Dark Winds Season 4 continues to deliver intense moments as Episode 2, titled “Bikรฉรฉ’ Doo รรฉdahoozฤฏฤฏdฤฬฤฬgรณรณ (Toward Their Unknown Paths),” ended with a deeply unsettling sequence involving Officer Jim Chee. The episode, which aired on February 22, 2026, on AMC and AMC+, saw Chee make a fateful decision to enter a restricted Navajo dwelling known as a death hogan. This choice has left him suffering from ghost sickness, a serious condition in Dinรฉ culture that will likely have major consequences as the season progresses.
The episode was directed by series star Zahn McClarnon, who plays Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn, and it handled the cultural material with careful attention to Navajo traditions. For viewers unfamiliar with these concepts, the ending raised many questions about what exactly happened to Chee and why his actions carry such weight.
What Is a Death Hogan in Navajo Culture?
The concept of a death hogan is central to understanding Episode 2’s ending. In Dinรฉ (Navajo) tradition, when a person dies inside a dwelling, their chสผฤฏฬฤฏdiiโoften described as the negative aspects of their spirit or ghostโbecomes trapped within that structure. This turns the building into what is called a death hogan, and Navajo people traditionally avoid these places entirely.
To mark a structure as a death hogan and allow the chสผฤฏฬฤฏdii to escape, a hole is made in the north wall of the building. This serves two purposes: it releases the spirit and warns other Navajo people not to enter. When Leaphorn and Bernadette Manuelito (Jessica Matten) arrived at the remote hogan where Albert Gorman’s body lay, they immediately recognized the structure for what it was because of that telltale hole.
Manuelito specifically warned Chee against entering, telling him to wait. But Chee, who has often been portrayed as more skeptical of traditional ways compared to his colleagues, brushed off her concerns.
“It’s the job,” Chee responded before crawling through the hole.
What Happened to Chee Inside the Death Hogan?
The consequences of Chee’s decision were immediate and disturbing. Upon entering the hogan, Chee found Albert Gorman’s body draped in a blanket. As he uncovered the corpse, Chee experienced a traumatic flashback to his childhoodโspecifically, to the moment he discovered his own mother’s similarly covered body.
This alone would be enough to shake anyone, but the episode made clear something more was happening. Chee suddenly developed a nosebleedโa physical manifestation of his conditionโand began experiencing disturbing visions accompanied by echoey Dinรฉ chants on the soundtrack. The episode cut to black on this ominous note, leaving viewers to understand that Chee had been afflicted with what Navajo people call ghost sickness.
Ghost sickness occurs when a person comes into contact with someone’s chสผฤฏฬฤฏdii, either by touching a corpse or by entering a death hogan. Traditional Navajo belief holds that this exposure can cause physical and psychological symptoms including nightmares, disorientation, weakness, and in severe cases, serious illness or even death.
Why Did Chee Ignore the Warning?
Chee’s decision to enter despite Manuelito’s warning reflects his character’s ongoing arc throughout the series. He has often been presented as someone caught between traditional Navajo ways and modern police work. Earlier in this same episode, he suggested to Manuelito that they should move in togetherโa proposal that shows his personal investment in their relationship but also his willingness to push forward without always considering traditional protocols.
The episode also established that Chee is ambitious and may feel pressure to prove himself. With Leaphorn planning to retire and Manuelito being groomed for the lieutenant positionโa fact Chee does not yet knowโhe may be trying to demonstrate his commitment to the job by doing whatever it takes, even if that means disregarding cultural warnings.
Irene Vaggan’s Connection to the Death Hogan
The episode also raised unsettling questions about whether assassin Irene Vaggan (Franka Potente) deliberately created this situation. The hole in the hogan’s north wall was clearly made recently, and Vaggan was shown earlier in the episode listening to Wagner’s Tannhรคuser while repairing her van.
Some viewers have noted that Wagner was a favorite composer of Adolf Hitler, and Dark Winds is set in the early 1970sโnot long after World War II. The season 4 trailer also briefly showed someone wearing a gas mask, leading to speculation that Vaggan may have pumped something toxic into the hogan. If so, she may have deliberately weaponized Navajo cultural beliefs against the officers pursuing her.
The Investigation Continues
Beyond the death hogan scene, Episode 2 moved the season’s central mystery forward significantly. The episode opened by showing the diner shootout from a new perspective, revealing that Albert Gorman and Billie Tsosie (Isabel DeRoy-Olson) were targeted by Vaggan after Albert mentioned names: “Sonny” and “McNair”.
Billie managed to steal medical supplies from the Indian Health Services clinic to treat Albert’s gunshot wound, leading to her capture by the police. However, Albert escaped in a car and eventually made his way to his grandfather Ashie Begay’s hogan, where Vaggan apparently found him before the police could.
Leaphorn’s Retirement Plans Create Tension
A parallel storyline in Episode 2 dealt with Leaphorn’s decision to retire and hand his position to Manuelito. Leaphorn has been feeling the weight of his job more heavily than ever, telling Manuelito early in the episode: “I had this badge for four goddamn years before I saw my first corpse. Now it just feels like every dayโฆ”
He specifically asked Manuelito not to tell Chee about the retirement plans, apparently concerned that Chee wouldn’t be able to keep the secret from the rest of the office. This secrecy could create serious problems down the line, as Chee is likely to feel betrayed when he learns that both his mentor and his girlfriend kept such an important development from him.
Manuelito seems aware of this potential conflict, expressing concern to Leaphorn that Chee will be hurt by the news. Chee is ambitious, and learning that Manuelito was chosen for promotion over himโwithout any discussionโcould strain their newly rekindled relationship.
Why Irene Didn’t Shoot Leaphorn
One of Episode 2’s most intriguing moments came when Vaggan had Leaphorn in her rifle scope at an auto shop but chose not to pull the trigger. Instead, she smiled mysteriously as the officers left.
This decision seems connected to Vaggan’s apparent fascination with Leaphorn. She’s a professional killer who has shown no qualms about murder, but she seems to view Leaphorn as something differentโperhaps a worthy adversary. The episode drew a parallel to the season premiere, where Leaphorn chose not to shoot a deer, suggesting a mutual respect between hunter and hunted.
Whatever her reasons, Vaggan’s failure to eliminate Leaphorn when she had the chance will likely come back to complicate her mission. The assassin clearly enjoys the chase, but that enjoyment may prove to be a fatal weakness.
What Ghost Sickness Means for Chee Going Forward
The episode’s final scene makes clear that Chee’s condition will be a major factor in upcoming episodes. Traditional Navajo beliefs hold that ghost sickness requires intervention from a medicine man to properly treat. If Chee’s symptoms worsenโand the nosebleed and visions suggest they willโhe may need to undergo traditional healing ceremonies.
This creates an interesting dramatic situation. Chee has often been skeptical of traditional ways, but he may have no choice but to embrace them for his own survival. His relationship with Manuelito, who takes these traditions more seriously, will likely be tested as well.
The show has always balanced police procedural elements with authentic Navajo culture, and Chee’s ghost sickness provides an opportunity to explore traditional healing practices in greater depth.
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Where to Watch Dark Winds Season 4
Dark Winds Season 4 airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on AMC and is available streaming on AMC+ . The season consists of eight episodes, with new installments releasing weekly according to the following schedule:
- Episode 1: “Baptism by Fire” โ February 15
- Episode 2: “Bikรฉรฉ’ Doo รรฉdahoozฤฏฤฏdฤฬฤฬgรณรณ (Toward Their Unknown Paths)” โ February 22
- Episode 3: “That Which has been Torn Apart” โ March 1
- Episode 4: “The New World” โ March 8
- Episode 5: “Those Who Harmed One Another” โ March 15
- Episode 6: “Those Who Were Searching For Me” โ March 22
- Episode 7: “We Came Back” โ March 29
- Episode 8: “The Glittering World” โ April 5
For viewers in other regions, Dark Winds is available on various platforms including AMC+ internationally, with specific availability varying by country. The show has been picked up by Netflix in some territories for previous seasons, though Season 4 is currently airing first on AMC platforms.
The series continues to earn praise for its authentic representation of Navajo culture, its strong performancesโparticularly from McClarnon, Gordon, and Mattenโand its tight, suspenseful storytelling. With Chee now afflicted by ghost sickness and Vaggan still on the loose, the remaining episodes promise plenty of drama.
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