Jaw-dropping Dark Winds Season 2 Ending: The Shocking Truth Behind Joe Leaphorn's Actions!

WARNING: This article contains SPOILERS for season 2 of Dark Winds! Despite its complex and tangled ending, the bleak thriller series finally uncovers the conspiracy behind the explosion that claimed Joe Leaphorn's son's life many years ago. Dark Winds, based on Tony Hillerman's Leaphorn and Chee novels, is a neo-noir show that centers around two Navajo police officers. The elder Leaphorn mourns the loss of his son before the series starts, while the younger Jim Chee begins as an undercover FBI agent serving as Leaphorn's deputy in the tribal police. Season 2 of Dark Winds adapts Hillerman's 1980 novel, People of Darkness.

Taking place in 1970s Navajo Country, season 2 of Dark Winds delves into the grim tale of the individuals responsible for Joe's son's death. The time period limits the use of modern technology in their investigations, resulting in a more gritty and realistic police procedural. Throughout the season, Leaphorn diligently traces the footsteps of Colton Wolf, a bomber who targeted terminal cancer patient Emerson outside a hospital. The bombing is meticulously crafted to appear as an accidental gas pipeline leak, grabbing Joe's attention due to the haunting similarities with his son's supposed "accidental" explosion.

Did Joe Leaphorn Kill Vines In Dark Winds Season 2?

Despite Colton Wolf being responsible for bombing the hospital and killing Emerson, he was not the true antagonist of Dark Winds season 2. The bomb-making assassin was merely carrying out the orders of an unidentified wealthy individual, who remained unknown until the final episodes. Eventually, this mysterious figure was revealed to be local businessman BJ Vines, the owner of the drilling site where Joe's son had tragically passed away years earlier. Vines had orchestrated all the events of the season to benefit himself, including the explosion that claimed Joe's son's life. However, as Wolf had committed all the crimes, it proved impossible to hold Vines accountable.

In the concluding moments of Dark Winds season 2, Joe came to the realization that "White justice" would enable Vines to escape punishment due to his wealth and connections. Upon learning that the affluent oil magnate had been released on bail despite his wrongdoings, Joe took matters into his own hands by kidnapping Vines, taking him into the wilderness, and driving away. Vines ultimately succumbed to the freezing temperatures during the night, but Joe did not technically kill him. This act mirrored the way Vines had instructed Colton to bomb his own drilling site, resulting in the death of Joe's son. Although Vines could not face charges for murder, Joe achieved justice outside the realm of the biased and corrupt legal system.

Dark Winds Season 2's Colton Mother Twist Explained

Throughout the second season of Dark Winds, Colton Wolf engaged the services of multiple private investigators in his desperate quest to locate his estranged mother. Each time they failed, Colton resorted to violence, ending the lives of these individuals. Surprisingly, the season finale unveiled a shocking truth - Colton himself had actually killed his mother when he was just a child. This tragic event occurred shortly after she had murdered his father and older sister. However, as Colton's last words were his mother's name, it can be inferred that his disturbed state of mind prevented him from realizing that he had acted in self-defense. He was desperately seeking his mother in a futile attempt to reconcile his life of crime and recapture a semblance of the innocence he had lost in his childhood.

BJ Vines Hired Colton Wolf In Dark Winds

In a shocking turn of events, the season 2 finale of Dark Winds revealed a surprising twist. Wolf, the main antagonist, was not acting alone or driven by madness. Instead, it was BJ Vines, as mentioned before, who had hired Wolf to carry out a series of malicious deeds. This included bombing the drilling site, assassinating the terminally ill Emerson, and even planning to kill Emerson's son. As the owner of the drilling site, Vines had discovered valuable uranium reserves beneath the location. In order to decrease its value and secure a bargain, he paid Colton to bomb the site. Tragically, this resulted in the deaths of numerous workers, including the son of a man named Joe. Overwhelmed by guilt, Emerson was hired by Vines once again to have Colton end his life.

Why Did Colton Kill Emerson And His Sons?

Emerson previously collaborated with Vine until he received a devastating diagnosis of terminal cancer. Stricken with guilt, he made the bold decision to confess his involvement in the bombing incident. Recognizing the severity of the situation, Vine enlisted the services of Colton to eliminate both Emerson and his son. With ruthless efficiency, Colton succeeded in eliminating Emerson and one of his sons, while discreetly pocketing the lockbox that contained the crucial geographical survey. Notably, this lockbox also held a cherished belt buckle belonging to Joe's son. When Joe finally cornered Colton, he astutely connected the dots between the series of bombings. The climactic conclusion of this tale unfolded with Vines confronting Colton, only for Leaphorn to confront Vines, creating a showdown reminiscent of the finest Western films.

Why Vines Killed Colton Wolf (Not Joe)

Throughout season 2 of Dark Winds, there was a prevailing expectation that Leaphorn would ultimately kill Colton. However, BJ Vines took matters into his own hands and eliminated Colton, effectively tying up loose ends. In a particularly cruel twist of fate, Vines handed over a substantial sum of money to the criminal, giving him the false illusion of starting afresh before swiftly ending his life. It was during Colton's final moments, as he uttered the name of his mother, that Vines achieved what seemed like an assured success. With the sole surviving connection between himself and the devastating bombings now gone, Vines solidified his position.

The Meaning Behind Joe Turning The Belt Buckle Into A Feather

Leaphorn, aware that the law was of no assistance, took matters into his own hands by kidnapping Vines and leaving him to die, ensuring justice was served. This action inadvertently influenced Bernadette Manuelito to leave her position in the tribal police and pursue a career in the Border Patrol, believing that Vines had escaped without facing consequences. Although Leaphorn did not disclose the true fate of the villain to Manuelito, he presented her with a significant parting gift—a metal feather.

Joe, in an act of closure, melted his deceased son's belt buckle and transformed it into a metal feather as a heartfelt present for Bernadette. This act symbolized Joe's acceptance of his son's death and his ability to move forward, while also signifying Joe's role as a paternal figure to the younger and less experienced Bernadette. By releasing the belt buckle after vanquishing Vines, Joe acknowledged that his son would never return. By bestowing the feather upon Bernadette, the complex protagonist of Dark Winds season 2 demonstrated his capacity to be a surrogate parent despite the hardships he endured throughout his challenging life.