Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Dark Winds season 3, episode 2.Tom Spenser (Bruce Greenwood) already seems like an important part of ending of Dark Winds season 2. One of its most important new parts is Tom Spenser, who just made his introduction to the show.

Bruce Greenwood was one of the biggest names added to the cast of Dark Winds season 3, and his character has just as big of a name within the show. Even after just one episode, Spenser has saved Bernadette Manuelito's (Jessica Matten) life, shut down her investigation into him, and positioned himself directly in the center of Dark Winds season 3's mystery. Spenser is clearly important, so it's also important to get to know him and what kind of effect he could have on the rest of Dark Winds season 3.

Bruce Greenwood's Tom Spenser Is An Oil Tycoon In Dark Winds Season 3

Spenser Runs His Own Ranch & A Massive Oil Drilling Operation

The first time audiences hear of Tom Spenser in Dark Winds is in relation to his massive ranch, which is also where he gets his power and money from. Spenser is an oil tycoon and a member of a family dynasty that has been drilling and selling oil throughout New Mexico. As Spenser told Bernadette, his family had been in good graces with the New Mexico government for generations, and they have also been able to throw their weight around in various ways. For example, as Eleanda Garza (Tonantzin Carmelo) explained, Spenser supplies Border Patrol with a third of its intelligence, and his pockets run very deep.

Why Bernadette Manuelito Is Investigating Spenser's Ranch & Operation

The Pig Drawing Led Bernadette To Spenser's Ranch & She Found The White Van From Dark Winds Season 3, Episode 1 There

Despite Tom Spenser's massive wealth and influence, Bernadette decided to go toe-to-toe with him in Mixtec mother and daughter were victims of human trafficking, and since the pig drawing was the only lead she had, she decided to investigate Spenser and the ranch.

Once Bernadette actually got to investigate the ranch, her suspicions were confirmed. Bernadette found the same white van that she saw while chasing the Mixtec mother and daughter in the premiere of Dark Winds season 3 on Spenser's ranch, which implicates him or one of his employees in her investigation. The van did have different plates, meaning all of Bernadette's evidence so far is completely circumstantial, but it was the same vehicle. However, she's already run into some opposition in her investigation, as Spenser got her transferred to weigh station duty.

Is Tom Spenser Involved In Human Trafficking?

Spenser Is Almost Certainly Involved In Human Trafficking & A Massive Cover-Up

The big question relating to Tom Spenser is whether Bernadette is right to be suspicious of him and investigate his ties to human trafficking. In short, Bernadette is almost certainly right that Spenser is involved in human trafficking. The van, the pig drawing, and the fact that Spenser is employing Roberto C. de Baca (Raoul Max Trujillo), the same person who killed the driver of the white van that stole Bernadette's pistol, heavily implicates him. It's not clear how or to what extent yet, but Spenser is almost definitely at the center of Dark Winds season 3's human trafficking ring.

It's even possible that Spenser has more than just human trafficking going on. Spenser clearly has a lot of sway in the area and at Border Patrol specifically, and he may have gotten Ed Henry (Terry Serpico) in on it as well. Ivan Muños (Alex Meraz) mentioned that Border Patrol doesn't really inspect Spenser's oil tankers, which may be a hint that he has Border Patrol in his pocket. If that does prove to be true, Bernadette can expect a lot more trouble both from Spenser and from her Border Patrol coworkers in the rest of Dark Winds season 3.