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The much-awaited prequel show Dexter: Original Sin premiered on Paramount+ on December 13, 2024. With Clyde Phillips returning as showrunner, fans can expect the same dark and gripping storytelling that made the original series a success. The series will explore Dexter Morgan's early years, focusing on his journey to becoming a serial killer.
The original show delves into the childhood of the main character, and the moral compass that shaped his complicated personality. With a new cast, including Christian Slater as Harry Morgan and Molly Brown as Debra, Original Sin plans to show more about Dexter’s early life.
Flashbacks in the original show took viewers through the early age of Dex, but this prequel promises fresh perspectives on his evolution into a serial killer, guided by a strict moral code. As the viewers get ready to learn more about Dex's early struggles, here's a recap of key moments and themes that shaped his character.
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The moral compass of Dexter
After Dex's biological mother, Laura Moser was killed, Harry Morgan, the police officer who was investigating the case, adopted Dexter. Harry saw that the kid had violent tendencies from an early age, so he made a list of rules to help Dexter use those feelings in a controlled and "productive" way. He named the rules “Code of Harry,” which was the base of Dex Morgan's complex morality.
According to the rules, Dex was allowed only to kill the bad people, who posed a threat to society. This ensured Dexter’s urges were directed at those deserving of punishment, turning him into a vigilante serial killer.
However, the code wasn’t just about choosing victims, it also focused on staying hidden and socially normal. Harry taught Dex how to use forensic skills and carefully hide any signs that could lead to him being caught.
Harry helped his son learn to act like a regular person, hiding his darker thoughts behind a normal appearance. This included showing him how to pretend to feel emotions and meet society’s expectations, all while sticking closely to the code. These lessons shaped Dex’s morals, keeping his darker side under control and allowing him to fulfill his violent urges in a controlled way.
How Dexter turned into a serial killer
Dex’s first murder, guided by Harry’s "Code," marked a key turning point in his journey to becoming a serial killer. In Season 1, episode Popping Cherry, Dex looked back on his early days and remembered how Harry’s declining health led to his first kill.
When Harry was in the hospital, Dex found out that his nurse, Mary, was killing patients by giving them a high dose of morphine. Dex confronted her and confirmed her pattern of murders, which she justified as acts of mercy.
Dex killed Nurse Mary, making this his first time acting as a killer who punished others. This moment was not only Dex’s first step into following his father’s rules but also strengthened the moral guidelines Harry had taught him.
While he felt satisfaction in eliminating someone dangerous, he also learned the weight of his actions and the importance of following the rules to avoid suspicion. The show Dexter: Original Sin may revisit this foundational event or explore earlier kills that Dex committed during his adolescence.
The evil side of Dexter
The “dark passenger” is Dex’s term for his inner compulsion to kill. This part of his psyche comes from the violence he witnessed when his mother died. Even though Harry thought Dex was too young to remember anything, the emotional pain from that time showed up as a desire to be violent, like when Dex killed animals when he was a kid.
Unlike his brother Brian, who went through the same difficult experience but didn't have anyone to help him, Dex was influenced by Harry's guidance. Harry noticed Dex's violent urges and taught him to use those feelings. However, Dex still had a part of him, called the "dark passenger,"— a strong desire that felt like it was separate from him.
His internal battle with his dark passenger defines much of his character arc. While Dex accepted it as an integral part of himself, he also feared losing control, which made Harry’s code more crucial. Brian, on the other hand, let his dark passenger take over completely, because of which he became a cruel killer with no moral boundaries.
Stream Dexter: Original Sin on Paramount Plus.
