Dexter Discussion Thread *Spoilers*

[DinoLast]

No one is more critical of Dexter's activities than Dexter himself. He refers to himself as a Monster. Throughout the five seasons we have seen other examples of serial killers that show Dexter might not be the monster he thinks he is.

I think Trinity is the most interesting, here was a man Dexter thought he could learn from, a Killer and a Family Man who seems to live both lives perfectly. When Dexter delved deeper he saw that Trinity used family as a facade to deflect suspicion, he really did not care for them at all. Dexter had attempted to do this with Rita, but he became emotional attached to her and her Children. In fact he has always cared about his sister, and now has strong feelings for Lumen and Harrison.

The stuff about action stars enjoying killing is true, but they are normally put in kill or be killed situations. Dexter has been taught to Kill murders so, he does not kill innocent people. I think that Dexter is realising that he no longer needs to fulfill this blood lust to live among other people

 

[RICEaRONI]

Michael C. Hall was on Jimmy Fallon last night and he said "someone is going to die"

not very specific but I thought it was funny

 

[Devil_666]

Dutch wasn't smiling when he stabbed a knife through a guy and said "Stick Around" in Predator?

John McClane seemed to be smiling the whole time he was killing and taunting terrorists, right?...

It's irrelevant. The point is, they don't NEED to kill in order to feel complete like a Serial Killer i.e. Dexter.

Dutch wasn't going crazy before his mission in Predator, itching to kill someone. He even clearly says in the movie him and his team don't do that "kind" of work i.e. Merc/Wetwork kill missions.

John McClane wasn't on the plane before heading to his wife's work building itching to start shooting and killing people. And if he would have had it his way, he would have arrested everyone as opposed to killing them.

The only reason Dexter kills criminals is because Harry told him to. The only reason Harry told him to only kill criminals is to avoid police detection. It's not like Dexter decided on his own to only kill criminals. And in certain cases Dexter HAS killed innocent people.. and guess what? He didn't care. Because he's a serial killer.

You seen him all broken up about the innocent, random guy he killed in the gas station bathroom this season? No right? Hasn't even been mentioned because it doesn't matter to Dexter.

 

[CelticPredator]

Hey, no one said Dexter is perfect. He's not the greatest person...but there are far worse people....and in the show no less.

 

[Bustajesse]

I am guessing the finale title "The big one" is referring to Harrison's birthday.

 

[CelticPredator]

Or Bite the "big one". A play on words for sure.

 

[DinoLast]

It's not like Dexter decided on his own to only kill criminals. And in certain cases Dexter HAS killed innocent people.. and guess what? He didn't care. Because he's a serial killer.

You seen him all broken up about the innocent, random guy he killed in the gas station bathroom this season? No right? Hasn't even been mentioned because it doesn't matter to Dexter.

He did seem disturbed after he found out the photographer was innocent. As for the Gas station guy, he killed him while enraged, something anybody is capable of doing. The difference with Dexter compared to other people is that he is conditioned to deal with the aftermath. I agree with you that Dexter is a Serial Killer that only kills Murderers because Harry taught him the code, but I think Dexter is now becoming more human and less monster by each season. I hope that it all ends well for Dexter and he finally rids himself of his dark passenger.

 

[die]

I agree about Dexter killing outside of the code, it's probably my only real problem with the show simply because it doesn't fit with what the show has been about all along. Maybe it will be revealed in time, but for me right now it's an issue. Maybe, these are further proof that there has to be casualties of war?

Dexter was desensitized to violence/death at an early age and started killing animals...History of violence type of stuff. This type of thing actually happens alot in real life, we all know it. In early seasons flashbacks, it definitely shows how the code developed with Harry coming home upset that guilty criminals are getting away with murder. This eventually worked itself into Dexter being judge/jury/executioner proving the person is guilty before killing. "Normal" people do similar things daily. The rest of the routine is disposal of the body. Harry helped Dexter develop a conscience and gave him a sense of right and wrong. Dexter does what Harry couldn't do.

Rambo didn't have to shoot a guy with 10,000 rounds at point-blank range and turn him into hamburger meat, but he did.

 

[barryo]

I hope that it all ends well for Dexter and he finally rids himself of his dark passenger.

i dont think they will wrap up dexter with a happy ending storyline like that.

i believe he will end up dead at the hands of the police (possibly deb)

or

it fades out with his commentary saying something to the effect that as long as there are killers of innocents out there he still has work to do

 

[cokebabies]

it fades out with his commentary saying something to the effect that as long as there are killers of innocents out there he still has work to do

Yeah, I'd actually be a little disappointed if the show, or at least Dexter's persona within the show, didn't end similarly to this.

While I do like his growth as a human, I don't want him to be come too human, or an actual "real boy".

 

[Devil_666]

Rambo didn't have to shoot a guy with 10,000 rounds at point-blank range and turn him into hamburger meat, but he did.

But like I've been saying, that's irrelevant. In every Rambo movie Sly is hesitant to engage in any violence initially. He just wants to be left alone to do his own thing. That's completely different from Dexter (and ALL serial killers). Dexter hunts for victims. Dexter enjoys killing. Dexter HAS TO kill in order to feel complete.

There's a big difference.

Not sure why people can't see that!?

 

[RICEaRONI]

But like I've been saying, that's irrelevant. In every Rambo movie Sly is hesitant to engage in any violence initially. He just wants to be left alone to do his own thing. That's completely different from Dexter (and ALL serial killers). Dexter hunts for victims. Dexter enjoys killing. Dexter HAS TO kill in order to feel complete.

There's a big difference.

Not sure why people can't see that!?

 

[Dark Passenger]

I haven't viewed this thread in a while... we are comparing Dexter to Rambo and Arnold? Did I miss something in the season 6 announcement? Do Cody and Astor get kidnapped by terrorist or something?

 

[Devil_666]

 

[CelticPredator]

Well if Dexter aint the hero of this show...who is? Harrison?

 

[Devil_666]

Dexter is the "hero". That's the funny part. That's how the show is set up. It's a drama but fundamentally it's also a black comedy.
Dexter is a serial killer but he's depicted as a good guy since he usually only kills people who are considered "bad". So even though he's a cold-blooded psychopath the viewers cheer for him since he kills "in a good way".



Even the recent discussion in here proves that. A lot of people purposely forget/disregard the glaring fact that Dexter is a serial killer. They'd rather view him as a vigilante instead. Only problem is, Dexter doesn't kill "bad people" to make the world safer or to protect the innocent. He kills to satisfy his own sick and twisted desires. It's only because of Harry and the code he instilled in Dexter that his killings aren't seen in the same light as most serial murders.

But thankfully the show also highlights the flaws in that: sometimes Dexter is wrong and his victims are actually innocent. Sometimes Dexter doesn't even follow the code and kills random, innocent people. Dexter is also willing to kill people who might expose him and his secret.

ALL those killings completely contradict the notion of him being a hero or a vigilante.

Yet even with all that.. people will STILL disregard the obvious and continue to label Dexter as a good guy.

 

[DinoLast]

I think Dexter represents the Dark Side of us all.
I'm sure most of us read or see something on TV about some scumbag who raped or murdered innocents, maybe both, and secretly fantasied about making them suffer in some way, maybe even want to kill them. Most would be incapable of doing this because of the way we are conditioned, so we enjoy watching characters on TV acting out this fantasy for us.

I care for the Dexter character, because he does wish he could be free of his killing addiction. For me that would be the best way to end the show. Dexter actually beats the addiction, the one thing that has controlled his life since he was born in blood

As for Dexter killing "innocent people", lets have a look at them
Prado's Brother, Drug dealer who put Dexter into a Kill or be Killed situation
The Pedo, Good Riddance I say, Dexter killed him because he was a danger to Astor
The Photographer (Probably the only one in the list who I feel sorry for) a nasty piece of work who did not deserve to die, but it was a genuine mistake by Dexter
The Gas Station guy, once again he did not deserve to die, but that guy was so in Dexter's face who knows what he was prepared to do. If you go around acting like that guy did, somebody is sure to at least put you in hospital for a long time.
Liddy/Robocop, Kill or be Killed again in my opinion. Liddy did not care about saving lives by arresting Dexter, he just wanted to get his job back, and he got burned for his selfish act.

So is Dexter a good guy? Not really. He's more what you call an Anti-Hero, because Dexter never asked to be a Serial Killer, that choice was made for him by the men who chainsawed his mother to pieces, and Harry's teachings

 

[CelticPredator]

Dexter is the "hero". That's the funny part. That's how the show is set up. It's a drama but fundamentally it's also a black comedy.
Dexter is a serial killer but he's depicted as a good guy since he usually only kills people who are considered "bad". So even though he's a cold-blooded psychopath the viewers cheer for him since he kills "in a good way".



Even the recent discussion in here proves that. A lot of people purposely forget/disregard the glaring fact that Dexter is a serial killer. They'd rather view him as a vigilante instead. Only problem is, Dexter doesn't kill "bad people" to make the world safer or to protect the innocent. He kills to satisfy his own sick and twisted desires. It's only because of Harry and the code he instilled in Dexter that his killings aren't seen in the same light as most serial murders.

But thankfully the show also highlights the flaws in that: sometimes Dexter is wrong and his victims are actually innocent. Sometimes Dexter doesn't even follow the code and kills random, innocent people. Dexter is also willing to kill people who might expose him and his secret.

ALL those killings completely contradict the notion of him being a hero or a vigilante.

Yet even with all that.. people will STILL disregard the obvious and continue to label Dexter as a good guy.

Now I agree with you!

Except, I still think Dexter is a good man. He does care for his family, he does care for his friends....yes he kills. But that's the point. We're ment to root, and care for this demented serial killer. Because he has a heart.

 

[die]

But like I've been saying, that's irrelevant. In every Rambo movie Sly is hesitant to engage in any violence initially. He just wants to be left alone to do his own thing. That's completely different from Dexter (and ALL serial killers). Dexter hunts for victims. Dexter enjoys killing. Dexter HAS TO kill in order to feel complete.

There's a big difference.

Not sure why people can't see that!?

John J. Rambo: You know what you are... what you're made of. War is in your blood. Don't fight it. You didn't kill for your country. You killed for yourself. God's never gonna make that go away. When you're pushed, killing's as easy as breathing.

Yet even with all that.. people will STILL disregard the obvious and continue to label Dexter as a good guy.

As for "disregarding the obvious"…. The interesting part about Dexter is that he doesn't just "kill" and he isn't just a "murderer". We know this because it would've been in his best interest just to go ahead and kill Doakes, but he didn't have it in him, couldn't do it. It’s also clear that he doesn’t kill children and doesn’t like to see them suffer and has a desire to protect the weak. It's clear that he is searching for closure on what happened to him much like The Punisher when his family was murdered. Notice on the show how opinions have changed from him being labeled "butcher" to "avenger" to "vigilante" and even his sister's opinion has changed this season, seeing what he's doing as heroic, even romantic. He does the detective work of Batman and the murdering of the Punisher. How could anybody not see the comparisons being drawn?

He’s not even out to inflict pain or torture as a matter of fact, he administers a quick lethal stab (much like with our own death sentences)
And unlike traditional serial killers, he’s certainly not a menace to society. I mean as long as your not a murderer, you’re quite safe from him much like you’d be with The Punisher.

a vigilante is not black or white but a shade of gray. We see the good and the bad in what they do, yet the good outweighs the bad in our minds. How is this not the perfect description of Dexter?

Still, there are people who just say the show is about a serial killer who fakes all human emotions, never cares for anyone and kills just solely to feed his bloodlust.

 

[Devil_666]

For me that would be the best way to end the show. Dexter actually beats the addiction, the one thing that has controlled his life since he was born in blood

That would be terrible because it's unrealistic and never happens. Serial Killers don't stop killing unless they die, go to prison for life, go to prison for an unrelated crime (which causes a break in the cycle of killings) or they change their M.O. to avoid detection. They don't just up and stop one day.

Dexter never asked to be a Serial Killer, that choice was made for him by the men who chainsawed his mother to pieces, and Harry's teachings

By that rationale we should feel sorry for ALL serial killers because they never asked to be like that. The truth is, Dexter and ALL serial killers are predisposed to being how they are. It's not caused by a single incident/event. And it's not caused by outside intervention (Dexter's brother didn't have any input from Harry and he STILL became a serial killer). There are people who've gone through horrific stuff that makes Dexter's "event" pale in comparison and guess what, they didn't turn into serial killers. I think this was even discussed on the show by Deb (can't remember!?).

It's clear that he is searching for closure on what happened to him

Then he should've already stopped killing. Because he already found and killed the guy responsible for his mothers death. Again, that event is NOT why Dexter is a serial killer.

He’s not even out to inflict pain or torture as a matter of fact, he administers a quick lethal stab (much like with our own death sentences)

Huh!? No. Slicing the victim's cheek to get a blood sample trophy and stabbing them through the heart = inflicting pain. Getting stabbed in the heart with a big ass knife is NOT painless. And death is NOT instantaneous.

And unlike traditional serial killers, he’s certainly not a menace to society. I mean as long as your not a murderer, you’re quite safe from him much like you’d be with The Punisher.

Unless he screws up and THINKS you're "guilty" when you're really not. Or if you're rude to him in a gas station bathroom. Right?

a vigilante is not black or white but a shade of gray. We see the good and the bad in what they do, yet the good outweighs the bad in our minds. How is this not the perfect description of Dexter?

Because Dexter is not a vigilante. He's a serial killer.