Occupation:
Blood spatter analyst for the Miami Metro PD forensics team.
Psychology:
Schizoid accompanied by psychosis of undetermined
severity.
Self Image: Incurable psychopath striving to exist and evolve on his own terms, preferably exluding a trip to the gas chamber.
Back Story
At the crime scene involving the brutal slaying and dismemberment of Dexter's birth mother, Laura Moser, police officer Harry Morgan found a son in the blood drenched boy he rescued from starvation and eternal darkness... or so he thought. Blood washes away, memories fade, but darkness is sticky and stubborn. It is not long before Harry begins to see, in his own son, shadows of that terrible day. What Harry does next changes Dexter forever; he becomes determined to channel Dexter's darkness with deliberate and methodical training. The "code of Harry", as the adult Dexter calls it, personifies a vision born of a good man's heart and the cold pragmatism of its broken walls.
Discuss Dexter!
See also: Dexter's Serial Killer Profile | DEXTER'S RELATIONSHIPS
 Harry Morgan
Dexter's adoptive father
Harry guided Dexter throughout his life to control his dangerous urges and to follow guidelines for blending in and not drawing attention to himself. Harry paid a lot of attention to his job as a police officer and to training Dexter at the expense of developing a relationship with his daughter Debra, who fell a distant third to these two pursuits. Harry established a simple but rigorous code for Dexter that would allow him to act on his killing urges without getting caught. The basis of the code - kill only murderers - was motivated by Harry's frustration at the justice system not always doing its job to see that criminals get what they deserve. Dexter follows the code carefully and has tried to always please Harry, even after Harry's death. In Season 2, however, Dexter abandons his absolute dedication to Harry after uncovering that Harry's real cause of death was suicide. Dexter believes Harry's suicide to be the direct result of his disgust over the monster he created, after seeing what Dexter had become. More details are revealed about Harry's character in Season 2 as well, including that he had an affair with Dexter's biological mother while she was an informant in a drug bust. Dexter's loyalty to Harry is first broken once he realizes that Harry pressuring her to act as an informant is what got her killed. |  Debra Morgan
Dexter's foster sister
Dexter is fond of Debra and, at the end of Season 1, he kills his biological brother (Brian Moser aka Rudy Cooper) in order to protect her. This was a very difficult choice that haunts Dexter during Season 2. He chose to save a foster sister (who could never understand who he is) over a blood brother who was the same as him. Dexter begins to understand this choice more as he evolves during Season 2. He ultimately must let go of his brother to keep moving forward as the Dexter he knows, but he becomes closer than ever to Debra because of it. At the end of Season 2, faced with losing Debra symbolically, Dexter is shocked to realize how important she is to him. Debra also becomes closer to Dexter during Season 2 when she both turns to him for protection and then later has the chance to return the favor. |  Sgt. James Doakes
Dexter's nemesis at work
A former covert operations solider, Doakes is a bit of a loose cannon who isn't close to anyone. Doakes strongly believes that Dexter is hiding something and regularly gives him a hard time. At the end of Season 1 his suspicions are further aroused when he sees a connection between Dexter and the Ice Truck Serial Killer (Brian Moser, Dexter's biological brother). Doakes begins to investigate Dexter's past and, unsatisfied with what he finds, goes to extreme lengths to find out more about him. Dexter finds this annoying and wants Doakes to get off his back, but Doakes' obsession gets more out of control and more dangerous for both of them in Season 2. As a result, Dexter is forced to take matters into his own hands. |  Rita Bennett
Dexter's girlfriend
Dexter was introduced to Rita by his sister Debra. Dexter feels this is the perfect cover relationship for him to have while he is trying to follow Harry's advice about blending in, because it gives the impression of normalcy. However, Dexter starts to develop some connection to Rita and her two children and he worries about them getting hurt. In Season 2, Dexter's relationship with Rita and the children develops in detail. Her past haunts her and with Dexter around she tries to confront it with mixed results. Rita's mother also plays a small role in the plot of Season 2. |  Brian Moser AKA Rudy Cooper
Dexter's biological brother and the Ice Truck Killer
Since witnessing their mother being killed when a cocaine bust went bad, both went their separate ways at the crime scene and both brothers developed into serial killers. Dexter was adopted by Harry Morgan while older brother Brian was considered too damaged and was left to a life of institutionalization in the system. Dexter had no memory of Brian's existence until Brian makes himself known at the end of Season 1. While Dexter pursues the Ice Truck Killer professionally, the killer is also pursuing him and, as Dexter puts it, "inviting him to play". Brian uses the alter-ego of Rudy Cooper to seduce Debra Morgan and get closer to Dexter. When he reveals his identity as both the Ice Truck Killer and brother to Dexter, he forces Dexter to choose between his blood brother and foster sister. Ultimately, Dexter chooses Debra, but it costs him a great deal to let his brother go. |  Lt. Maria LaGuerta
Commanding officer at Miami Metro PD
Lt. Maria LaGuerta seems to have a soft spot for Dexter, sometimes flirting with him way beyond what professional ethics allow. She stands up for and defends Dexter whenever Sgt. Doakes accuses him of anything, such as being connected to the "Ice Truck Killer". In Season 1, Lt. LaGuerta loses her rank after some poor job choices motivated by her desire to climb the career ladder. In Season 2 we get to see how calculating she really is as she schemes to get her job back. More history between LaGuerta and Doakes is also revealed in Season 2, which gives Dexter some second thoughts. |
How do you see Dexter?
Do you see Dexter as the Dark Defender cleaning up the streets of Miami, keeping the innocent safe? Or do you see him simply as a cold-hearted serial killer that butchers his victims to death?
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