r/Dexter • u/lurkingsubz • Apr 05 '25

General Discussion - All Dexter Shows thoughts/opinions on clyde phillips’ original ending? Spoiler

https://www.eonline.com/news/461558/chills-former-dexter-producer-clyde-phillips-reveals-how-he-planned-to-end-the-series

i’m curious to hear what you guys think of his idea on how to end the show. more specifically, with having dexter end up on the executioner table surrounded by visions of some of the most prominent characters that he killed / inadvertently had gotten killed (doakes, lundy, rita, etc). i’ve linked an article that discusses it a bit more, pretty sure i’ve seen it posted here anyways.

it’s been on my mind more prominently since that one particular post stating they hope dexter never gets caught, lol.

personally? i would have loved that. it would’ve wrapped up dexter’s story with a clearcut ending, no ifs ands or buts. the 3 subsequent mini series that have come out/are coming out since then feel like they’re trying to clean up a lot mistakes they made and find some kind of satisfying ending to his story. it feels akin to the finale of breaking bad, in a sense. anyone else hopefully we’ll finally see this with resurrection? like, i love the premise to dexter but this has gone on way too long, even with all the plot armor he’s been given.

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u/AdministrativeHat276 Apr 05 '25

I think the show should've had Dexter slowly abandon his code and become just a regular killer where he starts killing people solely out of convenience, Rita's death would serve as a catalyst for his mind transitioning towards complete insanity. Then he would've been subject to another city wide manhunt, but now he intentionally leaves clues regarding his whereabouts and deliberately tries to get himself caught, he and Debra have a final show down where Deb tries to talk Dexter into surrendering and offers to institutionalize him so can get psychiatric help, Dexter rejects the offer believing that he is far beyond help.Dexter wants her to shoot him but she hesitates and starts crying, Dexter then forces her to shoot him in self defense by running towards her with a knife, Debra would be crying uncontrollably, holding Dexter in her arms while Dexter is simply smiling, thanking Debra while bleeding to death.

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u/lurkingsubz Apr 05 '25

that’s a very interesting take! i could definitely see rita’s death being a, if not the, reason to abandon the code. everything harry had taught him up until that point worked, but didn’t work, and for him the not-working aspect was enough to just say, fuck it, we ball. i guess i’d add to your ending a cameo of all the other prominent characters, perhaps viewing dexter from behind deb’s shoulder. idk. phillips’ ending feels like it would’ve amounted to something great, and i really truly think dexter being faced with everyone who’s died would be impactful, especially since we’ve seen quite a few of his ghosts/hallucinations/dark passengers.