Dark Winds Episode 202 Recap: “Wonders of the Unknown”

Warning: This is an overview of Episode 202 of Dark Winds, so there will be scads of spoilers here. We strongly recommend that you not read this if you have not yet watched the episode on AMC or AMC+.

Lt. Joe Leaphorn defuses a potentially explosive situation after dragging the wounded Jim Chee to safety. Meanwhile, Sgt. Bernadette Manuelito considers employment opportunities. What are we to make of this? Here are our five takeaways from “Wonders of the Unknown,” Episode 202 of Dark Winds.

Takeaway No. 1

After their close (and near-fatal) encounter with Colton Wolf (Nicholas Logan), the mysterious blond-haired assassin whose weapons of choice are automatic rifles and homemade bombs, Joe Leaphorn managed to drag the wounded Jim Chee to the highway, where he flagged down a truck and escorted his former deputy to a nearby hospital. That’s where Chee was questioned by Sgt. Bernadette “Bern” Manuelito, during an awkward tête-à-tête in which neither party felt entirely comfortable when the conversation drifted toward their separation at the end of Season 1. At the very end of this episode, however, Colton Wolf (disguised with a dark wig and a doctor’s outfit) stepped out of a hospital elevator and spotted his target — Chee — watching the 1971 Apollo 15 moon landing on TV with a group of nurses and other patients. Navajo Country, we have a problem.

Takeaway No. 2

Joe was put through quite an emotional wringer in this episode, even while he visited his father, Henry (Joseph Runningfox), a former Navajo Police officer who chronically complains because his son more or less followed in his footsteps.  Dad mentioned in passing that he blames “that woman” — Emma Leaphorn (Deanna Allsion) — for luring his son back to their community and cutting short his opportunities in the outside world. (Joe, probably for the zillionth time, reminded dad “that woman” is his wife.) And while he was at it, Henry took a dig at Joe when the latter inquired about the history People of Darkness cult. (“I still gotta solve your cases for you, huh?”) On the other hand, Joe made a thoughtful gesture of reconciliation — he brought Henry an ice-cold bottle of RC Cola. Better still, Henry returned the favor when, a few scenes later, he helped his son defuse a bomb hidden inside a doll left for Benny Charley (Jet James Grant), the grandson of the unfortunate old guy who was blown to bits in last week’s episode. So maybe they’ll be able to eventually patch up their differences?

Takeaway No. 3

Unfortunately, Benny’s father Thomas Charley (Robert I. Mesa), is very seriously dead. His body was discovered by Joe and Bern when they returned to remote site where Joe and Chee were ambushed by Colton Wolf after they discovered, amid the charred remains of a fire, the rodeo-champ belt buckle that Joe Leaphorn Jr. was wearing on the day he was killed in the Drumco Oil drill site. They also find the lockbox — now empty — that Chee had been hired to recover by the wife of millionaire B.J. Vines (John Diehl). Not surprisingly, Joe visited Vines to question why his late son’s belt buckle was in the missing lockbox. Even less surprisingly, Vines pleaded ignorance, and insisted that, despite his initial interest in the cult, he no longer had anything to with the People of Darkness. Joe, it should be noted, did not appear entirely convinced by Vines’ claims.

Takeaway No. 4

The blind sage Margaret Cigaret (Betty Ann Tsosie), a memorable supporting character introduced last season, returned in this episode to bring Joe up to speed regarding the origins of the People of Darkness, a cult that evidently consists of white folks who have commercialized Navajo ceremonies (and, presumably, smoked a lot of peyote). Maybe the lockbox was pilfered by Thomas Charley (allegedly) as revenge after B. J. Vines stopped funding the cult. And then again, maybe not. Back home, Joe’s paternal instincts were stoked when Sally Growing Thunder (Elva Guerra) couldn’t figure out how to stop her teething infant from crying. While tending to the child, he couldn’t help remembering doing much the same thing years ago for Joe Jr. Later, Joe began to bond with the newly orphaned Benny — only to be temporarily immobilized by shock when the boy recalled seeing someone who looked a lot like Colton Wolf in the area on the day of the drill site explosion. In other words — the assassin may be responsible for the death of his son.

Takeaway No. 5

And we’re left with some burning questions. Will Bern leave the Navajo Police for a better job — and more opportunities for advancement – with the Border Patrol? Will Emma co-operate with the L.A. Times reporter who’s investigating reports about Native women being sterilized after delivering their first child? Will Joe ever be able to repair his motorcycle? And before he does, will he ever get another ice-cold bottle of RC Cola for himself?

Photography: Michael Moriatis/AMC