As the last few pages of Dark Winds unfolded, I could feel my heart racing. I had never read a book like this before and I was excited to find out what happened next. The story follows the lives of four people who are affected by the dark winds that have been plaguing the area for years. The story is full of suspense and mystery as we follow each character as they try to figure out what is happening and why it is happening. The writing was excellent and I was able to follow the story very well. The ending was satisfying and made me want to read more. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a great read.
Dark Winds Review
Names like George RR Martin and Robert Redford are bound to elicit interest in a project. ‘Dark Winds’ lives up to that expectation. The west is only a step away if Robert Redford appears as Executive Producer. Dark Winds is a slow-burner drama about crime that will slowly seduce you. It is a reminder of the best crime drama should be. The series peels away layer after layer, each layer taking its time. But the end result is more than satisfactory. This series introduces us to the Indian community in Navajo by highlighting their culture and using a double homicide as the background. This psychological crime drama targets a specific area of the United States that is rarely seen on TV or celluloid.
The series is set in the 1970s and follows a police officer with his two deputies as they try to solve a double murder. They discover new clues that lead them to the solution. You will encounter supernatural elements, an abandoned mining operation, and an armored truck being robbed. It’s a crime drama that is far removed from what’s currently being produced. It’s a series that takes on a different flavor due to the mysticism of Navajo desert. It uses indigenous actors to show its belief in the spirituality of the area.
The series features a variety of actors from Hollywood and also includes some local actors. This is a remarkable feat. Zahn McClarnon’s performance as Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn was absolutely spectacular and well deserving of an Emmy nomination. He is currently seen in Westworld’ and in Reservation Dogs’. But he can be seen in Dark Winds, which allows him to shine and has really gotten into the character. We can see the weariness on his forehead that stems from his professional life and personal turmoil.
It is very relatable. Both Jim Chee’s Kiowa Garden and Jessica Matten’s Bernadette Manuelito have given excellent performances as Leo’s assistants. “Dark Winds” is a series that everyone contributes and the end result is better than anyone could have hoped for. No matter how long the role, every character plays an important role in the series. It’s the vast, arid landscape in Navajo that overwhelms all others in the series. This character has a unique personality.
Based on Tony Hillerman’s detective novels, the series was inspired by his book. His background in detective writing means that the series is elevated by the small details. The show is reminiscent of season one of “True Detective”, but it has a different flavor and tone. The drama is a real portrayal of the native peoples of the region. It gives them the opportunity to act and brings their tribe into the spotlight. In keeping the Navajo characters front and center, the series is honest. Dark Winds is a great choice if you’re looking for a different kind of crime drama.
Also Read : Dark Winds Episode 3 Review & Ending Explained : What’s Happened ?
Dark Winds Season 1 Ending Explained : What Happened to Anna and Hosteen?
Dark Winds Season 1 Finale Recap
Everyone gathers at the caves where Frank Nakai & James Tso were hiding. Joe Leaphorn attempts to stop them but nearly dies trying. Jim warns Bernadette about Whitover. Once they get to Hosteen Tso’s house, she leaves the FBI agent behind. She makes her way to the cave and Jim arrives. Whitover shoots Jim in the arm as they fight.
Tso and Nakai are busy smoking Leaphorn out, while Bernadette saves the Mormon family. After rescuing them, she returns to cave with Jim. But Whitover was already there. Leaphorn and Nakai don’t know anything about Whitover’s involvement with Tso. Nakai and Leaphorn split the money, and Leaphorn is taken prisoner in the same pit that the Mormons were held. Whitover and Tso both leave the cave carrying their shares of the money. Tso is followed by Leaphorn, and Whitover is confronted by Chee.
Dark Winds Season 1: The End
It turns out that what appeared to be a simple case robbery was actually a complex crime. It turns out that Whitover was involved from the beginning, and he was hunting down the Buffalo society not to bring them to justice but to take his share of the loot. Apart from being Navajo, he had another reason for sending Chee on the reservation. Whitover knew that he would need a fall man, someone who could fill in for the missing piece if anyone suspects an insider in the robbery. It would make sense for others to join the Buffalo society, since Chee was Navajo. Chee was lied to about his promise of a pay rise and promotion.
Chee contemplates shooting Whitover or taking him into custody. However, Whitover uses abusive language towards Anna which Guy, her father, hears. Whitover is shot and killed by Chee. Bernadette arrives just as Chee is about to kill Whitover. She drags Whitover’s body, along with the money, into the cave and blows it up. Guy was also there, but no one would know. Tso follows Leaphorn to Hosteen’s home, but is overwhelmed by him. They have a conversation about Tso’s crimes and discuss how he can no longer be trusted. James Tso doesn’t want to do that so he allows Leaphorn to go and commits suicide.
We discover that the case is over, but Leaphorn still has some questions to solve. Chee plans to rebuild his home after he leaves the FBI. Chee won’t answer Leaphorn’s questions about Guy when he asks what actually happened in the cave. It turns out that Whitover’s only body was found in the cave, which led to inconsistencies in the story. Chee also mentioned Nakai and the money in his report. However, both were missing. Whitover didn’t actually shoot Nakai. He probably ran off with the money, possibly from another way out of the cave not known to anyone else.
Who killed Anna and Hosteen?”
The first season begins with Anna Atcitty’s double murder and Hosteen Toso’s assassination. Officers Chee and Leaphorn are led by the grisly crime to investigate. However, the identity of the killer lingers until the very end. The fifth episode features Frank Nakai confronting James Tso about the murders. Tso denies any connection. He responds to the question by asking: Did Nakai believe the cops more than his partner?
It was an inexplicable rejection of the cops’ claims, which meant that Tso may have had some involvement. Chee learns of Tso’s involvement when he discovers that Tso was fingerprinted at the crime scene by the FBI. Whitover later tells Tso about the fingerprints. Tso does not refute Whitover. This confirms James Tso’s murder of his uncle Hosteen.
The question is, “Why did James kill his uncle?” He replied, “for the cause”. James Tso was fed up with the inhuman treatment of his people on their land. He dedicated his life to fighting the capitalist oppressive regime. The Buffalo Society was a cover for many crimes. When he found out the truth about the dig site, and how Vines planned to exploit land belonging to the Navajo, he realized a clear purpose. Tso devised a plan to stop Vines from exploiting the land that belonged to the Navajo. It involved a robbery, which led many deaths.
We see Tso killing a lot of people over the course of the season, many of them Navajo. Frank Nakai begins to tire of his routine, even though he says it is “for the cause”. Nakai believed that Tso would help his people when he joined it. He saw his people dying at the hands the man who claimed to be their salvation. Tso did not tell Anna and his uncle about this.
James Tso killed Hosteen because he had to have Father Benjamin’s cover. Hosteen would be able identify him, which would create problems for him. James was sent to boarding school where he was abused under the guise of being “civilized.” Although he thought that his family would be there to protect him, they sent him back. This anger was what he used to take out on Hosteen. Anna was not killed by him. Ada’s black magic was what caused her death. This is evident in the white streak that adorns the hair of the girl.
