Dark Winds S4 Explores Bernadette's Past and Relationship with Chee

Jessica Matten and Kiowa Gordon discuss the psychological and emotional ramifications for their characters in the new season.

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

In the fourth season of the AMC drama series Dark Winds, Deputy Bernadette Manuelito (Jessica Matten) and her partner Jim Chee (Kiowa Gordon) are tasked with finding a 16-year-old girl named Billie who has run away from her Catholic boarding school on the Navajo Reservation. Bern sees herself in the feisty Billie and is determined to save her, while also grappling with the trauma of having killed a man in self-defense at the end of Season 3. Meanwhile, Chee is suffering from ghost sickness, which is causing him disturbing visions and physical symptoms. The new couple's relationship is also tested as Bern is sworn to secrecy about their boss Joe Leaphorn's (Zahn McClarnon) plans to retire and want Bern to take his place.

Why it matters

The case at the center of Dark Winds Season 4 has deep psychological and emotional ramifications for Bern, who sees herself in the missing teenager Billie. It also explores the trauma and PTSD that both Bern and Chee are dealing with, and how that affects their relationship. The story also touches on the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, which is a pressing concern in real life.

The details

In Season 4, Bern and Chee are officially a couple, having moved past the "will they or won't they" dynamic of previous seasons. However, their relationship is tested as Chee is suffering from ghost sickness, which is causing him disturbing visions and physical symptoms. Meanwhile, Bern is sworn to secrecy about their boss Joe Leaphorn's plans to retire and want Bern to take his place, which creates tension when Chee finds out. The case they are working on, to find the missing teenager Billie, also has personal significance for Bern, who sees herself in the feisty young girl and is determined to save her.

  • Dark Winds Season 4 is currently airing on AMC on Sundays.
  • The events of Season 4 take place in the 1970s on the Navajo Reservation.

The players

Bernadette Manuelito

A deputy in the Navajo Reservation Tribal Police, played by Jessica Matten. Bern is dealing with the trauma of having killed a man in self-defense and sees herself in the missing teenager Billie, whom she is determined to save.

Jim Chee

Bern's partner and romantic interest, played by Kiowa Gordon. Chee is suffering from ghost sickness, which is causing him disturbing visions and physical symptoms.

Joe Leaphorn

The veteran police officer played by Zahn McClarnon, who plans to retire and wants Bern to take his place, a secret he has sworn her to keep.

Billie

A 16-year-old girl who has run away from her Catholic boarding school on the Navajo Reservation, and who Bern is determined to find and save.

Irene

A professional killer who murdered Billie's family and appears to be obsessed with Joe Leaphorn.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“There's a lot of underlying motivations of why she feels so adamant and motivated to save this girl and, of course, indirectly, we're talking about the potential of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.”

— Jessica Matten, Actress (UPI)

“The whole season kind of delves into that, of each experiencing their own versions of trauma and how they cope and being there for each other in these very vulnerable settings and that ties into their dynamic and how their dynamic evolves over the season.”

— Jessica Matten, Actress (UPI)

“Chee is a detective, so, obviously, he's going to sniff a little tension there and a little something missing from the conversation.”

— Kiowa Gordon, Actor (UPI)

What’s next

Fans will have to tune in to the rest of Dark Winds Season 4 to see how Bern and Chee's relationship and the case of the missing teenager Billie unfold.

The takeaway

Dark Winds Season 4 delves deeper into the psychological and emotional journeys of its lead characters, Bernadette and Chee, as they navigate their own traumas and vulnerabilities while working to solve a case that hits close to home for Bern. The season explores timely themes around missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, and the importance of community and relationships in coping with trauma.