Yes, the title of season finale of Dexter Season 7 is: Surprise M*th*rf*ck*r (without the asterisks). In this thrilling episode, there are many riveting twists and turns. And Doakes, OH Doakes, where have you been, old friend!? What a wonderful surprise to see his return via Dexter’s flashbacks, for the season finale. Though we knew most of the recalled details from Seasons 1 and 2, there were a few tidbits we only speculated before, such as the affair between Doakes and LaGuerta. Though he was a real son of a bitch and not exactly Mr Warm and Fuzzy, we now look back at him with fondness, knowing the truth, that he was never the Bay Harbor Butcher.
And what of Maria? Captain LaGuerta is highly politically motivated and without any sense of scruples when it comes to the politics of her job. She’s ruthless and cunning, when it comes to her career ambitions. However, we all know she did not fit Dexter’s code, and is essentially, a decent cop and person, wanting only to bring justice to her wrongly framed old flame, Doakes. Just as Dexter was faced with a selection last episode between Deb and Hannah, Deb had to form a choice of her own within the finale. With LaGuerta yelling “Put him down!” and “This isn’t who you’re. you are a cop. you are a person. you are not like him,” Dexter put his arms up and invited deb to shoot him to avoid wasting her last shred of innocence. “Do what you gotta do,” he said sedately. however she was in too deep, and selected her brother — and career — over LaGuerta’s life. when she pulled the trigger, deb hurried over to her former rival in a very scene that Jennifer Carpenter apparently improvised, weeping and screaming out “Oh my god” over and once again, in disbelief of what she had simply done. At one point she checked out Dexter and mouthed, “I hate you.”
In retrospect, Deb’s character has been devolving to this purpose all season, and her co-dependent relationship with Dexter finally got the best of her. She has been steady sliding towards her brother’s twisted code since the Season seven premiere, once she helped him burn down the church where he killed Travis Marshall. She’s planted proof, lied and coated his tracks. Shooting LaGuerta capped Deb’s tragic descent into Dexter’s freakish and homicidal world. Now she’s simply another criminal, and not even the vigilante kind. Hanging on Dexter’s arm back at the holiday party, she looked fully dazed. Hopefully she had taken a alprazolam. By the way, why didn’t have they have blood on them at the party? And while we’re at it, how was Dexter able to inject and abduct Estrada in broad daylight at a public park while not being seen? however did Hannah, who had simply been charged with murder, simply walk out of the hospital?
So now there are two women, besides Deb, walking around and knowing Dexter’s dark secrets. I was surprised Hannah didn’t turn on Dexter. I guess it was true love after all. I was not very fond of her character, though the chemistry was pretty hot from the moment he met Hannah. One wonders if she will pop up again, considering she is now on the run as a fugitive of the law.
Now that we’ve wrapped up another season, it’s time to reflect on where the show now stands. In stark contrast to all previous seasons, this particular one has been a very different ride. From the very first episode of Season 7, Dexter’s secret was finally known to Deb. After years of waiting, anticipating and so many close calls and teases, she finally meets his Dark Passenger, face to face, as he stood with knife in hand in the church. The rest of the season had a very unique flavor. Some was satisfying, knowing Dexter could be himself around his sister, and yet sometimes very uncomfortably, seeing how bringing Deb, accidentally, into his world, has caused her so much inner turmoil. By the end of the episode, we see it has also put her in legal jeopardy, let alone possibly losing her job she’s fought so hard to succeed in. Deb is annoying, cusses too much and has no idea how to control her emotions, and yet at the very heart of her, is a good-hearted person. I cannot imagine where this next and last season will take us.
As much as I don’t want to see this show ever end, they definitely appear to be preparing for it, wrapping up in a neat little package, all the secrets starting to unravel. In some ways, like the expected death of a loved one, it will be a relief to see it come to a close. If for no other reason, than nothing good can come out of the current circumstances surrounding both Dexter and Deb. Or can it? The show has certainly packed many punches and surprises, twists and turns before, so what Season 8 has to offer, we will have to wait yet another 10 months to find out.
Now hold on about your rant on Deb just a moment…. She had to make a decision between a “real” Cut-throat, Maria, and her brother. Deb would have fried on Maria’s pan for years!, and we all know that. Maria should have been the good person you described her as to claim her life in the end – but she wasn’t. Also, throughout every episode, in every Season, Dexter Moser was really kind of dying, while Dexter Morgan was coming to fruition. I saw the stress of his lifestyle coming through in the Insanity or genius (doubtful) of the personalities he communicated with. Steadily he did not listen to them, and was hurt every time. I personally think that the voices went from person to person because he doesn’t listen to them and gets wrapped up again and again. And about Hanna, didn’t she bite Dexter in his lip and give him that “I’m killing you” look? Not so much True Love there. I wonder about that flower she left at his doorstep as well.
I would really love to see the final scene of the series go like this:
Deb puts in for a transfer to LA.
She has everyone gathered around her at the station and lets them know she is leaving due to the stress of everything that has happened with her “team” and need a fresh start.
Deb: “So…. I’m heading to LA. I hear they have a killer of an opening for top-notch blood spatter analyst. What do you say Dex? Want to move to LA? I hear there are lots of bad people there to catch.”
As the camera pans in on his face and he gives one of those famous ‘ looks’ of his….
Dexter: ” Yes. Yes there are.”
What do you think of Dexter’s seventh season? How much more of a price will Debra have to pay? Hit the comments with your thoughts.
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