Dexter: New Blood ending: What happens to Dexter and Harrison in the finale?

SPOILERS ahead for the Dexter: New Blood ending, do not read if you haven’t watched the finale yet.

Dexter: New Blood has just aired its final episode, and the internet is already buzzing after that polarizing finish. Personally, I think the Dexter: New Blood ending was quite fitting and makes sense for the story that the revival was telling, but let’s get into exactly what happened.

The tenth episode, “Sins of the Father,” focuses on Angela’s investigation into Dexter. She arrests him and takes him into the precinct to question him about Matt Caldwell’s murder. Later, that interrogation shifts gears to the Bay Harbor Butcher case after she gets confirmation from Angel Batista that she is far from the only person who doesn’t believe that Sergeant James Doakes was the right guy.

Dexter: New Blood: What happens to Dexter?

Dexter is arrested on suspicion of killing Matt Caldwell. Angela intends to arraign him and take him to court for Matt’s murder, even if she can’t make it stick. Then she intends to extradite Dexter to Miami with Batista’s help to put him on trial as the real Bay Harbor Butcher. There, they plan to go for the death penalty since it is legal in Florida.

Dexter tips Angela off to Kurt’s creepy stash of bodies to buy himself time to escape from the jail. He lures Logan to him and puts him in a chokehold so he can get his keys, but Logan pulls a gun instead, forcing Dexter to kill him. Dexter escapes and rushes to meet Harrison in the woods. When Harrison sees Dexter covered in blood, he slowly realizes that Dexter must have killed Logan, and Logan doesn’t fit the code.

We then get an epic confrontation between father and son as Harrison makes Dexter realize that he is his own Dark Passenger. He’s a monster. He doesn’t kill people to “save innocents” he does it to feed his darkness. Harrison has a more innocent and opportunistic view of their potential relationship, seeing Dexter as a Batman-like figure with a moral compass. In reality, he has always been a narcissist and a genuine serial killer at heart.

Harrison also points out that the instances of violence he showed with Ethan and at the wrestling match came from a natural source of anger at his father. Harrison’s rage has never made him like Dexter. He’s angry not because of being like Dexter but because of him.

As much as I love Dexter as a character and Michael C. Hall’s portrayal of him over the years, I think the series could only end in one way. It ends with Harrison shooting his father, with Dexter’s permission and guidance, killing him. And yes, Dexter is 100 percent dead, showrunner Clyde Phillips has confirmed it in an interview with Deadline.

Dexter: New Blood ending: What happens to Harrison?

Angela arrives moments after Harrison shoots Dexter. She gives him money and an out, telling him to leave Iron Lake and never return. Then Angela reports an officer-involved shooting. I’m guessing Angela will tell the other police officers that she killed Dexter in self-defense as she wipes Harrison’s fingerprints off of the gun.

The last we see of Harrison is him driving out of Iron Lake, never to return as a voiceover of Dexter reading the letter he wrote Hannah years ago (the reason Harrison returned to Iron Lake in the first place) plays.

Dexter: New Blood ending: What’s next?

There is no confirmation that Dexter will return or that we’ll get Dexter: New Blood season 2 yet, but if we do, I think we can safely assume the story will follow Harrison. I’m not sure if Angela will be part of it if Harrison will come back to Iron Lake, or what.

If Dexter’s name is publicized, it would be interesting to see if some of his former victim’s family members try to come after Harrison. It would also be great to see Michael C. Hall return in some capacity as a “Harry” figure or Dark Passenger guide for Harrison. But obviously, Harrison’s darkness comes from a much different place than Dexter’s. There are a lot of possibilities for what we could see next.