Among the many complex characters introduced throughout "Reservations Dogs," Deer Lady made the most substantial impression in the shortest amount of time. She's only appeared in one episode before the third season episode that bears her name – Season 1's "Come and Get Your Love," where we meet her in a flashback to the childhood of Lighthorseman Big (Zahn McClarnon).
Deer Lady, portrayed incomparably by Kaniehtiio Horn, is central to Big's self-image as a force of good. But whether a person views her thusly is a matter of perspective and circumstance. She's a spirit common to several Indigenous cultures, known as both an instrument of vengeance and a protector. Big's first encounter with Deer Lady comes after he's noticed her in connection to a missing person case and a bloodbath at the local grocery store. In both instances, the disappeared or dead are men who were up to no good.
