We finally got a glimpse of Leon Prater’s backstory through a chilling letter.
One of the things that has always set the Dexter franchise apart from other long-running TV dramas is its commitment to answering questions and tying up backstories. Unlike many shows that thrive on mystery for mystery’s sake, Dexter—and now Dexter: Resurrection—takes the time to explore its characters’ histories in ways that enrich the story.
Episode 7 of Dexter: Resurrection, titled “Course Correction,” finally shines the spotlight on billionaire Leon Prater, a mysterious character fans have been curious about since his introduction. What unfolds inside Prater’s private castle just outside New York City is nothing short of chilling: the revelation of his tragic childhood, his disturbing relationship with convicted killer Cooper Morris, and the twisted obsession that shaped the man he became.
Dexter Pushes Prater Into Revealing His Past
In classic Dexter Morgan fashion—still under the guise of “Red”—Dexter manipulates the tense gathering at the castle to dig into Prater’s psyche. The result is one of the most unsettling character reveals in the entire series, peeling back the layers of why Prater is so fascinated by serial killers.
Prater confesses that as a child, he sat helpless in the backseat when a hit-and-run accident killed both of his parents. The driver responsible was none other than Cooper Morris, who was charged with vehicular manslaughter at the time. Overcome with grief, young Leon began writing letters to Morris—letters that would soon spark a far darker relationship.
Cooper Morris: More Than Just a Killer Behind the Wheel
Prater eventually met Morris in person, and during those encounters learned a horrifying truth: the crash that destroyed his family wasn’t an accident at all. Morris admitted to deliberately causing it and confessed to being a serial killer with multiple victims.
Instead of cutting ties, Prater formed an intimate, twisted bond with Morris. He even admitted feeling “more connected than with my own parents.” That revelation not only explains Prater’s lifelong obsession with murderers but also his dangerous habit of funding and enabling them.
Though Morris died before the age of 50—likely from illness—his influence left Prater with a lifelong sense of unfinished business. His fixation on killers like Dexter isn’t just intellectual curiosity; it’s deeply personal, rooted in trauma, admiration, and a yearning for connection with the very force that shattered his life.
The Haunting Letter That Started It All
During the castle scene, Prater presents Dexter with his very first “trophy”—a letter Morris had written to him back in the 1970s, preserved like a treasure. While fans quickly paused the scene to decipher the letter onscreen, executive producer and writer Scott Reynolds later shared an actual scan of it.
Here’s the chilling transcript:
Letter from Cooper Morris to Young Leon Prater
INMATE #82661934Leon,I got your letter. Wasn’t expecting to hear from you. In here, time moves one grain of sand at a time, every day’s the same… wake up at 5am when the guards storm in for count, eat, sh*t, sleep, repeat. So, anything outside of that is pretty unexpected.It’s hard to sleep in here. The guy next cell over wouldn’t stop talking to his cellmate, but then the next morning I realized he was in there by himself. The other guys on the block must’ve gotten tired of his mouth because someone doused him with a water bottle of gasoline from the workshop, tossed a burning rag into his cell, and set him on fire. I didn’t know a human could scream like that. The smell of his skin and hair stung my nostrils, but I couldn’t take my eyes away when the guards dragged him out. I didn’t want to, it was incredible the way his skin bubbled and peeled away. It’s seared into my mind. I see it every night in the dark as I lie on my bunk and stare at the ceiling.I saw you at the sentencing. You’re smaller than I expected. Do they pick on you at school because of that? If so, don’t let them. Don’t take their shit. There are plenty of ways to deal with people like that. I’ve learned a few in here myself.– Cooper Morris
Photo of the original letter shared by Scott Reynolds. His handwriting is just another indication of how disturbed Morris truly was:
Peter Dinklage on Playing Leon Prater
In the official behind-the-scenes featurette for Episode 7, actor Peter Dinklage explained how he approached playing Prater in this pivotal moment.
Tha famous actor explains that for Leon Prater, his connection with Red represents the first real experience of friendship—or perhaps even love. Despite the chaos and violence surrounding them, Prater recognizes a rare kindness in Red. When filming the scene, Dinklage realized he didn’t want Prater to be a one-dimensional villain the audience roots against. Instead, he wanted viewers to empathize with him. After all, Prater witnessed his parents’ murder right in front of him—a trauma that makes it difficult not to feel some compassion for his actions.
This insight from Dinklage transforms Prater from a one-dimensional “eccentric billionaire” into one of the most layered and tragic antagonists in the Dexter universe.
Why This Scene Matters for Dexter: Resurrection
Episode 7’s revelations reshape how fans view Leon Prater. His obsession with serial killers is no longer just about morbid fascination but it’s also about trauma, misplaced loyalty, and a search for belonging. His connection to Cooper Morris adds another thread to the dark tapestry of Dexter: Resurrection, while his growing bond with Dexter (“Red”) hints at dangerous alliances yet to unfold.