Summary

• Witt's return in Walker season 4 offers a chance to delve deeper into Stella's PTSD struggles.
• The series allows Violet Brinson to showcase her acting skills with mature teen storylines.
• Brinson's portrayal of grief and guilt highlights the emotional depth of Stella's character in danger.

Warning! Spoilers ahead for the CW's Walker

Walker season 4 pulled off a common TV trope by revealing a character thought to have died was still alive, and their return could shine some light on Stella's PTSD. The CW drama is a reimagining of the 1990s hit series Walker, Texas Ranger, still following the Texas ranger Cordell Walker. The CW version has often combined Cordell's cases with emotional family and teen drama, which differs from the original. Cordell's daughter, Stella, played by Violet Brinson, portrays a teen girl who lost her mother too early, but it wasn't until recently that she got an arc that allowed her to show her range as one of Walker's bravest characters.

In Walker season 4, episode 3, "Lessons From the Gift Shop," Stella and Sadie (Saylor Yoo) contemplated their next move as they continued to receive threatening messages and photos of Witt. While Stella thought they should inform the authorities, Sadie insisted they keep quiet, which they did, but then Witt shocked them by appearing in Stella's car with a gun to her head. This twist arrived right after the case was closed, so seeing him again will haunt Stella. At the same time, it's a relief that she and Sadie didn't actually kill him.

Witt's Return Gives Walker Season 4 The Chance to Further Explore Stella's PTSD

Has Witt Been Threatening Stella And Sadie?

As a new first-year college student, Stella Walker already has a typical amount of stress, but she has been dealing with the trauma of accidentally shooting someone. When she and Sadie returned to the Walker ranch in the season 3 finale and spotted a masked figure robbing the place, they panicked. In a typical season finale cliffhanger, the body was missing after the girls brought Liam (Keegan Allen) back to the scene, though that was never touched on much until flashbacks in the last episode.

Witt's reappearance will affect Stella's state of mind even more since she's already replayed that horrific day many times. She was sure he had died and had dealt with PTSD. As a Texas Ranger's daughter, logically, Stella understood killing someone in self-defense, but she was so young that it was difficult to deal with. Seeing Witt brought a whirlwind of emotions since he was probably her tormentor, but that meant she didn't kill him. It's a mix of complex emotions that will likely be explored moving forward.

Walker's Big Return Allows Violet Brinson to Showcase Her Acting Strengths

Walker's Time Jump Allowed For More Mature Teen Storylines

Since the series began, Brinson has played Stella as a character with emotional layers. The time jump on Walker matured her character so that the series can handle more grown-up storylines. Stella's Uncle Liam and dad have dealt with PTSD previously and have even assisted her uncle with his equine therapy operation. However, it's scarier when it's personally experienced, as Stella now understands all too well, something that Brinson has portrayed in a meaningful way. Jared Padalecki commented to TV Insider how Violet Brinson always had something special:

She’s so good. We knew that from the get-go. I think some of the early themes in Season 1 where she’s kind of rebelling a little bit, we would shoot her, and after we wrapped, I’d get on the phone with Anna [Fricke, the showrunner] and be like, “Holy shit, this young lady, she’s got something.” It’s a joy to work with her.

Until recently, many of the teen stories have played in the background. Witt's supposed death and return have recently allowed Brinson to elevate her acting skills as she's had to portray grief, guilt, and other facets of PTSD on the series. Her layered performances seemed believable as she denied anything was wrong but fell apart in private, only admitting to Sadie about how terrified she was. Brinson will likely deliver some of her best performances in Walker with the two girls in danger, as Stella and Sadie outsmart their way out of danger.