In Dark Winds Season Finale, Leaphorn Once Again Got His Man, But Is Left to Ponder All He Has Lost

Yahoo

28-04-2025

The following contains spoilers from the April 27 Season 3 finale, now streaming on AMC+.
Dark Winds closed out Season 3 on Sunday with an episode that was a bit quieter than previous finales, though its final scene was emotionally deafening for poor Joe Leaphorn.
More from TVLine
Andor: Adria Arjona Says That Bix's 'Accumulation of Traumas' Will Test Her and Cassian Moving Forward
What to Watch This Week: 30+ Premieres, Finales and More
Fire Country Shocker! Two Series Regulars Leaving in Wake of Explosive 2-Hour Finale
'Béésh Łį́į́ (Iron Horse)' opened with Dr. Reynolds paying a visit to Teddi, thinking she'd stick with him as an assistant, but as soon as he realized she was onto him, a struggle over the telephone ensued and she tripped, conveniently cracking her head against the motel table.
At the train station, Leaphorn, Chee, Sena et al had the place staked out, on the lookout for young George Bowlegs. They spotted Reynolds first, but by the time they caught up to the shady archaeologist's car, he was gone — and they found dead Teddi in the trunk. When George showed up, both Reynolds and the police chased after the kid, onto the train just as it pulled away. Reynolds found George first, dragged him to the flatbed car in the rear and held him at gunpoint as Leaphorn arrived. Joe was able to talk Reynolds into releasing George, but when Reynolds went to raise his gun to Joe, an arriving Chee shot dead the murderer.
In the aftermath, George tried to blame himself for Ernesto's death — it was he who stole the damning arrowhead, after all — but Joe made clear to the kid that Reynolds, a bad man, was the only one to blame. Chee then brought George home to Shorty, who 'thanked' his old friend with the subtlest of nods.
Down at Border Patrol, things were far dicier. Having been led into a trap by coworker Garza — who like Ivan and Chief Henry was on Tom Spenser's payroll — Manuelito woke up chained to the steering wheel of her patrol car, which Budge the nudged down into a ditch. As Budge commenced his trademark move (burying someone trapped in a car with a bulldozer), Bern found a crowbar under the front seat and used it to crack the steering wheel and free the handcuff. When Budge went to lower another mound of dirt onto the car, he saw the driver side door open. He stepped out of his dozer, Bern sneaked up on and struck him, and a fight ensued. It was a brief brawl, though, as Manuelito plunged a sharp something into the enforcer's neck, leaving it to gush blood.
Ivan arrived on the scene, and though Bern at first had him at gunpoint, he explained that he took 'but never spent' his bribes (um, OK…), and urged her to race back to Spenser's ranch before all the evidence got disappeared. Sure enough, Spenser's workers had quickly filled a tanker with keys and keys of coke, and Henry and Garza were set to provide a police escort. Henry, though, soon realized that Ivan was hiding in his backseat, holding a gun to the back of his head. And when the tanker itself suddenly came to a stop, Garza got out to see what's what, and found herself staring down the barrel of Manuelito's gun. But Bern holstered her weapon, and instead belted her 'friend' in the kisser instead.
In the aftermath of that ordeal, Ivan said he didn't plan to 'fall in love' with Bern, but she, though still clearly stung by him, quietly turned around and drove off — to return the Mexican family of three that was being trafficked to their home. Henry and Garza got carted away by the feds, but Spenser himself seemed to find a safe haven somewhere, with his dying wife.
The finale wound down with Chee, feeding his horses, turning around to discover that Bernadette had returned. No words were said, only appreciative glances exchanged.
We then found Joe finally erecting that vegetable garden fence that Emma, still gone, had often asked for. Agent Washington rolled up to announce that she was heading back to D.C. She said she knows what he did to Vines, and why, but she does not agree that it was a 'just' killing. Before driving away, she handed Leaphorn an envelope that might 'help' him. With what, he asked. 'Finding your way back,' she said.
Inside was the cassette tape of Emma's deposition. Joe played it, hearing his tearful wife speak of how the Vines mess dredged up, yet again, so much of the pain of losing their son. How Joe Jr.'s death has 'consumed' her husband, leaving no room in his heart for her. How all of it had left her 'alone.'
'I blame [my husband] for that,' we heard Emma say again. 'I hope one day I can forgive him. But until that day, I walk alone.' Joe sat with that a moment, then went about rewinding and replaying 'I hope one day I can forgive him' again, and again, and again….Best of TVLine
Mrs. Maisel Flash-Forward List: All of Season 5's Futuristic Easter Eggs
Yellowjackets Recap: The Morning After
Yellowjackets Recap: The First Supper