Hidden Dexter: Original Sin Callback Perfectly Sets Up The Next Dexter Prequel Show About John Lithgow’s Iconic Villain

Dexter: Original Sin gives more of a background to Dexter Morgan, one of the best TV antiheroes of all time. Now, Dexter's most iconic villain may get his own, much-anticipated spin-off series. While each season of the original Dexter TV show had its own "big bad," few are more memorable or chilling than Arthur Mitchell, a.k.a. The Trinity Killer, played by John Lithgow. Of all the villains in Dexter, The Trinity Killer appeared to be the only one who was able to get to Dexter, killing Rita in one of the best Dexter episodes of all time.

The scene in which Dexter finds Rita's lifeless body makes her one of the most heartbreaking deaths in Dexter, and it became clear that The Trinity Killer was not long for the series, as Dexter vowed revenge. Still, his eventual death at Dexter's hands disappointed many reviewers who would have liked to see more of The Trinity Killer, as Lithgow's performance was one of the best in the entire series. Fortunately, Dexter's next prequel may focus on The Trinity Killer, with John Lithgow said to be involved, and Original Sin set this up perfectly.

Dexter: Original Sin Season 1, Episode 2 Subtly Features The Trinity Killer's First Victim, Vicky Noonan

The Trinity Killer's Full Kill Pattern Is Still Unknown In Original Sin

John Lithgow as Arthur Mitchell looking creepy in Dexter — Trinity Killer visits Dexter at work

Though Dexter: Original Sin is a prequel, Episode 2 of Original Sin, "Kid in a Candy Store" felt nostalgic, taking viewers back to some of the original series' best moments. One of these was seeing Dexter in crime scene investigator mode. When Tanya shows Dexter around the forensics department at Miami Metro, he looks through the unsolved case files, where we see a familiar picture. At around 31 minutes into the episode, Vicky Noonan's crime scene photo appears. Vicky was the earliest Trinity Killer bathtub victim shown in Dexter, though her husband was blamed for her murder.

John Lithgow won a Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy Award for his portrayal of The Trinity Killer in Dexter season 4.

Arthur Mitchell is one of the most complex killers in the Dexter franchise, except for Dexter Morgan himself. After he witnessed his sister die in a tragic and bloody accident, his mother ended her life, and he lived with his father, who was later found murdered, presumably by Arthur. Arthur then became The Trinity Killer and had a kill cycle in which he re-enacted the deaths of his family. While Dexter's Special Agent Frank Lundy has connected triple murders to the killer (earning him the name "Trinity,") Dexter later discovers that there is a fourth murder in his cycle.

Vicky Noonan's Unsolved Murder Reference In Original Sin Creates A Great Tie-In To Dexter's Upcoming Trinity Killer Prequel

Will The Trinity Killer Appear In Dexter: Original Sin?

Dexter: Original Sin is set shortly before the events in the main series, so The Trinity Killer's full kill cycle has not been discovered yet, and Vicky Noonan's murder is still unsolved. One of the best parts of Dexter was seeing Dexter's serial killer targets in action, then watching him hunting them down over the different episodes. Original Sin has brought back this Dexter formula, and while The Trinity Killer has not appeared in Dexter: Original Sin, showing his first victim is a clever reminder that he is actively killing at the time.

The Trinity Killer Dexter prequel has had a positive update, with scripts reportedly being finished and John Lithgow agreeing to voice his younger self as Michael C. Hall voices the inner monologue for Dexter. As it is currently unknown who will play the younger version of The Trinity Killer, he could likely be glimpsed at some point in Original Sin, without the viewer knowing until the casting is announced. This would be a great twist and another subtle way to relate Dexter: Original Sin to The Trinity Killer after the show made such a clever reference using Vicky Noonan's picture.