Locked in a vault. With a dead body. Surrounded by the whole of the New York Police Department. It’s not a great situation for Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) as we open the finale of the first season of Dexter: Resurrection.
But, it isn’t long before Dexter finds a way to reverse his fortune in “And Justice for All.” Let’s dive in.
Trapped in a Vault
As the ninth episode ended, Leon Prater (Peter Dinklage) had just killed Angel Batista (David Zayas) and locked Dexter in his vault with the body. In the aftermath, a wounded Charley (Uma Thurman) has had enough. But Prater tightens his grip, charging her to stand guard for three days—long enough for Dexter to die of thirst. It’s a solid plan, in theory.
It isn’t long before Dexter finds Angel’s phone. After bidding farewell to his friend and covering the body, he uses the phone to reach out to Harrison (Jack Alcott). Harrison signs up to be a waiter at Prater’s gala as a means of getting in to help Dexter. The problem is, they need to convince Charley to help or find the eight-digit code to escape. And they only have one shot at the code.
Harrison makes it up to the Penthouse, while Dexter finds some files that indicate Prater is keeping even more leverage on Charley than she realized. He tries to bargain with her, but Charley isn’t in a giving mood. She offers to let Harrison live—and walk away—while Dexter remains in the vault, buried with Leon’s secrets. She then leaves to tender her resignation.
Dexter, meanwhile, discovers the code. Harrison uses it, and the vault springs open. Dexter prepares to leave, taking with him files to help with new hunts and any incriminating evidence. He urges Harrison to head back through the party and disappear.
The flaw in the plan
Harrison makes his way out, but it proves tricky. Meanwhile, he sees Charley resigning, which Prater takes poorly. Finally, Harrison finds a way to leave. He’s nearly to freedom when an armed Prater finds him and brings him back to the Penthouse.
Dexter, too, is nearly free. He’s through the garage and on his way out when he gets a call. It’s Harrison’s phone—but it’s not Harrison. Prater urges Dexter to return to the Penthouse, and Dexter obliges. He’s ready to kill, but when he sees his son held at gunpoint, he offers himself as a sacrifice instead.
As it turns out, Prater’s not interested in a deal. Fortunately, Dexter has a backup plan. He prompts Harrison to remember his “protection,” a syringe full of some good knock-out juice. Harrison slips it into Prater, who passes out. Dexter sends Harrison off, promising to join him soon.
Dexter kills Prater
Dexter doesn’t waste time before dispatching Prater. He follows his ritual in Prater’s own vault, then begins the process of cleaning up. He gathers his evidence and his treasure. But before he leaves, he trips the alarm.
Below, at the ball, the alarm raises the attention of all the cops below—including Detective Wallace (Kadia Saraf) and Detective Oliva (Dominic Fumusa). They respond and find Prater’s serial killer vault. They also find Angel’s body and the gun—with Prater’s fingerprints. He also leaves some files—including the file on the New York Ripper—which catches Wallace’s attention.
Meanwhile, Dexter borrows Prater’s yacht. He returns to form and deposits his bags in the ocean. As he does, Dexter reflects on a life renewed. He’s himself again—both in name and in action. But he’s different. He’s come to care about those in his life in a genuine way. He loves his son. He appreciates his friend, Blessing (Ntare Mwine). Can he really have it all? That’s what Dexter ponders as he sails back toward the harbor.
Thoughts on the season
I was a fan of the original series, watching all the way to the polarizing finale. I was excited when it returned a few years ago, but it wasn’t really the Dexter we expected.
This second return feels more like what fans have wanted—something Dexter’s meta monologue at sea seems to reflect, too. All the hanging threads were wrapped up in this episode, but plenty of new opportunities are left out there. This doesn’t feel like a one-off, but rather the start of something new. It’s good to have Dexter and Harry (James Remar) back, but I’m excited to see what comes of this new lease on life, too.
Dexter: Resurrection airs Sunday nights on Showtime and streams Fridays on Paramount+. Catch recaps of all 10 episodes this season right here!