Considering that Sheriff Gordo Sena has done everything but outright state that he knows what happened to B.J. Vines, it prompts the question of when, exactly, he figured it out before Dark Winds season 3. The end of Dark Winds season 2 saw Joe Leaphorn overcome with rage and grief over the man behind his son’s murder, B.J. Vines, getting out on bail. He made a rash decision, kidnapping Vines and driving him out into the desert. At first, it appeared he might kill his son’s killer, but instead, he chose to leave Vines in the desert to either find his way back or die of exposure, a reenactment of The Long Walk forced upon the Navajo people.
Even though Joe didn’t physically kill B.J. Vines in Dark Winds, his decision still haunts him, and now it’s led to a potential criminal investigation. All through Dark Winds season 3, Joe has been tormented by the Ye’iitsoh entity and visions of B.J. Vines’ corpse. While Joe did what he did alone and told no one, one other character figured it out, and that’s Sheriff Gordo Sena. And right now, Gordo is about the only person in Joe’s life that he can talk to, and thus, the only person who is trying to keep Joe from mentally going off the rails.
Gordo Has Always Known About What Joe Did To BJ Vines In Dark Winds
He Just Hasn’t Said It Outright
The truth is, Gordo has always known that Joe was behind the disappearance of B.J. Vines. In the Dark Winds season 2 finale, Gordo showed up at Joe’s house to tell him that he was retiring. During their conversation, Vines hinted that he might have an inkling that Joe had something to do with it. In that scene, however, it seemed more as though he was fishing to gauge Joe’s reaction, meaning he wasn’t certain yet whether Joe had had a hand in Vines’ disappearance right after he made bail. It set Gordo up for an “I’m not asking, and I don’t want to know” sort of situation.
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In Dark Winds season 3, however, he’s been more direct. While he still hasn’t come right out and said he knows what Joe did, it’s clear that he does know, so he’s been talking to Joe about it in coded ways, obliquely skirting the issue. Joe also knows that Gordo knows, since he keeps bringing it up to Gordo and updating him on Agent Sylvia Washington’s progress in her investigation, as well as when he tells Emma. The two colleagues and friends don’t have to state it directly. They know where it stands and what was done.
Gordo Is Being More Open In Dark Winds Season 3 Because Joe’s Guilt Threatens Them All
Gordo Is Trying To Keep Joe From Incriminating Them Both
Gordo has been adamant that neither he nor Joe knows a single thing about what happened to B.J. Vines. Every time Joe brings it up, Gordo always responds in a way that reminds Joe to play it cool. When Joe informs him that FBI agent Sylvia Washington has shown up at the Navajo Tribal Police station looking into his disappearance, Gordo lays the groundwork for how he’s handled it all season. “Ain’t nothing to look into. B.J. Vines is gone. And for good reason, you and I both know that, Joe,” he says, before continuing, his words loaded with implication: “And that’s about all we know about Mr. B.J. Vines, right?”
That’s not the last conversation Gordo and Joe have had about B.J. Vines in Dark Winds this season, thanks to Joe not handling the guilt well. That’s precisely the reason that Gordo keeps engaging every time Joe brings it up, tacitly reminding Joe that the way to play it is that he doesn’t know anything, he didn’t see anything, and there’s nothing to feel guilty about because nothing happened. Gordo knows, but he’s not going to admit to what he knows. As a cop, Sheriff Sena understands plausible deniability. As long as Agent Washington doesn’t find any hard evidence or find a witness, Joe should be in the clear – if he doesn’t incriminate himself first.
Dark Winds Season 3 Shows Just How Many People Joe’s Decision Has Hurt
Joe Isn’t The Only One Who Now Has Potential Criminal Liability
Unfortunately, thanks to Joe’s decision and his inability to keep it together, him being outed as the one who kidnapped B.J. Vines and left him to die in the desert has ramifications for far more people than just Joe. Emma, of course, is the one caught directly in the crossfire, and Emma’s reaction to learning about what Joe did to Vines is entirely justified and understandable. Not only did he make an enormous decision about what to do with their son’s murderer without consulting her, but he also violated her deeply held Navajo spiritual beliefs while doing so. And now that she knows, she’s also potentially criminally liable.
Even if Gordo technically doesn’t have any legal or criminal liability to hang on him, he’ll surely get sucked into Agent Washington’s investigation.
Gordo Sena is another character in a tight spot because of Joe’s actions. Unlike Emma, Joe hasn’t directly confessed his crime to Gordo, but he doesn’t have to. Even if Gordo technically doesn’t have any legal or criminal liability to hang on him, he’ll surely get sucked into Agent Washington’s investigation. He was part of the initial B.J. Vines investigation, and he’s Joe’s counterpart in the county. He’ll surely be questioned, and when he is, he’ll be put in a situation where he has to choose either to sell out his friend or potentially incriminate himself. Either way, in Dark Winds season 3, Gordo is the only one showing any sense at all.
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
