Why did Dexter put Harry on his killing table in Dexter: Original Sin? Reasons explained

Dexter: Original Sin has been able to keep the audience hooked to the television screens since its premiere on December 13, 2024. The series showcases how Dexter Morgan turned into a vigilante serial killer from a blood spatter analyst.

As Dexter goes about his initial kills, he develops a special technique to target his victims, by placing them on a killing board and covering the room with plastic. However, the fifth episode of the show features a surprising twist as Dexter places his own adoptive father, Harry Morgan, on his killing table.

Fortunately, Dexter does not plan to kill his father, and instead, puts him on the board to show him his new and refined murder technique. He also wants to make Harry realize his mistake of almost killing Levi earlier in the episode.

The reason behind Dexter placing Harry on his killing table in Dexter: Original Sin episode 5

In Dexter: Original Sin episode 5, F Is for F*** Up, Harry commits a blunder during the Levi Reed trial, which jeopardizes the case. He then ends up drunk and angry and nearly kills Levi outside his house to seek justice. This goes against the rules he taught Dexter as he himself starts acting out of control.

Dexter sees this as a major issue, as Harry’s actions could have ruined his career and made him a murderer, like the people Dexter hunts. To make a point, Dexter sedates Harry and straps him to his killing table. He also wraps the room in plastic, just like he does with all his victims.

When Harry wakes up, he is baffled and scared, but Dexter explains he has not tied him to the table to punish or kill him, but only to show him the consequences of his mistakes. At the same time, he wants to show his father his sophisticated killing methods.

If Harry had killed Levi, he would have broken his own code, and Dexter would have had to go after him. The blood spatter analyst explains that being a killer requires preparation and control, and Harry is losing both.

This moment also makes Dexter reflect on their relationship. Harry created the code to guide Dexter and keep him out of trouble, but in doing so, he also turned Dexter into a vigilante killer. By putting Harry on the table, Dexter is demonstrating that Harry is not innocent either.

He may not kill people himself, but he is somewhere responsible for Dexter’s actions. By the end of Dexter: Original Sin episode 5, Harry realizes that Dexter is right. He admits his mistakes and gives Dexter the green light to go after Levi.

This also shows that Dexter is no longer just following Harry’s rules, but has also become confident in his own methods. The moment is a turning point in their relationship as it depicts Dexter as ready to take charge of his actions and not afraid of even holding his father accountable.

However, his relationship with Harry only gets stronger with time. As seen in the original series, Dexter, Harry continues to appear in his son’s thoughts and keeps guiding him in his violent urges.

In Dexter, James Remar stars as Harry Morgan, and Michael C. Hall plays the titular role. In Dexter: Original Sin, Patrick Gibson steps into the shoes of the serial killer, while Christian Slater plays his adoptive father.

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The prequel series also stars Molly Brown as Debra Morgan, Christina Milian as María LaGuerta, James Martinez as Angel Batista, Reno Wilson as Bobby Watt, Patrick Dempsey as Aaron Spencer, and Alex Shimizu as Vince Masuka.

Dexter: Original Sin airs new episodes on Paramount+ with Showtime on Fridays.

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