The hunt for a missing teenager pulls Joe Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon), Jim Chee (Kiowa Gordon), and Bernadette Manuelito (Jessica Matten) back into action as AMC’s Dark Winds returns for its fourth season. The premiere, titled “Kǫ’Tsiitáá’ Álnééh (Baptism by Fire),” throws viewers straight into a violent chase after 16-year-old Billie Tsosie (Isabel DeRoy-Olson) runs away from the local Catholic boarding school.
The episode opens with a tense scene inside a diner. Billie and an older man argue while looking at a map, their conversation cut short when a van pulls up outside. A blonde woman dressed in black tactical gear enters with guns drawn, opening fire. The cook and waitress are killed instantly, but Billie and the man manage to escape, wounded but alive. The shooter poses for a chilling moment, revealing herself as the season’s new threat. The show then flashes back to 15 hours earlier, setting up the events that led to this deadly confrontation .
The Personal Lives of Leaphorn, Chee, and Manuelito
Before the chaos erupts, the premiere spends meaningful time catching up with the main characters. Months have passed since the events of Season 3. Joe Leaphorn is seen riding alone through Monument Valley, hunting a deer and building a fire while Bad Company’s “Seagull” plays. He is clearly in a reflective state, still separated from his wife Emma (Deanna Allison) after the fallout from the death of B.J. Vines. His quiet moments on the land suggest a man contemplating big changes .
Meanwhile, fans finally get the moment they have waited for since the series began. Jim Chee is shown cooking breakfast while Bernadette Manuelito emerges from the bedroom, clearly having spent the night. The two share a tender, intimate moment, confirming their relationship has turned romantic. Manuelito playfully smacks his rear as he leaves for work, signaling a new chapter for the couple .
On the road, Leaphorn stops to help Sheriff Gordo Sena (A Martinez), whose car has broken down. Sitting nearby is Sena’s wife, played in a surprise cameo by Linda Hamilton. The scene reveals she is suffering from memory problems, likely early Alzheimer’s. Sena admits he thought retirement would give him time to enjoy life with her, but her declining health has changed everything. The moment hits Leaphorn hard, adding to his thoughts about stepping away from the force .
“When Bob and George decided — finally, after a lot of cajoling — to do a cameo on the show in Season 3, and we held that as a very tight secret all the way through until after the thing aired… I thought, well, OK, maybe there’s an opportunity to do these sorts of secret cameos.” — Showrunner John Wirth on the Linda Hamilton surprise
The Disappearance of Billie Tsosie
Back at the Navajo Tribal Police headquarters, Chee leads a staff meeting where the conversation turns to a runaway from St. Catherine’s, the local Catholic school. The missing girl is Billie Tsosie, the same teenager seen in the prologue. Leaphorn and Chee head to the school to question her classmates, but the girls are tight-lipped. They learn Billie left with a male companion, and one student hints that Billie is not lost—she knows exactly where she is going .
At a trading post, the clerk tells police he sold a map to a young couple matching Billie and her companion’s description. He noticed the car had California plates. As the detectives leave, the blonde assassin—later identified as hitwoman Irene Vaggan (Franka Potente)—enters the store, glowering menacingly .
Leaphorn and Chee track down Billie’s grandfather, an old rancher who reveals the man with Billie is her cousin, Albert Gorman (William Hope). He describes Albert as a criminal and insists on handling the search himself. Unbeknownst to the officers, Vaggan watches them from a ridge above, taking photos with a long lens. She is already on the hunt .
Leaphorn’s Retirement Plan and Manuelito’s Return
In a private moment, Leaphorn visits Manuelito at her home. He makes a surprising request: he wants her to come back to the Navajo Tribal Police because he is planning to retire. Even more surprising, he tells her he wants her to take over as lieutenant, not Chee.
“I am not saying he is incapable. He’s a good cop, well-trained. He’s serious. But I’ve come to realize you cannot separate spirituality from upholding the law here. You understand the land, the people who live on it. He’s still working on that part, Bern.” — Leaphorn explaining why he wants Manuelito as his successor
Manuelito is hesitant. She worries that returning to work will complicate her new relationship with Chee. Later that night, Chee tells her about the missing girl case, and she admits part of her misses the job. The next morning, after a contemplative walk, she burns her border patrol uniform and reports for duty at NTP headquarters, receiving a warm welcome from the team .
Her first assignment takes her back to St. Catherine’s, where she discovers it is the same school she attended as a child. One of the nuns, Sister Regina, remembers her. Using her shared background to gain trust, Manuelito gets one of the girls, Jane, to talk. Jane reveals Billie would often flee to a specific diner because she loved their milkshakes—the Red House Diner .
The Diner Shootout and a Deadly New Threat
Manuelito calls Chee with the tip. Leaphorn, Chee, and Manuelito race to the diner, but they arrive too late. The scene inside is chaos: the jukebox plays “Who’s Sorry Now” at a distorted, slowed-down speed, lights flicker, and the cook and waitress lie dead behind the counter. Shell casings litter the floor, but there is no sign of Billie or Albert .
The episode then circles back to its opening scene, now giving full context. Billie and Albert sat in the diner arguing about needing to find someone. Before they could leave, Irene Vaggan stormed in and opened fire. Albert was wounded in the shootout, but he and Billie managed to escape in their car, driving off into the night as Vaggan prepared to continue her pursuit .
Surveying the bloody aftermath, Leaphorn turns to Manuelito and simply says, “Welcome home.” The investigation has barely begun, and already the stakes could not be higher .
Franka Potente, known for Run Lola Run and the Bourne films, delivers a chilling performance as Irene Vaggan, a ruthless assassin with ties to organized crime in Los Angeles. Her presence raises the question: what does a California mobster want with a teenage girl from the reservation?
Linda Hamilton’s Surprise Cameo as Sheriff Sena’s Wife
One of the most talked-about moments in the premiere is the appearance of Linda Hamilton. The Terminator star, who recently appeared in the final season of Stranger Things, shows up as Sheriff Sena’s wife. Her character has been mentioned in past seasons but never seen on screen until now .
The scene is quiet but emotionally heavy. Hamilton’s character struggles with confusion, and Sena’s pain is evident as he cares for her. Showrunner John Wirth revealed the scene came from a personal place.
“Some things happened to me personally last year that were heavy, and I wanted to write a scene about loss, and so it came together in that story of Sena’s wife. Steve Judd and I wrote that scene together, and I was really able to express what I was feeling at the time through that drama.” — John Wirth
Wirth compared the cameo to Season 3’s surprise appearances by executive producers Robert Redford and George R.R. Martin. The episode also carries an “In Memory of Robert Redford” tribute at the end, honoring the late producer’s legacy .
The Investigation Heads Toward Los Angeles
Episode 1 establishes a clear path for the season. Billie and Albert are on the run, wounded and hunted by a professional killer. The search will not stay within the reservation boundaries. Future episodes will take Leaphorn, Chee, and Manuelito from the safety of the Navajo Nation to the dangerous streets of 1970s Los Angeles .
The season introduces new characters connected to this wider world. Titus Welliver plays Dominic McNair, a Los Angeles crime boss with a personal interest in silencing Billie. Albert and his brother Leroy have been working for McNair, and Leroy owes him a debt. Billie’s knowledge of their operation makes her a target .
“If the girl talks, this whole thing unravels.” — Dominic McNair on why Billie must be stopped
The case draws inspiration from Tony Hillerman’s novel The Ghostway, though the show has reworked elements to increase unpredictability. The theme of ghost sickness—a Navajo belief about the spiritual harm caused by exposure to death—will play a role as the investigation deepens .
Release and Streaming Information for Dark Winds Season 4
Dark Winds Season 4 premiered on Sunday, February 15, 2026, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on AMC. The episode became available for streaming the same night on AMC+. The season consists of eight episodes, released weekly every Sunday .
For viewers without cable, several options are available:
- AMC+ offers a 7-day free trial for new subscribers. Subscriptions start at $7.99 per month .
- The service is also accessible through Prime Video Channels, The Roku Channel, and Sling TV .
- Philo TV and DirecTV Stream provide access to AMC as part of their packages .
Episode 2, titled “Bikéé’ Doo Éédahoozįįdę́ę́góó (Toward Their Unknown Paths),” will air on Sunday, February 22, 2026, at the same time. Zahn McClarnon makes his television directorial debut with this episode .
Global audiences can watch Dark Winds through the same AMC+ platform, though availability may vary by region. The show continues to be praised for its authentic representation of Navajo culture and its gripping crime storytelling .
Also Read: Good Cop/Bad Cop Cancelled: The CW Won’t Renew Leighton Meester’s Comedy for Season 2
For more gripping entertainment news and recaps, keep reading VvipTimes for the latest updates on your favorite shows.
