This article contains SPOILERS for Dexter: Original Sin episode 7, Dexter season 8, and Dexter: New Blood.Though it’s a prequel show,Dexter: Original Sinjust included a great reference to the original plan forDexter’s ending, and one that will almost certainly never happen now. Thanks toDexter: Original Sin’s timeline, it’s had an opportunity to fill in many of the blanks of Dexter Morgan’s (Patrick Gibson) early life. From diving deeper into Laura Moser’s (Brittany Allen) work as a criminal informant and eventual death to developing Debra’s (Molly Brown) late childhood,Original Sinhas touched on quite a few subjects. Interestingly, it recently referenced the ending of Dexter’s story as well as its beginning.
InDexter: Original Sinseason 1, episode 7, Dexter briefly wonders how he’ll either be executed or given a life sentence if the police find Levi Reed’s (Jeff Daniel Phillips) body in the bed of his truck. Though the situation got rather hairy for a moment - Dexter had to feed Handsome Tony’s arm to an alligator to ensure Miami Metro wouldn’t link him to the crime - he got out of it free and clear. While Dexter was able to avoid capture inOriginal Sin, his moment of panic serves as a great reference to the original plan that was replaced by thelumberjack ending ofDexter.
Dexter Was Originally Going To Be Executed For His Crimes In The Canceled Series Finale Plan
Clyde Phillips Originally Planned To Have Dexter Executed Via Lethal Injection
Theending ofDexterseason 8 was supposed to be much darkerthan Dexter faking his death and living a life as a lumberjack. Clyde Phillips, the original showrunner, head writer, and executive producer ofDexteruntil season 4, had a different plan for the series finale.Phillips' plan would have seen Dexter be arrested as the Bay Harbor Butcher, and as he was about to be executed via lethal injection by the state of Flordia, he would have seen every person he killed, both directly and indirectly. Everyone from Brian Moser to Rita Bennett would have appeared in Dexter’s final moments.
Dexter Ending Controversy Explained
Screen Rant is here to explain why the finale of Dexter was so divisive and why the ending didn’t cut it for a lot of fans.
Dexter’s worries about getting either life in prison or the electric chair seem like a clear reference to Phillips' original plan to execute Dexter. Dexter has worried about being captured and executed in the past - it’s a regular anxiety for him throughout the original show - but they never came to fruition, even inDexter: New Blood.What makesOriginal Sin’s reference to Dexter’s execution so special is that now, Dexter essentially can’t be executed, and not just because it’s a prequel show.New Bloodeffectively ruined the original plan forDexter’s ending.
After New Blood’s Ending, Dexter’s Execution Finale Is Unlikely To Ever Happen
New Blood Already Bungled Dexter’s Death & Resurrection Will Have To Find A New Ending
As interesting as it would be to see Dexter pay for his crimes with his life, that ending will almost certainly never be used now. Theending ofDexter: New Bloodalready tried to “execute” Dexter by having Harrison Morgan shoot him dead, and it went over like a lead balloon.Audiences hatedNew Blood’s ending, and it just didn’t feel like a fitting end to Dexter’s character or the years of great television focusing on his story.New Bloodbungled an ending where Dexter dies to pay for his crimes, and there’s almost no chance that theupcoming showDexter: Resurrectionwill use it now.
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“And in the Beginning…”
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“Kid in a Candy Store”
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“F is for F***-Up”
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“The Joy of Killing”
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“Business and Pleasure”
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There’s nothing inherently wrong with the ending where Dexter dies to pay for his crimes, but the mere fact thatNew Bloodalready did it meansResurrectioncan’t.Even ifResurrectionfixesNew Blood’s mistakes and shows Dexter’s death in a more satisfying way, it will still feel like a rehash of the previous show. Many viewers would wonder what the point ofOriginal Sinresurrecting Dexter was ifResurrectionis just going to kill him again. It seems that Dexter’s execution is fated to remain as a temporary ending fromNew Bloodand a brief reference inDexter: Original Sin.
Dexter: Original Sin
Cast
Dexter: Original Sin explores Dexter Morgan’s early years in 1991 Miami as he transitions from student to avenging serial killer. Guided by his father, Harry, Dexter crafts a moral code and navigates a forensics internship at Miami Metro Police, all while controlling his darker impulses.
Dexter
Dexter is a television series following Dexter Morgan, a blood spatter analyst for Miami Metro Police who secretly leads a dual life as a vigilante serial killer. Released in 2006, the show focuses on Dexter’s internal conflict as he hunts down criminals who elude justice within the legal system.
Dexter: New Blood
Set a decade after his disappearance, Dexter: New Blood follows Dexter Morgan living under a new identity in Iron Lake, New York. Despite his attempts to embrace a peaceful life, unforeseen events in the tight-knit community reignite his Dark Passenger, challenging his efforts to leave his past behind.
