Food for thought: This theory regarding a major finale twist might actually hold some truth.
We are less than a week away from the climax of Dexter: Original Sin’s debut season and so far, the consensus among fans appears to be one of satisfaction and jubilation. In the course of the first nine episodes, the show set out to justify its existence by returning to the iconic backdrop of the original series and providing a fresh perspective on the existing canon. Along the way, the fresh new cast has proven themselves more than capable of living up to the legacy of the series and the writers have even found exciting new ways of expanding (and even retconning) the existing canon.
So far, we have witnessed an expanded retelling of Dexter’s first kill, learned untold truths about Harry’s past, and seen Dexter’s familiar ritual slowly come into focus as he begins his killing spree. But in the background of all that, there has been a slow burn reveal of Dexter’s first major adversary; A slighted police Captain (Aaron Spencer) who appears to be a kidnapper and murderer of children. Getting to this point has been an exciting ride but with only one episode remaining, it also feels like a huge piece of the puzzle is missing.
Undoubtedly, fans have a lot of lingering questions; The two biggest being: What are Spencer’s motivations for kidnapping his own son and why did he kill Jimmy Powell? Perhaps more importantly, is there a logical explanation that can be revealed in just one episode while also tying off the season story arc cleanly? At first glance, it might seem like a lot to cram into one episode but we think there might be a major twist that has been hiding in plain sight that could explain everything.
Let’s talk about Pre-Finale Theories
First things first, let’s acknowledge that there are a lot of valid theories out there about Spencer’s motivations: That this is an elaborate plot to take revenge against his wife for destroying their family OR that he is using the kidnappings to weaponize the police against the Cartels. In fact, the entire season has been constructed to get fans attention and promote theory and speculation. It’s a major reason why I think this season has been so well received.
With that in mind, we have developed a theory of our own that has the potential to make this finale one of the most shocking in the history of the series (season 4 notwithstanding). But rather than lay it all out on the table and risk (potentially) spoiling a huge moment in the finale, we are simply going to present some evidence and pose some questions to see if anyone else comes to the same conclusion that we did:
Please consider the following:
Exhibit A | The kidnapper is detached: Spencer’s interactions with Nicky up until this point have been cold and ruthless; The exact opposite of what one might expect from a father figure (albeit a potentially crazy one). He showed slight hesitation with cutting off Nicky’s finger but then proceeded to do so anyway. In episode 9, he pulls off his mask and very coldly tells Nicky: “You didn’t do anything wrong. It will all be over soon.”
Ask yourself: Does this man really intend to kill his own son or is something else at play?
Exhibit B | Tight control of investigation: Despite an obvious conflict of interest and the department’s attempts at shielding Spencer from the fallout, he has insisted on maintaining tight control over the investigation. He even frequently suggests that the Cartel are to blame for the kidnapping and has gone to great lengths (planting evidence and triggering a shootout at a Cartel drug den) to divert their attention in that direction.
Ask yourself: Is Spencer protecting himself or does he have ulterior motives for controlling the narrative?
Exhibit C | The wound: After finding the blood on the box with Nicky’s finger, Spencer has not made any attempt to hide his wounded arm from his colleagues. In fact, when Dexter saw the wound, he leapt to a conclusion and has, as of yet, not done anything to prove that the wound was caused by Nicky. Harry even reprimanded him for being too overzealous with the code.
Ask yourself: Could Dexter be exhibiting his uncanny ability to see darkness in others or is he letting his excitement for the kill get the best of him?
Exhibit D | Spencer is a good actor: Since the moment Dexter set his sights on Spencer, he has acknowledged how good of an actor he is; Pointing out that he is doing a phenomenal job of displaying genuine emotion and playing the role of a bereft father. When he finally gets him on his table in episode nine, he acknowledges this once again to his face: “How do you, who is, as you yourself said, a fucking evil animal, give such a convincing innocent performance?”
Ask yourself: Is Spencer a really good actor… or is he not acting at all?
Exhibit E | Who is Victor?: Dexter’s plan to lead Spencer to the arcade involves leaving a blackmail note on his apartment door. The note demands cash in exchange for staying quiet with the truth about his involvement in the kidnapping which prompts Spencer to blurt out: “Fucking Victor!” This is a name that has not come up before on the show but it was dropped here at this moment very intentionally.
Ask yourself: Who is Victor? (We think we might know…)
Exhibit F | Spencer Denies Everything: On the kill table, with Dexter’s blade to his throat, Spencer denies everything and insists that Dexter “has the wrong guy.” When Dexter presses him further, he claims to have never killed a child and then insists that he is not the serial killer that Dexter clearly thinks that he is.
Ask yourself: One thing most of Dexter’s victims realize pretty quickly when they wake up on his table is that they are marked for death. So with that in mind, why is Spencer so calm when he claims his innocence?
Exhibit G | Dexter’s Inexperience: Is it shocking that Spencer denied his culpability? Definitely not. But when you remember that this prequel is built to show the push-and-pull of his relationship with Harry and to highlight the struggles of Dexter growing into the talented killer that we met in the original series, the entire kill table scene with Spencer takes on a slightly different tone.
Ask yourself: Has Dexter followed the code to a “T” or has he cut some corners and made a terrible mistake?
So there you have it. What does all of this add up to? We think we might know the answer but one way or another, we think the revelations that await us will make the difference between the finale “playing it safe” or doing something truly unexpected. We also could be way off base but we were excited enough about the possibilities that we felt it was prudent to pose these questions.
One way or another, we won’t be commenting on the specifics of this theory until after the finale has aired but we would love to hear your thoughts and theories ahead of this exciting episode.