Warning: General spoilers ahead

Man, that episode last Tuesday! Yes, Dominic may be smart, but boy, I wouldn’t play chess or poker with Elias because it’s pretty obvious that Elias has the upper hand, will stomp you in the dirt, and you won’t even see it coming. That being said, I personally can not wait for Tuesday’s finale to see how all of this plays out. I’m sure there’s going to be hell to pay for Link’s death, but will Dominic actually be able to pull it off? Or, will Elias, once again, trick the big man and come out victorious in this war?

I had the pleasure to chat with the man himself, Winston Duke, this week on what to expect going into Tuesday’s finale. As some of you may know, I also talked with Winston when I visited the Person of Interest set last month, and so, I already had a good idea of where things were going except now that we are past the penultimate episode, he was able to fill in a few more details.

TV GEEK TALK: Well, that was a hell of a twist with Link in Tuesday’s episode! Totally unexpected and didn’t see that one coming!

Winston Duke: “[Laughs] Well, join the club!”

TV GEEK TALK: Given what Elias did, how to you think Dominic perceives him now? Hate him or in awe of him or perhaps both?

Winston Duke: “I think it’s a little of both. Dominic and a big part of him is always impressed by Elias. I think he’s always been impressed by the different tactics Elias comes up with, even his use of these pneumatic tubes to keep under the radar. He was a little bit in awe, between you and me. We will see in the future how he plans to retaliate.”

TV GEEK TALK: From what we can see, Dominick seems to want to become a new-age Elias. Do you think Dominic could ever hold a candle to the master or was it just wishful-thinking?

Winston Duke: “I definitely thinks [Dominic] sees himself as the next step, the upgrade. I think Dominic has studied Elias, and essentially Dominic has won. Elias had always said that Dominic was the one who would win this war, but I don’t think he saw the collateral damage. I don’t believe he thought he would lose Link in the process. If you remember, he said that we all die in the end but I don’t believe he expected it would turn out how it did. I think Elias used a word in one of the episodes which is ‘hubris.’ Dominic’s hubris might be that he actually believes he has the entire picture, and we know as the audience that he doesn’t. But, I definitely believe that he thinks he’s won, and I believe he thinks he’s going to take it all.”

TV GEEK TALK: You mentioned Dominic believing that he has the entire picture, but of course, we know he doesn’t especially with respect to Finch. I don’t think it would cross Dominic’s mind that Harold is the face of an artificial intelligence. What do you think Dominic believes Finch is doing and what he has to do with Elias?

Winston Duke: “Dominic looks at it from the information he has and about the world around him. He has no idea about artificial intelligence. So, I believe he’s dealing with the realm of the immediate reality of what’s around him. So, I think he believes Harold is offering information that he doesn’t have, and he wants it. This is the information that’s going to take him to the next level, and that’s what he’s always seeking. He’s always looking to better himself, to better everyone around him. So, he’s always trying to take that next step to advance himself in this world. And, the next step is to get that information that Harold has so that he can actually run the city, actually stay one step ahead of the police.”

TV GEEK TALK: I think Dominic said something like he thought Harold was in charge of the cameras of the city or had access to them. A very naive vision of what is really going on.

Winston Duke: “Yeah, with his not knowing the full picture, it’s very simplistic but for him, he believes that the powers-that-be around him that’s what they have. They have surveillance, they have wiretapping, they have all these things but I don’t believe he fully comprehends them or have a grasp of what’s going on. And, I think that’s realistic because only Team Machine and the audience has that. So, I think he’s in the same place as Elias. It’s kind of like a game within a game and not being able to put all the pieces together.”

TV GEEK TALK: I was actually on set for a day while you guys were filming Tuesday’s penultimate episode, and you, Link, and Floyd seemed so close and were having so much fun. How was it for you when you found out Dominic was the one who would end up killing his own partner?

Winston Duke: “Yeah, it definitely was quite striking. Jamie Hector and I and the wonderful actress who plays Floyd we developed a really great relationship on set. A lot of jokes and good working intimacy for the scenes that we had. So, it was really striking to read that I actually was going to be the instrument who took my partner out. I mean he’s my number 2! I thought it was mind-blowing, I was just shocked that it would be me but it also gave me great insight to how fair my character is. His character to some degree lived very rigidly, that’s what it told me. If you break the rules no matter who you are, you will be dealt with and usually quickly.”

TV GEEK TALK: Yeah, I guess there is no severance plan with Dominic.

Winston Duke: “[Laughs] I think everyone knew that. [Laughs] There is no severance plan, we all die in the end. I think that’s the severance plan. But, you will be dealt with immediately, very harshly. I think he has demonstrated that across the board, and to do that in front of his men. I think he was sending a message that if you fail, if you lie, if you double-cross the Brotherhood, this is how you’ll end up. He is very rigid with his rules. So, that’s the insight I got from that.”

TV GEEK TALK: Also when I was on set, you had mentioned that you graduated from the Yale School of Drama with a Masters of Fine Arts. Now, that’s some serious dedication, which also says you have a real passion for acting. What made you decide to pursue a career in the profession?

Winston Duke: “I’ve always loved storytelling. I’ve always loved storytelling from a very young age. I’m also from the Caribbean, and I’ve always been around great stories. I’ve always wanted to tell those stories, and I’ve always listened closely to scary stories. I’d always be the fly on the wall and hear people tell stories with extreme fervor. I always wanted to be a part of that. So, the second I got the chance I started, which was in high school. I started doing theater but being an immigrant, my family at times wanted me to do something different, something a little more stable. I also try to find the humanity in everything. Even with Dominic, who some people call a villain, I see him as a regular guy, and I wanted to help tell that story.”

TV GEEK TALK: You mentioned that you started out doing a great deal of work in theater. But, now, one of your biggest roles is in television. Do you prefer one over the other in any way or is it the same with you?

Winston Duke: “It’s not the same. Right now I would say that I don’t prefer one or the other, but I love where I am now. I love doing television, and I want to do more film. They’re mediums and each with their idiochallenges, but I really enjoy doing TV right now. It’s just really a great time.”

TV GEEK TALK: You had said that people tend to call Dominic a villain. When you found out you were going to play such a character, what was your reaction and what did you think?

Winston Duke: “[Laughs] Initially everything was hush-hush. So, I really had no idea.”

TV GEEK TALK: Oh, you didn’t know? Now, that’s interesting.

Winston Duke: “I really didn’t know until after I had gotten the job. I got a call from Chris Fisher, who directed the Brotherhood episode, and he’s the big-man-on-campus of POI New York. I really had no idea, and I just wanted to tell this guy’s story and my interpretation. I didn’t have a script to read beforehand or anything, and it was really my raw interpretation of this guy who was saying that we all die in the end, and there’s a shelf-life for people like him. There was something very open about the character and vulnerable, there was something very vulnerable on the page that I really wanted to express especially in that Brotherhood episode.”

TV GEEK TALK: At what point did you find out that this guy wasn’t quite as nice as you had thought? I mean, he’s actually a really bad guy.

Winston Duke: “[Laughs] It was the scene when he shoots the female detective, and it happened so quickly. He goes from boom, 0 to 60 immediately, which is what I like about Dominic as well. I think it’s because he gives it so much thought, and he doesn’t second-guess himself once he comes to a conclusion.”

TV GEEK TALK: Dominic is such a cold, calculated but also intellectual villain. What do you use as inspiration to portray the character who seemingly is so different from yourself?

Winston Duke: “Imagination is a very powerful thing. And, once you have empathy for another individual, it’s easier to put yourself in their shoes. So, first of all, I start by not judging people that I have to play. I know their life reflects a certain reality and even though it may not be my reality, there are things that I could imagine and I can take myself there. I can tap into things that I really can imagine right away. Like I can imagine someone who makes a decision and will do anything it takes to win and a person who says we all die in the end.”

Just like on the show, notice how many times Winston said “we will all die in the end.” Could that perhaps be an omen for Tuesday’s finale? Well, I guess we will find out soon enough.

The Person of Interest  season 4 finale airs this Tuesday at 10/9c on CBS.

You can also check out our Advance Review of the finale, which includes some pretty good teasers of what’s to come.

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