‘Dexter’ season 8, episode 12 preview: Could THIS guy really take down Dexter?

If you look at the people coming close to taking down Dexter Morgan on “Dexter” over the years, you have a list of pretty knowledgeable people, including James Doakes and Captain Maria LaGuerta. They were both hot on his case, had a deep backstory with Dexter, and they also now have one other thing in common: They’re dead. There have been others who have had some suspicions over the years, including Joey Quinn, but they never fully connected the dots.

So could Jacob Elway really be the guy to take Dexter down? It would feel almost anti-climactic in a way. We actually do really like Sean Patrick Flanery and his performance in this role, even to a point where he is one of the few characters with a reasonable amount of spin-off potential, but he doesn’t have the backstory with Dexter to make a story about him capturing the killer interesting. The full extent of their interaction has been a few assorted conversations, and they have not really happened until the past few weeks.

The video below from Sunday’s series finale definitely makes it look like there is some trouble ahead, as Elway warns Dexter to not go down with Hannah, knowing that the U.S. Marshal died while following Deb around. He does not have even remotely the right amount of information about who Dexter really is, and there would be a sad sort of irony if he pins the guy for something that is not nearly as drastic as the crimes that he has actually committed.

Do you think that there is any reasonable chance that Elway impacts Dexter’s exploits in the finale, or do you think that this clip is a red herring? Be sure to share your thoughts below! Meanwhile, check out the following three features prior to the upcoming finale.

1. A look at some of the best villains ever to be on the show.

2. A look at some of the best Dexter love interests, and how they shaped his life.

3. A look at some of Deb’s greatest loves, even though most of them are dead now.

Photo: Showtime