Showtime’s Dexter starring Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Carpenter will wrap up eight years of kill tables, lies, deception, and the code tonight with the series finale ‘Remember the Monsters?’ Hints at how Dexter might end were first planted nearly two years ago, and finally tonight we will find out the fate of the real Bay Harbor Butcher. Live online streaming instructions for tonight’s Dexter season and series finale are below, as are copious spoilers for the previous episode. Consider yourself warned.
Dexter was so close to a clean exit and new life in Argentina with Hannah McKay and Harrison. The plane tickets were purchased, his resignation accepted, and a surprise going away drinking event was in the bag. All he had to do was kill Oliver Saxon, whom he had strapped to a kill chair, and ride off into the sunset to start a new life.
In both a big hint to how Dexter might end and yet another terrible mistake in a series of terrible mistakes dating back several years, Dexter decided he didn’t need to kill Saxon and would let Miami PD take him into custody and eventually he’d die in the electric chair. It was a noble gesture that marked the final suppression of the dark passenger, but it also complicated Dexter’s escape.
As Dexter leaves and Deb says goodbye to him, Deputy Marshal Clayton sneaks into the kill room and frees Saxon like a fool. Saxon promptly sticks one of Dexter’s knives into the deputy’s chest, and then Deb shows up, only to get shot in the side for doing so. She is left bleeding on the floor profusely while her brother happily prepares to leave the country.
There were only two talked about ways that Dexter might end prior to the introduction of Hannah. He would either die at the hand of his sister or someone else he knew, or he would be caught and be incarcerated for his crimes. Then Hannah came onto the scene and immediately told Dexter about her old plan to run to Argentina with her old boyfriend. From the moment I heard that I knew that’s how Dexter would wrap up.
Thus far in Season 8 we have been led to believe that Dexter will, in fact, get the happy ending most think he doesn’t deserve. His character arc has gone from someone obsessed with feeding the urges of his dark passenger to someone whom has found a way to suppress that side of himself and express his emotions as love toward Hannah and Harrison. It sounds cheesy, but that’s exactly what has happened.
Even if Deb dies, and I believe she will as ending the series with her in the hospital would be odd and she has already completed her arc, I still believe Hannah and Dexter make that trip to Argentina. The writers have gone through too much effort to “domesticate” Dexter over the years, and I don’t think they throw out that effort with him caught or dead, despite how many fans want one of those conclusions to be chosen.
If Deb dies, what about the rumored spinoff? I could see the spinoff moving forward with a focus on Quinn and Miami Homicide. Quinn has gotten far more attention in Season 8 than any other secondary character. He figures to play a big role in the finale, and could even step into Dexter’s shoes considering the fine line of the law he’s walked since first introduced. Quinn has no love for the bad guys and would just assume sweep them under the rug than put them through the legal system. Besides, what will the injury or possible death of Deb do to Quinn’s head? Scramble it even further.
Tonight’s Dexter series finale, or Dexter: Season 8 episode 12 ‘Remember the Monsters?’ will premiere tonight on Showtime at 9/8c in full high definition (HD). Showtime offers the ability for you to watch a free online live streaming of tonight’s finale episode for channel subscribers here at Showtime Anytime on cell phones, laptops and other mobile connected devices . It’s been a long run for Dexter, but the timing is right to finally say “goodbye, Dexter Morgan” and bring the series to a close.
