The new serial killer, played by Gabriel Luna, has a distinct M.O. that actually echoes a memorable Brian Moser scene from the OG Season 1.
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| Dexter Morgan, Brian Moser and Ray Ballard. (Photo credit: Showtime/Paramount+) |
The writers behind Dexter and its spinoffs have always enjoyed adding callbacks to memorable moments from the franchise's past, often leaving fans to spot them and point them out on social media. But the latest episode of Dexter: Resurrection Season 2 may have included one that went unnoticed by many viewers.
It's directly related to Ray Ballard, aka the Sleepy-Eyed Stranger, played by Gabriel Luna, and his disturbing M.O. In fact, it actually may be a subtle but deliberate connection by the writers to the Ice Truck Killer, who was also Dexter's biological brother.
During Episode 2 of Dexter: Resurrection Season 2, Charley introduces Dexter to the apartment she has rented as a base for their plan to take down as many serial killers from Leon Prater's files as possible.
Their first target is going to be the Sleepy-Eyed Stranger, and this is when Charley starts explaining his bizarre and disturbing modus operandi.
He sneaks into the homes of the families he targets while they are sleeping and watches them without their knowledge. He might visit the same house two or three times before finally killing his victims by stabbing them with an ice pick as they sleep.
That last part is actually reminiscent of a specific and iconic moment from the OG series' first season, which premiered 20 years ago, and it involves the Ice Truck Killer.
In the Season 1 finale, which aired back in December 2006, Brian Moser brought Debra to Dexter, wrapped in plastic, and offered his biological brother the chance to kill her. Dexter refused Brian's disturbing offer, prompting him to take matters into his own hands and go after Debra himself.
Later that night, Brian broke into Dexter's apartment. He first spotted his brother apparently sleeping on the living room couch before heading into the bedroom, where he believed Debra was asleep. Seeing what appeared to be Debra lying under the bedsheets, Brian pulled out his knife and stabbed her without hesitation.
Of course, the twist was that the person in the bed wasn't Debra at all. Dexter had prepared a dummy made from prosthetic body parts and placed it under the bedsheets as a trap for his brother. Brian had fallen right into it, with Dexter waiting to catch him.
A subtle nod to the Ice Truck Killer?
And that's the connection between Brian's attempt to kill Debra and the Sleepy-Eyed Stranger in Dexter: Resurrection Season 2. Both scenes involve a killer breaking into a home in the middle of the night and attempting to stab someone that is sleeping in bed. The difference is that Ray makes this a recurring part of his M.O., visiting his victims' homes multiple times before eventually killing them.
There's also one more interesting detail that could make this connection even more deliberate.
While Brian used a knife when he attempted to kill Debra, Ray Ballard uses an ice pick. Considering Brian's identity as the Ice Truck Killer, the choice of weapon could be another little wink from the writers to the OG series.
The similarities between the two scenes, along with the ice pick detail, actually suggest that the writers may be paying tribute to one of the most memorable villains in Dexter history.
We're pretty sure the rest of Season 2 will include plenty more subtle references to the OG series, especially with the franchise celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.
Did you notice this detail yourself while watching Episode 2 of Dexter: Resurrection Season 2?