In Season 4 of Dark Winds, the gang is back together as members of the Navajo Tribal Police as Joe Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon), Jim Chee (Kiowa Gordon), and Bernadette Manuelito (Jessica Matten) all head to Los Angeles in search of a missing girl from the reservation. From facing off against the assassin Vaggan, to trying to woo back Emma, this season was full of many ups and downs for Joe. We sat down with McClarnon to discuss the entire season, including the cliffhanger season finale. [Season finale spoilers ahead!] 

I was looking back at my notes from previous seasons and realized that Seasons 2 and 4 have similar scenes in their first episodes where we see Leaphorn’s morning routine. Now that he’s on his own, things feel different though. He’s making a concerted effort to be more in touch with his body and his emotions, and he’s taking the time to tend to his spiritual needs. The body mind connection is a big theme of Season 4 for every character it seems. Joe’s doing the work — do you think he’s doing it for himself... or is it about getting Emma back? 

That's the thing. I think Joe doesn't know that himself, if he's doing it for himself or if he's doing it in hopes of getting her back. Fear motivates him and he might lose everything; Emma is everything to him. Joe loves his wife so much. Joe is so in love with Emma, and it's become so real to me. I struggle with it, thinking about the love that Joe has for Emma. It's real, it's so real. 

Obviously, I love Deanna [Allison] and we're good friends. She's awesome and we care for each other, but the love that Joe has for Emma is just… so pure. So, Joe has such fear of losing that love that I don't think he actually knows if he's doing it for himself or if he's doing it for her. 

At the end of Ep 1 we get a different view of the diner crime scene, it's a Lynchian nightmare with the slowed down track from the shot jukebox. It reminded me of Episode 5 of last season with that scene that you improved, covered in blood screaming at the mirror! Every season the tension is ratcheted up and there are these amazing connective visual threads that link them. You directed Episode 2 this season and there are so many memorable visual moments — like the chase at IHS, the motel scene, and the quiet conversation that Bern and Joe have crouched in front of the diner. What was it like directing Ep 2? It’s an action-packed episode! 

It was terrifying at first, to be honest with you. I wanted to do a different episode! They actually gave me the opportunity to choose between Episodes 2 and 3, and I kept going back and forth with my producer, Jim Chory about it in pre-production. I was a first-time director and any kind of action sequence as big as that diner was scary to tackle. 

I eventually gave in and just said, "You know what? Just take the risk. You've got such a great team behind you that they're going to have your back no matter what." And they did! My DP, Blake Evans, and my first AD, Dennis Crow, were just amazing. They had my back. And so did Chris Eyre! Tina Elmo was there, everybody was there. It was such a collaborative thing where I knew I couldn't fail if I had these guys helping me out.

Speaking of the diner scene, I really, really liked how we did that and how it ended up on the big screen. It actually moved me, the slowdown in the music, the camera angles, the lighting, and the spookiness of it all. I like that kind of dark stuff. I really do! And I would love to keep exploring those kinds of moments in Dark Winds. 

Irene Vaggan (Franka Potente) is really the most dangerous character we’ve seen Leaphorn go head-to-head with. In comparison to B.J. Vines (John Henry Diehl) or even Colton Wolf (Nicholas Logan), Irene is another breed altogether. Episode 3 when she enters Joe’s home and then intercepts him in the desert set the stage for just how unhinged she really is. Can you talk about facing off with Franka Potente this season? 

I was a huge fan of Franka’s, and I was ecstatic when John (Wirth) brought her in to play Vaggan. I felt very, very fortunate that we were able to get Franka, and that she came on board to Dark Winds. I'm always amazed by the actors we get and this season we got Titus Welliver, Franka and Udo Kier. It's just amazing to see these actors coming on board — like Linda Hamilton! I'm just big a fan of these people and being able to work with them is incredible. 

Vaggan is definitely a formidable antagonist for Joe this season, and this weird obsession she has with Native culture… is unsettling. Then she becomes obsessed with this man, Joe Leaphorn. I just loved how the writers wrote her character and how they explored her and that obsession. She’s unhinged, and to meet her face-to-face in Episode 3 at the sweat lodge with Joe having no idea what to think of this person. Just unreal. He's in a vulnerable situation already with half his clothes on, his pants unzipped, and his shirt open, and he’s just coming out of a very personal ceremony where he's trying to figure out what to do spiritually. So, it's a fun dynamic! And I loved how the writers wrote it. 

Franka as a person is just an amazing actress. She brings so much to that character. The ideas that she brought were just so thoughtful. To watch her talk about her wardrobe and to be in the wardrobe session with her was so great. Deciding on the wardrobe and different props that she wanted to use — she just brought so many ideas! You can only hope to work with actors that are so involved with their characters. She's wonderful. I'm really glad I got to know her. 

Speaking of face offs, you’ve tackled so many challenging physical scenes throughout the seasons — I’m remembering all the crazy work you did in the desert with Nicholas Logan in S2 in particular. This season you’re running full speed, you’re fighting, you’re being drugged — there’s so much physicality! 

Running full speed in cowboy boots across a grassy plain with the gopher holes and stuff was special. [Laughs] When it comes to those kinds of scenes, I don't question them. I have to do them. And it's something that I enjoy doing. It’s full bore when I get on set, you know what I mean? It's full steam ahead no matter what it takes to get the shot, I'm willing to do it. I mean, obviously I have limits and they won't allow me to do certain things, but if I could, I would do all my stunts! I'm getting to an age where I’ve got to start being careful, but I can still run. I mean, come on. You know?! I'm still in good shape and all that. [Laughs] 

It’s like the pragmatism I was talking about. This is what I have to do for my job. And people are expecting me to do it. They're relying on me to do it, and I'm doing what I've always wanted to do. It's a fun part of the job, and I'm getting paid to do it! 

Now I have to mention how the season ends... and the cliffhanger that we’re left with. The murder of Gordo is absolutely devastating and given the close relationship Joe has with him this is going to be horrible all around. What can you tease out about Season 5 and the mission that Leaphorn will inevitably now embark on? 

Oof, well yeah, there it is right there. I mean, obviously Joe can't retire now. He lost his close friend, and he was murdered so Joe has to get to the bottom of it… which leads us into Season 5. We're certainly going to explore that. It's going to be a fun season. I'm looking forward to it! I've read four of the scripts already, and it's definitely action-packed. We're going back to the reservation, which I think, is where Joe belongs. Really where all of our characters belong.

All episodes from Season 4 of Dark Winds are available to stream on amc.com (with a cable provider login), and the AMC apps for mobile and devices. You can also watch episodes via AMC+ at amcplus.com or through the new AMC+ app available on iPhone, iPad, Android, Fire TV, Apple TV, and Roku plus Samsung and Vizio smart TVs. AMC+ can also be streamed through a variety of providers, including AppleTV, Prime Video Channels, DirectTV, Dish, Roku Channel, Sling, and Xfinity. Sign up for AMC+ now.