Dexter/Characters: Difference between revisions

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=== Dexter Morgan ===

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The show's protagonist. Dexter was adopted into his foster-family as a three-year old after {{spoiler|his mother was murdered in front of him}}. Growing up with sociopathic tendencies, Dexter was trained by his father to direct his urges to kill at those who "deserve it", and to never get caught. Works as a blood spatter analyst for Miami Metro PD.

* [[Affably Evil]]: Bordering sometimes on [[Faux Affably Evil]].

* [[Afraid of Blood]]: Especially in the books. He expresses considerable unease about blood that isn't tidily confined, which makes his choice of career seem rather odd until you realise that his job effectively requires putting blood back into order and so could actually be therapeutic. Of course, given that {{spoiler|after his mother's murder, he spent at least two days sitting in her blood, surrounded by pieces of her and other ex-people}}, the aversion is understandable.

=== Maria La Guerta ===

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Lieutenant Maria La Guerta is a tough, determined woman in command of the Homicide division who is not above making her subordinates feel intimidated.

* [[Ambition Is Evil]]

* {{spoiler|[[Asshole Victim]]}}: In the book.

=== Angel Batista ===

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Angelo "Angel" Batista is a Detective in Miami Metro Police Department's Homicide Division. Batista works closely with Dexter during cases, often teaming up with him for his expert advice on serial killers, and considers himself Dexter's best friend. Batista is basically good-natured, with a dry sense of humor. He is also totally honest, at the request of his beloved father on his deathbed. Angel is also shown wearing a [[Nice Hat|Trilby Hat]] almost all the time.

* [[Actor Allusion]]: David Zayas was a Police Officer with the NYPD before becoming an actor.

* [[Badass Beard|BadassGoatee]]

=== James Doakes ===

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James Doakes is a police detective with the rank of Sergeant serving as lead case investigator to Miami Metro PD's Homicide. Doakes had a killer's impulses which drove him to divorce his wife, confessing that if he had stayed with her he would have killed her. Holds a permanent grudge against Dexter, believing him to be suspicious and "creepy", which eventually leads to his downfall.

* [[Anti-Hero]]: Type III or IV

** Ultimately just an [[Anti-Villain]] in the books, as {{spoiler|his Dark Passenger demands the same tributes in victims as Dexter's, and he ''has'' killed probably unarmed men to satisfy his hunger, and is still in denial.}}

=== Vince Masuka ===

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Vince is the Miami Metro Police lead forensic investigator and works alongside Dexter in the lab and in crime scenes. He often cracks innuendo to the rest of the team, and harbors decidedly unrequited feelings for Debra. He is portrayed as obsessed with sex—the kinkier the better—and is not shy about propositioning every woman he meets.

* [[Asian and Nerdy]]: Frequently referred to as lab-geek

* [[Bunny Ears Lawyer]]: He might be an unbelievable sleaze, but Vince is also an extremely talented investigator, which might help explain why he hasn't been fired for conduct.

=== Joseph "Joey" Quinn ===

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Joseph "Joey" Quinn is a detective who transferred to the Homicide division after being in narcotics before Season 3. He has a bad habit of leaping to conclusions from first impressions of the crime scene, as well as becoming hostile towards anyone who tries to correct him. Quinn takes a liking to Debra Morgan but, like Doakes before him, mistrusts Dexter.

* [[Anti-Hero]]

* [[Bald of Awesome]]

* [[Suspiciously Similar Substitute]]: He's brought in to replace Doakes, and as of mid-season 5, is following the exact same path.

* [[Took a Level in Jerkass]]: He went from jerk with a heart of gold to just simply jerk in Season 6. List including bringing a stripper to his Ex's party, sleeping during work, sleeping with a potential witness, blaming others for his screw ups, drunkenly proposing to strippers, and telling Batista that he wants to have sex with his younger sister. How he isn't fired yet is a complete mystery.

=== Harry Morgan ===

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Adoptive father of Dexter and father of Deb, Harry Morgan is ten years deceased when the series begins. A renowned detective in his day, Morgan became frustrated at the perceived lack of justice in the system. Attempting to channel Dexter's sociopathy into a useful outlet - and to avoid him getting caught - he trains Dexter to become the perfect killer. Initially portrayed in flashbacks, he later manifests in Dexter's imagination, reminding Dexter what Harry taught him.

* [[Broken Ace]]

* [[Broken Pedestal]]: He's got a lot of darkness in him.

* [[Dead Person Conversation]]

* [[The Mentor]]

* [[My God, What Have I Done?]]

* [[Posthumous Character]]

* [[Scare'Em Straight]]

=== Tom Matthews ===

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A high-ranking Miami Metro PD police official and LaGuerta’s immediate superior. He was an old friend of Harry Morgan, and therefore has a soft spot for Debra. He’s also a political animal not unlike LaGuerta; however, he frequently clashes with her.

* [[A Father to His Men]]: Appears to be, at first...

* [[Bitch in Sheep's Clothing]]: To La Guerta at least. He is protective of Debra and Dexter.

=== Ellen Wolf ===

A defense attorney and Miguel Prado's main rival.

* [[Amoral Attorney]]: Subverted. She's not as straight-up charming as Miguel, but she has the integrity and morals that Miguel makes such a show of pretending to have.

* [[Hello, Attorney!]]

=== Barbara Gianna ===

A detective within Miami Metro's Vice Division. She meets Angel while working undercover, and later dates him.

* [[Fair Cop]]

* [[The Ladette]]

=== Cira Manzon ===

A competent young officer who Debra takes under her wing.

* [[Bitch in Sheep's Clothing]]

* [[Fair Cop]]

=== Ryan Chambers ===

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A sexy new intern in the Forensics Department.

* [[Distracted by the Sexy]]: Everyone's reaction to her.

* [[Hello, Nurse!]]

=== Mike Anderson ===

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A transfer detective from Chicago brought in to fill Debra's now-vacant detective slot.

* [[Badass]]

* [[Happily Married]]

=== Rita Bennett ===

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Dexter's girlfriend and later wife. Rita is introduced as a damaged woman who received abuse from her ex-husband Paul, and is grateful for Dexter to give her support. Dexter also helps to look after her children, Astor and Cody.

* [[Abusive Parents]]: Her mother was overly judgmental, and verbally and emotionally abusive.

* {{spoiler|[[Anyone Can Die]], but only in the television show.}}

=== Astor Bennett ===

* [[Bratty Teenage Daughter]]: During season four.

* [[Calling the Old Man Out]]: To Dexter in "My Bad" and "Teenage Wasteland".

=== Cody Bennett ===

* [[Cheerful Child]]

* [[Not So Different]]: In the books, he's got his own Dark Passenger and Dexter's teaching him the Code.

=== Harrison Morgan ===

* For the record, he's around 6.

=== Paul Bennett ===

{{quote|Played by [[Mark Pellegrino]]}}

* [[Blonde Guys Are Evil]]

* [[Bullying a Dragon]]: Tries to intimidate Dexter. Doesn't work.

=== Anton Briggs ===

* [[Butt Monkey]]

* [[Nice Guy]]

=== Christine Hill ===

[[File:TropeChristine 6226.jpg|frame]]

An [[Hot Scoop|attractive young reporter]] who forms a relationship with Quinn while pumping him for information. {{spoiler|She's later revealed to be Arthur Mitchell's daughter from a previous relationship, and Lundy's killer.}}

* {{spoiler|[[Ate His Gun]]}}

* [[Broken Bird]]

=== Neil Perry ===

A computer analyst who is arrested a likely suspect in the Ice Truck Killer case. {{spoiler|He isn't the killer.}}

* [[Big Bad Wannabe]]

* [[Dirty Coward]]

=== Frank Lundy ===

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A legendary FBI agent with quirky habits and finely attuned senses when it comes to finding serial killers. He begins a relationship with Debra.

* [[Bunny Ears Lawyer]]

* [[Cloudcuckoolander]]

=== Lumen Pierce ===

[[File:TropeLumen 5651.jpg|frame]]

A woman whom Dexter inadvertently rescues from the house of one of his victims in season 5 after she sees him in the act. At first frightened and mistrustful of Dexter and traumatized by her brutal kidnapping and torture, Lumen later convinces Dexter to aid her in tracking down and killing what remains of the group of men who brutalized her. She is played by [[Julia Stiles]].

* [[Birds of a Feather]]: "It is a law of nature that elements will want to unify. Single cells thrash about in a petri dish until they coalesce."

* [[Broken Bird]]: And how.

=== Brother Sam AKA Samuel Wright ===

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Once on Death Row, Samuel Wright is now a reformed man of God...or so he says. Miami Metro are still highly suspicious of him, and don't know if he's honestly changed or has different intentions.

* {{spoiler|[[Abusive Parents]]}}

* [[The Atoner]]

=== Jamie Batista ===

Angel's baby sister and Harrison's new nanny.

* [[The Cutie]]

* [[Ms. Fanservice]]

=== {{spoiler|Rudy Cooper/Brian Moser}} AKA The Ice Truck Killer ===

The [[Big Bad]] and Dexter's main nemesis of the first season. The Ice Truck Killer takes hookers, kills them and using a freezer, starting with an ice truck hence the name, drains their blood and chops them into pieces before putting them on display for all to see. Throughout the entirety of the first season [[Criminal Mind Games|he leaves clues that he knows only Dexter would find]] as a game of cat n' mouse is played. {{spoiler|1=It's eventually revealed that the Ice Truck Killer is Dexter's brother, Brian Moser, who wanted to get close to Dexter and live their lives together, as they were the only two people who would ever understand each other. When Brian reveals that he would have to kill Debra to do this, Dexter regretfully kills him in the TV series, but spares him and even leaves him a head start after being shot by LaGuerta in the books.}}

* [[Ax Crazy]]

* {{spoiler|[[The Bus Came Back]]: even though he's dead{in show}, he now represents Dexter's darkness.}}

=== Lila West/Tourney ===

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Dexter's temporary [[Love Interest]] during season 2 {{spoiler|and [[Big Bad]] of that season}}. Lila become Dexter's sponsor when he enrols in NA meetings as his alibi. She learns of his "addiction" early on, finds a connection between herself and Dexter and later professes to be his soulmate. {{spoiler|Dexter finally kills her after she murders Doakes "for him", believing that Dexter will run away with her.}}

* {{spoiler|[[Ax Crazy]]}}

* [[Betty and Veronica]]

=== Miguel Prado ===

[[File:TropeMiguel 4899.jpg|frame]]

Assistant District Attorney who befriends Dexter in season 3 after {{spoiler|Dexter accidentally kills his brother in self defense, and Miguel later catches Dexter with blood on his hands after Dexter kills the man who Miguel believes is responsible for his brother's death}}. This leads to an odd partnership, however {{spoiler|Miguel becomes increasingly unstable and eventually murders an innocent woman, and Dexter is forced to kill him after realizing that Miguel has been manipulating him all along.}}

* [[Abusive Parents]]: His father really messed up him and his brothers.

* [[Aloof Big Brother]]: His brother Ramon is a hothead and initially appears to be a [[Jerkass]], while Miguel is the calm level-headed success story. Later, it turns out that this was an image Miguel created himself. He was always a liar trying to make himself appear better than he was.

=== Jorge Orozco AKA George Washington King ===

A Nicaraguan [[Serial Killer]] and supporting antagonist in season three.

* [[Cold-Blooded Torture]]

* [[The Dreaded]]

=== Arthur Mitchell AKA The Trinity Killer ===

[[File:TropeArthur 932.jpg|frame]]

The [[Big Bad]] of season 4, a mysterious, malevolent figure who kills in threes, referred to by Dexter as "the most successful serial killer to ever get away with it". Dexter tracks down Trinity only to find that {{spoiler|Arthur has a family and hides within his community, just like Dexter himself}} and realizes that he may be able to learn a thing or two from him. He is played with [[Evil Is Hammy|terrifying haminess]] by [[John Lithgow]].

* [[Abusive Parents]]: Had them and becomes one.

* [[Ax Crazy]]

=== Stan Liddy ===

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A [[Dirty Cop]] who is recruited by Quinn to investigate Dexter. However, he quickly gets out of control…

* {{spoiler|[[Asshole Victim]]: Not that we weren't sorry to see him go...}}

* [[Deadpan Snarker]]

=== Professor James Geller ===

[[File:TropeGeller 6855.jpg|frame]]

A Professor of Religious Studies who also happens to be a serial killer and [[Evil Mentor]] to one of his students.

* [[Affably Evil]]

* [[Big Bad]]

=== Travis Marshall ===

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A student of Professor James Geller and his serial killer protege.

* [[Anti-Villain]]: He doesn't want to kill anybody. Unfortunately for him, {{spoiler|the "Geller" personality is the stronger one.}}

** {{spoiler|as of "Ricochet Rabbit" this may be a sham, though one must not forget "Geller".}}

=== Jordan Chase AKA Eugene Greer ===

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A charismatic and popular motivational speaker, known for his 'Take It!' approach to life. He's also a demented sociopath and ringleader of the Barrel Girl Gang, a group of serial rapists.

* [[The Chessmaster]]

* [[Control Freak]]

=== Cole Harmon ===

The loyal head of security for Jordan Chase.

* [[Cold-Blooded Torture]]: In addition to being a rapist, he enjoyed torturing his victims. Lumen states that he gave her her scars.

* [[Creepy Souvenir]]: It doesn't get much creepier than recording ''the gang rapes you participated in''.

=== Boyd Fowler ===

The 'cleaner' for the Barrel Girl Gang, he works in dead animal pick-up and is responsible for disposing of the gang's victims.

* [[Cleanup Crew]]

* [[Smarter Than You Look]]

=== Dan Mendell ===

A dentist and scout for the group, luring the women into the gang's clutches.

* [[Alliterative Name]]: Not actually, but once it's revealed he's a dentist, Dexter, Lumen, and Debra all call him "Dan the Dentist."

* [[Country Matters]]: Calls Lumen this. {{spoiler|It gets his neck broken}}.

* [[Depraved Dentist]]

* {{spoiler|[[Neck Snap]]:}} Courtesy of Dexter, after he called Lumen a cunt.

=== Alex Tilden ===

A banker and weak-willed flunky of Jordan Chase.

* [[Ain't Too Proud to Beg]]

* [[Creepy Souvenir]]: He collects pieces of jewelry from his victims. [[Hoist by His Own Petard|Lumen is able to identify him as one of her attackers by recognizing a piece of her jewelry that he has.]]

* [[Unwitting Pawn]]: In the end, this was all he amounted to as far as Jordan was concerned.