Dexter: Original Sin Season 1 Episodes 2 & 3 Recap: Dexter’s Second Kill & 11 Other Story Reveals

Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Dexter: Original Sin season 1, episodes 2 & 3.Season 1 of Dexter: Original Sin continued the story of Dexter Morgan’s (Patrick Gibson) early days at Miami Metro homicide, but it also shed some light on the rest of the Morgan family’s past as well. As a prequel series, Dexter: Original Sin doesn’t show the titular serial killer at his best. Dexter is still very early into his career and well shy of his massive kill count in Dexter, and he clearly experienced some growing pains at the start of his killing journey. Original Sin season 1, episodes 2 & 3 dove even deeper into Dexter’s struggles with his second victim.

Outside of Dexter’s murderous tendencies, Original Sin also had quite a few reveals for the rest of the show’s cast. The new episodes dove deeper into Harry Morgan’s (Christian Slater) past, and they also gave Debra (Molly Brown) a chance to connect with her brother in a unique way. Miami Metro also experienced a shake-up due to the arrival of one of Dexter‘s original characters, Maria LaGuerta. Quite a bit happened in Original Sin episodes 2 & 3, and there were more than enough reveals to warrant a full recap.

12 Judge Powell’s Son Jimmy Was Kidnapped By A Mysterious Masked Figure

Jimmy’s Kidnappers May Be From The Cartel & They Cut Off His Finger

Dexter: Original Sin seems to have found its first overarching villain in the form of Jimmy Powell’s kidnappers. Jimmy is the son of Judge Powell, a notable Miami judge who prosecuted drug dealers and other members of the cartel. Original Sin episode 2 revealed that Jimmy was being held by someone in a mask, and they were feeding him frozen lunches as meals. Jimmy’s kidnappers ultimately cut off one of his fingers and sent it to his father, and Dexter deduced that they used garden shears to do it.

It’s not clear who kidnapped Jimmy Powell yet, but the characters of Dexter: Original Sin had one prevailing theory. Captain Spencer (Patrick Dempsey) thought that Jimmy was kidnapped by the cartel to punish the judge for prosecuting them so severely. Whether that proves true remains to be seen, but whoever is responsible is likely in trouble. Dexter remarked that the sight of the severed finger enraged him, and all he wanted to do was kill whoever was responsible. Additionally, most of Miami Metro is focused on finding Jimmy as soon as possible.

11 Dexter Embarrassed Himself At His First Crime Scene

Dexter’s Co-Workers Got A Kick Out Of His “Void” Theory

Dexter got to work his first crime scene under Tanya Martin (Sarah Michelle Gellar), but it wasn’t the success he was hoping for. Captain Spencer let Dexter come along on an NHI murder, and Batista (James Martinez) explained that NHI stands for “no humans involved,” meaning the victim was either a drug dealer, a prostitute, or homeless. The other officers of Miami Metro had Dexter get them coffee and breakfast, and when he returned, he offered up a theory he got from examining the “void” in the blood. Tanya had him repeat his theory to everyone, and they all got a chance to laugh at Dexter.

Later, when Batista, Bobby Watt (Reno Wilson), and Masuka (Alex Shimizu) got lunch, they played another prank on Dexter by putting a “void” in his Cubano sandwiches. Dexter tried to fit in by joking about Bobby’s health, but his comment came across as insensitive. Dexter was so bad at fitting in that Harry had to personally ask Batista to take Dexter out to help him get out of his shell.

10 Debra Decided To Pawn Off Her Family’s Things & Stole Nurse Mary’s Earrings

Sofia Convinced Deb To Sell The Earrings But Ended Up Pawning Her Mother’s Pearl Necklace

While Dexter was trying to fit in with Miami Metro, Debra had her own plans. Deb’s friend Sofia (Raquel Justice) paid for an expensive pair of sunglasses by pawning her grandmother’s mink coat, and she convinced Deb to do the same with her family’s belongings. Unfortunately, Deb found the earrings Dexter took from Nurse Mary as a trophy, and tried to pawn them. Deb ended up selling her mother’s pearl necklace because Harry had told her to “move on” after Doris’ death. Deb’s willingness to pawn her pearl necklace is a sign that she’s growing more frustrated with how much attention Harry’s giving Dexter over her.

9 Levi Reed’s Trial Got Underway In Dexter: Original Sin

Levi Plead Not Guilty, But His Girlfriend’s Alibi Won’t Work In Court

Levi Reed, the man that was arrested for the home invasion murders in Dexter: Original Sin episode 1, began his trial in the second episode. Miami Metro arrested Reed because the partial fingerprint they found at a crime scene matched his, and because he was the only suspect who was both capable of committing the crime and tall enough to make the footprints Tanya found. Reed pleaded not guilty, and Spencer tried to assure Harry that it was an “open and shut case.” Reed’s case got even worse when his girlfriend failed to provide an alibi because she couldn’t remember what day of the week it was.

While it looks like Levi Reed’s case will be easily decided in Miami Metro’s favor, there’s still a chance that there could be a surprise verdict. The mere fact that Original Sin is following his court case seems to indicate that there’s more to his story, and there are a few ways the show could benefit from an innocent verdict. For starters, Dexter could end up killing Reed if he gets off on a technicality, which would be an interesting way to cause more tension between him and Harry. It could also be an opportunity to put Tanya in hot water if her forensic work was off somehow.

8 Harry Recruited Laura Moser, Dexter’s Mother, In A Flashback

Laura Worked As Harry’s Criminal Informant In The Case Against Hector Estrada

Throughout Dexter: Original Sin, Harry Morgan has been having flashbacks to the time before he adopted Dexter as his son. In the newest episodes, Harry remembered when he first encountered Laura Moser (Brittany Allen), Dexter’s biological mother. Laura was arrested alongside a drug dealer named Joe, and Harry and his partner Bobby Watt managed to secure her as a criminal informant. With Laura’s help, Harry hoped to break into Hector Estrada’s cartel and take down the cocaine dealers from the inside. They made a significant amount of progress, too, as Laura’s high-class clientele helped her move up the ranks.

Aside from making progress on the investigation into Hector Estrada, however, Harry’s work with Laura also revealed some new information about him. One flashback revealed that after Junior Morgan’s death in Original Sin episode 1, Harry and Doris Morgan were having some marital problems. At the same time that they were struggling to conceive another child, Harry met Laura’s children, Dexter and Brian Moser. A romantic relationship also started to spark between Harry and Laura, which should make their work together even more interesting.

7 Dexter Began Looking Through The Archives & Bringing Donuts To Miami Metro

Camilla Helped Dexter Find Cold Cases & Figure Out How To Gain Popularity Through Donuts

Dexter’s first attempt to ingratiate himself with the officers of Miami Metro didn’t go very well. He brought in a veggie plate for his coworkers to eat from, a gesture none of them appreciated. It wasn’t until Tanya had Dexter meet Camilla Figg in the records room that he realized the error of his ways. Camilla told Dexter that health food isn’t the way to win cops’ hearts, and inspired him to bring his beloved donuts from the original series.

Dexter’s trip to the record room didn’t just give him the idea to bring donuts, however. Tanya wanted Dexter to pull files related to drugs, and he ended up finding one connected to Rene Carballo. When Angel Batista took Dexter out for drinks that night, he heard the story of how Rene and his mother died, and he was inspired to hunt down their killer. Dexter will likely return to the record room for more potential victims several times as Original Sin continues.

6 Harry Still Smokes & Drinks Despite His Heart Problems

Harry Isn’t Listening To Deb’s Advice & Warnings About His Health

Despite having a heart attack in the premiere of Original Sin, Harry Morgan is already back to his bad habits. Deb had been trying to keep Harry healthy by cutting back on red meat and forcing him to stop smoking and drinking. Dexter even tried to help as well, as he bought the nicotine substitute Nicorette for his father. For a while, it looked like Harry was making progress, and he started eating lollipops instead of smoking. However, Harry couldn’t keep his habits completely under control, and he started smoking and drinking again in secret after his children went to bed.

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Harry’s return to his old habits isn’t a good sign for him. After a heart attack, most people have to give up drinking and smoking to help their heart heal and avoid another cardiac arrest, and Harry’s doctors had told him to do the same. If he continues his bad habits, Harry could have another heart attack in the future of Original Sin. At the very least, they’ll cause even more tension between him and Deb. Plus, the stress of Dexter’s life as a serial killer isn’t good for Harry’s heart, so he’s got a lot of problems ahead.

5 Maria LaGuerta Made A Big Introduction At Miami Metro Homicide

Maria Joined Miami Metro Homicide By Bashing Them In The Press

Original Sin has already introduced several younger versions of the original cast of Dexter, and it finally brought in the last missing piece: Maria LaGuerta (Christina Millan). Maria’s introduction to Original Sin was anything but subtle, however, as she got transferred into Miami Metro Homicide by bad-mouthing the department in the press. It’s the same politicking Maria was known for in the original series, and she criticized the department for not investigating NHI (no human involved) homicides. Captain Spencer already hates her for speaking to the papers, and he ordered Harry to give him any reason he could find to fire her.

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The only problem with Spencer’s plan is that Maria has been a great detective so far. She digitized many of Miami Metro’s case files, and she even managed to track down witnesses Harry and Bobby could never convince to give statements. Harry even started to admire Maria, and he offered her help investigating one of the cold cases. Even though she’s a good cop, Maria’s ambition and tendency to step over people as she rises the ranks could cause some major problems in the future of Original Sin, particularly for Captain Spencer.

4 Debra Convinced Dexter To Get Her Cocaine For Her Party

Dexter Made Fake Cocaine Out Of Caffeine Powder To Get His Earrings Back

Debra didn’t end up pawning Nurse Mary’s earrings, but she did give them to Sofia. Dexter inevitably saw Sofia wearing his trophies, and immediately knew that Deb had stolen them. Dexter begged Deb to get them back, but Deb forced him to agree to get cocaine for a party she was hosting. Deb was trying to get voted as the volleyball team’s playoff captain, and she needed to beat her teammate, Tiff, who was having a party. The only way she could convince her teammates to come to her house instead was by promising to get cocaine, and Deb used Dexter’s desperation to her advantage.

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Dexter ended up getting the last laugh on Deb, however, as he didn’t get real cocaine for her. He ended up making fake cocaine by combining caffeine powder and benzocaine, which was enough to convince Deb’s young and inexperienced friends. Deb also indirectly helped Dexter get the earrings back by taking him on a shopping trip to get replacement earrings for Sofia, and she actually admitted that she liked hanging out with her brother. By the time the party started, everything ended up working out, except for one unintended consequence.

3 Sofia Took Dexter’s Fascination With Her Earrings As A Sign That He Likes Her

Sofia Awkwardly Kissed Dexter On His Way To Kill Tony Ferrer

The entire time Sofia had Nurse Mary’s earrings, Dexter was infatuated with her. To be clear, he was much more interested in the earrings than Sofia herself, but everyone – even Deb and Harry – thought Dexter had a huge crush on Deb’s friend. He was staring intensely at her throughout dinner, and Deb’s plan to buy replacement earrings only made it seem even more obvious that he wanted to date Sofia. The romantic miscommunication came to a head when Dexter tried to leave Deb’s party and Sofia followed him outside and kissed him, but that seems to be far from the end of the situation.

Throughout Original Sin, Dexter has been a very socially awkward and strange person, and he handled Sofia’s kiss about as well as could be expected. Instead of reciprocating, he abruptly left with the weak excuse of having to run some errands. Dexter won’t be able to avoid Sofia for long, however, and the two are going to have an awkward conversation sooner or later. It’s not clear how Dexter will get out of his unintended relationship, but it should be interesting to watch.

2 Dexter’s Second Kill Was A Loan Shark Named “Handsome” Tony Ferrer

Angel Batista Told Dexter That Ferrer Killed Rene’s Mother & Caused His Suicide

Dexter: Original Sin is quickly giving Dexter more victims to kill, and he found his second in the form of “Handsome” Tony Ferrer (Roberto Sanchez), a loan shark who preyed on the Cuban community. Dexter learned about Ferrer from Batista, who relayed the story of Rene Carballo, one of Ferrer’s victims. Ferrer had loaned Rene money, and when he threatened him for it, he inadvertently shot Rene’s mother in the head. Rene later killed himself out of guilt. Throughout Original Sin episodes 2 and 3, Dexter was investigating the cold case file, and he ended up approaching Ferrer under the alias Patrick Bateman.

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After borrowing money from him and manipulating Ferrer into firing a warning shot into a tree, Dexter was able to confirm that he did kill Rene’s mother. After he got Harry’s blessing, Dexter knocked Ferrer out and brought him to the jai alai arena where they first met to kill him. Dexter interrogated Ferrer, got him to confess to his murder, and knocked him out by throwing a jai alai ball at him, which also put a cut on his right cheek in classic Dexter style. Then, Dexter ended Ferrer’s life and brought him to the Everglades for dumping.

1 Dexter’s Everglades Dumping Grounds May Put Him In Hot Water

Dexter’s Alligators Didn’t Dispose Of Tony Ferrer Entirely & Could Start An Investigation

Ferrer’s death doesn’t seem to be the end of him, however. Dexter brought his corpse to the same place in the Everglades where he dumped Nurse Mary’s body, and he fed the loan shark to the alligators there again. This time, however, the alligators missed a spot, and Ferrer’s arm – with a unique ring still attached – went uneaten. Ferrer was a known criminal, and his prints are almost certainly in Miami Metro’s database, which could be a major problem for Dexter. Dexter also threw Mary’s earrings into the water there, so if the police find Ferrer’s arm, they might also find evidence of Nurse Mary’s murder.

Dexter’s dumping grounds in the Everglades could cause some major problems for him in the next few episodes of Original Sin, but they’ll also let the prequel show depict a major part of Dexter’s modus operandi. Throughout the original show, Dexter dumped bodies by dismembering them and throwing them into the Atlantic Ocean via his boat, the Slice of Life. Ferrer’s arm will almost certainly force Dexter to find a new way to dispose of bodies, so the prequel series could soon show how Dexter got his boat and began dismembering his victims. In any case, Dexter: Original Sin seems set to increase the temperature.

Dexter: Original Sin explores the origins of Dexter Morgan as he transitions from student to serial killer in 1991 Miami. Guided by his father, Dexter channels his dark urges through a moral code while starting a forensics internship at the Miami Metro Police Department.

Release Date

December 15, 2024

Network

Paramount+ with Showtime

Character(s)

Harry Morgan , Dexter Morgan , Debra Morgan , Maria LaGuerta , Vince Masuka , Bobby Watt , Angel Batista , Aaron Spencer , The Inner Voice of Dexter (voice) , CSI Chief Tanya Martin

Producers

Clyde Phillips , Michael C. Hall , Robert Lloyd Lewis , Mary Leah Sutton , Tony Hernandez , Lilly Burns

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