Jordan Chase

Jordan Chase is the main antagonist in Season Five of the Showtime series DEXTER.

In public, Jordan presents himself as wise, helpful, and friendly. He is a widely admired and respected member of society. He pulls this off by giving self-help motivational speeches during his seminars.

Unknown to his followers, Jordan leads a secret life as the leader of the torturous members of the Barrel Girl Gang. Jordan successfully hides the dangerous side of his personality, much like Rudy Cooper, Arthur Mitchell, and Oliver Saxon.

Description
Jordan is an attractive man in his mid-30s. He wears expensive designer suits, and carries himself with an air of confidence.

Personality
Jordan’s need for control is a prominent characteristic of his personality. He first expressed this aspect of his nature when he directed his friends to rape Emily Birch. He relishes being the leader of the Barrel Girl Gang, and the founder of Jordan Chase Enterprises.

He never directly participates in the assaults on the women. Instead, he applies psychological torture, using verbal abuse and his watch. There is no forensic evidence of Jordan’s DNA on the victims. Later, when Emily touches his hand, Jordan coldly moves it away.

Jordan presents an air of superiority, and feels more intelligent than his friends, even mocking them at times. Although he is in the business of helping people, Jordan looks down on his followers, even while receiving their admiration and money.

He presents a calm demeanor unless he loses control of a situation. Then he becomes frustrated, angry, and impatient. An example is shown when he is forced to wait at a stoplight, and a man selling fruit hears Lumen Pierce banging inside the trunk.

Jordan is highly manipulative. When Alex Tilden expresses his terror at being killed by the vigilantes, Jordan convinces him to go home instead of leaving town. When Dexter and Lumen start closing in, he manipulates Emily to assist him in his plan to capture them.

He is remorseless, and feels no regret in being responsible for the death of twelve women. Jordan, though, avoids getting his own hands dirty, therefore, having Boyd Fowler kill the women. However, when he is the only member of the group left alive to deal with Lumen and Dexter, he takes on the task of killing them.

Jordan Chase Enterprises
(Main: Jordan Chase Enterprises)

Jordan Chase is the founder of the Jordan Chase Enterprises. This organization promotes Jordan Chase events, seminars, and merchandise, while employing numerous men and women.

Books and CDs

 * "Take It Now!"
 * "Seize Your Desires"
 * "Your Primal Instinct"
 * "The Primal Self"

History
Early Life

Jordan Chase was born as Eugene Greer. As a heavyset teenager, he spent the summer at River Jordan Camp where he met Cole Harmon, a teen with a hidden violent nature. Through Cole, he also met Dan Mendell, Alex Tilden, and Boyd Fowler. The five of them formed a group, spending time together at the camp.

The Rape of Emily Birch

A young camp counselor-in-training, named Emily Birch, thought the five teen boys were no different than anyone else, except for Eugene. She felt sorry for him and they formed a friendship. However, one day while they were out walking, she blacked out. Emily believed that she may have been drugged. She woke up in a cabin, with her clothes off, and tied to a bunk bed. Eugene didn't touch her but he goaded the others to rape her, telling them to, "Seize their desires." While she was being raped, Emily said that a certain look came over Eugene's face that never went away. After she got dressed, the group forced Emily to take a picture of the five of them. Twenty years later, the photo was found by Dexter Morgan in Cole Harmon's house.

For a souvenir, Jordan wore a necklace holding a vial of Emily's blood.

Jordan's Transformation

As an adult, Eugene lost weight and changed his name to Jordan Chase. He gleaned his ideal of seizing desires from Plato's Symposium and wrote a popular book, Take It Now!, that led to his wealth and fame. Jordan successfully built up his Jordan Chase organization, giving seminars and gaining a cult-like following. He employed his friend Cole Harmon as Head of Security."

Secret Life

Over the years, Jordan met up with his four friends who raped Emily. They raped thirteen more women, after which Boyd Fowler killed twelve of them. He was unable to kill the thirteenth victim because Dexter Morgan intervened.

Barrel Girl Gang

 * Alex Tilden
 * Boyd Fowler
 * Cole Harmon
 * Dan Mendell
 * Jordan Chase (leader)

Summary

 * "Hello, Bandit"

Dexter Morgan rents a specific moving van after noticing blood stains inside the back. He looks up who last rented it, and finds the name of Boyd Fowler, a Dead Animal Pickup employee. Wondering if the blood is from an animal, he tests it and discovers it to be human. Now curious if there was a murder, Dexter breaks into Boyd's house looking for evidence that would put him on Dexter's table. Unexpectedly, Boyd arrives home for lunch and immediately turns on Jordan Chase's Take It Now! CD. As it plays, Boyd loudly repeats the phrase, "Take It!" Dexter slips out without Boyd knowing of his presence.


 * "Practically Perfect"

Dexter feigns an accidental meeting with Boyd at an outdoor cafe, and invites Boyd to sit with him. Dexter introduces himself as Darrell Tucker, an unemployed man ready for any odd job. Boyd suggests working in Dead Animal Pickup and he offers to take Dexter along on a ride to see if he is interested. Dexter accepts, and plans to use the opportunity to kill Boyd. The next morning, Dexter calls in a dead gator near a vacant tourist center in which he had set up a Kill Room. During their drive together, Boyd listens to one of the Take It Now! CDs by Jordan Chase, and talks glowingly of how it changed his life. Boyd says it can do the same for Dexter, who takes note of the picture of Jordan Chase on its case. After some mishaps, Dexter is finally able to kill Boyd, but he is observed by a battered woman being kept captive in Boyd's attic.


 * "Beauty and the Beast"

Dexter slowly gains the trust of the girl who witnessed him killing Boyd, and learns that her name is Lumen Pierce. She tells Dexter that more men than just Boyd were involved in her abuse.


 * "First Blood"

Lumen searches for her rapists, and almost kills the wrong man, Robert Brunner.


 * "Everything Is Illumenated"

After locating one of her actual rapists, Dan Mendell, Lumen forces him by gunpoint to a warehouse. She shoots him, but he is only wounded. After she calls Dexter to the scene, they hear Dan talking on the phone to another of Lumen's rapists. Dexter then snaps Dan's neck, and frames him for the death of Lance Robinson.


 * "Circle Us"

It's been over a month since Dexter freed Lumen, and she is staying in Dexter's house. When he asks her for further details of the rapists, Lumen describes "Watch Guy." He always held a watch by her ear and whispered, "Tick, tick, tick...that's the sound of your life running out." Next, she mentions "Suit-and-Tie," a man who always took off his jacket, carefully folded it, and laid it on a chair. She adds that she would recognize the suit guy because he took off her blindfold.

After a horrific traffic accident that left the bodies of five women lying on a Miami street, it's discovered that the truck is registered to Jordan Chase. This flabbergasts Vince Masuka, who is one of his fans. Soon after, Jordan and Cole Harmon walk into the Homicide Department, where Jordan greets each detective with a firm handshake and a smile. Masuka instantly approaches Jordan, to which Cole steps forward in a defensive manner to ensure Jordan's safety. Dexter offers to take a picture of Jordan with Masuka, while also sneaking one of Cole. Jordan proudly shows off his watch when Dexter mentions it.

Batista and LaGuerta pull Jordan and Cole into her office for questioning. Jordan presents an alibi of being in Jacksonville at the time of the accident. He says that he received a call from Cole that one of their trucks had been stolen, and he returned to Miami. Batista brings up that a jacket was found in the truck, and that the key was in the ignition. Cole plays it off, saying that he uses the truck as his personal vehicle, and he kept a spare set of keys in the office, which could have been taken by anyone. Jordan coldly remarks on Cole's foolishness, but keeps it subtle so that the detectives don't catch on to their involvement. Batista and LaGuerta begin to view Cole as their main suspect. Before being cleared to leave, Cole and Jordan have their DNA taken as they share dark glances.

To throw the police off Cole, Dexter plants Boyd Fowler's wallet in the truck, after which Jordan and Cole are brought back for further questioning Cole adapts his story, claiming that Boyd was a stalker of Jordan and he knew that keys were kept in the office. After Jordan and Cole depart and enter their vehicle, Jordan rudely congratulates Cole on finally doing something right by pinning it on Boyd. However, Cole tells him that it wasn't him, which gives Jordan pause for thought.


 * "Take It!"

During Jordan's seminars, his audiences watch videos on large screens of wild animals fighting and hunting in their natural habitats. In the background, Jordan gives inspirational, uplifting speeches that center around his philosophies on human instinct. The audience claps and cheers. While Dexter is secretly investigating Cole Harmon, he attends one of Jordan's seminars. The behavior of Jordan's frenzied followers make Dexter feel normal. After awhile, Dexter practically falls asleep during the seminar. However, he is startled when Jordan repeats what Dexter is thinking out loud.

Outside the hotel, Cole walks up to Dexter, re-introduces himself, and informs Dexter that Mr. Chase would like to meet with him. Dexter reluctantly agrees and follows along. They keep a close eye on one another as they approach Jordan's hotel suite. When Dexter enters the room, Jordan is on the phone, but he quickly finishes up and shakes Dexter's hand. Jordan says that he knows why Dexter is at the seminar, which puts Dexter on high alert. Jordan adds that it is because Dexter is dealing with loss. He says that he recognized Dexter at the station after remembering the story on The Trinity Killer. Dexter is a little uncomfortable with this development. Reluctantly, he shares a few personal details with Jordan who shows rapt interest.

Before they can talk further, Jordan says that he has to prepare for the next session, and taps his watch impatiently. He asks Dexter if they can meet again, and Dexter agrees to do so. Before Dexter leaves the suite, Jordan gives him a complimentary gift bag with Jordan Chase merchandise (including a "Born Primal" Onesie for Harrison).

During Jordan's next seminar, a very overweight man tells his story of how, after listening to one of Jordan's CDs, he met his soul mate and points to an attractive pregnant woman sitting in the front row. Cole walks her up to the stage while eyeing her in a way that suggests that she is an audience plant.

Dexter leaves the seminar and goes to his hotel room to secure his plan for killing Cole. However, that night the attempt is unsuccessful because of a sexual encounter between Cole and a blonde girl. The next day, Dexter experiences another seminar, while waiting for Cole to go on his rounds. Just as Cole leaves for his duties, Jordan begins talking about tragedy and mentions Dexter's name, which Dexter does not appreciate. Before Dexter can exit, Jordan coaxes him up to the stage and informs the audience about Dexter's wife being killed by The Trinity Killer.

Jordan pushes Dexter to relive the circumstances surrounding Rita's death. With extreme difficulty, Dexter opens up about what he felt, while Lumen watches on a screen in the lobby, Cole spots her and a terrified Lumen runs to her hotel room with Cole in pursuit. As the crowd claps and cheers Dexter, he receives an alarming text from Lumen and rapidly leaves the stage. Jordan continues on with his seminar, as Dexter hurries to his hotel room and prevents Cole from strangling Lumen.

Dexter uses his hotel room as a Kill Room and takes Cole's life as Lumen watches. He then gives Cole's blood slide to Lumen for a memento. On Dexter's way out of the hotel (carrying Cole's dismembered body parts in his luggage), he runs into Jordan who is dealing with a "security issue." The two talk for a moment during which Jordan says the line, "Tick Tick Tick...that's the sound of your life running out." This confirms to Dexter that Jordan is a member of the Barrel Girl Gang. Jordan's last comment to Dexter is, "Take It," and Dexter responds with, "Oh, I will."


 * "Teenage Wasteland"

Jordan and Dexter become quite friendly during private sessions. In one instance, Jordan shares the origin of his motivation for "Take It Now!", which was reading Plato. When he asks Dexter about his own secret, Dexter thinks to himself, "Over your dead body." The two hit a tight spot when Dexter discovers a vial of blood attached to Jordan's necklace and secretly takes a sample of it. Unfortunately, Jordan immediately discovers this, and suspects that Dexter is looking for evidence against him. Dexter matches the blood to a local woman named Emily Birch.

Later, Jordan calls Dexter's house and Lumen answers the phone. Jordan claims to be just checking in on Dexter, and wants him to schedule another appointment. Lumen nervously tries to avoid Jordan recognizing her voice. He talks for another minute and ends the call with, "Take care, Lumen." Lumen panics and gasps for air. Jordan hangs up, now fully aware that Dexter is out to get him.


 * "In the Beginning"

To protect Harrison, Dexter has Sonya take him to Orlando for the time being. Lumen then moves out of Dexter's house and into his apartment where, hopefully, she will be safe from Jordan.

As Miami Homicide continues to connect the pieces, Debra and Quinn make a trip to Jordan Chase Enterprises. They learn that Cole Harmon has been missing for over two weeks. When questioned about his Head of Security's disappearance, Jordan shrugs it off and plays coy. Due to Debra's accusatory attitude, Jordan tells them that from now on, the only contact between himself and the police will be through his attorney, Stuart Frank.

Dexter and Lumen pay a visit to Emily Birch's house, only to get no answers from her. When presented with a picture of the five young men, she closes the door on them.

After obtaining a warrant, the police search Cole Harmon's home and find DVDs showing the abuse and rape of their victims. Dexter switches out Lumen's DVD before it is viewed by the department and gives it to her. She spends the night watching it.

At work, Debra watches the other twelve DVDs in abject horror. She also looks through Cole's emails and phone records. She strongly suspects that Jordan Chase is connected to the murder of Dan Mendell, and the disappearances of Cole Harmon and Boyd Fowler. In private, Debra tells Dexter that she thinks a vigilante is taking them out.

Lumen returns to Emily's house by herself, carrying the photo and a video of her own torture. The two sit down on her sofa and talk, and Emily opens up. She acknowledges knowing the five boys from summer camp, twenty years ago. She reveals that Jordan Chase's real name is Eugene Greer, and that he was a heavyset teenager who told the rest of his friends to rape and torture her. After the rape, the group forced her snap the picture of them as a memento. Emily also gives Lumen the name of the last unknown person in the photo -- Alex Tilden.

Because Alex Tilden is one of Cole Harmon's contacts, Debra and Quinn interview him at the bank where he works. Alex provides the excuse that he knows Cole through fantasy football. He denies knowing Dan Mendell and Boyd Fowler, but admits recognizing the name, Jordan Chase, claiming to have never met him. After the police leave, Alex becomes visibly nervous and calls Jordan to express his concern.

Jordan is shown talking to Emily in her house, and it's disclosed that he had asked Emily to tell Lumen the truth about everything. When she touches his hand, he removes her hand, making it clear that he doesn't want any physical contact with her.

After a request for his DNA, Jordan appears at the police station with his attorney. Although his attorney resists, Jordan agrees to a DNA swab to clear his name and help find the murderers. Jordan walks into Dexter's office to have the test performed. Both Dexter and Jordan make it clear that they know each other's true natures. Before Jordan departs, he throws a warning to Dexter. Dexter responds, saying that he knows the test will clear Jordan's name because he never touched the girls. He gives a threatening look to Jordan, and insinuates that he and Lumen will kill him.

Jordan sets up a trap for Dexter and Lumen by using Alex Tilden as bait. He waits outside Alex's house and observes Dexter and Lumen arriving to kill him. Jordan then makes a riddle-like call to Debra that results in both her and Joey Quinn checking out Alex's house, only to find it completely empty. Unknown to them, Dexter and Lumen are in the next door vacant house where Lumen makes her first kill -- Alex.


 * "Hop a Freighter"

Debra continues her search through possible leads. She and Quinn return to Jordan's office to thank him for his help. She again mentions his connection with the three missing men (Cole, Alex, and Boyd), and warns him that he could be next on the list. Jordan disregards Debra the entire time, talking over her and calling her delusional. His attempt to sway their opinions fails and Jordan ends up requesting them to leave.

Jordan's next move is to lure both Dexter and Lumen to Emily's house, using Emily to obtain his objective. It works only halfway, as Dexter is first kidnapped by Stan Liddy. Unaware what happened to Dexter, Lumen decides to go alone to Emily's house (which turns into a trap). After Lumen comes inside, Emily begins to act strangely by insisting on Dexter's presence. Just as Lumen realizes that it's a setup, Jordan comes out of the shadows, terrifying her

Jordan demands that Lumen tell him where Dexter could be at such a time. Lumen can't answer, since she really doesn't know. Emily tries to reason with Jordan, who becomes more and more aggravated with Emily's constant talking. He yells at her to shut up and treats her like dirt. While they are arguing, Lumen attempts to escape but she's quickly thrown to the floor by Jordan. He then grabs a fireplace poker with the intent of striking Lumen. However, when Emily speaks out to stop him, Jordan instead strikes Emily twice with the poker, which kills her. Jordan leaves Emily's body in the house and takes Lumen with him. Dexter arrives at the house to find Emily dead and Lumen missing. Outside, he finds Lumen's knife and and evidence of a struggle, which Dexter hopes means that she is still alive.


 * "The Big One"

At his apartment, Dexter gathers his kill tools but, before he can search for Lumen, Cody and Astor show up at the door. They returned to Miami for Harrison’s birthday party. Dexter apologizes for leaving, due to a work situation.

While driving, Dexter dials Jordan's phone, and tells him they can work things out. Jordan notes the stress in Dexter’s voice and remarks that it must be terrible for him to lose another woman that he loves. Dexter offers himself in exchange for Lumen, but Jordan declines. Before he hangs up, Jordan says, “Tick, tick, tick, Dexter. That’s the sound of Lumen’s life running out.” Jordan then removes the battery from his phone to avoid being tracked.

As Jordan drives to his destination, Lumen grunts, thumps, and kicks inside the trunk. This becomes an issue while Jordan waits at a stoplight. A nearby fruit vendor recognizes him, while also noticing the sounds inside the trunk. When the light changes, Jordan speeds off and finds a place to pull over. He jumps out, opens the trunk, and knocks Lumen out.

Dexter returns to the police station and steals Jordan’s real estate files from Debra. He then calls The Office of Property Records and forcefully requests info about Eugene Greer. A while later, he gets a call back, and learns that Jordan owns a place called River Jordan Camp.

Another obstacle arises in Dexter’s hunt for Lumen with the discovery of Stan Liddy's body. Maria LaGuerta orders Dexter to work the case and, to avoid suspicion, he takes a police boat to the crime scene. After he quickly describes Liddy’s death to the team, Dexter steals a car from the area and takes off to River Jordan Camp.

Meanwhile, Jordan arrives at River Jordan Camp and pulls Lumen out of his car. He takes her into the basement of the main building, the site of her rapes and torture. After tying her to a pole, Jordan informs Lumen that he “motivated” Dexter to come for her. He begins to stare at Lumen and remarks that she has changed. He then sniffs her, opens his mouth very wide, and licks his lips. She reminds him that he only likes to watch. Jordan replies that maybe he is changing, like her. Lumen suddenly kicks Jordan and attempts to escape, but he easily recaptures her.

Jordan moves the bucket of an excavator to hang out into the entrance road. When Dexter drives into the camp at an alarming speed, he hits the bucket, and flips his car. As Dexter slowly crawls out of his car, he finds Jordan waiting with gun in hand, and he is taken prisoner. Jordan forces Dexter into the building, and pushes him down a flight of stairs, where Lumen is strung up.

Jordan lectures Dexter and Lumen for a bit about the inevitability of their relationship. When he expresses admiration for Dexter’s kill tools, he realizes that a knife is missing. As Jordan turns around, Dexter stabs a blade directly into his foot, causing him to scream out in pain and flail wildly. Using a choke hold, Dexter renders Jordan unconscious.

Jordan is forced awake by a slap from Dexter, as he and Lumen stand over him. Dexter mocks Jordan with his principle of “being present in the moment.” Dexter encourages Lumen to do the deed personally, and Jordan laughs at their politeness. Dexter confronts Jordan’s honesty by mentioning his real name, "Eugene." However, Jordan laughs again, and states that it’s not an insult, but a compliment and a reminder of how far he has come.

Lumen approaches Jordan, knife-in-hand. He rambles on for a few minutes, in which he tells Lumen that she is “transformed” because of him. Lumen yells at him to shut up, but Jordan keeps talking, and says that she should thank him. When Jordan sneers at how she used to cower and cry, Lumen is overwhelmed with fury, and stabs him directly into his heart. As Jordan dies, Lumen tells him that it’s not just for her, but for everyone he hurt, even Emily.

While Dexter and Lumen are cleaning up, Debra finds the camp. She quietly enters the basement where Jordan's corpse is lying on a rollaway. She notices two shadowy figures moving behind a sheet of plastic and orders them to stand still and drop what they are holding. Dexter and Lumen fall silent and look apprehensively at each other. Debra talks about the situation and expresses her empathy due to having watched the recordings of the tortured women. Ultimately, Debra doesn’t arrest them and she departs, giving them an hour to escape with Jordan’s body in Jordan’s car. Later, Dexter and Lumen dispose of Jordan’s remains from Slice of Life.

Although not shown, Debra calls the police to the camp, and it turns into a crime scene. Evidence of the abuse is discovered, including torture devices. The basement is also recognized from the DVDs.

Victims

 * Twelve women, killed by Boyd Fowler on Jordan's orders
 * Emily Birch - Bludgeoned to death by Jordan with a fireplace poker

Attempted Victims

 * Lumen Pierce - Kidnapped and raped (nearly killed) by the Barrel Girl Gang on Jordan's orders
 * Dexter Morgan - Captured and nearly killed by Jordan; however, Dexter escaped and then captured Jordan

Partial Transcript

 * Audio spoken during "Hello, Bandit"

"Do you want to have control of your life? You have that power...you just have to learn how to use it. You can make up all the excuses you want; you're too tired....too old, too fat...too stupid! You know, I've heard them all. But if you want something...TAKE IT! You want that job? Well then TAKE IT! It's entirely up to you. The world is not (inaudible section). You want that nice house on the beach...TAKE IT! The world does not put limitations on what you can have. But if you want something...TAKE IT! You HAVE that power...we are...our own WORST enemy. Make NO mistake about it. Only with a few simple steps, I can teach you how to take CONTROL of your life..take it."


 * Audio spoken during "Practically Perfect"

(a series of inaudible dialogue, spoken during a scene where Dexter and Boyd are talking to one another while it plays in the background) "You have to embrace the now. Every SECOND you forfeit is one more second you never get back." (another series of inaudible dialogue, spoken in the background as Dexter and Boyd continue a conversation) 


 * Opening speech during "Take It!"

"We are born primal. Conceived with the impulse to fight, for what we desire. It's written in our genes. It's engraved in our souls...but we've traded the wilderness for pavement. Trees for skyscrapers. We've lost touch with our instincts, with what we are. We have fallen from nature's grace...BUT WE SHALL BE DELIVERED! It's time to tap into your primal selves and seize the power of instinct. We're going to cast off those shackles, that binds us to jobs we hate...people we don't love, lives that aren't worth living! We are going to TAKE IT!

The Power of Risk! The Power of Desire! The Power of Instinct! The Power of Hope! The Power of How! The Power of What! The Power of Action! The Power of Success! The Power of LIFE! We're going to Take It! Take It! TAKE IT! ...Alright!!"


 * Later, in "Take It!"

"I have some bad news for everyone. You're all going to die...some of us sooner than others. And if you're not in touch with your primal self, you're already dead. You may be breathing and walking around but you're an empty shell...just one of the herd. Completely unaware of what you truly want. And when we come back, we're going to start using your instincts...to design the life that you deserve. Fuel the passion, to make it real...and to find the power, to take it!"

In the Novels
His name is Robert Chase instead of Jordan; both are criminals. The major difference between them is that while Jordan was not responsible for any known sexual assaults (albeit ordering his men to commit the crimes), Robert was a pedophile and molested Astor Bennett, and murdered Rita Bennett (Dexter's Final Cut). In the TV series, he was murdered by Lumen Pierce under Dexter's supervision ("The Big One"), while in the novel, he was murdered by Dexter Morgan.

Quotes

 * "Tick, tick, tick. That's the sound of your life running out."  (phrase that Jordan says to his victims)
 * "Killing is killing, Dexter. Let's at least be honest about that." -Jordan to Dexter ("The Big One")
 * "Save your bullshit for your seminars, and answer my questions." -Debra to Jordan ("In the Beginning")
 * “You’re no different than the idiots that show up at my seminars.” -Jordan to Dexter (“The Big One”)

Theme Music
Jordan's theme has not officially been released on soundtrack and as such, the file heard here is ripped audio from "Circle Us" via Disc 2 of the Season Five DVD Box set. The theme is only heard in that episode, however, it is distinct enough to set it apart from any other theme used in the series. It has a corporate tone to it, of a man on top of the world after seizing his desires.

Related Pages

 * Barrel Girl Gang
 * Barrel Girls Case
 * Emily Birch
 * Jordan Chase Enterprises
 * Laura Mendell
 * Lumen Pierce
 * River Jordan Camp
 * Stuart Frank (lawyer)