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Dexter's Secrets

Dexter Season 3: Dexter Evolves

by Dexter Fan on October 28, 2008

In season 1, we are introduced to Dexter. At first he looks like an unassuming fellow who could not hurt a fly. But we also get to know his Dark Passenger. A dark side to his persona, he’s real one. Most vigilantes wear a mask. In Dexter’s case, his friendly face you see is his mask and not the other way around. We learned about the teachings of Harry’s code, his relationship with his foster family, his relationship with Rita and her kids and a glimpse of his dark past. We saw him as a disciple perfecting the teachings of his master, to control and feed the urges. Dexter’s biological brother danced with Dexter’s inner demons and in the end died because of it.

In season 2, having killed his brother, Dexter is somehow having a mid-life crisis, where he can’t perform his usual ritual. He found Lila, tortured soul or another demon in hiding. She somehow saw Dexter’s dark side, I guess it would take a lunatic to know one. And in her, Dexter might have found a substitute from his dark urges. In the end, Lila was consumed by this dark passenger. She almost killed Dexter and Rita’s kids. Dexter eventually killed her and have come into terms who he is and what he is capable of. Not a disciple of the Harry’s Code anymore, but a master.

In season 3, Dexter as a master of Harry’s code still follows the rules. But he now adds his own set of rules. The rules are still based on what is right and wrong. In the first episode, we witnessed how Dexter killed (professionally, I might add) Oscar Prado. He had to kill him because he was about to stab Dexter. Dexter also covered his tracks. His actions are still based on Harry’s first rule: Don’t get caught. In teh “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” episode, Dexter strangled a sexual predator who is targeting Astor. This is a addition to his set of rules. Although this guy hasn’t killed anyone, he was still as bad as the other killers as he is preying on the innocent. Dexter seems to be innovating his killing techniques. In the “Turning Biminese” episode, he killed his victim without preparing the room. He did brought his usual tools like knives and plastic covers.

Season 3 also brings in ADA Miguel Prado (played by Jimmy Smits), who seems to have discovered Dexter’s secret but instead of appalled, he is somewhat proud of what Dexter does. Has Dexter finally found a new friend and will he welcome his new friend into his trusted circle of one? We will see what happens. Dexter is still evolving.

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Code of Harry

by Dexter Fan on September 26, 2008

Ever since Dexter was small, he showed some unusual behavior unlike any other kids his age. This is due to a trauma he experienced when he witnessed how his mother died. Even though young Dexter remembers little about the incident, it changed him. His persona is different, the once innocent child is no more.

In flashbacks we saw Harry, Dexter’s adoptive father, constantly ask him if he remembered anything about it and he always says he did not. Eventually, in later flashbacks, the psychotic behavior and serial killing tendencies, which Dexter later calls the “Dark Passenger” that Harry feared the most has surfaced. Dexter started killing animals without any remorse, and when Harry found out, Harry acted quickly. He was sure that Dexter would move from animals to people in no time.

To help Dexter, Harry created the a set of rules that has to be followed to the letter, aptly named, the “Code of Harry”. The code channels Dexter’s dark skill to a constructive use, in which Dexter would only kill people who deserve to die.

Code of Harry states that Dexter would carefully prepare for the kill and have everything ready and in place. He must make sure that the “trash” he is about to take out was indeed guilty. He would have to research and gather concrete evidence against the victim. And most important of rule of all, Dexter would not get caught.

Harry Morgan did not only teach Dexter how to do detective work and not to get caught.

Since Dexter feels empty inside, he doesn’t show any feelings and emotions at all. Dexter felt nothing and did not understand or care about emotions. Harry also taught him how to fake emotions or feelings. How to be “normal” person so he can blend with the crowd like everyone else.

These are the teachings of the “Code of Harry”. Harry convinced Dexter that he could control the “Dark Passenger” and that it did not control him. Controlling the urges meant that he could bypass innocent lives to stalk and cut down the guilty people when the time comes.

Did Harry do the right thing by influencing Dexter to channel his murderous urges to be used for the “greater good”?

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