How Did ‘Dark Winds’ Season 3 End? Everything You Need to Remember Ahead of Season 4

Dark Winds Season 4 is quickly approaching, and while Season 3 may have aired less than a year ago, it’s always good to get a refresher on where the story left off.

As we await the latest chapter of AMC’s ’70s-set noir, we’re breaking down everything you need to remember about Season 3, particularly surrounding Joe Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon), his wife Emma (Deanna Allison), Jim Chee (Kiowa Gordon), and Bernadette Manuelito (Jessica Matten). Scroll down for a deep dive into how Season 3 ended, and let us know what you hope to see when the critically acclaimed drama returns.

What happened to Leaphorn?

As viewers may recall, Leaphorn ended Season 2 by leaving businessman B.J. Vines (John Diehl) out in the desert because he was responsible for his son’s death. Season 3 picked up with the discovery of Vines’ body, just as FBI Agent Sylvia Washington (Jenna Elfman) arrived in the Navajo Nation to investigate. While Leaphorn had his own cases to unravel, much of the personal struggle revolved around the bad thing he’d done and the worry he’d be caught.

Michael Moriatis / AMC

Ultimately, Washington is unable to prove what he’d done, especially after his wife Emma had lied on his behalf, giving testimony that cleared Leaphorn of involvement in Vines’ death. But that didn’t solve all of his problems. While Leaphorn solved the mystery surrounding one boy’s death and his missing friend, his personal life fell apart as Emma felt betrayed by Leaphorn’s decisions. She ultimately departed from their ranch and set out to stay with her sister. The show ended with Joe listening to her taped testimony for Washington, which held a deeper meaning for only him to understand, as she wished aloud that she could forgive him one day for the ways he’s changed since their son died.

What happened to Chee?

Chee returned in full form to the Navajo police force after previously working as a private investigator. While he aided Leaphorn in uncovering the mystery surrounding the season’s main case, he was also wrapped up in his feelings for Bernadette, who went off to work at Border Patrol hundreds of miles away. In the end, Chee helped solve the main mystery and ended the season with Bernadette returning home, seemingly ready to pursue a relationship.

What happened to Bernadette?

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As mentioned above, Bernadette worked at Border Patrol, pursuing a new path for herself, but she quickly uncovered a mystery of her own, which involved corrupt colleagues covering a drug and human trafficking operation tied to oil man Tom Spenser (Bruce Greenwood). Things got so intense that Bernadette nearly died when her digging into the situation led to a fateful encounter with Spenser’s assassin Budge de Baca (Raoul Max Trujillo).

Thankfully, Bernadette used her problem-solving skills to break free of the dangerous situation and appealed to her boyfriend at the time, Ivan Munos (Alex Meraz), to do the right thing, helping her report their colleagues, despite his own apparent involvement in the scheme with Spenser. Ultimately, most were brought to justice, except for Spenser, who was seen living somewhere coastal. Bernadette returned home to Chee, reviving the spark that they’ve had since Season 1, but had barely explored.

What will happen next? Dark Winds Season 4 kicks off soon. Tune in to find out and let us know what you thought of Season 3 in the comments section below.

Dark Winds, Season 4 Premiere, Sunday, February 15, 2026, 9pm ET/PT, AMC & AMC+

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