leaphorn told Bernadette, he's not just trying to win Emma back, he's decided that he doesn't like the person his job has made him into. Joe made a lot of mistakes with BJ Vines and how he kept Emma out of his life, and he's making a concerted effort to be better. As we saw, he's been going into the mountains to sweat and work on his spiritual life, and it seems like he's really committed to changing.
Dark Winds Season 4 Release Schedule
Title
Release Date (Sundays @ 9 PM ET on AMC+)
Baptism by Fire
February 15
Toward Their Unknown Paths
February 22
That Which has been Torn Apart
March 1
The New World
March 8
Those Who Harmed One Another
March 15
Those Who Were Searching For Me
March 22
We Came Back
March 29
The Glittering World
April 5
Whether Joe's spiritual journey is enough to win Emma back remains to be seen. The trailers for Dark Winds season 4 have teased that Leaphorn and company will go to Los Angeles this season, so he should have at least a chance to speak with her again. For now, however, it looks like Leaphorn is actually genuinely planning on retiring from the police after Dark Winds season 4.
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9.4/10
Dark Winds
10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed TV-MA Crime Drama Mystery Thriller Release Date June 12, 2022 Network AMC Showrunner John Wirth, Vince Calandra Directors Michael Nankin Writers John Wirth, Steven Judd, Max Hurwitz, Rhiana Yazzie, Thomas Brady, DezBaa'
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Zahn McClarnon
Lt. Joe Leaphorn
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Kiowa Gordon
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