Dexter: Original Sin Reveals Long-Standing Mystery Between Dexter and Harry Morgan in Miami Metro

WARNING: Throughout the original series of Dexter, which spanned eight seasons, the character Dexter Morgan lived a double life as a meticulous blood spatter analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department by day, and as a vigilante serial killer by night. Guided by his adoptive father, Harry Morgan, Dexter was indoctrinated with a code that aimed to channel his bloodlust into a methodical approach to murder. The origins of Dexter’s position at Miami Metro, however, were shrouded in ambiguity regarding Harry’s influence.

The pilot episode of Dexter: Original Sin charts the course of Dexter’s life as a college student in 1991, revealing details about his very first kill and how he found his way into the field of forensics. Despite Harry having already imparted his infamous Code of Harry to Dexter by this stage, he was still exploring various avenues to contain Dexter’s Dark Passenger—checking other career paths that would serve the same purpose. Ultimately, in a pivotal moment, the premiere concludes with Harry and Dexter, honed by his experience in killing, entering the Miami Metro station for Dexter’s internship.

Dexter: Original Sin Uncovers Harry Morgan’s Lack of Involvement in Dexter’s Employment at Miami Metro

Dexter’s Hiring Was the Result of a Career Fair Analysis

Patrick Gibson as Dexter and Christian Slater as Harry Morgan in Dexter: Original Sin

According to the timeline established in the original series, Dexter commenced his role at Miami Metro after Harry’s passing. In season 1, episode 2, Dexter attested to working in forensics for “almost twelve years,” which places his career start around 1994-1995, following Harry’s death in 1992—indicating that they never collaborated in the workforce.

The original series narrates the melancholy story of Harry Morgan, who dies by suicide roughly one year subsequent to a heart attack referenced in Dexter: Original Sin. This presented viewers with the notion that Harry’s influence led Dexter to work there, either by directly advising him to take the path or persuading the department before his demise. Yet, the prequel series clarifies that Harry’s input was not a factor, instead shedding light on Dexter’s own capabilities and serendipity.

In Dexter: Original Sin, it is revealed that Dexter was actually offered an internship at Miami Metro by Tanya Martin, the head of the forensics department, portrayed by Sarah Michelle Gellar. During a college career fair, a younger version of Dexter’s original character, Vince Masuka, showcased crime scene images that Dexter analyzed, discerning critical discrepancies in the blood spatter. Following this breakthrough, Tanya visits the Morgan residence to extend an internship offer without any guidance from Harry—who, quite the opposite, exhibited nervousness regarding Dexter’s new role.

Harry’s Initial Aspirations for Dexter: A Surgeon Instead of a Serial Killer

Harry’s Vision: Surgery as a Means to Contain Dexter’s Dark Passenger

Interestingly, Harry initially envisioned a clinical path for Dexter, encouraging him to pursue surgery, thus diverting him away from crime scenes and law enforcement. The original series indicated that Dexter excelled in medical school, yet it lacked clarity on the idea of surgery being a viable option to tame his bloodlust.

The struggle to satisfy Dexter’s insatiable Dark Passenger proved crucial; engaging in surgery would not effectively fulfill this compulsion. Dexter: Original Sin indicates the belief shared by Harry and Dexter—the hope that a surgical career would mitigate Dexter’s violent urges, but ultimately this pursuit became futile. Upon conducting his first incision during medical training, Dexter recognized the flaw in this plan: the absence of blood. It was this vital element that his Dark Passenger craved, exposing the inadequacy of surgery in controlling his morbid impulses. Despite Harry’s optimism, Dexter realized that analyzing blood spatter in his forensic work provided a closer, albeit dark, equivalent to murder.

Harry’s Reservations About Dexter Joining Miami Metro

Timing Issues: Dexter’s Recent Killings and New Employment

Sarah Michelle Gellar as Tanya Looking Serious in Dexter Original Sin

At the conclusion of the first episode of Dexter: Original Sin, tensions run high as a skeptical Harry enters the police station alongside Dexter. “I don’t approve of you doing this, Dex,”Harry expresses his discontent regarding Dexter’s new internship role. Dexter, in turn, argues that Harry’s counsel to become “part of something” has led him to this choice.

While Dexter evaded capture for years as the Bay Harbor Butcher, culminating in the dramatic events of Dexter: New Blood, Harry maintained valid concerns over this internship. Dexter had only recently embarked upon a killing spree, and Harry remained uncertain whether the moral code they had established would effectively safeguard Dexter from exposure. Moreover, Harry harbored fears about his son’s capacity to suppress his compulsion after committing his first homicide. The risks were considerable; a lapse in Dexter’s judgment while working in a precinct teeming with police officers could put the entire Morgan lineage in jeopardy.

New episodes of Dexter: Original Sin are released every Friday on Paramount+.

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