Dark Winds Season 4: The Truth Behind Leaphorn's Retirement Explained By Zahn McClarnon

Dark Winds star Zahn McClarnon opens up about Leaphorn's looming retirement in season 4.

The hit AMC crime thriller series, which is based on the Leaphorn & Chee novels by author Tony Hillerman, recently returned for its fourth installment. In the premiere episode, it emerges that Lt. Joe Leaphorn (played by McClarnon) is thinking about retirement. He has a conversation with Manuelito (Jessica Matten) about potentially taking over the spot that he's left behind.

In an interview with ScreenRant's Tatiana Hullender for Dark Winds season 4, McClarnon is asked whether Leaphorn is serious about retiring and whether he's being honest about his reasons for wanting to retire. In response, the veteran actor makes a comparison to season 2 when Leaphorn leaves BJ Vines in the desert, saying it's a similar struggle for his character.

In the quote below, McClarnon talks about how Joe is in search of a spiritual connection and struggling to save his marriage. He also makes reference to the fact that Leaphorn is looking for harmony, which is really a journey that the protagonist has been on for the past four seasons. Overall, it seems the journey is far from over:

It's like the end of season 2, when he leaves BJ Vines in the desert. Did Joe murder him? He's questioning that constantly. He left him out in the desert to survive on his own wits, basically. Does that mean he murdered BJ Vines? Joe struggles with that constantly, just like he's struggling now.

I think as human beings, we're constantly justifying things, or convincing ourselves that we did the right thing. Joe this season is definitely in search of some kind of spiritual connection. He's struggling to save his marriage, obviously, and he's looking for this concept that the Navajo people call Hózhó, which is a state of balance, beauty, and personal peace of mind. It's harmony in one's existence.

He leans into his cultural ceremonies to achieve that understanding and accountability, and he's at those crossroads in his life this season. It's a journey of self-understanding. I think Joe's been on that journey for four seasons, and it's certainly one of those universals on our show that everyone relates to. Lost love and community are pillars everywhere, we just explore them through a unique cultural lens.

The scene in the Dark Winds season 4 premiere is a heavy one for both Leaphorn and Manuelito. At first, she doesn't believe that he's serious and mentions that he's made similar promises in the past. Leaphorn says it's different this time, which prompts Manuelito to point out that he can't save his marriage just by walking away.

But the scene is about more than just what Leaphorn intends to do next. It also has an impact on the rest of the Dark Winds characters. This is clear when Manuelito mentions Chee (Kiowa Gordon), and Leaphorn says, essentially, that he's not the right person for the job. That push and pull could set up a lot of tension for the popular thriller, especially if Leaphorn is serious about retiring sooner rather than later.

But for fans worried that the popular adaptation is eying the exits, the good news is that AMC has already renewed its hit crime saga for season 5. There will be plenty of time for more clever Dark Winds cameos, not to mention cases to solve, along the way to Leaphorn finding the balance and harmony that he's been seeking from the very start.

Dark Winds season 4 drops new episodes Sundays at 9 PM ET on AMC and AMC+