The latest season finale marked a significant change over its predecessors.
As a series in general, Dexter has always made it clear that despite its moral ambiguity, it occasionally sprnkles in moments of humor. Yet, when it comes to finales, the show hasn’t always stuck the landing. Who could forget the divisive conclusions of 2013 and 2022, both of which left audiences feeling frustrated with how things wrapped up?
Now, nineteen years after the original series first aired, and with Dexter’s 20th anniversary coming in 2026, fans have once again been blessed with a revival that feels brand-new while still holding on to the formula that made it loved.
The first season of Dexter: Resurrection recently concluded, and both critics and fans agree: it delivered far beyond expectations. But there was something about the finale that made it stand apart from every other Dexter ending in recent memory something rare, and different.
As we mentioned in our recent piece on Dexter Daily, Episode 10, titled “And Justice For All,” became the most well-received Dexter finale in 13 years. The last time people were this satisfied was back in 2012 with the Season 7 finale, “Surprised Motherf**ker,” which famously featured the surprise return of James Doakes. But Resurrection didn’t only match that success, but also broke a fifteen-year streak.
The season 1 finale of Dexter: Resurrection had a happy ending, and the last time a Dexter season did that was 15 years ago
That’s right, after a long line of heartbreaking, tragic, and even infuriating finales that followed Dexter Season 6, Dexter: Resurrection gave fans something they hadn’t seen in a decade and a half: a happy ending.
Following a series of dangerous events related to Leon Prater, the finale took a surprisingly hopeful turn. For the first time in years, things ended well for both Dexter and his son, Harrison. We saw Dexter fully embrace who he is, not as someone rejecting his darkness, but as someone in control of it. It was also a message to us fans who have watched him for nearly twenty years: he’s still the same Dexter we know and love, and this time, he’s at peace with that.
Dexter’s confidence was at its peak, especially after taking down the billionaire responsible for Angel Batista’s death. In Dexter fashion, he disposed of the body using Prater's own luxury yacht, right in front of the Statue of Liberty. Meanwhile, Harrison found happiness of his own, beginning a new chapter with his girlfriend, Gigi.
Dexter: Resurrection left the saddest moment for its penultimate episode
Of course, that rare moment of happiness didn’t come without a cost. The season’s most heartbreaking scene came not in the finale, but in the penultimate episode and it was none other than the death of beloved character Angel Batista. For long-time fans, his loss was devastating, but it carried tragic irony: Batista’s death was ultimately a consequence of his relentless pursuit of the truth about Dexter.
The last happy season finale: Dexter Season 5 Episode 12
The seasons that followed grew progressively darker. Season 6 ended with Debra catching Dexter in the act of killing Travis. Season 7 concluded with Debra murdering LaGuerta to protect her brother. Season 8 gave us one of television’s most infamous finales, Dexter mercy-killing a comatose Debra before faking his own death. And in New Blood (2022), Harrison seemingly killed his own father, bringing the story to its bleakest point yet.
The tables have turned... but will it last?
Now, everything feels different. For the first time in fifteen years, a Dexter series from the main timeline has dared to close on a happy note. But we know too well, that good things rarely last. Between the fallout of Batista’s death, and the world knowing the truth about Leon Prater, there’s little doubt that new dangers are waiting just around the corner.