Guru Askew

Dragon Tattoo is right for a change. The objectionable statement was this whole nonsense "we know Dexter would BLANK" comment. It's simultaneously arrogant and naive. For starters there's a pretty obvious conflict there. Even a novice writer would see the inherent conflict and potential in having a character with an escape plan and situations that might complicate his ability to implement that plan. Secondly, that conflict has been demonstrably addressed in the show. Dexter also attempted to flee before Rita's funeral.

If anything it's been established from pretty early on in the series that Dexter's many dependencies would prevent him from fleeing. Maybe he'll flee as some kind of end-of-series endgame, maybe not. Only the writers "know" what a character will do or won't do.

Dragon Tattoo

The airport scene was in the premiere, and not only was it a misdirection (we were made to think he was fleeing when he was really just going to kill that gangster). Did you actually watch last season's finale? There was no bag in that scene. He pondered fleeing, discussed it with Harry, and decided that killing LaGuerta was his only option, because he could not leave Deb or Harrison behind.

It's pointless arguing with someone who doesn't even know what he's talking about and gets entire episodes mixed up. It might be better for you to ignore me and pretend that you know what you're talking about.

Deftones

I know when I want misdirection, I would write the character to take a bag full of cash with multiple passports. Of course he's not going to actually run in those episodes because it's not the end of the season or show. But to say the character "won't run" is absurd when he's shown, on several occasions, he has considered doing so.

Dragon Tattoo

It's a bit less absurd when the 7th season finale ends with that same character, who has pondered running many times before, deciding (and actually stating outloud) that he could never actually run now.

lamphorn

How does Dexter keep saying that anyone who kills an innocent deserves to die, when he himself has intentionally killed innocents, including intending to murder LaGuerta himself. LaGuerta may have been annoying, but she was not a murderer and didn't deserve to die. In fact, all she was doing was being an excellent detective by figuring him out. Why doesn't Dexter kill himself or Deb?

I'm wondering... if they teach the kid Harry's code, will the kid (rightly) decide that Dexter deserves to be on the table and thus ends the series (and sets himself up for a spinoff as the new Dexter)?

Josh-da-man

I think that the implication there is not that Dexter would never run, but, that in this situation, he would, given a choice between killing LaGuerta and going on the lam, kill LaGuerta.

Another factor here is that LaGuerta had evidence that Deb was involved in Travis' murder -- at the very least, its cover-up, so even if he took off he would have left her in legal jeopardy.

Josh-da-man

Compartmentalization.

bluetoast

That is solved by the show's golden rule:

Everything from previous seasons is magically forgotten about by everybody until it's brought up again.

Neil M.

Self-preservation is a higher priority than the code.

Nausicaa

It's not even self-preservation. He has killed innocents before when he's lashed out. I don't remember the episode or season, but I recall him killing someone in a boat house not long ago, with an anchor I believe. I also recall he accidentally killed someone he incorrectly suspected.

Neil M.

I know. It was the first episode of season 5, I believe, right after Rita's death. I was just referring to the "Laguerta is an innocent" comment. The code has been abandoned as far as I'm concerned. I'm not sure why the writer's felt the need to try and reestablish it.

Goat3001

Well the first rule of the code is 'Don't Get Caught' not 'Don't Kill Innocents', so killing Laguerta did fit the code.

IIRC he's killed two other innocents. The boat house with the anchor in a fit of rage, which used to show how Rita's death had effected him. And the photographer who didn't kill anyone and that was to show that Dexter had lost a step in vetting his victims.

I don't think the code has been abandoned by any of those murders. Instead they were blips on the radars that show that Dexter isn't the perfect killer but is prone to mistakes.