At the end ofDark Windsseason 3, episode 1,the body of the murdered missing boy, Ernesto Cata, is found with an arrowhead shoved into his mouth, a strange act full of dark symbolism.Dark Windsseason 3, which has embraced horror elements, kicked off with Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee investigating the disturbing disappearance of two teenage boys from the reservation, Ernesto Cata and George Bowlegs. While George was confirmed alive – for now – Ernesto was still missing and the bloody gouges left on his bike indicated he’d come to a bad end.
Indeed, he had, and the teenager’s corpse was found shoved into a drain pipe in the desert, confirming that his death must have been lonely and horrific. It’s clear that the boys were either involved in some shady business or, more likely, saw something they shouldn’t have seen and Ernesto was killed to keep him quiet, with George next on the list. It’s a deeply troubling case for theDark Windscharacters, and Joe Leaphorn seems to think the arrowhead found in Ernesto’s mouth is key to breaking open the mystery.
It Doesn’t Fit Into The Puzzle
The arrowhead found in Ernesto’s mouth at theend ofDark Windsseason 3, episode 1is exceedingly strange, the sort of calling card a serial killer would leave, or someone with a personal grudge. In fact, that’s what Sheriff Gordo guesses when he informs Joe the murder weapon was likely something like a clawed hammer, speculating that perhaps Ernesto and George had gotten into a fight and Bowlegs snapped and took out his rage on his friend. But Leaphorn quickly shoots that down,knowing that a Navajo would never do that to another Navajo.
“The arrowhead doesn’t make sense, Gordo. It’s a sacred object,” he explains. “If you’re putting an arrowhead in the mouth of a dead… It’s like a Catholic defiling a crucifix. Whoever did this isn’t Diné.” Leaphorn knows that, rather than proving the involvement of another of the Diné people,the arrowhead almost certainly rules out someone Navajo, at least not one who still respects his culture, further deepening the mystery ofDark Windsseason 3’s story.
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Adding to Leaphorn’s suspicions,the arrowhead is fake. Archaeologist Dr. Reynolds points out that the edging on the arrowhead was made with a machine rather than a hand tool and that Leaphorn could buy a dozen of them if he went down to the trading post that sells souvenirs and trinkets to tourists. The reveal further supports Leaphorn’s theory that the killer isn’t Diné; a Navajo wouldn’t have to resort to buying a cheap toy if they wanted an arrowhead.
Whoever killed Ernesto Cata and put the arrowhead in his mouth, it’s clear they have a deep-rooted hatred of the Navajo people. Clearly, they knew enough to know that the arrowhead holds symbolic meaning in the culture, but possibly didn’t know that putting it in someone’s mouth would be considered sacrilegious, showing their callous disregard for Diné spirituality and custom. Worse would beif they had known that it was sacrilegious and intended it to be, defiling the boy’s body in a way that carries on past his death.
Another possibility that is equally dark is that the killer could be trying to set up a native of the reservation to take the fall, thinking that the arrowhead would automatically be associated with the killer being Navajo.
Another possibility that is equally dark is thatthe killer could be trying to set up a native of the reservation to take the fall, thinking that the arrowhead would automatically be associated with the killer being Navajo. Still, considering the brutality of the kill and the methodical way Ernesto Cata’s body had been shoved into the drain pipe, the killer doesn’t appear to be someone who doesn’t think things through, indicating he would have known exactly what the arrowhead meant. WithDark Windsseason 3 leaning into a horror-thriller vibe, it’s likely the motivation behind the arrowhead will be a disturbing one, whatever it may be.
Dark Windsseason 3 is currently airing on AMC on Sundays at 9/8C.
