Dexter: Original Sin's Finale Leaves Burning Questions Ahead of Season 2

Warning: This article contains spoilers from the Season 1 finale of Dexter: Original Sin, "Code Blues."

Is it even a Dexter finale without a bit of bloodshed, a big twist, and a setup for the next season? Of course not. Dexter: Original Sin took a page from the original series' book in its finale on Feb. 14, shaking up the show ahead of what we can only hope will be a second season (at time of press, Showtime had yet to confirm an official return). 

To recap, "Code Blues" switched up the traditional Michael C. Hall narration by beginning with some backstory on Brian Moser (Roby Attal). We learned where he's been all these years, what life was like for him growing up without a Harry (Christian Slater), and why his mission has been stalking Dexter (Patrick Gibson). Brian's murders weren't random at all, but targeted killings from his childhood designed to get revenge and, potentially, Dexter's attention. 

The problem is that Dexter doesn't remember anything from that time of his life, so the efforts were in vain. Harry wanted to keep it that way, too, so he went after Brian solo after the team discovered Brian's latest victim on the rooftop. LaGuerta (Christina Milian) had her suspicions about it but, for now, seems to be letting them go. 

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The good news for the Morgan family is that after Harry's confrontation, Brian seems to be backing off for the time being. But as we know, the eventual Ice Truck Killer will return, and he doesn't let go of Dexter that easily. Not all of the characters from the finale will return, however. 

As Dexter continued after Capt. Aaron Spencer (Patrick Dempsey), he let his inner hero shine through. When Spencer tried to drown his son, he gave the intern a choice: Come after him or save the boy. Instead of giving in to his urges, Dexter chose the latter and saved the kidnapped boy from a brutal death. (The same death Harry's son suffered, coincidentally.) It's moments like this that have always left the audience rooting for Dex, even though he is a blood-thirsty serial killer. 

Of course, Dexter always seems to have the upper hand, and he knew Spencer would immediately go to his ex-wife's house to get revenge. There, Dex used his new tranquilizer to kidnap the Captain before he could inflict further harm. Smelling salts and a borrowed boat perfected the killer's routine, and Dexter promptly disposed of the man before he could hurt anyone else (or spill information on Dexter and Harry's past). 

It all ended at the restaurant with Cubanos, a little music, and a full-circle reveal that Deb (Molly Brown) is joining the police department, where Dexter is now an official employee. Cue the family dancing and a happy season ending, despite what we all know is coming next. 

Following that finale and ahead of the potential Season 2, however, we still have a few burning questions:

Who will be the new Captain?
Thomas Matthews was the Captain of the Miami Metro homicide when the first Dexter TV series began, and now that Spencer is gone, it appears as though next season could be the time to bring him in. But will the show introduce him this soon? And who could possibly play him? Geoff Pierson played the character in the past, so the casting department could be scouting for a slightly younger actor to take over that gig. (Peter Krause, anybody?)

How will Brian return?
Brian is obviously not gone for long, so how will he continue stalking Dexter in Season 2? Will he leave breadcrumbs for his baby brother to find, and if so, will they help the character remember some of his past? And if so, how will Harry explain things to keep Dexter as protected as possible?

Will Doakes make an appearance?
Since Dexter: Original Sin takes place in 1991 and James Doakes doesn't join the department until 1997, it seems unlikely that Doakes, a memorable character played by Erik King in the original series, will join the series next season. Unless the writers choose to skip forward a few years, which doesn't seem likely since this is a prequel. 

How will Deb fit in at work?
Dexter and Harry working together was the excuse the pair needed to whisper about Dexter's dark urges throughout Season 1. But with Deb joining them at work in Season 2, how will that affect the family dynamics? The shift is designed to create even more tension, plus it will add another person keeping a close eye on Dexter when he runs off to do his own investigative thing at work.

Will LaGuerta ever trust Harry?
Harry throwing LaGuerta under the bus a few episodes ago and denying that they were looking for a serial killer will come back to haunt him. We all know that LaGuerta is one smart cookie, and although she confronted Harry the first time she found him sneaking around during an investigation, it seems likely that she'll hold her cards close to the vest in Season 2. If Harry doesn't know she doesn't trust him, who knows what she might uncover or use against him going forward…

Will Original Sin continue to ignore the Dr. Vogel storyline?
Original Sin and original Dexter showrunner Clyde Phillips hasn't hidden the fact that he wasn't satisfied with how Dexter initially ended. But does that mean he will completely ignore a Season 8 character who should fit into this new prequel timeline?

Fans have been waiting for Harry's psychologist, Dr. Evelyn Vogel (played by Charlotte Rampling in Dexter), to appear in Original Sin. In Season 8 of Dexter, we learned she worked with Dexter as a child and even helped Harry assemble The Code. Neither father nor son have met with Dr. Vogel in Original Sin yet, so we can't help but wonder if Phillips is ignoring Season 8 canon or if Vogel's coming in Season 2.

Will Miguel Prado return?
In Dexter Season 3, Jimmy Smits played the unforgettable Assistant DA Miguel Prado. Many fans agree that his arc was one of the show's best. As it turns out, he too is a part of the Original Sin world (played by Nick Santucci) — as one of LaGuerta's love interests. She claimed it wasn't that serious when he first appeared onscreen a couple of weeks ago, but he could definitely make a fun, more permanent addition to Season 2. 

Who will be next year's Big Bad?
One of our favorite parts of any season of Dexter is seeing who the Big Bad is and what kind of unique twist they bring to the serial killer's world. Now that the series has had some time to set up Brian's storyline and brought Laura Moser's time to an end, there's room for a killer new Big Bad in both the past and present timelines. Here's hoping Dexter is ready. 

Stream Dexter: Original Sin now on Paramount+