Dexter: Original Sin Just Solved a Major ‘Dexter’ Storyline

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  • What Happened to Brian Moser in ‘Dexter’?
  • What Implications Will This Have for ‘Dexter: Original Sin’?

Fans of the TV show “Dexter” are well aware of the major twist in Season 1: the main antagonist, a serial killer who was murdering women, dismembering them, and draining their blood while teasing Dexter (played by Michael C. Hall), turned out to be his older brother, Brian Moser, portrayed by Christian Camargo. This shocking revelation set the plot in an unexpected direction, forcing Dexter to make a difficult choice between his blood brother and his adoptive sister, Debra, played by Jennifer Carpenter.

In the prequel series Dexter: Original Sin, it wasn’t anticipated that Brian Moser (or adult Brian, for that matter) would appear or be referenced, except for the depiction of him as a child in flashbacks. This is significant because it highlights Harry’s connection with Dexter’s mother, Laura Moser (Brittany Allen). However, unexpectedly, an adult Brian makes a surprising appearance in the present day, catching fans off guard.

What Happened to Brian Moser in ‘Dexter’?

In the past, Dexter’s mother, Laura Moser, got mixed up with some unsavory characters, leading to her arrest. As part of a deal, Harry, who was also involved in this underworld, proposed that she assist him in bringing down the head of a powerful drug cartel. If they succeeded, her past crimes would be forgiven. Over nearly a year of working together, Harry developed strong bonds with Laura and her sons, Dexter and Brian. In truth, he even had a short-lived relationship with Laura, which ended when Debra was born.

Laura nearly reached her objective, but tragically, she was discovered and ruthlessly killed inside a storage unit. Her body was dismembered while her two sons were forced to witness the gruesome act, and they were left soaking in their mother’s blood for two days. Upon arriving at this horrifying scene, Harry was overwhelmed with shock, and a wave of guilt washed over him. This terrible event was all his doing; he had led Laura into dangerous situations and placed her life at risk.

Harry chose to welcome Dexter into his family, but declined to include Brian. Harry had a distant relationship with Brian and was concerned about his behavior, suspecting there might be something unusual about him. Brian seemed devoid of empathy and exhibited actions that hinted at sociopathic traits. On the other hand, Harry did not notice any such signs in Dexter. It seemed to escape him that his decision to exclude Brian and separate the boys could have consequences later on.

In their days, Harry and his spouse brought up Debra and Dexter. Today, Dexter has turned 20. For Harry, Brian is but a fading memory, while Dexter himself doesn’t recollect his early years, including his biological mother and brother. He has suppressed this distressing past, and Harry ensured that all records were destroyed so Dexter would never discover the truth about himself and his mother. This also meant that Dexter didn’t remember growing up with a brother.

How Brian Shows up in ‘Dexter: Original Sin’

During their investigation of a string of killings targeting people such as prostitutes and drug addicts, Harry and Maria (Christina Milian) find a crucial clue. They embark on a journey to the suspect’s residence, only to discover upon arrival that the door is sealed with tape, suggesting it’s a crime scene. This revelation, in some way connected to Brian, causes Harry immense distress and hastens his deteriorating mental state before his demise.

They reached out to the local police station, where two investigators led them inside. They disclosed that the individual in question was a psychiatrist focusing on child behavior issues and practiced at a nearby mental institution as well as maintaining his own private office. Authorities believe the offender could be one of his previous patients. They consented to grant Harry and Maria access to all patient records, as they suspect this murder may be linked to cases they are currently investigating.

In the ’90s, before smartphones and the internet as we use today, Harry and Maria were manually going through files day by day, listing down names for comparison with data at home. As Harry sifted through one batch of documents, he came across the name Brian Moser and was momentarily surprised. He turned to a picture of the man, who bore a striking resemblance to a younger Camargo, though this was an older version of Brian.

Harry asks Maria to fetch them coffee while he privately reviews a folder and discovers that Brian had been institutionalized due to various mental health issues such as borderline personality disorder and major depressive disorder. What’s more, it turns out that the nurse who was his last caregiver is among the victims, causing Harry to suspect that Brian might be the murderer they are investigating.

While perusing documents within the files, Harry notices a particular note suggesting Brian was aware of an affair between his mother and Officer Harry, who was also referred to as ‘father’ by Dexter, his younger sibling. He picks up the note, balling it up before sliding it into his pocket. The entire file he then places inside his briefcase, evidently uncertain about how to handle this unexpected revelation (it remains unclear how he explains or justifies taking that folder to Maria at a later time).

What Implications Will This Have for ‘Dexter: Original Sin’?

This apparently minor event could have significant ramifications for the series, given that it’s revealed Brian has been a serial killer for over a decade and a half before appearing in Miami as the Ice Truck Killer, eluding capture. Thus, if Harry and Maria are investigating the same string of murders this season, these cases remain unsolved; or alternatively, Harry guides Maria to focus on someone else, leading to false accusations for the killings.

Apart from that, the narrative in Dexter suggests another reason for Harry’s mental state leading up to his potential suicide attempt. It is implied that he encounters Dexter while he’s engaged in dismembering a victim, which appears to be the final straw for Harry. Additionally, it can be assumed that Harry eventually discovers the truth about his friend, mentor, and captain Aaron Spencer (Patrick Dempsey), who is suspected of being a child kidnapper at best and a child murderer at worst. This revelation might have further disturbed Harry’s fragile state of mind.

Alongside the burden of concealing Dexter’s identity, he now carries the suspicion that merely adopting Dexter might not have been a sufficient atonement for the horrendous crime against Laura. He abandoned Brian to cope with the foster care system. This troubled child, who had endured unimaginable pain, was older than Dexter and on the verge of recollecting every detail from that storage container, appeared to transform into the most detrimental version of himself.

Indeed, Harry had noticed these traits in Brian even before his mother was tragically taken. It’s plausible that this understanding now leads him to believe he could have guided both Brian and his Dark Passenger, similar to how he guided Dexter. Perhaps, in doing so, both boys might have avoided the paths they chose, with Brian not feeling deserted during a critical period and thus, perhaps, not becoming a ruthless killer.

This Easter Egg linking “Dexter: Original Sin” and “Dexter” isn’t just a delightful coincidence. It’s a pivotal aspect of the Harry narrative. Uncovering Brian’s fate sheds light on another truth that tormented Harry, pushing him to a fateful, heart-wrenching choice he ultimately made.

Catch up with “Dexter: Original Sin” on Paramount+.

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2025-01-31 23:32