The return of Dexter has reignited interest in the main characters of the series. Although the majority of the cast will not be returning in New Blood, fans have to acknowledge the series’ ability to bring genuine character quality. All of them can be assessed through the things they said, as there were hints toward their personalities within them.
Even someone like Dexter, who’s a killer with a huge death count, his words can go a long way in revealing who he is inside. Others like Debra and Rita have evoked similar traits through their words. It’s worth taking a deeper look into this aspect to understand how the characters ticked.
Rita Morgan: "I Need A Partner. Someone I Can Trust. Unless You Can Be Completely Honest With Me, I Don't Want To Do This Anymore."
Rita’s demise remains the most shocking moment in Dexter and her death marked the loss of innocent life. However, she had empowered herself to stand up to her romantic partner, unlike before where she’d been abused by her former husbands.
This quote showed her development, where she made it clear to Dexter how she was done being taken advantage of and needed to feel justified to remain in the relationship. Rita wasn’t a mess-up in love as many thought her to be, but was a person who wanted to receive as much love as she was ready to give.
James Doakes: "You're A Killer. I Catch Killers."
There aren’t many others who can top Doakes as one of the smartest characters in Dexter, as he was the only one who saw through the titular character’s facade. Doakes caught Dexter in the act but the latter captured Doakes and sealed him in his cabin where they chatted sporadically.
This simple quote is how Doakes saw himself, seeing as he had no life outside his work. Doakes’ mentality was essentially fixed on being a chaotic level of good. So much so, that Doakes saw things in black and white. To him, he had no choice but to go after Dexter because there was no other way for Doakes to function.
Vince Masuka: "I Never Bring Dates To A Wedding. Best Man Always Hooks Up With The Maid Of Honor."
Vince Masuka could be trusted to bring the funniest moments in Dexter, what with his hilariously inappropriate characterization. This quote summed up how hooking with women was the main thing Masuka shot for and the way he could be socially inept.
Masuka instantly assumed he would be the best man at Dexter’s wedding despite the fact he wasn’t asked. He was also overconfident that he could date whoever he wanted to and was horrified when Dexter informed him that the Maid of Honor was supposed to be a 10-year-old relative of Rita’s.
Angel Batista: "Don't Go Down That Emotion Road - La Pasion."
Batista said this line back when he wasn’t as developed and could be crass in the way he spoke of love interests. He claimed that his passionate attitude was enough to keep his wife happy and advised Dexter not to get mixed up in emotions.
Although Batista matured in the later seasons, his inherent personality was to be very passionate over everything. He felt strongly about his family and friends and didn’t stop to consider their emotions. Batista didn’t realize that Dexter didn’t see him as his best friend and his overprotectiveness of his sister was smothering her.
Harry Morgan: "Killing Must Serve A Purpose. Otherwise, It's Just Plain Murder."
Dexter learned his code from Harry who had originally developed it for himself. A first season flashback showed Harry explaining how he conducted himself as a cop and what his rules were to use the force of a gun to eliminate threats.
According to Harry, there had to be a true purpose to taking a life and it’s what he instilled in Dexter to learn. However, the quote also shows the flaw in Harry’s logic since it doesn’t explain what the boundaries are to justify an act of killing. It’s why Dexter ultimately failed to uphold Harry’s code because of the ambiguity that was attached to it.
Joey Quinn: "I'm Glad He's Dead. Wish I Could've Done It Myself."
These were the last words said by Quinn in the series and did a good job in portraying his character. Although an officer of the law, Quinn was a dirty cop for the majority of the series who cut corners and would ignore legal boundaries whenever he could.
This quote was directed toward the Brain Surgeon, whom Quinn witnessed die at Dexter’s hands. Quinn was distraught at Debra’s death and didn’t care he just saw Dexter kill someone. It showed Quinn’s emotional side as well, as he had earlier been willing to be a better man for Debra, and watching the villain die would certainly have been cathartic for Quinn.
Maria LaGuerta: "This Isn't The First Time That You And I Have Squared-Off. So What Exactly Is Your Beef With Me?"
LaGuerta said this during one of her many face-offs with Tom Matthews, against whom she was always at odds. LaGuerta was enemies with basically everyone for her unethical methods to further her career, yet she never took responsibility for her actions.
Her question toward Tom was totally valid in LaGuerta’s mind, never mind the fact that she had gotten him ousted from his position. LaGuerta’s view of the world was to sink-or-swim, but she also saw herself as the good guy and couldn’t comprehend why people didn’t like her.
Arthur Mitchell: "You Can't Control The Demon Inside Of You Any More Than I Can Control Mine."
The Trinity Killer was a main character in just the fourth season but he’s remembered as the best antagonist yet. Arthur was either in denial about his evil nature or chose to overlook it, but either way, this quote was when he was finally being completely honest.
Realizing he was about to die, Arthur confessed that he needed to be put down. The hundreds of people he killed and the family he abused contribute to the accuracy of Arthur's claim that he did have a demon inside him all along. The quote also showed that he was perceptive enough to see that Dexter couldn't overcome his own dark passenger.
Debra Morgan: "I Always Remember My First Words As Being, 'Hurry The F--- Up.'"
Debra was a motor mouth who had no filter and lived this way until the end of her life. She had the knack for making wisecracks during emotional moments, with this quote uttered when Dexter recalled the first words he had heard her say.
Debra brushed that aside to make a joke that she didn’t care for the mushy stuff, which was pretty much how she was in personality. The sarcasm behind her words was always on the surface, though, as it was Debra’s way of showing she appreciated the bond between her and Dexter.
Dexter Morgan: "There Are No Secrets In Life; Just Hidden Truths That Lie Beneath The Surface."
His status as a killer with humane flaws makes Dexter both sympathetic and unsympathetic for the decisions he made. He put up an act his entire life as a normal man, while his internal monologue revealed the truth of his nature.
According to this quote, Dexter considered everyone to be hiding who they really were and that meant nobody was really lying. It was true in Dexter’s case, as anyone who truly saw him would realize the darkness within him and it’s why people like Doakes and Hannah understood his character. The quote isn’t entirely true, but it does show off Dexter’s inherently cynical attitude.