Dexter 3.08 The Damage that Men Do

[selenak]

To start with the ending: since we have a lethal situations for two characters cliffhanger, I'm assuming that by the rules of tv, one of them is going to end up if not fine, then alive, and the other will indead die/ turn out to be dead.

So, let's review options:

1) Ellen Wolf dies; Anton does not, at least not at this point of the show

If Miguel kills Ellen, after leaving a fine fingerprint on the doorbell and and given their very public enmity, then it's going to take nobody long to finger him as a suspect. Dexter could try to help him by removing direct proofs while the crime scene is investigated - not the first time he did that, though usually to help himself - but it's just a matter of time. And now Miguel has confirmation from Dexter himself that he has killed before Freebo. It's really not that hard for anyone to conclude Doakes was framed as the Bay Harbor Butcher. Which means the season will have to end up with either Dexter killing Miguel (who know by any definition of the code qualifies as a killer) or Miguel dying some other way so he can't spill once he's arrested. The problem with this is that I can't see how it would avoid the emotional repetition of the Brian and Lila endings.

As for Anton surviving: he could have decided to run (given he was set up as bait, and he knew it), or, though due to the repetition thing I don't think so, he still out to be the skinner himself. Or he could have been captured as Deb herself was; saving someone else from a serial killer would bring her full circle with what happened with her and Rudy/Brian at the end of s1.

2) Ellen Wolf lives; Anton turns out to have been killed or dies very soon

If Ellen lives, I doubt the cliffhanger will be resolved as cheaply as Miguel just turning out to visit her for a social call, but there are several possibilities. Maria LaGuerta could still be with her, since they were hanging out together when last we saw them. In which case Miguel would beat a hasty retreat, since he doesn't strike me as that confident in his own killing powers and suicidal to try and kill two women, one of whom is a cop, in one stroke. It has also occured to me, due to having watched The Sting a couple of times through the years, that the Prado/Wolf feud could be an extended scam for some purpose yet to be revealed and they're really secret allies, but Miguel actually killing the football player makes it extremely unlikely. There is also the possibility of him trying to kill Ellen and being interrupted by LaGuerta or someone else, which leads us back to Dexter needing to kill him in order not to end up in prison and, see above.

Anton dying: would probably make the boss of the palm cutting brigade the skinner, though then there is no connection between this plot and Dexter's part of the story, and usually by the season's end all threads run together. Same if Quinn is the serial killer, or even Yuki - it would keep this plot thread entirely seperate to what's going on with Dexter. Hmmmm.

Also: I don't want either Ellen or Anton to die, but I suppose it's too much to hope neither will, since they're not regulars but season newbies.

This show can still bring on the creepy like no one's business, Dexter's expression when he watches Miguel kill being a case in point. It can also bring on the black humour like no one's business, between Miguel's idea of looking inconspicious and Dexter's inner Harry snarking "I don't recall saying go forth and preach the code, my son!"

Angel and Vice Cop Barbara continue to be adorable. Here's hoping Angel makes it through the season this time without a major trauma happening to him.

...and did I mention I don't want Ellen to die? Whether one sees slashy vibes between her and LaGuerta or not (and I think the show is at least playing into this a bit), I really like this friendship between them. There must be more dates, not an untimely demise, damn it.

Comments

[bitterbyrden.livejournal.com]

I definitely saw the slashy vibes, but, I gotta say: my understanding of Miguel's visit to Ellen, post-murder, was that they'd been boning on the sly. Or are about to.

I really wish that Miguel wouldn't have been able to go through with it. It would have caused an interesting conflict for Dexter, since he'd laid himself bare, but also, because part of me refuses to believe that all men are willing to be killers if they get the go-ahead.

[crossoverman.livejournal.com]

I'm glad he went through with it because if he hadn't there would be some impetus for Dexter having to get rid of him sooner rather than later. I think the show is moving towards a serial killer pair - of which there is always a dominant and submissive partnership and clearly Dexter is the dominant one so far. I imagine the late season conflict will be Miguel trying to branch out on his own - unless his visit to Ellen is the first step toward that already. He's clearly very sloppy compared to Dexter - and Dexter will need to put a stop to that, even though he'll be conflicted now he's found a friend.

because part of me refuses to believe that all men are willing to be killers if they get the go-ahead.

Yeah, I don't think it suggests this at all - but certainly Dexter does attract a type! And damn if there aren't a lot of serial killers in Miami.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

but also, because part of me refuses to believe that all men are willing to be killers if they get the go-ahead.

I don't think the show implies they are. Angel through three season has yet to show a sign of the killer within, and between nearly getting killed by Rudy/Brian, getting framed by Lila and losing his wife, he certainly has had his share of trauma and bitterness-inducing events. Plus one of the most powerful scenes last season was Doakes' reaction to watching Dexter kill. With the victim in question being one of the drug gang who earlier tried their best to kill Doakes, so he could have felt as entitled or "ah, well, scum" like as Miguel does this season. Especially since Doakes himself with his special forces background and his own one vigilante act - shooting the war criminal - was definitely capable of killing. But the horror and the revulsion when faced with the serial killing - notable for Doakes getting silent instead of exploding like he used to - was a pretty strong statement that no, not everyone is ready to jump on the serial killing train.

[crossoverman.livejournal.com]

I don't want Ellen or Anton to die, but as you suggest - the rules of drama suggest at least one of them will. it's hard to figure if, with four episodes to go, Ellen will be dispatched now. I think she will, actually. Unless - long shot - the show is developing the Dexter/Miguel partnership to last through the next season as well. That would be a very interesting dynamic to play, but if Miguel is already branching out on his own, Dexter isn't going to stand for that.

I kind of hope that the skinner is just the tree trimmer guy and doesn't work into Dexter's main story - so that we avoid some kind of pattern with the series. But that will put a weird divide in the season - with Quinn's plot never intersecting with Dexter's story. Hmmm.

Maybe Ellen will die and Anton will be saved - the skinning is usually done before the vicitm dies, right?

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Re: Dexter/Miguel outlasting the season: I don't think so, because when they shot s3 they weren't yet greenlighted for another two seasons, which means they had to wrap up their plots (with presumably some minor lingering things, like Paul's shoe at the end of s1, which could picked up again if the show got prolonged).

I kind of hope that the skinner is just the tree trimmer guy and doesn't work into Dexter's main story - so that we avoid some kind of pattern with the series. But that will put a weird divide in the season - with Quinn's plot never intersecting with Dexter's story.

Exactly. We'd have a complete disconnect between the two main plots of the season, and this just doesn't sound very likely to me...