u/This-Fish-9464

Harry: [...] But what's more important is that you mustn’t ever tell Debra the truth about yourself.

Dexter: Why?

Harry: If you think she’s upset now, that’s nothing compared to how she’d feel if she learned what you are. She’d be terrified.

Dexter: But she loves me.

Harry: Dex, she loves who she thinks you are. If she ever ever saw the real you, she’d never get over it. Son, your mother and I aren’t gonna be around forever. Someday Debra will be all you have left. You don’t want to lose her, do you?

— Season 7, Episode 1, (Are You…?)

Dexter spent his entire life and the best part of the series hiding his true nature from his sister. What if it had been different? Let’s go back to the Season 1 Finale. What if Brian Moser had told her that her brother was a serial killer? What if she was awake at the table? How would everything be different for the rest of the series if only she knew?

That’s what we’re about to find out.

###

SEASON 2

###

Like she did in canon Season 7, Debra breaks down but ultimately spares Dexter from arrest. She has to, right? He just saved her life and sacrificed his brother for her. She doesn’t even need to stop Dexter from killing because Doakes and the grief for Brian are already doing it.

The treasure hunters discovering Dexter’s underwater graveyard is no longer an exciting moment for Debra. It’s her looking as terrified as Dexter when she stares at him and says: “We’re about to face a hell of shitstorm together”.

Then comes Little Chino. In canon, Dexter tried to kill him, couldn’t bring himself to do it the first time, and then Chino murdered Eva Arenas. Here Dex asks Deb permission to kill him, she says no, Chino murders Eva and then Debra allows it. Little Chino is this timeline’s version of Ray Speltzer. After his murder, Debra comes to reluctantly tolerate Dexter’s vigilantism. She does make him get rid of the blood slides, though.

Debra still falls in love with Lundy. Their relationship is significantly darker because here she’s also manipulating him into looking away from Dexter.

###

1) Deaths prevented in this timeline

One of the first things Debra does after learning Dexter’s secret is forcing him to break up with Rita. It makes sense, right? Debra holds a deep respect and concern for Rita and would never be fine with her unknowingly dating a serial killer. She feels disgusted by Dexter using her and the kids as a cover to kill. He replies that they mean more than that to him, but Debra argues that this is all the more reason to let them go. His lifestyle would inevitably put them in danger, and lord knows how they would be devastated if they ever learned the truth. And as much as Dexter would like to say otherwise…Deb is just objectively on the right on this one. Oh, they have no idea of just how much she’s right on this one.

So Dexter gives Rita the “It’s not you, it’s me” talk and she gets very upset, but ultimately dodges a bullet. She still doesn’t help Paul with his shoe because she still wants him out of her life and still trusts Dexter, despite them breaking up. The difference here is that when Paul dies, Rita doesn’t confront Dexter about the shoe and doesn’t force him to go to a N.A. meeting.

That means Dexter never meets Lila. So she never gives him the (horrible) idea to confront the man who murdered his mother.

A) Santos Jimenez

Dexter also never meets all the drug dealers associated with him:

B) José Garza.

C) Esteban Famosa.

D) Teo Famosa.

And Lila never kills Doakes.

E) James Doakes.

F) Lila West.

###

2) Deaths provoked in this timeline

A) Future victims of the killers spared above.

###

3) Impact on the Bay Harbor Butcher investigation

This time Debra is actively helping Dexter avoid being found out. For example, she warns him that Lundy is checking the lime on the stones used to sink the bodies, not the bodies themselves, so Dexter avoids the blunder that caused cameras to be installed at his marina.

Since Dexter never met Jimenez, he never revealed that Laura Moser was having an affair with Harry. Dexter never starts listening to the Harry-Laura interview tapes and Doakes never finds them in his office. Dexter never registers a formal complaint against Doakes and the iconic “I Own You” scene that results in Doakes’ suspension never happens. 

Since Dexter never met Lila, he was never inspired by her to take matters into his own hands, and as such he never sent the Bay Harbor Butcher manifesto to throw off the investigation. That means Lundy never concluded that the killer was someone with a law enforcement background. Dexter and Debra continue to play it defensively and as such the BHB investigation isn’t closed just yet. Doakes also doesn’t realise that Dexter is the Bay Harbor Butcher.

As you see, this season was really just a collection of non-events. All the important storylines either never got resolved or were avoided entirely. It’s gonna be better in the next season, I promise.

###

SEASON 3

###

Since Doakes is still on the team, Batista isn’t promoted to Sergeant and Quinn isn’t introduced. Dexter had more free time since he killed way less people in the previous season, but Doakes keeps tailing him all the time, so he’s killing at a slower pace. Let’s assume these two factors cancel out each other and that he killed Oscar Prado the same day as he did in canon.

Obviously, Harrison is never conceived.

###

1) Deaths prevented in this timeline

A) Nathan Marteen. Dexter never sees him stalking Astor because he’s no longer a part of her life.

Since Quinn is not on the team, he never introduces Debra to his irregular C.I. Anton Briggs. That means he never gives Deb the leads on people associated with Freebo and they never get murdered by the Skinner because of him following the investigation:

B) Javier Garza.

C) Wendell Owens.

One final kill prevented:

D) George King. In this timeline, for reasons explained below, Miguel never manipulates him into targeting Dexter. Therefore he never kills him in self defense and instead the Skinner gets arrested by the cops.

###

2) Deaths provoked in this timeline

A) About two other victims murdered by the Skinner.

###

3) Impact on the Bay Harbor Butcher investigation

Let me describe the timeline of Dexter and Miguel’s friendship.

It stays the same as canon from Episodes 1 through 4. At some point he notices that Doakes keeps following him everywhere. He asks Dexter about it and he reveals that Doakes’ been doing this for over six months now. Miguel is in disbelief and uses his authority to threaten Doakes into backing off. He reluctantly complies, but don’t you think that he’s given up just yet.

Instead he starts investigating Dexter from a new angle. And there’s a new target: the creep motherfucker’s new best BFF forever, Assistant District Attorney Miguel Prado. Doakes starts obsessively investigating every allegation of misconduct and corruption against Miguel, which leads him straight to his arch-nemesis, Defense Attorney Ellen Wolf. So unlikely as it seems, in this timeline Doakes and Ellen are working together to bring down Dexter and Miguel.

As for the two of them, the first main deviation comes in Episode 5. You see, since Dexter is not dating Rita anymore, he never gets in a fight with her and Miguel never goes to check in on him while he’s on his way to murder Ethan Turner. Rita doesn’t have a pregnancy related bleeding and Miguel doesn’t send the coast guard after Dexter on the place he claimed he’d be fishing, only to not find him there. Therefore, Miguel can’t immediately connect Ethan’s disappearance to Dexter, though he is somewhat suspicious because he disappeared just after he told Dexter about him.

To put his suspicions to the test, on Episode 6, Miguel tells Dexter about another murderer who got away with it: Billy Fleeter. And lo-and-behold, he also goes missing. Miguel then confronts Dexter about the truth that he’s the Bay Harbor Butcher (he assumes that this time because, unlike in canon, the investigation is still ongoing with no suspects.)

So in Episode 7, Miguel goes even further to get Dexter’s trust and starts using his influence as an ADA to push bureaucratic hindrances in the BHB investigation and withdraw resources from it, trying to hasten its death as a cold case. Dexter is impressed, but he’s still about allowing Miguel into his business. He tries to scare him away with a very difficult target like Clemson Galt, but, since the Albert Chung case is already active, Miguel replies he wants to kill Ellen Wolf instead. They go back and forth with it, until Dexter ultimately rules that she doesn’t fit the Code. Miguel is furious, but quickly composes himself and manipulates Dexter into trusting him again.

In Episode 8, the murder of Clemson Galt runs like it did in canon, except for one major change: This time, Dexter actually allows Miguel to be present in the room instead of giving him the wrong address.

In canon, Dexter gave Miguel the wrong address for three strong reasons:

A) He didn’t fully trust him yet.

B) Harry’s suicide served as a tormenting statement that even someone who ideologically supports vigilante justice can be horrified out of their mind by the actual sight of a dismembered body.

C) Canon Miguel thought Dexter dumped his victims bodies into cemeteries. If he knew they were actually dismembered and tossed in the ocean, he would’ve realised that Dexter was the Bay Harbor Butcher, something he wasn’t ready to share just yet.

But here Miguel has done more to earn Dexter’s trust, he doesn’t know that Harry died by suicide as Doakes never revealed it to him and Miguel already knows he’s the Butcher.

So he lets him kill Galt. He lets him take his ring as a trophy. He lets him in on the dismemberment, the ritual, everything. And then Miguel completely spirals into his dark side and goes on to murder Ellen Wolf.

Only he does it a few days earlier than he did in canon, so him leaving the crime scene in his SUV is NOT witnessed by Toby Edwards, Ellen’s hook-up. After the kill, Miguel dismembers her body and disposes of the remains in the ocean.

The next day, Ellen Wolf fails to show up in court. LaGuerta cannot reach her. Doakes cannot reach her. Dexter immediately realizes what happened, though he doesn't want to believe it.

Dexter visits her home-office with his luminol kit. There are traces of blood. Dexter leaves in a hurry. He's still telling himself that Miguel couldn't have done it, that it has to be a coincidence. But on his way out...

Doakes: Surprise, motherfucker!

Dexter: ... Are we doing this again?

Doakes: I thought I might drop by. You know. It seems you suddenly decided you need a lawyer.

Dexter: Ellen's a friend of Maria, okay? And I've been seeing her from time to time ever since I started hanging out with Miguel. I was just worried about her, Sergeant. So I came here and found the door open, I let myself in...

Doakes: With a forensics kit? Is there some bleach there you wanna show me? Don't fuck with me, Morgan! You and your piece of shit DA friend have something to do with this! Where were you last night?

Dexter: At home, Sergeant. Surprised you weren’t following me this time.

Doakes: Oh but you can bet I will! You think you'll get away with it this time, Morgan? I'm gonna finally nail your ass to the wall!

Dexter: (Internal monologue) I have to find Miguel.

Yup.

Ellen’s home office is investigated and the police discover traces of blood. But like, a LOT of blood. Enough to know it's a homicide. Miguel dismembered her inside the house, and he clearly doesn't know so much about covering his tracks.

Now, you must understand that Dexter’s reaction to the murder of Ellen Wolf will be very different than it was in canon. First, he obviously can’t retrieve her body and leave it exposed to teach Miguel a lesson. Also, he is not all that hesitant to simply cut out of his life now because, unlike in canon, he is NOT the only person who knows his secret. But it’s not like he can just kill him right? The disappearance or murder of an ADA will be a huge problem for him, especially with Doakes on his back, won’t it? Well…

You see, right now Dexter has three problems. The first is that Miguel went rogue. The second is that Doakes might connect him to Ellen’s murder. And the third is that the goddamn BHB investigation is still ongoing and Lundy is still in town. So how do you kill all these three birds?

With one huge motherfucking stone.

I’m gonna walk you through what Dexter is gonna do in the next 24 hours. It’s a satisfying plan, it's a lovely plan. Worthy of a Season finale. So are you still listening? Good. Take a pen and a paper and let’s go step-by-step.

Step 1. Ask Miguel to withdraw a large sum of money from his bank account. Tell him something very serious just happened and that you’ll explain it later.

Step 2. Purchase a fancy leather folder with plastic sleeves. Do NOT go cheap on it.

Step 3. Print pictures of every one of the 18 known Bay Harbor Butcher victims (when they were alive) in A4 size. Also print some of the ones the investigation doesn’t know about; how many is totally up to you, but make sure that Freebo is among them.

Step 4. Arrange those pictures in the folder in the chronological order that they were killed.

Step 5. Add Clemson Galt and Ellen Wolf as the final pictures.

Step 6. Lure Miguel into somewhere private. Make sure Doakes doesn’t follow you; have Debra take him there if so needed.

Step 7. Have the following dialogue with Miguel:

Dexter: So… I know about Ellen.

Miguel: … Dex, about that—

Dexter: Let me stop you there. You don’t need to explain yourself to me. It’s fine. You’re a grown man and our friendship is bigger than a disagreement. You do what you want, when you want, to whomever you want. I’m fine with it.

Miguel: You really mean this, Dex?

Dexter: No. [Injects him with M99.]

Step 8: Murder Miguel and dispose of his body in the ocean.

Step 9: Plant Miguel’s fingerprints all over the folder.

Step 10. Break into Miguel’s home and take the rings of Clemson Galt and Ellen Wolf.

Step 11. Steal Miguel’s car and drive it somewhere where it will eventually be found. Leave the folder there, as well as the rings.

Step 12. Have Debra pick you up so you can come back home.

Step 13. Wait.

…

“Breaking news! We have just received word that the FBI now has a prime suspect for the Bay Harbor Butcher case. In a shocking turn of events, the solution to this case that has plagued Miami for months might also be the biggest scandal in the history of Florida’s District Attorney’s Office, as sources now indicate that the serial killer might be none other than prominent Assistant District Attorney Miguel Luís Prado.

Following Prado’s disappearance, investigators discovered stunning evidence inside his abandoned vehicle. Those included a folder containing pictures of all the known Bay Harbor Butcher victims, along with other missing persons who are now suspected to have been until then unconnected victims. The most notorious among those were wanted murder suspect Fred Bowman, convicted murderer Clemson Galt and Criminal Defense Attorney Ellen Wolf.

Fred Bowman, also known as Freebo, was the main suspect in three separate homicide cases, the last of them being Miguel Prado’s own brother, Oscar Prado. Previously sought by the police in connection to “the Skinner” case, they now believe he’s already dead. Clemson Galt had escaped from a courtroom after Prado himself summoned him as an expert witness. It is now suspected that the prosecutor aided in the murderer’s escape so he could kill him. As for Ellen Wolf, she’s the outlier, as she is not suspected of any crimes. However, authorities are considering that Prado could have murdered her because of their long documented record of intense disagreements in the courtroom, or because of evidence found by Ms. Wolf on his alleged misconduct and other illegal activities.

Along with the folder, rings have been found belonging to Mr. Galt and Ms. Wolf. Those might have been kept by Prado along with the pictures as further memorabilia for the murders, a common practice among serial killers.

For years, Miguel Prado was known for his unwavering pursuit of justice and aggressive prosecuting style. A strong candidate for higher office, colleagues describe him as “a man of utmost integrity”, with a “burning passion to fight crime”. But after tonight’s findings, they have found themselves wondering if that reputation did not conceal something far darker.

Upon being questioned, Prado’s devastated wife, Sylvia, expressed horror and disbelief about the possibility of her husband’s guilt. Though she admits he has no alibis for the murders of any of the three victims just mentioned.

Miguel Prado’s brother, Ramon Prado, a recently suspended Lieutenant at the Sheriff’s office, declined any comments.

The lead investigator, Special Agent Frank Lundy, released the following statement:

“A nationwide manhunt has been launched against Mr. Prado. We will not rest until he’s apprehended and the nature of his involvement in this incident is fully explained. Anyone with information on Prado’s whereabouts should contact the authorities immediately and not approach him. Suspect is to be considered armed and extremely dangerous. We are still analyzing the possibility that he may have fled the country”

Sources have also indicated that before his disappearances, Prado had used his position as ADA to interfere with the Bay Harbor Butcher investigation. What was initially interpreted as a bureaucratic or political dispute is now being faced as an attempt by Prado to shield himself from discovery. Prado’s position as a prosecutor could’ve also been an asset in gathering information about his targets.

This is only the start of a story about a respected officer of the court, now accused of breaking the very laws he was meant to uphold.”

Dexter explains all the context behind his framejob to Debra and how Miguel had it coming. She’s relieved that this nightmare is finally over.

Ramon doesn’t bother Dexter because Miguel never got the chance to manipulate him, and he’s already lost all the faith in his brother.

As for Doakes, he’s more obsessed with Dexter than ever. I don’t think he realised that he’s the real Bay Harbor Butcher, but he’s barking like a dog because he now believes Dexter was connected to not one, but two serial killers.

Lundy has a few doubts about Miguel being the Butcher, but Debra gaslights him with something along the lines of “You don’t want this case solved because then you’d have to leave me. I get it.” And Lundy’s superior will also pressure him into closing the case with Miguel as the perpetrator and move on, because now he’s needed elsewhere. Speaking of which, this time Lundy leaving is not as much of a “goodbye” as it is a “see you soon”. He’ll be retired in less than two years and come back. Debra can wait.

And so we have a very peaceful, bittersweet Season finale.

###

SEASON 4

###

1) Deaths prevented in this timeline.

A) Some of Dexter’s unnamed victims now that he’s killing at a slower pace because of Doakes.

B) Benito Gomez. Since Dexter is still single and childless, he’s not overburdened by a family life and as such he doesn’t fumble his testimony in court. Gomez is convicted and thus Dexter never has to kill him.

C) Frank Lundy. As stated above, Doakes remaining in Miami Metro means Quinn is not sent to replace him. So he doesn’t leak the information about Lundy’s investigation on the Trinity Killer to Christine and she doesn’t murder him to protect her father.

With Lundy alive, there’s nothing stopping him and Debra from staking out the building where Arthur would murder the final victim of his cycle. Thus the victim is saved and Arthur can’t hurt anyone else.

D) Earl Doorman.

E) Kyle Butler.

F) Rita Bennett.

Arthur being in prison means he no longer needs to kill himself to stop himself from killing again. Christine also doesn’t kill herself because she is not suffering from the remorse of murdering Lundy.

G) Arthur Mitchell.

H) Christine Hill.

Since Batista never meets Christine at the crime scene of Lundy’s murder, he never tells her to publish the news that Johnny Rose has syphilis to turn his girlfriend Nikki Wald against him. And even if he met her, he’d have to run this idea through Doakes, and he’s not really a fan of creative police work. So Nikki never turns against Johnny and never murders him. They’re still soon arrested.

I) Johnny Rose.

Also, Dexter never has to kill a low-priority murderer to frame him as Trinity and distract the investigation:

J) Stan Beaudry.

###

2) Impact on the season finale

After the arrest of the Trinity Killer, Lundy takes Debra to a fancy restaurant to celebrate. Everything is calm and peaceful. Until he gets down on one knee and produces a ring.

Lundy: Debra. I think the time has come. Will you marry me?

Debra: OH MY FUCKING GOD!! YES! YES!

So instead of the devastating ending of canon Season 4 with Rita’s murder and all, we get a wholesome church wedding finale with the entirety of Miami Metro Homicide gathering around to celebrate the union of the two best serial killer hunters they came to know. Mrs. Detective Debra Lundy is savoring a happiness she thought would never come to her again since she learned… well, you know. Meanwhile, her brother’s still single, but honestly? Probably better this way. He’s happy for her. And what good is a wife anyway? Can you imagine if he had one and she ended up dying because of him? That would’ve been such a bummer. And everything is nice and optimistic right now.

Let’s see if it holds up.

###

SEASON 5

###

1) Deaths prevented in this timeline

A) Rankin. That random dude Dexter murdered in a fit of rage after Rita’s murder.

B) Stan Liddy. Without Rita’s murder or Quinn working in Miami Metro Homicide, Liddy never starts investigating Dexter and their paths never cross.

About the Santa Muerte plotline…

When Miami Metro raids the Fuentes brothers hide-out, this time Doakes is present. Considering how protective he was of Debra, he accompanies her when she enters a room. So when she’s confronted with Carlos Fuentes, instead of losing that stalemate because she was alone, Doakes headshots Carlos and saves the hostage. With Carlos dead, there’s no-one to warn his brother Marco that their hideout has been found, so Miami Metro just waits for him to return and arrests him.

That means the Club Mayan shootout never happens.

C) Yasmin Aragon.

D) Unnamed bystander.

Now moving on to the main plot, the Barrel Girls Case.

After Debra marries Lundy, they buy a new home so they can move in together. In the moving van, Deb finds a suspicious blood stain. She has known her brother’s secret for years, so she learned to pick on little details like this. She has Dexter check it just in case, and he tracks it down to serial killer Boyd Fowler and murders him just like he did in canon.

This time however, when he learns that his victim Lumen Pierce witnessed the murder, instead of trying to talk her down himself like he did in canon, he calls Debra, fills her in on the situation and has her do damage control instead. If the goal is to win Lumen’s trust so she doesn’t go to the police, it makes much more sense that the person to talk to her should be a woman, a cop, and not the guy who just committed ritualistic murder in front of her.

So Debra rescues Lumen, convinces her not to snitch on Dexter and learns through her that there were multiple rapists. Lumen wants to hunt them down herself, Debra says no, she tries to murder Robert Brunner, Dexter intervenes and reveals he wasn’t one of the perpetrators, Lumen finally agrees to leave Miami but second-guesses it and returns to kill Dan Mendell.

This is where things start changing.

After shooting Mendell, Lumen panics, but instead of calling Dexter for help, she calls Debra, because she’s the one Lumen had more contact with in this timeline. Debra in turn panics and calls Dexter, and he’s forced to put the murder of Lance Robinson on hold to deal with the situation.

So the two of them arrive, scold the shit out of Lumen, and learn that the man she shot is still alive. He gives them his name and denies ever meeting Lumen. Debra and Dexter are unconvinced of his guilt because all the evidence Lumen had was really a smell and a feeling, so they decide to stop his bleeding, much to Lumen’s dismay. This time, however, Harrison doesn’t exist. So Dexter never gets a call from Sonya, never leaves the room to answer it, and never comes back to find Lumen torturing Mendell. Dexter never pulls Lumen aside and Dan Mendell never thinks he’s alone. So he doesn’t call the other rapists to inform them of their final victim escaping. Thus he never inadvertently exposes himself. He survives the night.

The trio knows that the cops are arriving soon and that Mendell is going to live, so they decide to flee the crime scene immediately. Obviously this time Dexter and Debra can’t just change into their work clothes and pretend to have arrived before the others. They both must not come back to the scene at all, give some excuse to the others and then make sure to avoid Mendell ever seeing them again. Debra takes Lumen into her car while Dexter comes back to his own.

And realises Lance escaped.

This time he can’t kill Lance and make it look like he and Mendell killed each other. He has to just run for his life.

Anyway, Miami Metro rescues both Lance and Mendell and starts investigating the bizarre crime scene the terrible trio left behind. Lance explains that he arranged a hook-up with another man online, but the man injected him with tranquilizer, abducted him, undressed him and then wrapped him in plastic, before he could escape from the trunk of his car. He doesn’t know his assailant’s name. As for Mendell, well…

He could tell the cops the truth about what happened that night. But let me ask you, what happens if he does and they figure out the identity of his shooter? What happens if Lumen is actually arrested? What happens after she explains the motivation of her crime? If a full investigation happens, I doubt she’s doing more time than he is. So if Dan knows what’s good for him, he won’t mention a woman at all. He’s going to say he was abducted and attacked by a man.

Miami Metro initially assumes it was the same man who took Lance, but after they give conflicting descriptions, they move on to the theory that it was an attempted double murder by two male co-conspirators.

When Dex and Deb learn that Dan gave a false account, they figure out that Lumen was probably right about him after all. So does Lumen after reading about his account in the news, so she finds where he lives and finishes what she’s started, much to Debra’s anger. Meanwhile, Dexter also kidnaps and murders Lance before he can finish up a sketch of his face.

While all of that transpires, Doakes eventually stalks Dexter enough to see the new blonde girl who now lives in his apartment. He assumes it’s his girlfriend, and is suspicious as to why he’s not telling anyone about her.

After one of the attempted murder victims goes missing and the other is straight-up murdered, Miami Metro Homicide quickly realise that they were picked by the killers because of who they were, not as random victims of a senseless crime. So they start investigating their background, learning Lance was a suspected serial killer while Mendell… well, we’ll get to that.

By now, the car accident that officially started the Barrels Girl Case already happened. Cole Harmon becomes a suspect since he was the driver and Lumen confirms his guilt by recognizing him. However, this time they won’t sabotage the investigation and close the case earlier by pinning it all on Boyd because Debra won’t allow it. She’ll say they already have enough blood on their hands as it is and that if they keep pressing their luck they’ll all be arrested or worse. So Debra matches Cole’s DNA to the bodies in the Barrel Girls and he’s arrested before Dexter and Lumen can get to him.

E) Cole Harmon.

After Harmon’s arrested, the police searches his home, finding the rape tapes and the pictures of all of the Barrel Girls Gang when they were kids. Dexter steals Lumen’s tape like in canon, and the evidence obtained eventually leads to the implication of Dan Mendell, Boyd Fowler and Alex Tilden. Alex’s DNA is also matched to the bodies and he gets super arrested.

F) Alex Tilden.

Now, to the burning question. Will they snitch on Lumen? They know she’s the one who killed Mendell, as he told them about her attack before dying. But honestly, no, I don’t think they will. Only because there’s no point. Good luck finding a jury that will convict a gang-rape survivor based on hearsay from two rapists-murderers taken from another rapist-murderer who’s dead and can’t be cross-examined, and said something entirely conflicting to the cops when he was alive.

G) Emilly Birch. Dexter, Lumen and Debra never have to talk to her because they already have all the information they need. They know the identities of every member of the ring, though Jordan is the only one to escape justice due to lack of concrete evidence and his DNA not being in any of the bodies. So Emilly never gets involved and she lives.

Now on to the finale.

###

2) Deaths provoked in this timeline

There’s a character who mostly stayed on the sidelines. Until now.

Sergeant James Doakes.

Now I want you to picture the scenes. It’s the season finale. At this point, we see Doakes trembling with his obsession. It seems he could actually die from this alone. The camera follows the Sergeant back home. To reveal a full over-the-top investigation board with the picture of Dexter Morgan at the center.

“What am I missing here?

Morgan… what the fuck is wrong with this motherfucker? Mostly keeps to himself. Two girlfriends in the last few years. Both blondes. Blonde? Blondes like the Barrel Girls… the Barrel Girls, victims of a ring led by Jordan Chase. Four other members. Two in prison, one probably fled the country, the other dead. Dead… along with Lance. Two male perpetrators. Lance lured gays to be killed on the Internet. Someone did the same with him. Was found butt naked and wrapped in plastic. Plastic? Debra was found naked and wrapped in plastic. By the Ice Truck Killer. Morgan. Failed to show up at the scene of Lance and Dan. So did Debra. Debra? Taken by the Ice Truck Killer. Morgan. Best friends with the Ice Truck Killer… Best friends with the Bay Harbor Butcher. Number 13. Why was the last rape tape scratched? Morgan… Best friends with the Bay Harbor Butcher. Hunted by the FBI until this day. Miguel Prado, named as the killer by Frank Lundy, Debra’s husband. Never found. Never found. The Bay Harbor Butcher…

Motherfucker.”

He takes a second look at Lance Robinson’s unfinished sketch. The eyes bear an uncanny resemblance to Dexter’s.

“The Bay Harbor Butcher.”

Meanwhile, Dexter has done his due diligence stalking Jordan and confirming, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he’s one of them with his “Tick-tick-tick, that’s the sound of your life running out” line. He reports back to Lumen. They come up with a plan to isolate and murder him, and then it will be all over. Dexter tells Debra about it. After a period of stone-faced silence, she finally agrees to let them do it. There’s only one condition.

She wants to go along with them. To make sure nothing goes wrong.

Dexter is quite shocked, since Debra never wanted to be a part of what he did, but she explains they’ll need all the help they can get on this one. Debra bounded with Lumen over the Season and is very concerned about her safety, and she is well aware that Jordan is one of the most dangerous and high-profile targets Dexter ever had.

I’ll leave how exactly the plan goes down to your imagination. Any attempts by my part wouldn’t do justice to this action climax masterpiece. All you have to know is that it ends with Lumen killing Jordan while Dexter and Debra stand aside in the corner. Then Dexter dismembers him and the trio leaves for Dexter's marina, each carrying two garbage bags with Eugeene Greer’s remains. But before they can hop on the boat…

Doakes: That’s right, motherfucker! It’s over! I got you!

Dexter: How did you find me?

Doakes: I knew where you’d head to. Your final hit, Jordan fucking Chase! Jesus Christ, Morgan, you’re the Bay Harbor Butcher!

Dexter: I really hate that name.

Doakes: I always knew there was something wrong with you. But fucking shit, Debra, you were in on it too?

Debra: James…

Dexter: Leave her out of this. Both of them. They have nothing to do with this. This has been about you and me. From the start.

Doakes: Yeah. It has. You. [Points at Lumen.] It’s a fucking miracle you’re even alive. I know what you went through. You probably were just trying to do the right thing, but you went about it the wrong way. Shouldn’t have trusted him. But I’ll let you go. Hell, I’ll let both of you go [Points at Debra.]. All you have to do is come clean, Morgan.

Lumen: Dexter…

Doakes: [Throws him a pair of handcuffs.] Put those on! 

Debra: [Crying] Dex…

Dexter: It’s okay, Deb. This is how it ends. I just wanna say thank you. [Puts on the cuffs.] For everything.

Doakes: Come Morgan. Nice and slow. Nice and— [Someone fires a gun. Doakes falls dead on the pier]

[A heartbeat. Then Debra starts screaming. She drops her gun and runs to hug Doakes’ corpse. Lumen covers her mouth and starts crying. Dexter silently kneels by Debra’s side.]

…

…

…

A) James Doakes.

###
SEASON 6

Harry: [...] But what's more important is that you mustn’t ever tell Debra the truth about yourself.

Dexter: Why?

Harry: If you think she’s upset now, that’s nothing compared to how she’d feel if she learned what you are. She’d be terrified.

Dexter: But she loves me.

Harry: Dex, she loves who she thinks you are. If she ever ever saw the real you, she’d never get over it. Son, your mother and I aren’t gonna be around forever. Someday Debra will be all you have left. You don’t want to lose her, do you?

— Season 7, Episode 1, (Are You…?)

Dexter spent his entire life and the best part of the series hiding his true nature from his sister. What if it had been different? Let’s go back to the Season 1 Finale. What if Brian Moser had told her that her brother was a serial killer? What if she was awake at the table? How would everything be different for the rest of the series if only she knew?

That’s what we’re about to find out.

###

SEASON 2

###

Like she did in canon Season 7, Debra breaks down but ultimately spares Dexter from arrest. She has to, right? He just saved her life and sacrificed his brother for her. She doesn’t even need to stop Dexter from killing because Doakes and the grief for Brian are already doing it.

The treasure hunters discovering Dexter’s underwater graveyard is no longer an exciting moment for Debra. It’s her looking as terrified as Dexter when she stares at him and says: “We’re about to face a hell of shitstorm together”.

Then comes Little Chino. In canon, Dexter tried to kill him, couldn’t bring himself to do it the first time, and then Chino murdered Eva Arenas. Here Dex asks Deb permission to kill him, she says no, Chino murders Eva and then Debra allows it. Little Chino is this timeline’s version of Ray Speltzer. After his murder, Debra comes to reluctantly tolerate Dexter’s vigilantism. She does make him get rid of the blood slides, though.

Debra still falls in love with Lundy. Their relationship is significantly darker because here she’s also manipulating him into looking away from Dexter.

###

1) Deaths prevented in this timeline

One of the first things Debra does after learning Dexter’s secret is forcing him to break up with Rita. It makes sense, right? Debra holds a deep respect and concern for Rita and would never be fine with her unknowingly dating a serial killer. She feels disgusted by Dexter using her and the kids as a cover to kill. He replies that they mean more than that to him, but Debra argues that this is all the more reason to let them go. His lifestyle would inevitably put them in danger, and lord knows how they would be devastated if they ever learned the truth. And as much as Dexter would like to say otherwise…Deb is just objectively on the right on this one. Oh, they have no idea of just how much she’s right on this one.

So Dexter gives Rita the “It’s not you, it’s me” talk and she gets very upset, but ultimately dodges a bullet. She still doesn’t help Paul with his shoe because she still wants him out of her life and still trusts Dexter, despite them breaking up. The difference here is that when Paul dies, Rita doesn’t confront Dexter about the shoe and doesn’t force him to go to a N.A. meeting.

That means Dexter never meets Lila. So she never gives him the (horrible) idea to confront the man who murdered his mother.

A) Santos Jimenez

Dexter also never meets all the drug dealers associated with him:

B) José Garza.

C) Esteban Famosa.

D) Teo Famosa.

And Lila never kills Doakes.

E) James Doakes.

F) Lila West.

###

2) Deaths provoked in this timeline

A) Future victims of the killers spared above.

###

3) Impact on the Bay Harbor Butcher investigation

This time Debra is actively helping Dexter avoid being found out. For example, she warns him that Lundy is checking the lime on the stones used to sink the bodies, not the bodies themselves, so Dexter avoids the blunder that caused cameras to be installed at his marina.

Since Dexter never met Jimenez, he never revealed that Laura Moser was having an affair with Harry. Dexter never starts listening to the Harry-Laura interview tapes and Doakes never finds them in his office. Dexter never registers a formal complaint against Doakes and the iconic “I Own You” scene that results in Doakes’ suspension never happens. 

Since Dexter never met Lila, he was never inspired by her to take matters into his own hands, and as such he never sent the Bay Harbor Butcher manifesto to throw off the investigation. That means Lundy never concluded that the killer was someone with a law enforcement background. Dexter and Debra continue to play it defensively and as such the BHB investigation isn’t closed just yet. Doakes also doesn’t realise that Dexter is the Bay Harbor Butcher.

As you see, this season was really just a collection of non-events. All the important storylines either never got resolved or were avoided entirely. It’s gonna be better in the next season, I promise.

###

SEASON 3

###

Since Doakes is still on the team, Batista isn’t promoted to Sergeant and Quinn isn’t introduced. Dexter had more free time since he killed way less people in the previous season, but Doakes keeps tailing him all the time, so he’s killing at a slower pace. Let’s assume these two factors cancel out each other and that he killed Oscar Prado the same day as he did in canon.

Obviously, Harrison is never conceived.

###

1) Deaths prevented in this timeline

A) Nathan Marteen. Dexter never sees him stalking Astor because he’s no longer a part of her life.

Since Quinn is not on the team, he never introduces Debra to his irregular C.I. Anton Briggs. That means he never gives Deb the leads on people associated with Freebo and they never get murdered by the Skinner because of him following the investigation:

B) Javier Garza.

C) Wendell Owens.

One final kill prevented:

D) George King. In this timeline, for reasons explained below, Miguel never manipulates him into targeting Dexter. Therefore he never kills him in self defense and instead the Skinner gets arrested by the cops.

###

2) Deaths provoked in this timeline

A) About two other victims murdered by the Skinner.

###

3) Impact on the Bay Harbor Butcher investigation

Let me describe the timeline of Dexter and Miguel’s friendship.

It stays the same as canon from Episodes 1 through 4. At some point he notices that Doakes keeps following him everywhere. He asks Dexter about it and he reveals that Doakes’ been doing this for over six months now. Miguel is in disbelief and uses his authority to threaten Doakes into backing off. He reluctantly complies, but don’t you think that he’s given up just yet.

Instead he starts investigating Dexter from a new angle. And there’s a new target: the creep motherfucker’s new best BFF forever, Assistant District Attorney Miguel Prado. Doakes starts obsessively investigating every allegation of misconduct and corruption against Miguel, which leads him straight to his arch-nemesis, Defense Attorney Ellen Wolf. So unlikely as it seems, in this timeline Doakes and Ellen are working together to bring down Dexter and Miguel.

As for the two of them, the first main deviation comes in Episode 5. You see, since Dexter is not dating Rita anymore, he never gets in a fight with her and Miguel never goes to check in on him while he’s on his way to murder Ethan Turner. Rita doesn’t have a pregnancy related bleeding and Miguel doesn’t send the coast guard after Dexter on the place he claimed he’d be fishing, only to not find him there. Therefore, Miguel can’t immediately connect Ethan’s disappearance to Dexter, though he is somewhat suspicious because he disappeared just after he told Dexter about him.

To put his suspicions to the test, on Episode 6, Miguel tells Dexter about another murderer who got away with it: Billy Fleeter. And lo-and-behold, he also goes missing. Miguel then confronts Dexter about the truth that he’s the Bay Harbor Butcher (he assumes that this time because, unlike in canon, the investigation is still ongoing with no suspects.)

So in Episode 7, Miguel goes even further to get Dexter’s trust and starts using his influence as an ADA to push bureaucratic hindrances in the BHB investigation and withdraw resources from it, trying to hasten its death as a cold case. Dexter is impressed, but he’s still about allowing Miguel into his business. He tries to scare him away with a very difficult target like Clemson Galt, but, since the Albert Chung case is already active, Miguel replies he wants to kill Ellen Wolf instead. They go back and forth with it, until Dexter ultimately rules that she doesn’t fit the Code. Miguel is furious, but quickly composes himself and manipulates Dexter into trusting him again.

In Episode 8, the murder of Clemson Galt runs like it did in canon, except for one major change: This time, Dexter actually allows Miguel to be present in the room instead of giving him the wrong address.

In canon, Dexter gave Miguel the wrong address for three strong reasons:

A) He didn’t fully trust him yet.

B) Harry’s suicide served as a tormenting statement that even someone who ideologically supports vigilante justice can be horrified out of their mind by the actual sight of a dismembered body.

C) Canon Miguel thought Dexter dumped his victims bodies into cemeteries. If he knew they were actually dismembered and tossed in the ocean, he would’ve realised that Dexter was the Bay Harbor Butcher, something he wasn’t ready to share just yet.

But here Miguel has done more to earn Dexter’s trust, he doesn’t know that Harry died by suicide as Doakes never revealed it to him and Miguel already knows he’s the Butcher.

So he lets him kill Galt. He lets him take his ring as a trophy. He lets him in on the dismemberment, the ritual, everything. And then Miguel completely spirals into his dark side and goes on to murder Ellen Wolf.

Only he does it a few days earlier than he did in canon, so him leaving the crime scene in his SUV is NOT witnessed by Toby Edwards, Ellen’s hook-up. After the kill, Miguel dismembers her body and disposes of the remains in the ocean.

The next day, Ellen Wolf fails to show up in court. LaGuerta cannot reach her. Doakes cannot reach her. Dexter immediately realizes what happened, though he doesn't want to believe it.

Dexter visits her home-office with his luminol kit. There are traces of blood. Dexter leaves in a hurry. He's still telling himself that Miguel couldn't have done it, that it has to be a coincidence. But on his way out...

Doakes: Surprise, motherfucker!

Dexter: ... Are we doing this again?

Doakes: I thought I might drop by. You know. It seems you suddenly decided you need a lawyer.

Dexter: Ellen's a friend of Maria, okay? And I've been seeing her from time to time ever since I started hanging out with Miguel. I was just worried about her, Sergeant. So I came here and found the door open, I let myself in...

Doakes: With a forensics kit? Is there some bleach there you wanna show me? Don't fuck with me, Morgan! You and your piece of shit DA friend have something to do with this! Where were you last night?

Dexter: At home, Sergeant. Surprised you weren’t following me this time.

Doakes: Oh but you can bet I will! You think you'll get away with it this time, Morgan? I'm gonna finally nail your ass to the wall!

Dexter: (Internal monologue) I have to find Miguel.

Yup.

Ellen’s home office is investigated and the police discover traces of blood. But like, a LOT of blood. Enough to know it's a homicide. Miguel dismembered her inside the house, and he clearly doesn't know so much about covering his tracks.

Now, you must understand that Dexter’s reaction to the murder of Ellen Wolf will be very different than it was in canon. First, he obviously can’t retrieve her body and leave it exposed to teach Miguel a lesson. Also, he is not all that hesitant to simply cut out of his life now because, unlike in canon, he is NOT the only person who knows his secret. But it’s not like he can just kill him right? The disappearance or murder of an ADA will be a huge problem for him, especially with Doakes on his back, won’t it? Well…

You see, right now Dexter has three problems. The first is that Miguel went rogue. The second is that Doakes might connect him to Ellen’s murder. And the third is that the goddamn BHB investigation is still ongoing and Lundy is still in town. So how do you kill all these three birds?

With one huge motherfucking stone.

I’m gonna walk you through what Dexter is gonna do in the next 24 hours. It’s a satisfying plan, it's a lovely plan. Worthy of a Season finale. So are you still listening? Good. Take a pen and a paper and let’s go step-by-step.

Step 1. Ask Miguel to withdraw a large sum of money from his bank account. Tell him something very serious just happened and that you’ll explain it later.

Step 2. Purchase a fancy leather folder with plastic sleeves. Do NOT go cheap on it.

Step 3. Print pictures of every one of the 18 known Bay Harbor Butcher victims (when they were alive) in A4 size. Also print some of the ones the investigation doesn’t know about; how many is totally up to you, but make sure that Freebo is among them.

Step 4. Arrange those pictures in the folder in the chronological order that they were killed.

Step 5. Add Clemson Galt and Ellen Wolf as the final pictures.

Step 6. Lure Miguel into somewhere private. Make sure Doakes doesn’t follow you; have Debra take him there if so needed.

Step 7. Have the following dialogue with Miguel:

Dexter: So… I know about Ellen.

Miguel: … Dex, about that—

Dexter: Let me stop you there. You don’t need to explain yourself to me. It’s fine. You’re a grown man and our friendship is bigger than a disagreement. You do what you want, when you want, to whomever you want. I’m fine with it.

Miguel: You really mean this, Dex?

Dexter: No. [Injects him with M99.]

Step 8: Murder Miguel and dispose of his body in the ocean.

Step 9: Plant Miguel’s fingerprints all over the folder.

Step 10. Break into Miguel’s home and take the rings of Clemson Galt and Ellen Wolf.

Step 11. Steal Miguel’s car and drive it somewhere where it will eventually be found. Leave the folder there, as well as the rings.

Step 12. Have Debra pick you up so you can come back home.

Step 13. Wait.

…

“Breaking news! We have just received word that the FBI now has a prime suspect for the Bay Harbor Butcher case. In a shocking turn of events, the solution to this case that has plagued Miami for months might also be the biggest scandal in the history of Florida’s District Attorney’s Office, as sources now indicate that the serial killer might be none other than prominent Assistant District Attorney Miguel Luís Prado.

Following Prado’s disappearance, investigators discovered stunning evidence inside his abandoned vehicle. Those included a folder containing pictures of all the known Bay Harbor Butcher victims, along with other missing persons who are now suspected to have been until then unconnected victims. The most notorious among those were wanted murder suspect Fred Bowman, convicted murderer Clemson Galt and Criminal Defense Attorney Ellen Wolf.

Fred Bowman, also known as Freebo, was the main suspect in three separate homicide cases, the last of them being Miguel Prado’s own brother, Oscar Prado. Previously sought by the police in connection to “the Skinner” case, they now believe he’s already dead. Clemson Galt had escaped from a courtroom after Prado himself summoned him as an expert witness. It is now suspected that the prosecutor aided in the murderer’s escape so he could kill him. As for Ellen Wolf, she’s the outlier, as she is not suspected of any crimes. However, authorities are considering that Prado could have murdered her because of their long documented record of intense disagreements in the courtroom, or because of evidence found by Ms. Wolf on his alleged misconduct and other illegal activities.

Along with the folder, rings have been found belonging to Mr. Galt and Ms. Wolf. Those might have been kept by Prado along with the pictures as further memorabilia for the murders, a common practice among serial killers.

For years, Miguel Prado was known for his unwavering pursuit of justice and aggressive prosecuting style. A strong candidate for higher office, colleagues describe him as “a man of utmost integrity”, with a “burning passion to fight crime”. But after tonight’s findings, they have found themselves wondering if that reputation did not conceal something far darker.

Upon being questioned, Prado’s devastated wife, Sylvia, expressed horror and disbelief about the possibility of her husband’s guilt. Though she admits he has no alibis for the murders of any of the three victims just mentioned.

Miguel Prado’s brother, Ramon Prado, a recently suspended Lieutenant at the Sheriff’s office, declined any comments.

The lead investigator, Special Agent Frank Lundy, released the following statement:

“A nationwide manhunt has been launched against Mr. Prado. We will not rest until he’s apprehended and the nature of his involvement in this incident is fully explained. Anyone with information on Prado’s whereabouts should contact the authorities immediately and not approach him. Suspect is to be considered armed and extremely dangerous. We are still analyzing the possibility that he may have fled the country”

Sources have also indicated that before his disappearances, Prado had used his position as ADA to interfere with the Bay Harbor Butcher investigation. What was initially interpreted as a bureaucratic or political dispute is now being faced as an attempt by Prado to shield himself from discovery. Prado’s position as a prosecutor could’ve also been an asset in gathering information about his targets.

This is only the start of a story about a respected officer of the court, now accused of breaking the very laws he was meant to uphold.”

Dexter explains all the context behind his framejob to Debra and how Miguel had it coming. She’s relieved that this nightmare is finally over.

Ramon doesn’t bother Dexter because Miguel never got the chance to manipulate him, and he’s already lost all the faith in his brother.

As for Doakes, he’s more obsessed with Dexter than ever. I don’t think he realised that he’s the real Bay Harbor Butcher, but he’s barking like a dog because he now believes Dexter was connected to not one, but two serial killers.

Lundy has a few doubts about Miguel being the Butcher, but Debra gaslights him with something along the lines of “You don’t want this case solved because then you’d have to leave me. I get it.” And Lundy’s superior will also pressure him into closing the case with Miguel as the perpetrator and move on, because now he’s needed elsewhere. Speaking of which, this time Lundy leaving is not as much of a “goodbye” as it is a “see you soon”. He’ll be retired in less than two years and come back. Debra can wait.

And so we have a very peaceful, bittersweet Season finale.

###

SEASON 4

###

1) Deaths prevented in this timeline.

A) Some of Dexter’s unnamed victims now that he’s killing at a slower pace because of Doakes.

B) Benito Gomez. Since Dexter is still single and childless, he’s not overburdened by a family life and as such he doesn’t fumble his testimony in court. Gomez is convicted and thus Dexter never has to kill him.

C) Frank Lundy. As stated above, Doakes remaining in Miami Metro means Quinn is not sent to replace him. So he doesn’t leak the information about Lundy’s investigation on the Trinity Killer to Christine and she doesn’t murder him to protect her father.

With Lundy alive, there’s nothing stopping him and Debra from staking out the building where Arthur would murder the final victim of his cycle. Thus the victim is saved and Arthur can’t hurt anyone else.

D) Earl Doorman.

E) Kyle Butler.

F) Rita Bennett.

Arthur being in prison means he no longer needs to kill himself to stop himself from killing again. Christine also doesn’t kill herself because she is not suffering from the remorse of murdering Lundy.

G) Arthur Mitchell.

H) Christine Hill.

Since Batista never meets Christine at the crime scene of Lundy’s murder, he never tells her to publish the news that Johnny Rose has syphilis to turn his girlfriend Nikki Wald against him. And even if he met her, he’d have to run this idea through Doakes, and he’s not really a fan of creative police work. So Nikki never turns against Johnny and never murders him. They’re still soon arrested.

I) Johnny Rose.

Also, Dexter never has to kill a low-priority murderer to frame him as Trinity and distract the investigation:

J) Stan Beaudry.

###

2) Impact on the season finale

After the arrest of the Trinity Killer, Lundy takes Debra to a fancy restaurant to celebrate. Everything is calm and peaceful. Until he gets down on one knee and produces a ring.

Lundy: Debra. I think the time has come. Will you marry me?

Debra: OH MY FUCKING GOD!! YES! YES!

So instead of the devastating ending of canon Season 4 with Rita’s murder and all, we get a wholesome church wedding finale with the entirety of Miami Metro Homicide gathering around to celebrate the union of the two best serial killer hunters they came to know. Mrs. Detective Debra Lundy is savoring a happiness she thought would never come to her again since she learned… well, you know. Meanwhile, her brother’s still single, but honestly? Probably better this way. He’s happy for her. And what good is a wife anyway? Can you imagine if he had one and she ended up dying because of him? That would’ve been such a bummer. And everything is nice and optimistic right now.

Let’s see if it holds up.

###

SEASON 5

###

1) Deaths prevented in this timeline

A) Rankin. That random dude Dexter murdered in a fit of rage after Rita’s murder.

B) Stan Liddy. Without Rita’s murder or Quinn working in Miami Metro Homicide, Liddy never starts investigating Dexter and their paths never cross.

About the Santa Muerte plotline…

When Miami Metro raids the Fuentes brothers hide-out, this time Doakes is present. Considering how protective he was of Debra, he accompanies her when she enters a room. So when she’s confronted with Carlos Fuentes, instead of losing that stalemate because she was alone, Doakes headshots Carlos and saves the hostage. With Carlos dead, there’s no-one to warn his brother Marco that their hideout has been found, so Miami Metro just waits for him to return and arrests him.

That means the Club Mayan shootout never happens.

C) Yasmin Aragon.

D) Unnamed bystander.

Now moving on to the main plot, the Barrel Girls Case.

After Debra marries Lundy, they buy a new home so they can move in together. In the moving van, Deb finds a suspicious blood stain. She has known her brother’s secret for years, so she learned to pick on little details like this. She has Dexter check it just in case, and he tracks it down to serial killer Boyd Fowler and murders him just like he did in canon.

This time however, when he learns that his victim Lumen Pierce witnessed the murder, instead of trying to talk her down himself like he did in canon, he calls Debra, fills her in on the situation and has her do damage control instead. If the goal is to win Lumen’s trust so she doesn’t go to the police, it makes much more sense that the person to talk to her should be a woman, a cop, and not the guy who just committed ritualistic murder in front of her.

So Debra rescues Lumen, convinces her not to snitch on Dexter and learns through her that there were multiple rapists. Lumen wants to hunt them down herself, Debra says no, she tries to murder Robert Brunner, Dexter intervenes and reveals he wasn’t one of the perpetrators, Lumen finally agrees to leave Miami but second-guesses it and returns to kill Dan Mendell.

This is where things start changing.

After shooting Mendell, Lumen panics, but instead of calling Dexter for help, she calls Debra, because she’s the one Lumen had more contact with in this timeline. Debra in turn panics and calls Dexter, and he’s forced to put the murder of Lance Robinson on hold to deal with the situation.

So the two of them arrive, scold the shit out of Lumen, and learn that the man she shot is still alive. He gives them his name and denies ever meeting Lumen. Debra and Dexter are unconvinced of his guilt because all the evidence Lumen had was really a smell and a feeling, so they decide to stop his bleeding, much to Lumen’s dismay. This time, however, Harrison doesn’t exist. So Dexter never gets a call from Sonya, never leaves the room to answer it, and never comes back to find Lumen torturing Mendell. Dexter never pulls Lumen aside and Dan Mendell never thinks he’s alone. So he doesn’t call the other rapists to inform them of their final victim escaping. Thus he never inadvertently exposes himself. He survives the night.

The trio knows that the cops are arriving soon and that Mendell is going to live, so they decide to flee the crime scene immediately. Obviously this time Dexter and Debra can’t just change into their work clothes and pretend to have arrived before the others. They both must not come back to the scene at all, give some excuse to the others and then make sure to avoid Mendell ever seeing them again. Debra takes Lumen into her car while Dexter comes back to his own.

And realises Lance escaped.

This time he can’t kill Lance and make it look like he and Mendell killed each other. He has to just run for his life.

Anyway, Miami Metro rescues both Lance and Mendell and starts investigating the bizarre crime scene the terrible trio left behind. Lance explains that he arranged a hook-up with another man online, but the man injected him with tranquilizer, abducted him, undressed him and then wrapped him in plastic, before he could escape from the trunk of his car. He doesn’t know his assailant’s name. As for Mendell, well…

He could tell the cops the truth about what happened that night. But let me ask you, what happens if he does and they figure out the identity of his shooter? What happens if Lumen is actually arrested? What happens after she explains the motivation of her crime? If a full investigation happens, I doubt she’s doing more time than he is. So if Dan knows what’s good for him, he won’t mention a woman at all. He’s going to say he was abducted and attacked by a man.

Miami Metro initially assumes it was the same man who took Lance, but after they give conflicting descriptions, they move on to the theory that it was an attempted double murder by two male co-conspirators.

When Dex and Deb learn that Dan gave a false account, they figure out that Lumen was probably right about him after all. So does Lumen after reading about his account in the news, so she finds where he lives and finishes what she’s started, much to Debra’s anger. Meanwhile, Dexter also kidnaps and murders Lance before he can finish up a sketch of his face.

While all of that transpires, Doakes eventually stalks Dexter enough to see the new blonde girl who now lives in his apartment. He assumes it’s his girlfriend, and is suspicious as to why he’s not telling anyone about her.

After one of the attempted murder victims goes missing and the other is straight-up murdered, Miami Metro Homicide quickly realise that they were picked by the killers because of who they were, not as random victims of a senseless crime. So they start investigating their background, learning Lance was a suspected serial killer while Mendell… well, we’ll get to that.

By now, the car accident that officially started the Barrels Girl Case already happened. Cole Harmon becomes a suspect since he was the driver and Lumen confirms his guilt by recognizing him. However, this time they won’t sabotage the investigation and close the case earlier by pinning it all on Boyd because Debra won’t allow it. She’ll say they already have enough blood on their hands as it is and that if they keep pressing their luck they’ll all be arrested or worse. So Debra matches Cole’s DNA to the bodies in the Barrel Girls and he’s arrested before Dexter and Lumen can get to him.

E) Cole Harmon.

After Harmon’s arrested, the police searches his home, finding the rape tapes and the pictures of all of the Barrel Girls Gang when they were kids. Dexter steals Lumen’s tape like in canon, and the evidence obtained eventually leads to the implication of Dan Mendell, Boyd Fowler and Alex Tilden. Alex’s DNA is also matched to the bodies and he gets super arrested.

F) Alex Tilden.

Now, to the burning question. Will they snitch on Lumen? They know she’s the one who killed Mendell, as he told them about her attack before dying. But honestly, no, I don’t think they will. Only because there’s no point. Good luck finding a jury that will convict a gang-rape survivor based on hearsay from two rapists-murderers taken from another rapist-murderer who’s dead and can’t be cross-examined, and said something entirely conflicting to the cops when he was alive.

G) Emilly Birch. Dexter, Lumen and Debra never have to talk to her because they already have all the information they need. They know the identities of every member of the ring, though Jordan is the only one to escape justice due to lack of concrete evidence and his DNA not being in any of the bodies. So Emilly never gets involved and she lives.

Now on to the finale.

###

2) Deaths provoked in this timeline

There’s a character who mostly stayed on the sidelines. Until now.

Sergeant James Doakes.

Now I want you to picture the scenes. It’s the season finale. At this point, we see Doakes trembling with his obsession. It seems he could actually die from this alone. The camera follows the Sergeant back home. To reveal a full over-the-top investigation board with the picture of Dexter Morgan at the center.

“What am I missing here?

Morgan… what the fuck is wrong with this motherfucker? Mostly keeps to himself. Two girlfriends in the last few years. Both blondes. Blonde? Blondes like the Barrel Girls… the Barrel Girls, victims of a ring led by Jordan Chase. Four other members. Two in prison, one probably fled the country, the other dead. Dead… along with Lance. Two male perpetrators. Lance lured gays to be killed on the Internet. Someone did the same with him. Was found butt naked and wrapped in plastic. Plastic? Debra was found naked and wrapped in plastic. By the Ice Truck Killer. Morgan. Failed to show up at the scene of Lance and Dan. So did Debra. Debra? Taken by the Ice Truck Killer. Morgan. Best friends with the Ice Truck Killer… Best friends with the Bay Harbor Butcher. Number 13. Why was the last rape tape scratched? Morgan… Best friends with the Bay Harbor Butcher. Hunted by the FBI until this day. Miguel Prado, named as the killer by Frank Lundy, Debra’s husband. Never found. Never found. The Bay Harbor Butcher…

Motherfucker.”

He takes a second look at Lance Robinson’s unfinished sketch. The eyes bear an uncanny resemblance to Dexter’s.

“The Bay Harbor Butcher.”

Meanwhile, Dexter has done his due diligence stalking Jordan and confirming, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he’s one of them with his “Tick-tick-tick, that’s the sound of your life running out” line. He reports back to Lumen. They come up with a plan to isolate and murder him, and then it will be all over. Dexter tells Debra about it. After a period of stone-faced silence, she finally agrees to let them do it. There’s only one condition.

She wants to go along with them. To make sure nothing goes wrong.

Dexter is quite shocked, since Debra never wanted to be a part of what he did, but she explains they’ll need all the help they can get on this one. Debra bounded with Lumen over the Season and is very concerned about her safety, and she is well aware that Jordan is one of the most dangerous and high-profile targets Dexter ever had.

I’ll leave how exactly the plan goes down to your imagination. Any attempts by my part wouldn’t do justice to this action climax masterpiece. All you have to know is that it ends with Lumen killing Jordan while Dexter and Debra stand aside in the corner. Then Dexter dismembers him and the trio leaves for Dexter's marina, each carrying two garbage bags with Eugeene Greer’s remains. But before they can hop on the boat…

Doakes: That’s right, motherfucker! It’s over! I got you!

Dexter: How did you find me?

Doakes: I knew where you’d head to. Your final hit, Jordan fucking Chase! Jesus Christ, Morgan, you’re the Bay Harbor Butcher!

Dexter: I really hate that name.

Doakes: I always knew there was something wrong with you. But fucking shit, Debra, you were in on it too?

Debra: James…

Dexter: Leave her out of this. Both of them. They have nothing to do with this. This has been about you and me. From the start.

Doakes: Yeah. It has. You. [Points at Lumen.] It’s a fucking miracle you’re even alive. I know what you went through. You probably were just trying to do the right thing, but you went about it the wrong way. Shouldn’t have trusted him. But I’ll let you go. Hell, I’ll let both of you go [Points at Debra.]. All you have to do is come clean, Morgan.

Lumen: Dexter…

Doakes: [Throws him a pair of handcuffs.] Put those on! 

Debra: [Crying] Dex…

Dexter: It’s okay, Deb. This is how it ends. I just wanna say thank you. [Puts on the cuffs.] For everything.

Doakes: Come Morgan. Nice and slow. Nice and— [Someone fires a gun. Doakes falls dead on the pier]

[A heartbeat. Then Debra starts screaming. She drops her gun and runs to hug Doakes’ corpse. Lumen covers her mouth and starts crying. Dexter silently kneels by Debra’s side.]

…

…

…

A) James Doakes.

###
SEASON 6

Like, in shows like Dexter where the main character has a double life, it's a common trope for them to have a "Doakes", that is, an antagonist who knows they're hiding something while everyone else is oblivious. It's an excellent way of creating rivalry and tension. Usually it leads to a game of cat-and-mouse where the "Doakes" character tries to expose the protagonist and prove to everyone else they are not crazy. So who do you think that is for Dexter?

Examples In other media include L knowing Light Yagami is Kira in Death Note, or Inspector Javert knowing Mayor Madeleine is really Jean Valjean in Les Miserables. But when it comes to Dexter, who would you say is his "Sgt Doakes"?

This post doesn't discuss New Blood itself, but I have nowhere to post because the r/Dexter mods think saying ITK died is a spoiler. Please let it stay up, mods, ily <3

###

You know, the main reason why Brian and Dexter’s relationship didn’t work out is because of how uncompromising Brian was. He didn’t just want to be in Dexter’s life. He wanted to have him all for himself and destroy everything and everyone who could compete. That level of possessiveness was what ultimately brought about his own downfall.

Well, what if he was more realistic? What if after his first murder attempt against Debra Morgan (actually second if you count Original Sin), he accepted that killing her was not the way to win Dexter over? What if he never returned to Dexter’s apartment to finish the job and never got captured or fell victim to fratricide as a result?

Spoilers for the books: >!That’s actually what happens there. Brian escapes at the end of Book 1 and returns on Book 5. I personally think the way it was handled was a huge problem, since it takes way too long for Brian to come back and when he finally does the effects on Dexter’s life are minimal. No joke, Brian gets to openly visit Dexter’s family weekly and somehow Rita never brings up Dexter’s brother when talking to Debra. This is my chance to maybe fix this.!<

So let’s begin!

###

SEASON 1

###

1) Deaths prevented in this timeline

A) Brian Moser. Obviously. Instead of being suicided by Dexter, he retreats into hiding and starts plotting a new plan to approach him. A nationwide manhunt for Brian Moser is issued, but he should survive for quite a while. Brian is extremely elusive and resourceful, and even Travis managed to get away for half a season even though his face was publicly known. This has a major negative impact on Debra’s mental health as she now lives in constant fear of Brian ever coming back for her again.

###

SEASON 2

###

1) Deaths provoked in this timeline

A) Jimmy Sensio. Since Dexter is not depressed about Brian’s death, he never fails to bring himself to murder Sensio.

###

2) Deaths prevented in this timeline

A) Eva Arenas. Likewise, Dexter doesn’t fail to bring himself to murder Little Chino the first chance he gets, so his would-be victim lives.

B) Curtis Barnes. As Brian sets a temporary hideout in Miami, he keeps silently watching over Dexter and trying to figure out the best way to make contact again. After a while, he notices that he’s not the only one stalking Dexter, as Doakes also keeps following him almost 24/7.

When Dexter’s victims are discovered at their underwater graveyard and the Bay Harbor Butcher investigation breaks out, Brian finally decides that it’s time to reach out to his little brother once again. And he already decided precisely the way to do it.

Through the murder of Sergeant James Doakes.

There’s just no logical alternative. Doakes already (correctly) suspects that following Dexter will lead straight to the Ice Truck Killer, so trying to set up a meeting with Dexter while Doakes is still alive is incredibly risky. Also, big brothers are supposed to get their siblings out of trouble, aren’t they? Especially when they are too squeamish to do it themselves. This is a kind of apology gift of sorts.

So Brian murders Doakes right at the start of the season, knowing Dexter will work the crime scene and making sure to leave clues that only he will pick up on that will lead him to the discovery of his current location.

I know it’s underwhelming that Doakes dies so early, but hey. At least now people will actually show up at his funeral. The point here is that without Doakes, his old friend Curtis Barnes successfully escapes to Cuba after the murder of his wife instead of dying in a shootout.

C) Lila West. Since Brian already killed Doakes, she never does anything to deserve fitting the Code.

###

3) Impact on the overall plot

Dexter tracks down and confronts Brian once again. He explains that, while he abhorishes all the legacy of Harry Morgan, particularly the Code, he’ll respect Dexter’s decision to commit to the life he designed. A small part of Dexter’s mind keeps whining “Nooo Biney, killing innocent people is wrong!! I would’ve dealt with Doakes on my own!!” But honestly he can’t feel much for Doakes’ death beyond relief. Ultimately, he accepts Brian’s apology and really wants him in his life.

The brothers agree that Brian’s current hideout should only be short-term and he should get a better place soon. It’d be best if fled the country altogether, but how could he when his only living relative is right there?

In Episode 5, Lila learns that Dexter witnessed the murder of his mother as a child and gives him the (horrible) idea to confront the killer. Lila says that he shouldn’t do it alone and offers to accompany him on the trip. But this time Lila sadly can’t be along for the ride. Because there’s someone else Dexter wants… no, someone else Dexter must take to confront Jimenez. And Lila must never meet such man in person.

Because she’d recognize him as the Ice Truck Killer.

It’s perfect. The first victim of the Moser brothers as a pair. The very man who took their mother so long ago. The start of something so beautiful.

While tied up to the kill table, Jimenez reveals that the cartel found out Laura was an informant because she was having an affair with Harry. Dexter reacts with surprise and disbelief, but Brian calmly explains that he already knew this and sneers at Dexter’s idealized image of Harry being shattered. The pain and confusion Dexter feels are sharp, but with Brian edging him on, that only pushes him to end it all with the electric chainsaw.

The brothers then dispose of his remains in the ocean. Brian’s first kill BHB style. He’ll be caught by Lundy’s marina surveillance, but that’s okay because Dexter will erase the footage the next day. Brian checks Jimenez’s phone and learns he’s still in the business of dealing drugs. He insists on finding where he has his goods stashed so he can sell them and earn enough money, which will be very important now that he doesn’t have a day job. Therefore, Brian and Dexter discover the existence of the cabin in the Everglades.

You simply can’t make this up. A place located right in the middle of nowhere. You could scream your lungs out and no-one would ever hear you. The landscape is infested with alligators. You have direct access to the open sea, a cage and pounds over pounds of blow.

Where in the entirety of the whole wide world could Brian Moser feel more at home? Sure, it would welcome some improvements over time, but that’s it. That’s his long-term hideout. All it will take is Dexter making some arrangements with Jimenez’s landlord, and everything will be set up so that his brother is safe and can be regularly visited. So they can share their dark thoughts over a beer and under the moonlight as the bugs fall relentlessly upon their bodies.

Meanwhile, Lila is pretty upset. Since she didn’t accompany Dexter on his trip, he never fell asleep in her arms, Rita never learned about them sharing a bed, she never broke up with Dexter and in turn he never started dating Lila. Also, because Brian is still alive, he’s much less vulnerable and more detached in his interactions with her. She decides to check what happened in his confrontation with Jimenez and learns he went missing at the precise night Dexter went after him. Lila then deduces that Dexter is a murderer.

She confronts him about it and starts using it as levearage to blackmail Dexter into a relationship, similarly to what she did in canon when she falsely accused Batista of rape. They go back-and-forth with it for a while, until Lila becomes so desperately obsessed with Dexter that she starts stalking him by spying on his GPS history like she did in canon. And like in canon, she finds the cabin in the Everglades.

And runs straight into the Ice Truck Killer.

Well, it’s obvious that Brian’s first instinct is to murder her on the spot, but he stops himself once she reveals she knows Dexter. He then locks her up inside the cage so he can first consult with his brother before deciding what to do next.

Dexter arrives as soon as possible and immediately de-escalates the situation by letting Lila out of her cell so they can talk it over. It’s not like she could outrun them anyway. Dexter confesses that he is indeed the Ice Truck Killer’s brother and that he’s been sheltering him from the authorities ever since he was identified. You can imagine he response.

Lila: Dextah! I had no idea! Your brother is so lucky to have you! That’s what you do for the people you care about in your life. I knew that’s who you was since the first time I saw you.

Lila then asks if Dexter actually killed Jimenez. Before he can answer, Brian cuts him off saying “No. It was me”. She nods her head. Lila then concludes that this whole thing was just a huge misunderstanding. Now it makes sense. All of the things she saw on Dexter were actually just a projection from his brother. That’s why they couldn’t be together.

The Moser brothers exchange a look. They politely ask that Lila excuse them for a moment so they can speak in private outside.

Well, this woman is obviously insane, but what are we going to do about it? It’s tricky. Dexter acknowledges that she’s definitely dangerous and unpredictable, but he isn’t all for killing her because she still doesn’t fit the Code. And surprisingly… Brian agrees. Just not for the same reason.

You see, Brian and Dexter have set thing up in such a way that Dexter can visit somewhat regularly, but… it’s not like he can be there all the time. He still has a life of his own. And what’s Brian to do for all the hours where Dexter isn’t there and he’s not busy with his drug dealing/serial killer business? I doubt he’d prefer to spend all of this time watching TV.

That’s it boys. Another thing brothers do for each other. Set them up with the girls! I have no idea of how a Brian and Lila relationship would look like in the long-run, but I’d definitely watch it as an ongoing subplot.

In other news, the drug dealers associated with Jimenez who are canonically killed by Dexter are probably killed by Brian in this timeline to ensure that the cabin remains a secret.

Since in this version of the story Dexter never fell in love with Lila, he was never inspired by her to take matters into his own hands. Therefore he never thought of sending the Bay Harbor Butcher manifesto to throw off the investigation, and as such Lundy never deduced that the suspect could be someone in law enforcement, nor confirmed it by taking a closer look to how the police investigated the victims’ cases. Dexter continues playing defensively and as such the BHB investigation is not closed just yet.

Dexter never loses his box of blood slides nor learns from Doakes that Harry actually died by suicide.

###

SEASON 3

###

Throughout the Season, Dexter has been slowly integrating Brian into his kill ritual. And after a while when the trust grows, Lila too. It’s perfect. He loves killing with his brother and she loves killing with her man. They form a cult of sorts where Dexter tries to keep those two as busy as possible because he doesn’t like not knowing, but also doesn’t dare to ask what they’re up to when they’re by themselves.

###

1) Deaths prevented in this timeline

A) Oscar Prado. Something you might not have realized while reading the Season 2 section is just how much of Dexter’s time was spared. He killed Little Chino and Jimenez the first chance he got. He didn’t have to deal with José Garza or the Famosa brothers. He didn’t have to keep a hostage in a cage for several days or frame him for his crimes. He didn’t have to book a flight to Paris to murder Lila. His last kill was Ken Olson in Episode 6.

Add to that the fact that Brian is likely helping with at least some of the kills, and you get even more free time. With that much efficiency, the killers taken out by Dexter in canon end up being taken out earlier. Dexter confronts Freebo at the very least a day before he did in canon. That means Oscar isn’t there and doesn’t get caught in the crossfire.

Oscar being alive means Dexter never goes to his funeral and never begins a friendship with his brother Miguel Prado. That results in this entire plotline being aborted, and the survival of every person killed by Dexter due to help or privileged information provided by Miguel, as well as the people killed by Miguel himself.

B) Ethan Turner.

C) Clemson Galt.

D) Billy Fleeter.

E) Ellen Wolf.

F) Miguel Prado.

Also…

G) Future victims of other murderers killed by Dexter’s cult.

###

2) Deaths provoked in this timeline

A) Future victims of B through D in the list above.

B) Other murderers now that Dexter cleared out a lot of free time.

Since the Bay Harbor Butcher investigation is still ongoing and Lundy is still around, Debra never falls in love with Anton. She still warns him about Miami Metro using him as bait to lure in the Skinner because she fells guilty about what happened to Wendell. However, since he isn’t in love with her, he actually leaves Miami instead of staying around to help her in her case. As a result, Anton is never captured and tortured by the Skinner, nor learns he was an irregular C.I.

Debra still figures out the pattern of the Skinner using tree trimming as a cover to kill, and he’s still arrested and released due to lack of evidence. Dexter then finds proof that George King fits the Code and captures him so he can be murdered by his cult and turned into a blood slide.

As Dexter is about to marry Rita, he monologues about how both of his families are growing now. But will he be able to find the balance and stop them from destroying each other? Soon it’ll be the one year anniversary of the Bay Harbor Butcher investigation, and as much as anyone would wish, Dexter knows the police can’t keep following the same cold trail forever. If he could just stall them for long enough…

Alas, if only he could.

Lundy cannot find anything about the 19 known Bay Harbor Butcher victims that leads to a suspect, so he switches the angle of the investigation. He starts looking for the ones that came after the start of the case. He already assumes that the Butches is still killing, so he figures he only found a more reliable way to dispose of the bodies. Therefore, Lundy starts reviewing disappearances of murder suspects in the area of Miami. It would be a huge problem for Dexter if Santos Jimenez was on that list, but fortunately he lived in Naples. But you know who will be in the list? We know it because Maria LaGuerta did this exact same thing in canon when she was trying to prove the Butcher was still active, and we know that this murderer was killed in the period between Seasons 2 and 3.

Phillip Barnes. The wedding photographer who killed young women. Canonically Dexter’s first kill after Lila. Like LaGuerta in canon, Lundy interviews Barnes’ family and acquires a box of pictures from the wedding reception where he went missing. He knows it’ll be useless, since even if the Butcher was somehow caught on camera, there’s no way he could be recognized. He leaves it aside at his apartment but tells Debra she’s welcome to review them if she’s bored. As so she does. She just absentent-mindedly skims through the hundreds of photos until her eyes catch a familiar face.

And by “familiar”, I mean someone who is literally from her family. Her brother.

She frowns. Debra grabs her phone and calls Dexter in private. She calmly asks him what the hell is he doing in this wedding of a couple he doesn’t even know. Dead silence. When Debra asks if he’s listening, Dexter spits out a lame excuse and asks if he could see her that night. Debra pauses. Dexter asks her to bring the picture to avoid any misunderstanding with Lundy. “Sure”, Debra says.

After Dexter finishes moving to the suburban house, if he secretly keeps his apartment to hide his serial killer stuff. One night he returns there. To find Debra. Alone. A despondent look in her eyes. His kill tools are laid out on the table, as well as two boxes of blood slides.

Debra: Did you kill all these people?

Dexter: …I did.

Debra: Are you… Are you a serial killer?

Dexter: Yes.

Now on to the final episodes. We’re close.

Debra has her break down about the revelation until she ultimately decides to spare Dexter from arrest and instead trying to fix his homicidal addiction. However, she can’t follow her canon plan of being with Dexter 24/7 because he is recently married and Lundy will become suspicious if she suddenly stops spending time alone with him. So instead to make sure he’s not killing, Debra secretly plants a tracking device on Dexter’s car, like she did in Season 8 when she suspected he was helping Hannah behind her back. And this tracking device inevitably takes her to the one location she should never find.

The cabin in the Everglades.

“God, Dex. What did you do?”

Inside the cabin, the following dialogue takes place.

Brian: She’s left you no choice, little brother. It’s time you finally do what you should’ve done a year ago.

Dexter: No, Brian. You don’t understand. I can’t live without her. She’s the only person who knows who I really am and still accepts me.

Brian: The only person?! What about me? Your actual brother who’s been by your side this whole time?

[Silence]

Brian: She doesn’t accept you, Dex. She’s trying to mold you into something you’re not, just like your fake father tried before her, and look what that got you into. 

Dexter: But what if she’s right? What if I was never meant to be a killer? I’m about to be a father now, Brian. I can’t keep doing this forever…

Brian: God, look what she did to you. This is exactly what I was trying to save you from. What? You think I tried to kill her because I was selfish? I TRIED TO KILL HER BECAUSE I KNEW IT WOULD END UP LIKE THAT!

[They hear the sound of a car approaching.]

Dexter: Oh, perfect. Now Lila is here too…

Brian: That’s not Lila. Lila was not supposed to—

[Debra pommels through the door, gun in hand.]

Debra: What— What the fuck—

Dexter: Debra… What are you doing here?

Debra: M-Me? WHAT THE FUCK IS HE DOING HERE?

Brian: [Smiles] Surprise!

Dexter: Debra, for the love of God, just put down the gun and we can figure this out! Let’s just talk!

Debra: Are you out of your FUCKING mind? What even fucking is this? Oh God…

Dexter: Debra, please, I beg of you, he’s my brother, I swear he’s not gonna hurt you, just PLEASE let’s come home!

Debra: [Sobs incontrollably] Dex, I can’t believe you did this to me…

Brian: [Slowly pulls out a knife.]

Dexter: STOP! BRIAN, STOP!

Debra: [Shoots Brian. He falls to the ground.]

Dexter: BRIAN!!

Brian: Ufff. Go. I’ll be okay, little brother. Now get the hell out of here.

Debra: All units available, this is Detective Debra Morgan calling from the Everglades. I… I HAVE LOCATED THE ICE TRUCK KILLER. Suspect Brian Moser is here and he has been shot. I repeat, suspect has been shot.

Dexter then flees the Everglades before all of Miami Metro Homicide surrounds the place. Brian receives medical attention for his gunshot and is immediately taken into custody. Debra is elated as a hero for finding the Ice Truck Killer on her own. She claims she was just following an anonymous tip.

Upon being booked and put into the system, Brian Moser waives his right to counsel. In the interrogation room, he decides to take the only logical move still available for him. He already lost. No matter what he says or what he does, he’s being sentenced to death. He can’t help himself anymore. But he can still help the only person he cares about in the world. He can still be a big brother one last time and save Dexter, something he couldn’t do when they were kids.

By confessing to all of the Bay Harbor Butcher killings.

When you think about it, there isn’t really anything to stop him from doing this. All arguments against it can be easily refuted.

But the Ice Truck Killer targeted innocent people while the Bay Harbor Butcher clearly had a moral code! How can they be one and the same?

Who’s to say the Bay Harbor Butcher targeted killers because of ethics? He might only be looking after the dominance of being the “apex predator”, the terror among terrors. Or because he believed the police wouldn’t work so hard in trying to find him if the victims were murderers.

But the BHB hid his victims’ bodies, while the ITK left them exposed!

Brian could also claim that he kept a low-profile for years before becoming bored and deciding to try something new and more challenging. Psychopaths are boredom-driven people.

Their methods and victims' demography are vastly different!

Well, then all Brian has to do is to come forward for the 1991 NHI killings to prove he is no stranger to experimenting with different M.O.s. The police will know he’s telling the truth because he was photographed outside each crime scene. But I got to say, convincing the cops that you built not one, not two, but THREE different serial killer alter-egos is diabolical.

Brian literally has participated on the latest BHB killings, including Phillip Barnes and George King. He knows Dexter’s ritual by hearth. And even if all of that is not enough convince the cops he’s the Butcher, he still has another ace in the hole:

“I kept trophies, you know. Little blood slides inside a rosewood box. Why don’t you guys take a look around and see if you can find them?”

Dexter, who has been watching the interrogation, immediately understands the message. He runs to his apartment to take the blood slides and plant them in the cabin or in another location associated with Brian. And with that, it’s done. The Ice Truck Killer is the Bay Harbor Butcher.

In a couple of years’ time, Brian Moser is to stand trial for at least 78 counts of murder in the first-degree, as well as two counts of attempted murder in the first degree, one against Batista and the other against Debra. The defendant is to be convicted and sentenced to die at the electric chair. Dexter Morgan walks away unscarred.

Or so he may have thought.

Because there’s still a wild card in the game that everyone forgot. Brian Moser’s accomplice and “soulmate”, Lila West. Tears roll down her eyes as she watches in the news her beloved being dragged away like an animal by none other than his bitchy ex. She can not accept this. She can’t possibly accept this.

So she stalks Debra into the hotel room where she has been staying with her boyfriend Frank Lundy. She waits for them to sleep. She then creeps inside, using the door picking method she learned from Dexter himself. She lets the gas running and flees the scene. In a few minutes, Lundy’s room goes up in smoke.

C) Frank Lundy.

D) Debra Morgan.

E) Possibly other guests.

And then she suffers the slowest, most painful death the real Bay Harbor Butcher ever gave one of his victims.

F) Lila West.

###

SEASON 4

###

With Debra dead, LaGuerta hires Sam Harmon (her top pick in canon Season 6) as the new detective. The entire Trinity plot just collapses.

###

1) Deaths prevented in this timeline

A) Christine Hill. Never kills herself out of guilt for murdering Lundy because he’s already dead.

And since Lundy is dead, he never shares his Trinity theory with anyone. Dexter never stakes out the building where Lundy predicted Trinity would strike and never becomes “Kyle Butler” in order to get close to him. And without Kyle Butler, there’s no-one to save Arthur Mitchell from dying by suicide. Thus the following lives are spared as a result:

B) Stan Beaudry. The low-priority murderer that Dexter had to kill in order to frame him as Trinity.

C) Kyle Butler.

And of course…

D) Rita Morgan.

###

2) Deaths provoked in this season

A) Other killers now that Dexter has free time.

###

3) Impact on Dexter and Rita’s relationship

Dexter’s mindset after the events of Season 3 was basically what it was in canon Season 8 finale: I’m toxic, I kill everyone I care about, I would do very well to kill myself or at least fake my own death in order to protect my loved ones. I mean, a little less intense because he still doesn’t know Harry died because of him.

Yet he couldn’t abandon Rita just as she was about to give birth to Harrison, especially since she was already going through so much grief over Debra’s death. Moreover, Dexter can’t let her be a single mother to their three children. So he stays with her. As an obligation. And it starts slowly killing their marriage.

By the end of Season 4, Rita feels lonely because Dexter is never around, she found out he secretly kept his apartment and she still can sense that there’s something huge on Dexter’s chest that he’s not telling her. Add to that, Elliott is around most of the time that Dexter isn’t, and in this timeline Dexter has nobody to learn from how to reconcile a family life with serial homicide.

At the end of the Season, Dexter arrives home to find Rita crying at the table with a bottle of wine. She confesses that they only stayed together for so long because both of them felt guilty about abandoning the other in a moment of vulnerability, but it isn’t working anymore. Dexter’s heartbroken, but he agrees. Rita divorces Dexter. She is now free to start dating and eventually marrying Elliott.

###

SEASON 5

###

After his divorce, Dexter buys himself a new apartment. Why can’t he just go back to the old one? Well, in this timeline he had to sell the old apartment when Rita found out about it. He couldn’t give it to Debra like he did in canon for obvious reasons.

In order to move into the new place, he has to hire a moving van. That’s where he finds a blood trace and tracks it down to serial killer Boyd Fowler, murdering him and rescuing his victim Lumen Pierce.

He tries to convince her to leave Miami, but she insists on staying and hunting the rest of her rapists. In Episode 6, she shoots Dan Mendell and Dexter finishes him off. He then arranges the body of Lance Robinson to stage the crime scene as a bizarre sexual encounter. The only difference is that he obviously can’t send Lumen to hide in the suburban home, as his family is still living there. So he sends her to his new apartment.

###

1) Deaths prevented in this timeline

A) Rankin. To those who don’t remember, that’s the guy Dexter murdered in a fit of rage after Rita’s murder.

B) Stan Liddy. Without the murder of his wife, Quinn never started an investigation on Dexter and never hired Liddy. Their paths never cross and Liddy doesn’t die.

C) Jordan Chase. See Deaths provoked in this timeline.

###

2) Deaths provoked in this timeline.

Now is when it all ends.

Look, for the most part of the season, Lumen and Dexter’s hunt for the Barrel Girl Gang runs like it did in canon. The only change is that, since Debra is dead, no-one ever finds the final coroner report that informs of DNA of multiple perpetrators in the body of the barrel girls. Nobody pushes for the reopening of the case, so it remains closed with Boyd Fowler named as the sole culprit. Jordan calls 911 instead of Debra and Quinn directly when he attempts to have the cops arrest Dexter and Lumen on the act of murdering Alex Tilden.

It all changes on Episode 11.

Emilly Birch calls Lumen telling her that Jordan somehow learned about her talking and that he’s threatening her. Emily says she’s scared and wants to go to the police. In reality, she’s been on Jordan’s side from the start and is luring both Dexter and Lumen into a trap. Only this time, Liddy never kidnaps Dexter, so they are never separated. Dexter and Lumen go to Emily’s together.

Jordan surprises them inside. He has a gun. And he’s NOT planning to hold both Dexter and Lumen at gunpoint to take them into the camp. Would he like to have Dexter watch as he rapes and murders Lumen? Sure. But it’s just unfeasible. Dexter’s a very formidable physical opponent, and to find a way to immobilize both him and Lumen, stuck them in the trunk of his car, and finally take them to the camp without anything going wrong? All that by himself? Fuck that. Jordan is just gonna shoot Dexter blue in the face and move on. Dexter’s not Batman, no chance of him beating this situation at far-range.

A) Dexter Morgan.

Emilly panics as this was not what they agreed. Jordan shoots her too. Lumen starts screaming. She tries to fight back, but Jordan subdues her and kidnaps her into his car.

On the way to the camp, Jordan is approached by a fruit vendor who hears the screams and calls the police. Unfortunately, they won’t arrive in time. Canonically, Dexter and Lumen were discussing the disposal of the body by the time Debra had arrived.

B) Lumen Pierce.

Lumen is raped, tortured and murdered by Jordan. He then prepares to bury her at the camp. However, as he’s doing it, the cops finally arrive and Jordan is caught dead to rights. His DNA is on Lumen’s body. The ballistic markings will match his gun. There’s no way he’s going to get away with it this time.

The only question left is what remains for Dexter’s legacy.

Eventually, Dexter and Emily’s bodies are found by the police. The ballistic markings also match Jordan’s gun, leading the police to conclude Dexter was murdered by the lifesyle coach he hired to help with his divorce. They have no idea why, nor what he was doing inside Emilly’s home.

Dexter’s property  is searched for clues, and they find files on Dexter’s computer linking Jordan and other three men to the uncaught serial killer Boyd Fowler, who was responsible for the murder of twelve women. Everybody questions why the hell Dexter seems to have had so many files in his personal computer on killers that were not even under investigation. For a moment, it seems like a riddle without answer.

Until someone turns their attention to Dexter’s AC unit. A rosewood box with 17 blood slides. It looks like… it looks like the one the Bay Harbor Butcher used to keep his trophies… wait…

Holy shit.

After Jordan’s connection to the Barrel Girls Case is discovered through Dexter’s files, he’s charged with 15 counts of first-degree murder, as well as 14 counts of kidnapping, torture and rape.

Meanwhile, Brian Moser is brought in for interrogation and confronted about the blood slides found in Dexter’s apartment. He’s vague and mysterious, although the investigators note that he seems to be in his most depressive mood since the day he was brought in. The FBI struggles to find the connection between these two killers… until it’s all explained through a DNA exam. And the whole world now knows that the Ice Truck Killer took the fall for his brother, the Bay Harbor Butcher.

Rita is absolutely horrified. She remembers every time she touched that man and feels disgusted. She has no idea how she managed to survive a marriage and a divorce with him. In the end, Dexter Morgan is remembered as much more of a monster than he ever was.

Because the murders of James Doakes, Frank Lundy and Debra Morgan were never solved. So everybody just assumes it was Dexter. He murdered Doakes because he suspected him. He murdered Lundy because he was leading the hunt against him. He murdered his own sister because she arrested his serial killer brother. When Harrison is old enough to understand, he’ll insist on taking Elliott’s last name and tell everyone that he is his biological father. He’ll never want to be known as the Bay Harbor Butcher’s kid.

And the last scene in the show is Dexter Morgan’s body being cremated by the state of Florida without so much as a memorial. Because there’s no-one else in the entire world who wishes to honor the life of such a vile man. No-one but his long-lost, doomed from the start brother. But he is locked away on death row. And in enough years, he’ll be met with the exact same fate.

You know, the main reason why Brian and Dexter’s relationship didn’t work out is because of how uncompromising Brian was. He didn’t just want to be in Dexter’s life. He wanted to have him all for himself and destroy everything and everyone who could compete. That level of possessiveness was what ultimately brought about his own downfall.

Well, what if he was more realistic? What if after his first murder attempt against Debra Morgan (actually second if you count Original Sin), he accepted that killing her was not the way to win Dexter over? What if he never returned to Dexter’s apartment to finish the job and never got captured or fell victim to fratricide as a result?

Spoilers for the books: >!That’s actually what happens there. Brian escapes at the end of Book 1 and returns on Book 5. I personally think the way it was handled was a huge problem, since it takes way too long for Brian to come back and when he finally does the effects on Dexter’s life are minimal. No joke, Brian gets to openly visit Dexter’s family weekly and somehow Rita never brings up Dexter’s brother when talking to Debra. This is my chance to maybe fix this.!<

So let’s begin!

###

SEASON 1

###

1) Deaths prevented in this timeline

A) Brian Moser. Obviously. Instead of being suicided by Dexter, he retreats into hiding and starts plotting a new plan to approach him. A nationwide manhunt for Brian Moser is issued, but he should survive for quite a while. Brian is extremely elusive and resourceful, and even Travis managed to get away for half a season even though his face was publicly known. This has a major negative impact on Debra’s mental health as she now lives in constant fear of Brian ever coming back for her again.

###

SEASON 2

###

1) Deaths provoked in this timeline

A) Jimmy Sensio. Since Dexter is not depressed about Brian’s death, he never fails to bring himself to murder Sensio.

###

2) Deaths prevented in this timeline

A) Eva Arenas. Likewise, Dexter doesn’t fail to bring himself to murder Little Chino the first chance he gets, so his would-be victim lives.

B) Curtis Barnes. As Brian sets a temporary hideout in Miami, he keeps silently watching over Dexter and trying to figure out the best way to make contact again. After a while, he notices that he’s not the only one stalking Dexter, as Doakes also keeps following him almost 24/7.

When Dexter’s victims are discovered at their underwater graveyard and the Bay Harbor Butcher investigation breaks out, Brian finally decides that it’s time to reach out to his little brother once again. And he already decided precisely the way to do it.

Through the murder of Sergeant James Doakes.

There’s just no logical alternative. Doakes already (correctly) suspects that following Dexter will lead straight to the Ice Truck Killer, so trying to set up a meeting with Dexter while Doakes is still alive is incredibly risky. Also, big brothers are supposed to get their siblings out of trouble, aren’t they? Especially when they are too squeamish to do it themselves. This is a kind of apology gift of sorts.

So Brian murders Doakes right at the start of the season, knowing Dexter will work the crime scene and making sure to leave clues that only he will pick up on that will lead him to the discovery of his current location.

I know it’s underwhelming that Doakes dies so early, but hey. At least now people will actually show up at his funeral. The point here is that without Doakes, his old friend Curtis Barnes successfully escapes to Cuba after the murder of his wife instead of dying in a shootout.

C) Lila West. Since Brian already killed Doakes, she never does anything to deserve fitting the Code.

###

3) Impact on the overall plot

Dexter tracks down and confronts Brian once again. He explains that, while he abhorishes all the legacy of Harry Morgan, particularly the Code, he’ll respect Dexter’s decision to commit to the life he designed. A small part of Dexter’s mind keeps whining “Nooo Biney, killing innocent people is wrong!! I would’ve dealt with Doakes on my own!!” But honestly he can’t feel much for Doakes’ death beyond relief. Ultimately, he accepts Brian’s apology and really wants him in his life.

The brothers agree that Brian’s current hideout should only be short-term and he should get a better place soon. It’d be best if fled the country altogether, but how could he when his only living relative is right there?

In Episode 5, Lila learns that Dexter witnessed the murder of his mother as a child and gives him the (horrible) idea to confront the killer. Lila says that he shouldn’t do it alone and offers to accompany him on the trip. But this time Lila sadly can’t be along for the ride. Because there’s someone else Dexter wants… no, someone else Dexter must take to confront Jimenez. And Lila must never meet such man in person.

Because she’d recognize him as the Ice Truck Killer.

It’s perfect. The first victim of the Moser brothers as a pair. The very man who took their mother so long ago. The start of something so beautiful.

While tied up to the kill table, Jimenez reveals that the cartel found out Laura was an informant because she was having an affair with Harry. Dexter reacts with surprise and disbelief, but Brian calmly explains that he already knew this and sneers at Dexter’s idealized image of Harry being shattered. The pain and confusion Dexter feels are sharp, but with Brian edging him on, that only pushes him to end it all with the electric chainsaw.

The brothers then dispose of his remains in the ocean. Brian’s first kill BHB style. He’ll be caught by Lundy’s marina surveillance, but that’s okay because Dexter will erase the footage the next day. Brian checks Jimenez’s phone and learns he’s still in the business of dealing drugs. He insists on finding where he has his goods stashed so he can sell them and earn enough money, which will be very important now that he doesn’t have a day job. Therefore, Brian and Dexter discover the existence of the cabin in the Everglades.

You simply can’t make this up. A place located right in the middle of nowhere. You could scream your lungs out and no-one would ever hear you. The landscape is infested with alligators. You have direct access to the open sea, a cage and pounds over pounds of blow.

Where in the entirety of the whole wide world could Brian Moser feel more at home? Sure, it would welcome some improvements over time, but that’s it. That’s his long-term hideout. All it will take is Dexter making some arrangements with Jimenez’s landlord, and everything will be set up so that his brother is safe and can be regularly visited. So they can share their dark thoughts over a beer and under the moonlight as the bugs fall relentlessly upon their bodies.

Meanwhile, Lila is pretty upset. Since she didn’t accompany Dexter on his trip, he never fell asleep in her arms, Rita never learned about them sharing a bed, she never broke up with Dexter and in turn he never started dating Lila. Also, because Brian is still alive, he’s much less vulnerable and more detached in his interactions with her. She decides to check what happened in his confrontation with Jimenez and learns he went missing at the precise night Dexter went after him. Lila then deduces that Dexter is a murderer.

She confronts him about it and starts using it as levearage to blackmail Dexter into a relationship, similarly to what she did in canon when she falsely accused Batista of rape. They go back-and-forth with it for a while, until Lila becomes so desperately obsessed with Dexter that she starts stalking him by spying on his GPS history like she did in canon. And like in canon, she finds the cabin in the Everglades.

And runs straight into the Ice Truck Killer.

Well, it’s obvious that Brian’s first instinct is to murder her on the spot, but he stops himself once she reveals she knows Dexter. He then locks her up inside the cage so he can first consult with his brother before deciding what to do next.

Dexter arrives as soon as possible and immediately de-escalates the situation by letting Lila out of her cell so they can talk it over. It’s not like she could outrun them anyway. Dexter confesses that he is indeed the Ice Truck Killer’s brother and that he’s been sheltering him from the authorities ever since he was identified. You can imagine he response.

Lila: Dextah! I had no idea! Your brother is so lucky to have you! That’s what you do for the people you care about in your life. I knew that’s who you was since the first time I saw you.

Lila then asks if Dexter actually killed Jimenez. Before he can answer, Brian cuts him off saying “No. It was me”. She nods her head. Lila then concludes that this whole thing was just a huge misunderstanding. Now it makes sense. All of the things she saw on Dexter were actually just a projection from his brother. That’s why they couldn’t be together.

The Moser brothers exchange a look. They politely ask that Lila excuse them for a moment so they can speak in private outside.

Well, this woman is obviously insane, but what are we going to do about it? It’s tricky. Dexter acknowledges that she’s definitely dangerous and unpredictable, but he isn’t all for killing her because she still doesn’t fit the Code. And surprisingly… Brian agrees. Just not for the same reason.

You see, Brian and Dexter have set thing up in such a way that Dexter can visit somewhat regularly, but… it’s not like he can be there all the time. He still has a life of his own. And what’s Brian to do for all the hours where Dexter isn’t there and he’s not busy with his drug dealing/serial killer business? I doubt he’d prefer to spend all of this time watching TV.

That’s it boys. Another thing brothers do for each other. Set them up with the girls! I have no idea of how a Brian and Lila relationship would look like in the long-run, but I’d definitely watch it as an ongoing subplot.

In other news, the drug dealers associated with Jimenez who are canonically killed by Dexter are probably killed by Brian in this timeline to ensure that the cabin remains a secret.

Since in this version of the story Dexter never fell in love with Lila, he was never inspired by her to take matters into his own hands. Therefore he never thought of sending the Bay Harbor Butcher manifesto to throw off the investigation, and as such Lundy never deduced that the suspect could be someone in law enforcement, nor confirmed it by taking a closer look to how the police investigated the victims’ cases. Dexter continues playing defensively and as such the BHB investigation is not closed just yet.

Dexter never loses his box of blood slides nor learns from Doakes that Harry actually died by suicide.

###

SEASON 3

###

Throughout the Season, Dexter has been slowly integrating Brian into his kill ritual. And after a while when the trust grows, Lila too. It’s perfect. He loves killing with his brother and she loves killing with her man. They form a cult of sorts where Dexter tries to keep those two as busy as possible because he doesn’t like not knowing, but also doesn’t dare to ask what they’re up to when they’re by themselves.

###

1) Deaths prevented in this timeline

A) Oscar Prado. Something you might not have realized while reading the Season 2 section is just how much of Dexter’s time was spared. He killed Little Chino and Jimenez the first chance he got. He didn’t have to deal with José Garza or the Famosa brothers. He didn’t have to keep a hostage in a cage for several days or frame him for his crimes. He didn’t have to book a flight to Paris to murder Lila. His last kill was Ken Olson in Episode 6.

Add to that the fact that Brian is likely helping with at least some of the kills, and you get even more free time. With that much efficiency, the killers taken out by Dexter in canon end up being taken out earlier. Dexter confronts Freebo at the very least a day before he did in canon. That means Oscar isn’t there and doesn’t get caught in the crossfire.

Oscar being alive means Dexter never goes to his funeral and never begins a friendship with his brother Miguel Prado. That results in this entire plotline being aborted, and the survival of every person killed by Dexter due to help or privileged information provided by Miguel, as well as the people killed by Miguel himself.

B) Ethan Turner.

C) Clemson Galt.

D) Billy Fleeter.

E) Ellen Wolf.

F) Miguel Prado.

Also…

G) Future victims of other murderers killed by Dexter’s cult.

###

2) Deaths provoked in this timeline

A) Future victims of B through D in the list above.

B) Other murderers now that Dexter cleared out a lot of free time.

Since the Bay Harbor Butcher investigation is still ongoing and Lundy is still around, Debra never falls in love with Anton. She still warns him about Miami Metro using him as bait to lure in the Skinner because she fells guilty about what happened to Wendell. However, since he isn’t in love with her, he actually leaves Miami instead of staying around to help her in her case. As a result, Anton is never captured and tortured by the Skinner, nor learns he was an irregular C.I.

Debra still figures out the pattern of the Skinner using tree trimming as a cover to kill, and he’s still arrested and released due to lack of evidence. Dexter then finds proof that George King fits the Code and captures him so he can be murdered by his cult and turned into a blood slide.

As Dexter is about to marry Rita, he monologues about how both of his families are growing now. But will he be able to find the balance and stop them from destroying each other? Soon it’ll be the one year anniversary of the Bay Harbor Butcher investigation, and as much as anyone would wish, Dexter knows the police can’t keep following the same cold trail forever. If he could just stall them for long enough…

Alas, if only he could.

Lundy cannot find anything about the 19 known Bay Harbor Butcher victims that leads to a suspect, so he switches the angle of the investigation. He starts looking for the ones that came after the start of the case. He already assumes that the Butches is still killing, so he figures he only found a more reliable way to dispose of the bodies. Therefore, Lundy starts reviewing disappearances of murder suspects in the area of Miami. It would be a huge problem for Dexter if Santos Jimenez was on that list, but fortunately he lived in Naples. But you know who will be in the list? We know it because Maria LaGuerta did this exact same thing in canon when she was trying to prove the Butcher was still active, and we know that this murderer was killed in the period between Seasons 2 and 3.

Phillip Barnes. The wedding photographer who killed young women. Canonically Dexter’s first kill after Lila. Like LaGuerta in canon, Lundy interviews Barnes’ family and acquires a box of pictures from the wedding reception where he went missing. He knows it’ll be useless, since even if the Butcher was somehow caught on camera, there’s no way he could be recognized. He leaves it aside at his apartment but tells Debra she’s welcome to review them if she’s bored. As so she does. She just absentent-mindedly skims through the hundreds of photos until her eyes catch a familiar face.

And by “familiar”, I mean someone who is literally from her family. Her brother.

She frowns. Debra grabs her phone and calls Dexter in private. She calmly asks him what the hell is he doing in this wedding of a couple he doesn’t even know. Dead silence. When Debra asks if he’s listening, Dexter spits out a lame excuse and asks if he could see her that night. Debra pauses. Dexter asks her to bring the picture to avoid any misunderstanding with Lundy. “Sure”, Debra says.

After Dexter finishes moving to the suburban house, if he secretly keeps his apartment to hide his serial killer stuff. One night he returns there. To find Debra. Alone. A despondent look in her eyes. His kill tools are laid out on the table, as well as two boxes of blood slides.

Debra: Did you kill all these people?

Dexter: …I did.

Debra: Are you… Are you a serial killer?

Dexter: Yes.

Now on to the final episodes. We’re close.

Debra has her break down about the revelation until she ultimately decides to spare Dexter from arrest and instead trying to fix his homicidal addiction. However, she can’t follow her canon plan of being with Dexter 24/7 because he is recently married and Lundy will become suspicious if she suddenly stops spending time alone with him. So instead to make sure he’s not killing, Debra secretly plants a tracking device on Dexter’s car, like she did in Season 8 when she suspected he was helping Hannah behind her back. And this tracking device inevitably takes her to the one location she should never find.

The cabin in the Everglades.

“God, Dex. What did you do?”

Inside the cabin, the following dialogue takes place.

Brian: She’s left you no choice, little brother. It’s time you finally do what you should’ve done a year ago.

Dexter: No, Brian. You don’t understand. I can’t live without her. She’s the only person who knows who I really am and still accepts me.

Brian: The only person?! What about me? Your actual brother who’s been by your side this whole time?

[Silence]

Brian: She doesn’t accept you, Dex. She’s trying to mold you into something you’re not, just like your fake father tried before her, and look what that got you into. 

Dexter: But what if she’s right? What if I was never meant to be a killer? I’m about to be a father now, Brian. I can’t keep doing this forever…

Brian: God, look what she did to you. This is exactly what I was trying to save you from. What? You think I tried to kill her because I was selfish? I TRIED TO KILL HER BECAUSE I KNEW IT WOULD END UP LIKE THAT!

[They hear the sound of a car approaching.]

Dexter: Oh, perfect. Now Lila is here too…

Brian: That’s not Lila. Lila was not supposed to—

[Debra pommels through the door, gun in hand.]

Debra: What— What the fuck—

Dexter: Debra… What are you doing here?

Debra: M-Me? WHAT THE FUCK IS HE DOING HERE?

Brian: [Smiles] Surprise!

Dexter: Debra, for the love of God, just put down the gun and we can figure this out! Let’s just talk!

Debra: Are you out of your FUCKING mind? What even fucking is this? Oh God…

Dexter: Debra, please, I beg of you, he’s my brother, I swear he’s not gonna hurt you, just PLEASE let’s come home!

Debra: [Sobs incontrollably] Dex, I can’t believe you did this to me…

Brian: [Slowly pulls out a knife.]

Dexter: STOP! BRIAN, STOP!

Debra: [Shoots Brian. He falls to the ground.]

Dexter: BRIAN!!

Brian: Ufff. Go. I’ll be okay, little brother. Now get the hell out of here.

Debra: All units available, this is Detective Debra Morgan calling from the Everglades. I… I HAVE LOCATED THE ICE TRUCK KILLER. Suspect Brian Moser is here and he has been shot. I repeat, suspect has been shot.

Dexter then flees the Everglades before all of Miami Metro Homicide surrounds the place. Brian receives medical attention for his gunshot and is immediately taken into custody. Debra is elated as a hero for finding the Ice Truck Killer on her own. She claims she was just following an anonymous tip.

Upon being booked and put into the system, Brian Moser waives his right to counsel. In the interrogation room, he decides to take the only logical move still available for him. He already lost. No matter what he says or what he does, he’s being sentenced to death. He can’t help himself anymore. But he can still help the only person he cares about in the world. He can still be a big brother one last time and save Dexter, something he couldn’t do when they were kids.

By confessing to all of the Bay Harbor Butcher killings.

When you think about it, there isn’t really anything to stop him from doing this. All arguments against it can be easily refuted.

But the Ice Truck Killer targeted innocent people while the Bay Harbor Butcher clearly had a moral code! How can they be one and the same?

Who’s to say the Bay Harbor Butcher targeted killers because of ethics? He might only be looking after the dominance of being the “apex predator”, the terror among terrors. Or because he believed the police wouldn’t work so hard in trying to find him if the victims were murderers.

But the BHB hid his victims’ bodies, while the ITK left them exposed!

Brian could also claim that he kept a low-profile for years before becoming bored and deciding to try something new and more challenging. Psychopaths are boredom-driven people.

Their methods and victims' demography are vastly different!

Well, then all Brian has to do is to come forward for the 1991 NHI killings to prove he is no stranger to experimenting with different M.O.s. The police will know he’s telling the truth because he was photographed outside each crime scene. But I got to say, convincing the cops that you built not one, not two, but THREE different serial killer alter-egos is diabolical.

Brian literally has participated on the latest BHB killings, including Phillip Barnes and George King. He knows Dexter’s ritual by hearth. And even if all of that is not enough convince the cops he’s the Butcher, he still has another ace in the hole:

“I kept trophies, you know. Little blood slides inside a rosewood box. Why don’t you guys take a look around and see if you can find them?”

Dexter, who has been watching the interrogation, immediately understands the message. He runs to his apartment to take the blood slides and plant them in the cabin or in another location associated with Brian. And with that, it’s done. The Ice Truck Killer is the Bay Harbor Butcher.

In a couple of years’ time, Brian Moser is to stand trial for at least 78 counts of murder in the first-degree, as well as two counts of attempted murder in the first degree, one against Batista and the other against Debra. The defendant is to be convicted and sentenced to die at the electric chair. Dexter Morgan walks away unscarred.

Or so he may have thought.

Because there’s still a wild card in the game that everyone forgot. Brian Moser’s accomplice and “soulmate”, Lila West. Tears roll down her eyes as she watches in the news her beloved being dragged away like an animal by none other than his bitchy ex. She can not accept this. She can’t possibly accept this.

So she stalks Debra into the hotel room where she has been staying with her boyfriend Frank Lundy. She waits for them to sleep. She then creeps inside, using the door picking method she learned from Dexter himself. She lets the gas running and flees the scene. In a few minutes, Lundy’s room goes up in smoke.

C) Frank Lundy.

D) Debra Morgan.

E) Possibly other guests.

And then she suffers the slowest, most painful death the real Bay Harbor Butcher ever gave one of his victims.

F) Lila West.

###

SEASON 4

###

With Debra dead, LaGuerta hires Sam Harmon (her top pick in canon Season 6) as the new detective. The entire Trinity plot just collapses.

###

1) Deaths prevented in this timeline

A) Christine Hill. Never kills herself out of guilt for murdering Lundy because he’s already dead.

And since Lundy is dead, he never shares his Trinity theory with anyone. Dexter never stakes out the building where Lundy predicted Trinity would strike and never becomes “Kyle Butler” in order to get close to him. And without Kyle Butler, there’s no-one to save Arthur Mitchell from dying by suicide. Thus the following lives are spared as a result:

B) Stan Beaudry. The low-priority murderer that Dexter had to kill in order to frame him as Trinity.

C) Kyle Butler.

And of course…

D) Rita Morgan.

###

2) Deaths provoked in this season

A) Other killers now that Dexter has free time.

###

3) Impact on Dexter and Rita’s relationship

Dexter’s mindset after the events of Season 3 was basically what it was in canon Season 8 finale: I’m toxic, I kill everyone I care about, I would do very well to kill myself or at least fake my own death in order to protect my loved ones. I mean, a little less intense because he still doesn’t know Harry died because of him.

Yet he couldn’t abandon Rita just as she was about to give birth to Harrison, especially since she was already going through so much grief over Debra’s death. Moreover, Dexter can’t let her be a single mother to their three children. So he stays with her. As an obligation. And it starts slowly killing their marriage.

By the end of Season 4, Rita feels lonely because Dexter is never around, she found out he secretly kept his apartment and she still can sense that there’s something huge on Dexter’s chest that he’s not telling her. Add to that, Elliott is around most of the time that Dexter isn’t, and in this timeline Dexter has nobody to learn from how to reconcile a family life with serial homicide.

At the end of the Season, Dexter arrives home to find Rita crying at the table with a bottle of wine. She confesses that they only stayed together for so long because both of them felt guilty about abandoning the other in a moment of vulnerability, but it isn’t working anymore. Dexter’s heartbroken, but he agrees. Rita divorces Dexter. She is now free to start dating and eventually marrying Elliott.

###

SEASON 5

###

After his divorce, Dexter buys himself a new apartment. Why can’t he just go back to the old one? Well, in this timeline he had to sell the old apartment when Rita found out about it. He couldn’t give it to Debra like he did in canon for obvious reasons.

In order to move into the new place, he has to hire a moving van. That’s where he finds a blood trace and tracks it down to serial killer Boyd Fowler, murdering him and rescuing his victim Lumen Pierce.

He tries to convince her to leave Miami, but she insists on staying and hunting the rest of her rapists. In Episode 6, she shoots Dan Mendell and Dexter finishes him off. He then arranges the body of Lance Robinson to stage the crime scene as a bizarre sexual encounter. The only difference is that he obviously can’t send Lumen to hide in the suburban home, as his family is still living there. So he sends her to his new apartment.

###

1) Deaths prevented in this timeline

A) Rankin. To those who don’t remember, that’s the guy Dexter murdered in a fit of rage after Rita’s murder.

B) Stan Liddy. Without the murder of his wife, Quinn never started an investigation on Dexter and never hired Liddy. Their paths never cross and Liddy doesn’t die.

C) Jordan Chase. See Deaths provoked in this timeline.

###

2) Deaths provoked in this timeline.

Now is when it all ends.

Look, for the most part of the season, Lumen and Dexter’s hunt for the Barrel Girl Gang runs like it did in canon. The only change is that, since Debra is dead, no-one ever finds the final coroner report that informs of DNA of multiple perpetrators in the body of the barrel girls. Nobody pushes for the reopening of the case, so it remains closed with Boyd Fowler named as the sole culprit. Jordan calls 911 instead of Debra and Quinn directly when he attempts to have the cops arrest Dexter and Lumen on the act of murdering Alex Tilden.

It all changes on Episode 11.

Emilly Birch calls Lumen telling her that Jordan somehow learned about her talking and that he’s threatening her. Emily says she’s scared and wants to go to the police. In reality, she’s been on Jordan’s side from the start and is luring both Dexter and Lumen into a trap. Only this time, Liddy never kidnaps Dexter, so they are never separated. Dexter and Lumen go to Emily’s together.

Jordan surprises them inside. He has a gun. And he’s NOT planning to hold both Dexter and Lumen at gunpoint to take them into the camp. Would he like to have Dexter watch as he rapes and murders Lumen? Sure. But it’s just unfeasible. Dexter’s a very formidable physical opponent, and to find a way to immobilize both him and Lumen, stuck them in the trunk of his car, and finally take them to the camp without anything going wrong? All that by himself? Fuck that. Jordan is just gonna shoot Dexter blue in the face and move on. Dexter’s not Batman, no chance of him beating this situation at far-range.

A) Dexter Morgan.

Emilly panics as this was not what they agreed. Jordan shoots her too. Lumen starts screaming. She tries to fight back, but Jordan subdues her and kidnaps her into his car.

On the way to the camp, Jordan is approached by a fruit vendor who hears the screams and calls the police. Unfortunately, they won’t arrive in time. Canonically, Dexter and Lumen were discussing the disposal of the body by the time Debra had arrived.

B) Lumen Pierce.

Lumen is raped, tortured and murdered by Jordan. He then prepares to bury her at the camp. However, as he’s doing it, the cops finally arrive and Jordan is caught dead to rights. His DNA is on Lumen’s body. The ballistic markings will match his gun. There’s no way he’s going to get away with it this time.

The only question left is what remains for Dexter’s legacy.

Eventually, Dexter and Emily’s bodies are found by the police. The ballistic markings also match Jordan’s gun, leading the police to conclude Dexter was murdered by the lifesyle coach he hired to help with his divorce. They have no idea why, nor what he was doing inside Emilly’s home.

Dexter’s property  is searched for clues, and they find files on Dexter’s computer linking Jordan and other three men to the uncaught serial killer Boyd Fowler, who was responsible for the murder of twelve women. Everybody questions why the hell Dexter seems to have had so many files in his personal computer on killers that were not even under investigation. For a moment, it seems like a riddle without answer.

Until someone turns their attention to Dexter’s AC unit. A rosewood box with 17 blood slides. It looks like… it looks like the one the Bay Harbor Butcher used to keep his trophies… wait…

Holy shit.

After Jordan’s connection to the Barrel Girls Case is discovered through Dexter’s files, he’s charged with 15 counts of first-degree murder, as well as 14 counts of kidnapping, torture and rape.

Meanwhile, Brian Moser is brought in for interrogation and confronted about the blood slides found in Dexter’s apartment. He’s vague and mysterious, although the investigators note that he seems to be in his most depressive mood since the day he was brought in. The FBI struggles to find the connection between these two killers… until it’s all explained through a DNA exam. And the whole world now knows that the Ice Truck Killer took the fall for his brother, the Bay Harbor Butcher.

Rita is absolutely horrified. She remembers every time she touched that man and feels disgusted. She has no idea how she managed to survive a marriage and a divorce with him. In the end, Dexter Morgan is remembered as much more of a monster than he ever was.

Because the murders of James Doakes, Frank Lundy and Debra Morgan were never solved. So everybody just assumes it was Dexter. He murdered Doakes because he suspected him. He murdered Lundy because he was leading the hunt against him. He murdered his own sister because she arrested his serial killer brother. When Harrison is old enough to understand, he’ll insist on taking Elliott’s last name and tell everyone that he is his biological father. He’ll never want to be known as the Bay Harbor Butcher’s kid.

And the last scene in the show is Dexter Morgan’s body being cremated by the state of Florida without so much as a memorial. Because there’s no-one else in the entire world who wishes to honor the life of such a vile man. No-one but his long-lost, doomed from the start brother. But he is locked away on death row. And in enough years, he’ll be met with the exact same fate.

How many of you actually remember Esmée Pascal?

The Dexter Wiki describes her as a “Homicide Lieutenant, Cheated-On Fiancée. She is a Haitian-American police officer who is considered a "real up-and-comer." After being shot in the line of duty, she is promoted to Lieutenant.”

You might otherwise remember her as the woman who temporarily replaced LaGuerta as Lieutenant. Of course, a master manipulator that she is, LaGuerta quickly took care of that situation by initiating an affair with her fiancée Bertrand and provoking a state of emotional distress against her in order to undermine her leadership. But the question that nobody has ever asked, and that I intend on answering today is… what if LaGuerta never had her way?

What if Pascal was the one who won that day? What if she somehow learned that LaGuerta was the one behind it and managed to expose her little scheme to Captain Matthews instead of making a scene in front of the whole station?

Well. We’re about to find out.

###

SEASON 2

###

First consequence: Goodbye, Detective LaGuerta.

Look, having an affair with one of your coworker’s significant other is already bad enough. But if she’s your superior? And if you engaged in that behaviour not just to get laid, but for the very purpose of sabotaging your own department so you could replace the current leadership? And to top all of that up, is right after LaGuerta was already in hot waters with the police board because Matthews managed to pin the blame for the Neil Perry fiasco on her and managed to have her demoted. She is done. First suspension, then an Internal Affairs investigation, and finally termination. Lieutenant Pascal, on the other hand, is here to stay.

It’s to her that Dexter takes his formal complaint against Doakes on Episode 6. Since she has no loyalty to him whatsoever, she immediately suspends him once it’s confirmed that he was indeed stalking, harassing and bullying Dexter, instead of convincing him to wait before registering a complaint. The iconic “I Own You” scene never happens.

The events of the season go otherwise unchanged.

###

SEASON 3

###

Pascal is the one who starts a friendship with Ellen Wolf after providing her with evidence that exonerates her client Chicky Hines.

Unlike LaGuerta, Pascal never has an affair with Miguel and as such never learns he has a car that resembles the one that was seen leaving the crime scene of Ellen’s home-office, nor hears from his wife that he was away from home on the night of her murder. Pascal never suspects Miguel and he never attempts to murder her.

###

1) Deaths Prevented in this Timeline

A) George King. Since Pascal has no shared past with Miguel Prado, she never asks him the illegal favor of offering King a plea deal without his attorney present to trick him into a confession. Therefore, Miguel never gets to sit in the interrogation room alone with him with the camera off, and as such he never gets the chance to manipulate King into targeting Dexter. That means that, instead of being killed by Dexter in self-defense, the Skinner is located by the police still alive and arrested.

I thought that the Skinner living could be a problem, since he would confess to all of the murder except for Miguel’s. That would cast serious doubt on Dexter’s narrative since it’s pretty weird for a killer to confess to three murders but deny the fourth one, unless he’s actually innocent of that one. But after I gave it more thought, I realized that, given his behaviour while interrogated, King is much more likely to take the Fifth and plead not guilty to all of the charges. And even if the cops found out it wasn’t him, Miguel was an assistant district attorney. A lot of people could want him dead, and the police have zero reason to suspect Dexter.

###

2) Deaths provoked in this timeline

A) Ramon Prado. After Dexter exposes the body of Ellen Wolf, Miguel decides that he’s already outlived his usefulness and starts plotting his death. However, as stated, he can’t use the Skinner as a pawn. But this dark king still has a knight waiting to make his move…

Ramon Prado.

Miguel approaches Ramon and claims that he found out that Dexter was the one who killed their brother Oscar, but is being protected by Miami Metro. Ramon already hates Dexter and distrusts Miami Metro, and he’s blinded by rage so it’s very easy to convince him of this lie. I mean… actually it’s not even a lie. As a matter of fact, Dexter did kill Oscar. But Miguel has no idea of that, so ironically by trying to lie to his brother, he actually told him the truth.

Once Ramon is not acting as his bodyguard anymore, it becomes easy for Dexter to capture Miguel

“I killed my brother. I killed yours too.”

The sad thing comes after Miguel’s murder. Because this time it’s impossible for Dexter and Ramon to find a peaceful resolution to their conflict. Not when Ramon believes (correctly) that Dexter killed both of his brothers. So as soon as he’s released, Dexter has no choice but to kill him. The fourth kill outside the Code and the third Prado brother to perish by Dexter’s hand.

###

3) Impact on the Season finale

It’s funny how much of LaGuerta’s job in canon was covering up stuff.

Take this season finale for example. Both Batista and Debra fucked up big-time by thinking with their respective metaphorical dicks, and LaGuerta was the one who made sure it was never found out. Debra initiated a sexual relationship with a criminal informant during an active investigation, which is…  hell, at least her daddy would be proud. Batista just tried to hire a hooker, but that alone was enough to have Matthews, a Captain, terminated in canon. And LaGuerta was there to ensure that the consequences never found both of them.

But with Pascal? Who has no loyalty to them whatsoever?

They’re going down.

So it’s not even a year since Doakes and LaGuerta left us and the Miami Metro family is already suffering two new losses. Two heavy losses. Good luck in your next path, you two.

###

SEASON 4

###

With two spots open in the Miami Metro gang, both Mike Anderson and Sam Harmon (LaGuerta’s top pick for Detective in Season 6) are introduced. Mike’s the one to take Batista’s place as Sergeant.

After their careers in Homicide are over, Debra moves to the private sector working for Jacob Elway, while Batista opens up a restaurant. That way, he never loses contact with his old coworkers, who all go to dine there regularly. That includes LaGuerta.

They start dating like in canon, only that this time they don’t have to hide it or rush to marry.

As for Debra, her relationship with Anton stands on this timeline. That’s because of something called the Sunk-Cost Fallacy. You see, the more you have already invested or lost on a decision, the less likely it is that you’ll back down from it, even when evidence suggests that might be the optimal choice. That’s because it’s very emotionally upsetting to admit that your sacrifice was for naught, and even more so in the event that it was indeed the correct decision but you gave up the last second before the payout. My point is that Debra has already lost her dream of a career in law enforcement in this timeline because of Anton. She doesn’t blame him, it was her choice after all, but if she already lost that much, she’s sure as hell making it work.

More importantly, not working on Miami Metro means not having to see Lundy once he’s back in town. She’s not going to seek him out, as in canon she was actively trying to stop herself from falling for him again, and he also won’t try and intrude in her new life. Whatever remainder of a love triangle there still existed in her mind is snuffed out when Lundy is gunned down by Christine Hill in Episode 4. This time, Debra isn’t there with him and doesn’t get shot.
 
That means Dexter isn’t relieved from working the crime scene and also that he doesn’t have Debra’s shooting as a motivator to find Trinity. That being said, he should still break into Lundy’s room and steal his case log, as he deeply respected Lundy and wants to personally punish Trinity for his murder. Also, any serial killer THAT prolific earns a special place in Dexter’s heart.

And Debra not working on Miami Metro anymore has another huge consequence: no such thing as a “Trinity Killer Investigation”. Canonically, everybody else was either uninterested or oblivious about Lundy’s theory, dismissing it as a conspiracy theory without any legs. Now Dexter is the only person left in the station who takes it seriously, and he sure as hell ain’t opening his mouth about a goddamn thing.

So no cop interference. Just Dexter and Arthur. Let’s go.

###

1) Deaths prevented in this timeline

A) Johny Rose. Since Batista is not working for Miami Metro anymore, he doesn’t have the idea to slip to the press that Johny had syphilis in order to turn his girlfriend Nikki Wald against him. So instead of her murdering him, they’re both eventually caught by the police and arrested.

B) Stan Beaudry. Since the police aren't investigating Trinity, Dexter doesn’t need to frame and murder a low-priority target to buy himself time to catch Arthur.

C) Christine Hill. Debra never being shot means Christine never keeps pestering her about giving an interview and never accidentally slips information that only Lundy’s killer would know. That means she’s never suspected of murdering Lundy, never turns to her father for support and never gets unconditionally rejected by him. So she doesn’t die by suicide. Even when her dad goes missing, her reaction wouldn’t be to kill herself, but trying to find out what happened to him.

Of course, Arthur’s house is never raided and the Mitchells are never placed in witness protection.

The events of the season, including the murder of Rita Morgan, go otherwise unchanged.

###

SEASON 5

###

What comforting words does poor widowed Dexter gets to hear from his cop friends after being devastated about the brutal killing of his wife in this timeline? I confess there’s no way to determine the precise wording, but I’m guessing it’s something like this…

“Dexter Morgan, you are under arrest for the murder of Rita Morgan. You have the right to remain silent. Everything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided to you at no cost.”

That becomes inevitable due to several reasons:

A) As stated, “Trinity” became just a forgotten theory at this point, so nobody assumes he was the culprit.

B) Dexter has no verifiable alibi for the murder, since he was hiding inside Arthur’s car at the time it took place, something he obviously can’t tell the cops.

C) Dexter’s brutal coldness and emotional detachment in his 911 call.

D) Elliott will immediately come forward and reveal that Rita had kissed him shortly before she died, something that’ll be backed-up by Masuka, giving Dexter motive.

E) The M.O. closely resembles the murder of Lisa Bell, a crime scene worked by Dexter.

F) Basically all the people who trusted him (LaGuerta, Batista, Debra) are gone from Miami Metro. And they are the ones handling the case in this timeline, NOT the FBI.

G) The final nail in the coffin is Dexter absent-mindedly saying “I did this” when the police arrive.

Debra suffers from a panic attack as her brother is taken away in handcuffs while her sister-in-law’s body is wrapped on a sheet. The ultimate irony is that Dexter Morgan, a man who got away with murder dozens of times, is finally being arrested, but this time for a crime he did not commit.

###

1) Deaths provoked in this timeline.

A) Robert Brunner. Dexter’s only staying in jail until his arraignment, upon which he’s allowed to await trial at liberty. His criminal record is unblemished, the evidence against him is circumstantial, he’s white, and Debra will deposit all of her life savings to make sure that he has the best lawyer in town (that would be Frank Kraunauer, for those who read the books). There are, although, two obvious restrictions to Dexter’s freedom while he awaits trial: he can’t leave Miami without the judge’s permission, and he’s suspended from working in Miami Metro until the investigation is concluded.

That means he doesn’t have access to the Federal Fingerprints Database.

He doesn’t need it to track down Boyd Fowler, though. He finds him and rescues Lumen through a blood stain in his moving van, just like he did in canon. He has everything he needs for this at home.

However, when he returns to Boyd’s home to search for clues on his accomplices and finds new blood traces and fingerprints, he can’t match those to Lumen. Therefore he remains under the suspicion that those belong to an accomplice seeking to cover his tracks and never traces Lumen again nor stops her from murdering a man that, while guilty of rape, was not one of her assailants.

Lumen shoots a man in broad daylight. With her face exposed. Several people around. Her prints on the gun since she’s not wearing gloves. There’s just no way she’s getting with it.

###

2) Deaths prevented in this timeline

A) Rankin. That’s the guy whom Dexter murdered in a fit of rage when he left Miami on Episode 1. Obviously he can’t do that from jail.

B) Cole Harmon. After Lumen is arrested, she explains the motivation of her crime to the police, and they in turn start investigating the Barrel Girls case even before the accident that started the case in canon. When this accident does happen, Lumen immediately recognizes the owner of the vehicle Cole Harmon as one of the rapists (as he was the only one who’d take her blindfold off). Through Lumen’s testimony and DNA evidence, Harmon is arrested before Dexter can ever get to him.

Lumen will also name Boyd to the police, as she knows both his name and his address. His disappearance will be interpreted as him fleeing the country. Combing through all the evidence in the homes of both Boyd and Cole, Miami Metro will quickly find clues that’ll lead to the arrest of two other perpetrators:

C) Dan Mendell.

D) Alex Tilden.

The only one who gets away is Jordan Chase, as his DNA is not in any of the victims and his connection to the other rapist-murderers is circumstantial.

E) Emilly Birch. Remains irrelevant to the story, so Jordan doesn’t murder her.

F) Stan Liddy. Since the entire department is investigating Dexter in an official capacity, Quinn never needs to recruit the help of a corrupt ex-cop to go after him.

And finally, without Dexter, nobody ever finds a cigarette butt with fingerprints leading to the identification of the Fuentes brothers as the Santa Muerte killers. The police don't go after them and the Club Mayan shootout never happens.

G) Yasmin Aragon

H) Unnamed bystander.

I) Carlos Fuentes.

###

3) Impact on the overall plot

Although a lot of free time has been cleared for Dexter now that he doesn’t have to work his day job or hunt down Jordan’s ring, I still don’t think he’s using it to collect extra blood slides, beyond Boyd Fowler and Lance Robinson. That’s because, as stated, he’s short of the resources provided by Miami Metro, which were always a fundamental asset in his night goings, and because he must keep a low-profile while he’s being investigated for murder. Lance is an exception because they chatted over the Internet and Lance didn’t actually see his face until meeting him in person.

When Olivia and Astor go to the suburban home at the middle of the Season, they actually find the place empty. Lumen isn’t there to see Olivia’s bruises and Astor doesn’t trust Dexter because she still thinks he killed her mother. That results in Dexter never intervening and Olivia keeps being abused by her stepfather.

Let’s take a step all the way back to Episode 1.

Debra doesn’t believe for a moment that Dexter could be guilty of what he’s being accused of. She is his only shot at proving his innocence. The only person on his side with both the abilities AND the resources (Elway’s agency) to prove the existence of the Trinity Killer in court.

During her very first visit, he explains that Lundy was investigating a serial killer in Miami that killed in threes, and that he is very confident that this killer was behind Rita’s murder. Debra is very doubtful, especially because the supposed pattern doesn’t fit at all. Since Arthur is dead, after Rita’s bathtub murder, there won’t be a mother jumping to her death or a bludgeoning of a father. Dexter insists that he is positive that it was the Trinity Killer, although he can’t tell Debra how. That complicates things a lot.

But things are about to reach a whole new level of complicated. All because of one forgotten individual.

Sally Mitchell.

You see, in this timeline, the police never raided her home. She still doesn’t know that her husband was a serial killer. I want you to take a second and try to analyze the situation from her perspective.

You’re married to a man who maintains a reputation as a pillar to his community, while being abusive to your family behind closed doors. One day, a stranger named Kyle Butler shoehorns himself into your husband’s life and starts hanging out with him. A lot. Until he eventually witnesses the abuse himself and even threatens your husband with a knife, saying that he “should’ve killed him when he had the chance”. A couple of days later, your husband crashes out at your home demanding all of your family’s money. After that, he disappears and is never seen again. Kyle is also nowhere to be seen.

Until you’re watching the news one night and see Kyle’s face. Except his name is not Kyle at all and he’s being arrested for killing his wife.

How are you supposed to make sense of this?

In canon the Mitchells didn’t have a very clear idea of what exactly Dexter had done. But they understood that Arthur was a serial killer, Dexter protected them from him, and his wife died. It only makes sense for them to spare Dexter from an investigation of whatever actually happened in this mess. Most importantly, they don’t know that Dexter killed Arthur, although Jonah guesses it during their recounter in Nebraska.

In this timeline, things look a LOT less ambiguous. From the Mitchells’ perspective, what it seems like is that Dexter infiltrated their family, learned about the abuse, tried to use this to extort Arthur for money, and finally murdered him when that failed. Rita somehow got caught along the crossfire.

So Sally is coming forward and she’s telling the cops everything. Dexter is now a suspect not only for Rita’s murder, but for Arthur’s too.

The case is getting progressively more complex. Whatever defense narrative will Dexter pull off now? Well, I can only see one. It goes like this:

“I know this is hard to explain. But it’s also the truth. And the truth is that I can’t move on because the murder of my wife was actually my fault.

A couple of months ago, retired Special Agent Frank Lundy came to Miami to consult on the murder of Lisa Bell. Agent Lundy and I had met two years ago when I was part of his task-force in the Bay Harbor Butcher case. We became somewhat close during the time when he briefly dated my sister Debra, who has since left the force.

Lundy shared with me details of his theory that Ms. Bell had died at the hands of a serial killer he monikered as “the Trinity Killer”. He also theorized that later homicide victim Tarla Grant was also targeted by Trinity. But Lundy’s theory received no support among the cops of Miami Metro, even after his own murder and the killing of a final victim in the location where he predicted that Trinity would strike.

So I took the… [sighs] … the very ill-advised decision to investigate his main suspect on my own. Arthur Mitchell. For weeks, I’ve gotten close to him under the alias of “Kyle Butler”. I was just trying to expose him as a killer so he would be arrested and never hurt anyone again, but… eventually he found out my true name. He found out that I worked for Miami Metro, and he threatened my family so I would back off. And I did. But by then it was too late. I arrived home one night and found my wife murdered by the very M.O. Lundy described. Arthur was already gone. Given he ransacked all of his family’s savings, I believe he fled the country.”

The wording will change based on who he’s addressing (Debra, his lawyer or the investigators), but that’s the overall message. He won’t say a word about learning that Trinity actually killed in fours or witnessing and interfering with the abduction of little Scott, as he’ll be in even more hot waters if it’s found out he saw a child being kidnapped and failed to alert the police.

Well, the investigation goes back-and-forth throughout the season until they manage to uncover that Dexter’s version of events was true. (It wasn’t fully true, but close enough). Even though they cannot prove that Dexter didn’t murder Arthur, there’s more than enough reasonable doubt to acquit him. Dexter is cleared from both murder charges, and the jurisdiction of his case is transferred to the FBI. The Mitchells are put on witness protection. Dexter is also offered a place on the program, but politely declines, arguing he wants to be with his family and return to his job.

Dexter’s suspension ends and he’s welcomed back into his old position as a blood spatter analyst with open arms. His popularity has skyrocketed now that everybody feels guilty for not listening to Lundy and putting him through so much trouble after Rita’s murder when he was completely innocent. Dexter smiles and lets them know that it’s all forgiven. In a way, this is a rebirth for him after Rita’s death.

First order of business in the first day back on the job: find proof against Jordan Chase and close this nasty loose end once and for all. It’s going to be significantly easier than in canon now that all of his pawns are dead or in prison and Miami Metro already did most of the heavy-lifting. Jordan will never let Dexter get close to him, as he’s been following the Trinity case and learned that Dexter is no stranger to getting close to murder suspects that slipped through the cracks. However, that doesn’t stop Dexter from thoroughly researching Jordan’s background, learning his birth name is Eugene Greer and investigating his holdings, finding among them an abandoned camp that would’ve served as the perfect place to hold and torture the barrel girls. Dexter searches the place without a warrant and finds traces of blood and torture. He then isolates Jordan by way of pretending to blackmail him and grabs him.

Meanwhile, after this long nightmare ends at last, Anton finally feels it’s the right time and proposes to Debra. She’s overjoyed and says yes. Everything seems to be falling into place for the Morgan siblings.

Except…

There’s still this one thing that Debra isn’t quite able to let go. It has nothing to do with Anton. It has to do with Dexter. The way he pulled out a knife on Arthur and yelled “I should’ve killed you when I had the chance!” Nobody else questions it. Who could blame a man for telling this to a highly prolific murderer who killed someone they knew and respected, especially in a moment where emotions were running so high? Yet for her this seems so… unlike Dexter’s nature. Like it’s something he’d never say.

Also, Debra can’t wrap her head around why Dexter never told her anything. If he was trying to bring Lundy’s killer to justice, why didn’t he ask her help? Especially since she, unlike him, is an actual detective? It doesn’t make any sense.

Do have in mind that this is all happening right after she found out Brian and Dexter were brothers.

After Dexter is finished disposing of Jordan Chase’s body in the ocean, he comes back to his apartment. Debra is sitting there with a despondent look in her eyes. It seems like a hurricane swept over the place. Over the table, there’s Dexter’s kill tools. And a rosewood box with 26 blood slides.

Debra: Did you kill all these people?

Dexter: … I did.

Debra: Are you…? Are you a serial killer?

Dexter: Yes.

###

SEASON 6

###

Debra has her arc of coming to reluctantly accept Dexter’s vigilantism during the timeskip between the two seasons. Her relationship with Anton struggles during the period where she devotes all her energy to making Dexter stop, but ultimately she goes back to living her own life. She’s already married to him by the start of the season.

Dexter has already given up the blood slides.

Unlike LaGuerta, Pascal is not promoted to Captain because she never blackmailed Matthews. Instead she exposed his solicitation incident, resulting in him being terminated from the force.

By now Batista and LaGuerta must be married too. They won’t divorce like in canon because they don’t work together anymore and there’s no longer a conflict between LaGuerta’s ruthless political ambition and Batista’s impulsive and emotionally-driven behaviour.

Quinn already broke up with Christine by now and has started dating Jamie, though the two of them also aren’t really endgame. Louis remains single for now.

Since Debra never shot Carlos Fuentes, she never got mandatory therapy with Michelle Ross. She’s not in love with Dexter because she is happily married to Anton.

###

1) Deaths provoked in this timeline

A) Victims of the restaurant robbery. Since Quinn never proposed to Debra, he never took her to a fancy restaurant. She isn’t there to stop a robber.

That’s only the start of a whole chain of events triggered by Quinn not proposing. First, as he’s dating Jamie, he doesn’t hook up with Carissa Porter and never finds Gellar’s drawings. That, though, ultimately is irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.

What does matter is that Quinn was never rejected, so he isn’t on a spiral of daydrinking and fucking around. That means that, when Miami Metro needs to interrogate Beth, the wife of Steve Dorsey, AKA Doomsday Adam, it’s Quinn and another detective showing up together, instead of Batista showing up alone because Quinn bailed on him.

Since it’s two cops this time, instead of delivering a surprise attack and kidnapping a Sergeant, Travis must quietly flee the house with the poison bomb. Beth Dorsey becomes a person of interest in the investigation once it’s noticed how many books by Professor Gellar she and her husband possess. In other words, Travis has lost her and must recruit another fanatic for the Wormwood suicide attack. It won’t happen at the station, as Travis never acquired the Sergeant badge from a kidnapped Batista to bypass security.

The attack not happening at the station means Dexter isn’t there to stop it.

B) Victims of the Wormwood suicide attack.

C) Alberto’s hostages. See deaths prevented in this timeline.

###

2) Deaths prevented in this timeline

A) Beth Dorsey. Not used in the suicide attack.

Throughout the season, Dexter’s back-and-forth with Travis remains mostly the same. Even though Debra has come to accept him as a serial killer, their policy about this is don’t-ask-don’t-tell. Debra really doesn’t need to deal with this in her life and Dexter knows that she would never approve of him hiding Travis from the police in an attempt to fix him.

This all changes after the plot twist where Dexter learns that Gellar had been dead this whole time and Travis was working to build a poison bomb. Harry’s ghost starts pestering Dexter about how this thing has spiralled out of control and that he can no longer deal with it by himself. So he alerts the police and also his sister.

The two of them cannot stop the Wormwood Attack, but as in canon, Dexter manages to lure Travis in by playing into his delusion that he is the Beast of the Apocalypse. However, unlike in canon, Dexter is not suffering from the side effects from inhaling the poison gas and he has Debra by his side. So instead of Travis throwing Dexter in the open sea and escaping at the end of Episode 11, Debra and Dexter successfully capture him.

After Debra has Travis in handcuffs, the following dialogue takes place:

Debra: What now?

Dexter: Now… we take him back to the church.

Debra: [Nods her head with a slight anger.] I figure. Fuck, just let me know when it’s over.

Dexter: Why should I? Don’t you wanna be there when all of Miami throws you a hero parade for arresting the Doomsday Killer?

Debra: [Surprised.] You don’t mean…? You mean you don’t want to…?

Dexter: Oh but I do, Deb. I really do. But you deserve this way more than me. You were staking out the Doomsday Killer hideout in case he returned. And lo-and-behold. He actually did.

Debra: Don’t you think this will be a problem? What if he talks?

Dexter: Look at him, Deb. It’s not like anyone would listen.

Debra: [Looks at Travis.]

Travis: You two… will BURN in hell for all of eternity! The Beast… and the Whore.

Debra: Jesus. Well, if that’s what you want… Thanks Dex. It means a lot.

…

B) Alberto.

C) Unnamed police officer.

D) Travis Marshall.

###

SEASON 7

###

After Debra becomes a star as the former-cop turned private investigator who arrested Doomsday by herself, the authorities of Miami Metro finally allow her back in the house as a detective. And despite everything she built for herself with Elway all those years… in the end she’ll always be a cop.

As for this season, basically the entire plot collapses to the point that nothing happens. Almost every death that happened in canon is prevented.

###

1) Deaths prevented in this timeline

A) Melanie Garrett. Since Debra already had her arc of coming to accept Dexter, she isn’t there to stop him from murdering Ray Speltzer the first chance he gets this time. So his would-be victim lives.

B) Hector Estrada. Since LaGuerta never found a blood slide, she has no idea that Dexter is the Bay Harbor Butcher and never has the mastermind of his mother’s murder released.

C) Maria LaGuerta. Again, no idea Dexter is the Bay Harbor Butcher.

Here's the most important death prevented in this timeline:

D) Mike Anderson. Since the church never becomes a crime scene, Mike is in a different part of town altogether in this timeline, probably investigating Travis' whereabouts. That means he never runs into Viktor Baskov, finds Kaja’s body in his trunk, nor is murdered to cover up his tracks.

E) Viktor Baskov. Without Mike's murder, the police and Dexter have no idea about him, so he flies back to Kiev and reunites with Isaak without trouble. This completely erases the Koshka plotline and prevents all the following deaths:

F) Tony Rush. 

G) Louis Greene.  Yes, Dexter felt strongly tempted to murder him in canon and arguably only stopped himself because Debra was actively trying to make him stop killing people. But I'd argue that the only reason he felt that way in the first place was because Debra was putting him on edge and because he feared he wouldn't have an opportunity to kill again soon. In this timeline, however, Dexter is much more in control and tuned to the Code, so he'd do what he did in canon: get Louis fired. Of course, Louis wouldn't back down and would try to sink Dexter's boat. Since Isaak is not here to stop him, he actually succeeds. After that, Dexter would have to move in for the nuclear option and have Louis arrested. There are options: Louis committed a lot of crimes. (A) Framing Bob Henley for possession of child pornography, (B) stealing the Ice Truck Killer's prosthetic hand from evidence, (C) canceling Dexter's credit cards, (D) sinking his boat. Or Dexter could just as easily frame Louis for murder. Either way, he's getting arrested. He has no proof that Dexter broke into his penthouse and threatened him, and claiming so would probably force him to further incriminate himself. Sidenote: R.I.P. Slice of Life.

H) Alex Dubrozny. 

I) Three unnamed Colombian drug dealers.

J) The first hitman sent to murder Isaak.

K) Oleg Mickic.

L) Benjamin Caffrey.

M) Jurg Yeliashkevych.

N) Isaak Sirko.

O) George Novikov. 

P) Possibly future victims of murderers killed by Dexter now that he has free time.

###

2) Deaths provoked in this timeline

A) Likely a very substantial number of future victims of the killers spared above.

B) Other killers now that Dexter has a lot of free time.

###

3) Impact on the Hannah McKay storyline

Since Debra is a married woman in this timeline, Sal Price never asks her out on a date. He never reveals to her that he is very confident that Hannah McKay actually killed people during her run with Wayne Randall, instead of being just his shy accomplice/brainwashed victim. He never tells Debra that he believes she poisoned her husband Jake Kirkwood, her mentor Beverly Grey and the counselor who molested her in her youth. So when Hannah murders Price, nobody suspects her as she has no motive. Dexter got rid of the poisoned pen and of Price’s research on his computer.

Even when Clint comes along and tips the cops about the poisoning of the counselor, the evidence is circumstantial and the police won’t go so hard after Arlene without all the other cold cases they had related to Hannah in canon. So this thing gets contained instead of escalating.

Debra doesn’t condemn Hannah and Dexter’s relationship like she did in canon. As far as she knows, Hannah is just some girl who got seduced by a killer when she was 14 and later possibly poisoned her abuser. Nothing remotely as bad as what she came to accept from Dexter.

So nobody is after Hannah, she’s never arrested, and her relationship with Dexter is still standing at the end of the season. Good for all of you, Dexterannah shippers! I myself am certainly not one of your kind!

###

SEASON 8

###

1) Deaths prevented in this timeline

A) Miles Castner. Hannah never has to marry him because she’s not on the run.

B) Andrew Briggs. Debra isn’t working for Elway anymore. That means he sends someone else after Briggs, and they arrest him at the first opportunity, meaning he’s safe from both Dexter and El Sapo.

C) Javier “El Sapo” Guzman. Never crosses paths with Debra.

Since Dexter is not busy arranging Hannah’s escape from the country, he can devote all of his attention to mentoring Zach. Instead of him murdering Shawn Decker on his own, Dexter is there to guide him all the way. Do you see why that’s important? It means that Dexter was with him for the entire day that Daniel Vogel murdered Cassie to frame Zach. So when Dexter investigates the crime scene and finds Zach’s blood under her fingernails, he immediately knows it was someone else, and that this person for some reason wanted to frame Zach. They are both profoundly puzzled and start looking for the culprit as a priority.

How does that saying go again? “When a woman is murdered, there’s a 90% chance that it was done by… by…”

Her boyfriend. Oliver Saxon. Dexter runs a quick background check on him and learns that there’s a death certificate for this guy. Weird. He then runs his DNA against the system and learns that he’s biologically related to none other than Dr. Evelyn Vogel, who is dumbfounded as both of her sons are dead. Richard Jr. was murdered by his brother Daniel. And Daniel died long ago in a fire in the institution where she locked him away… a fire of such suspicious origins.

Holy shit. The Brain Surgeon is alive and he’s Vogel’s son.

This whole thing happens in one day, over the course of Episode 8, that originally concluded with Zach being found dead in Dexter’s apartment. However, unlike in canon, this time by the end of the episode the gang is one step ahead of Daniel and already knows that his intention was likely to manipulate Dexter into murdering Zach to destabilize Vogel’s support group before a final confrontation. With that in mind, paired with the knowledge that he must be monitoring Vogel’s personal notes to anticipate their moves, it’s easy for Dexter and Zach to devise a trap to capture the Brain Surgeon once and for all. All they have to do is use Zach as bait. Vogel writes an entry on her diary suggesting that he’ll be vulnerable, Dexter lies in wait inside Zach’s studio and injects Daniel with M99 once he breaks in.

Vogel insists that her son be spared once he’s caught, arguing she can fix him by putting him in a mental institution. Dexter relplies as he did in canon. “Of course Dr. Vogel! Your son, who knows that I’m a serial killer and murdered 12 people that we know of? Definitely keeping him alive and taking him to an institution! Trust.” 

To anybody wondering, yes, Dexter’s Dark Passenger is already starting to fade like it did in canon because he finally has love and support from people who understand and accept him. No, that doesn’t mean he can spare Daniel and let Vogel or Debra handle it legally. Vogel’s plan to have him willingly institutionalized is suicidal, and Debra wouldn’t have any evidence to arrest Daniel. The police still think Lyle Sussman was the Brain Surgeon. Zach is the only suspect for Cassie’s murder and the only alibi he could give to the cops would be another murder.

So Daniel Vogel dies on Episode 8 and thus all of his future victims are spared:

D) Zach Hamilton.

E) Evelyn Vogel.

F) Max Clayton.

G) Debra Briggs.

And Daniel had the honor to be the second victim killed by Dexter and Zach together. Many, many more will come.

H) Future victims of all the killers taken out by Dexter and Zach in the lifetime of vigilantism they have ahead.

###

2) Deaths provoked in this timeline.

A) Future victims of the killers spared above.

###

3) Impact on the series finale

After the murder of her son, Dr. Evelyn Vogel wants nothing more to do with Dexter and moves back to England, to be forever haunted by the guilt.

The last season ends with the beautiful wedding of Dexter Morgan and Hannah McKay. Attended by his son Harrison, his sister Debra and her husband Anton, his former co-workers who are now a married couple Angél Batista and Maria LaGuerta, his stepchildren Astor and Cody Bennett, and his… friend Zach Hamilton. Because one of the many odd things about our blushing groom is how he seems to have adopted this 19 year-old rich kid whom he first met because he was a murder suspect. He also met his wife at a crime scene, but hey. Love is love after all.

The final inner monologue in Dexter’s mind is about how his entire life seems to have been defined by extremely unlikely and weird events. He always got himself into these outlandish situations to the point where eventually he got used to it and even started to face it as his own kind of normal. But nothing he ever went through could possibly have prepared him for the unlikelihood of what fate had in store for him. His own happy ending. A son. A wife. A sister. A community who loves him. And now even an apprentice. He remembers the blood slides he threw away years ago. He doesn’t miss them anymore. Never again will he miss the call of the Dark Passenger on a moonlit night. He has more now. So much more than he ever wanted.

Happily ever after.

That is, of course, until Hannah dies of cancer in less than ten years.