The Significance of Dexter’s Third Kill in ‘Dexter: Original Sin’

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  • Dexter’s First Two Kills
  • He Might Be an Official Serial Killer, but He’s Still Sloppy

The upcoming series Dexter: Original Sin promises to be an outstanding continuation of the original Dexter show. Originally airing from 2006 to 2013, Dexter ended over a decade ago. However, it has been revived through the 2020 limited series comeback Dexter: New Blood, now streaming on Netflix. This prequel series features Patrick Gibson as the main character, with Michael C. Hall providing voice-over narration, while Christian Slater plays Harry, Dexter’s detective father in this new version (James Remar played him in flashbacks in the original series). The story revolves around a young man struggling with an innate desire to kill, who learns to control his Dark Passenger for “good” with the assistance of his father.

Before Dexter had amassed any blood slides of his victims or even started collecting trophies, he was a person who hadn’t yet taken a life. However, there are significant instances where he progresses from a man with the inclination to kill, to someone who has finally acted on that impulse for the first time, and ultimately becomes a recognized serial killer.

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Dexter: Original Sin, Season 1, Episode 6 “The Joy of Killing”

Dexter’s First Two Kills

By episode six of the initial season, titled “The Joy of Killing,” Dexter is starting to find a better control over his methods. His murders aren’t following the typical pattern he’s accustomed to in Dexter. Instead, they’re becoming more polished and precise. However, his first kill, Nurse Mary (played by Tanya Clarke), was more chaotic than he had intended. Upon discovering that she was intentionally killing her patients and worsening Harry’s condition after a heart attack, Dexter received approval from his father to take the necessary actions to save his life and those of others.

In the following incident, Tony Ferrer, also known as Roberto Sanchez, becomes Dexter’s new target. As Dexter uncovers his reprehensible actions as a ruthless loan shark exploiting vulnerable individuals like desperate immigrants, he sets out to track and confront him. With Ferrer, Dexter embarks on another phase of his pursuit, seeking the opportune moment to act. They cross paths at a jai alai match, where Dexter feigns needing money for a job interview suit. In a risky move, he makes it appear as though he cannot repay the loan, hoping Ferrer will react violently. As anticipated, Ferrer brandishes his gun in a threatening display, and Dexter seizes this evidence to verify Ferrer’s involvement in the Carballo case. Given that Ferrer must adhere to Harry’s Code, Dexter verifies his actions.

With unquestionable evidence and Harry’s approval, Dexter secretly enters Ferrer’s home, overpowers him, and transports his corpse to the location of the jai alai tournament. There, he torments and ultimately kills Ferrer at a table.

However, instead of disposing of the body entirely, he buries it in a swamp, but fails to notice that Ferrer’s arm bearing his distinctive ring has resurfaced.

In his quest to solve the gruesome murder of Jimmy Powell (Brayden Gleave), Dexter suspects a man offering beach tours with boats might be connected. This man, it turns out, has a past as a contract killer. Excited by this potential lead, Dexter delves deeper. His findings hint that Mad Dog (Joe Pantoliano) may not have actually retired but instead could still be an active assassin-for-hire. A torn document suggesting Mad Dog’s next target catches his eye; it seems to give him the evidence he needs to proceed with his investigation further.

Although Harry had cautioned Dexter about Mad Dog being highly skilled, Dexter pressed ahead with his scheme. In the ensuing chaos, a nude Mad Dog was able to escape. As he fled down the street, he was hit by a car and succumbed to his injuries. Therefore, while he met his end, it can’t be said that Dexter is directly responsible for his death.

Dexter’s Third Kill Has Important Significance

As a follower, I can’t help but feel a thrill at the realization that the next victim might just push Dexter over the line, making him officially recognized as a serial killer, according to the FBI’s definition of someone who has taken three or more lives. This prospect excites me, but I’m left wondering: who will it be?

In the opening episode of Dexter: Original Sin, there’s a chilling scene where Harry and his team respond to a crime scene, discovering an entire family, including children, brutally murdered at their home. Examining the evidence and DNA from a bloody footprint on the TV remote, the police identify a potential suspect as Levi Reed (played by Jeff Daniel Phillips). Harry is firmly convinced that Levi isn’t just responsible for this crime, but also for multiple break-ins and murders in the area due to his extensive history of breaking and entering.

During the trial, Harry’s initial disregard for Levi’s girlfriend’s alibi ultimately left the court no other option but to release Levi due to the fact that: In the police station, he found her under the influence of drugs and didn’t think she’d make a reliable witness. However, when she appeared in court sober and well-groomed, it seemed as though Harry had overlooked crucial testimony that could have benefited the defendant.

Facing potential job loss and feeling desperate, Harry gets extremely drunk, tails Levi, and nearly takes his life. But Dexter intervenes just in time and assures him that he’ll handle the situation. And true to his word, he does.

He Might Be an Official Serial Killer, but He’s Still Sloppy

After observing Levi’s routines to understand his tendencies, Dexter notices that the robust man has a tendency to urinate in public places. He is confident that at some stage, Levi will seek refuge in a dimly lit alley for relief. Now, having discovered and acquired a potent substance capable of rendering a horse unconscious for several hours, he has resorted to injecting his victims instead, to render them unconscious.

In simpler terms, He carries out this action on Levi, picks him up in the back of his truck after waking him with bath salts, and drives to the place where he intends to kill him.. In this rephrased version, I’ve tried to make it more straightforward by breaking down the actions into smaller steps and using everyday language.

As a movie critic, I must confess that Dexter is adamant about his unique nature. He claims he spares the guiltless and targets only those who merit it, causing a flicker of apprehension to surface within Levi. With a chilling precision reminiscent of the titular character in the show “Dexter,” our anti-hero thrusts a knife into his heart, completing yet another kill. However, lacking a boat of his own, he continues to dispose of his victims by submerging their bodies in the swampy waters.

As he reaches the spot, law enforcement officers are present, informing him it’s an ongoing crime scene and inquiring about his presence. The storyline concludes without Dexter having a chance to justify himself. A detailed shot reveals Ferrer’s severed arm, adorned with a distinct ring, hinting at the possibility that Dexter’s carelessness might be coming back to haunt him.

Stream Dexter: Original Sin on Paramount+ with Showtime.

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2025-01-11 01:01