The actor talks about Batista's biggest moment and whether things might have ended very differently.
Dexter: Resurrection brought back one of the most beloved characters, Angel Batista, but this time, his return carried much more weight than we initially expected. Ever since the new season premiered, viewers were surprised to realize that Batista had not only returned as a series regular, but that he was also convinced of what Angela Bishop told him in the New Blood finale: that Dexter Morgan was, in fact, the real Bay Harbor Butcher.
What followed was a cat-and-mouse game between Dexter and Batista that spanned the majority of first season, one that could only end with one of them surviving. And eventually, after nine intense episodes, that inevitable moment arrived. Angel Batista met his end.
Until that point, though, fans were torn. On one side stood Angel Batista, one of the kindest figures in Dexter’s history, a man driven and also blinded by the need for justice. On the other was Dexter, our main character, a deeply flawed man who we still can’t help but root for despite everything he’s done.
Given that the series is called Dexter: Resurrection, it was far too early for the resurrected Dexter to die again. The show had already been planned for more seasons, so there was no way Batista could continue pursuing him indefinitely. Like LaGuerta and Doakes before him, Batista had to go once he uncovered the truth about Dexter’s true identity. But again, it wasn’t Dexter who did the deed, but someone else. And this time it was Leon Prater.
How Batista Died in Dexter: Resurrection
As Batista’s theories about the Bay Harbor Butcher were repeatedly dismissed by those around him, his desperation grew. Determined to expose the truth, he tracked Dexter to New York City, where he discovered Dexter’s connection to billionaire Leon Prater. Unaware of Prater’s dark side, Batista confronted him and Charley, revealing that Dexter was the Bay Harbor Butcher.
Moments later, Batista was captured by Prater’s bodyguards and taken to a vault, where he found himself restrained and awaiting execution at Dexter’s hands. But when Dexter refused Prater’s proposal and set Batista free in a moment of mercy, things took a violent turn. Batista, consumed by rage, attacked Dexter and threw him to the floor, shouting that this was “for Doakes and Maria.” It was a cathartic moment that came naturally, until Prater intervened, shooting Batista multiple times in the back.
It was a tragic end, but it left us wondering: if Leon Prater hadn’t stepped in, could Batista have actually killed Dexter Morgan?
David Zayas on Whether Batista Could Have Killed Dexter
During the Dexter panel at Scaradise 2025, David Zayas shared his thoughts on that intense final moment and whether Batista could have finished Dexter off:
“Well, I mean, he was choking him out, right? I mean, I don’t know. Anything could’ve happened, you know, if I wouldn’t have gotten shot 17 times in the back. But yeah, I think the rage of Batista — sometimes rage gives you strength you don’t think you have. And there was rage there. I tried to picture myself like, why would Batista react after he was cut loose? He doesn’t really know what’s going on. When you’re on the table getting ready to be killed, panic goes through you. If not, you’re not even there. So I think there was rage. Maybe he could have killed Dexter if he hadn’t been stopped.”
Zayas explained that in that moment, Batista’s emotions, the panic, the fury, and the sudden confirmation that Dexter really was the Bay Harbor Butcher, gave him an almost... superhuman strength. Considering Batista’s size and state of mind, Zayas believes it wasn’t far-fetched that he could have killed Dexter had Leon Prater not intervened.
What do you think? Would Batista have gone through with it if he hadn’t been shot?