Dexter Morgan

Dexter Morgan: a serial killer who sole goal is to hunt other serial killers

Hannibal Lecter: a psychiatrist with a deadly secret

WHO IS DEADLIEST!?

Brief History
Dexter is a textbook psychopath and mission-oriented serial killer. Since childhood, Dexter has had urges to kill to satisfy an inner voice he calls "the Dark Passenger." When that voice can no longer be ignored, he "lets the Dark Passenger do the driving". Dexter considers himself emotionally divorced from the rest of humanity; in his narration, he refers to "humans" as if he is not one himself. He makes frequent references to an internal feeling of emptiness and says he kills to feel alive. He claims to have no feelings or conscience, and that all of his emotional responses are part of a well-rehearsed act to conceal who — or what — he really is. He has no interest in romance or sex; he considers his relationship with Rita to be part of his "disguise."

Paradoxically, Dexter likes children, finding them to be much more interesting than their parents. This affinity causes Dexter to be particularly wrathful when his victims prey on children. His connection to Rita's children, Astor and Cody, sometimes supersedes his relationship with Rita. For example, in the novels, Dexter continues his relationship with Rita because he realizes that Rita's children are exhibiting the same signs of psychopathy as Dexter himself did at that age and looks forward to providing them with "guidance" similar to that which Harry provided him. On the show, Dexter takes a detour in his code of only killing murderers in order to dispose of a pedophile who is stalking Astor. Also on the show, Dexter seems to have the same affinity for teenagers: teenager Jeremy Downs is the first potential victim he spared (for Dexter could understand the way he felt) and Dexter fiercely protected Jonah Mitchell from his abusive father, the Trinity Killer.

Animals don't like Dexter, which can cause noise problems when he stalks a victim who has pets. The novels reveal that he once owned a dog that barked and growled at him until he was forced to get rid of it and a turtle that hid from him in its shell until it died of starvation.

Dexter occasionally behaves in a way that suggests that he does feel some rudimentary human connection. He acknowledges loyalty to family, particularly to his late adoptive father, saying, "If I were capable of love, how I would have loved Harry." Since Harry's death, Dexter's only family is his sister Debra—Harry and Doris's biological daughter. Dexter admits that he cannot hurt Debra or allow a serial killer named Brian to harm her because he is "fond of her." Dexter's human connections evolve even deeper in the television program. In the final episode of the TV show's second season, he finally admits that he needs the people in his life.[1] In Season 3, he fights to live because he wants to see his unborn child. In the fourth season, before killing a female police officer who has murdered her own husband and young daughter, Dexter is nearly overwhelmed with the realization that he does not want to lose his new family. He is also highly disturbed when he discovers another serial killer severely abuses his family while using them as a "human shield" for his cover; Dexter insists he is nothing like that.

Weapons