Hey, Dexter Buffs! Click the EasyEdit button to take a stab at the wikiguide to Dexter! (Don't see the EasyEdit button above? Sign in or sign up.) | | EPISODE 12: "Born Free"
Episode summary: Dexter frantically searches for clues for Debra's whereabouts when Rudy, finally revealing himself as the Ice Truck Killer, abducts her and forces Dexter into a series of mind games to find her where he finally reveals his connection to Dexter: "Rudy" is actually Brian Moser, Dexter's long-lost biological brother. Meanwhile, Lt. LaGuerta locks horns with her replacement Lt. Esmee Pascal, who's even MORE officious and pompous than LaGuerta or Captain Matthews, and who hampers the case by ignoring key evidence to further advance her own personal career. Sgt. Doakes finally comes to blows with Dexter over his denial about knowing the Ice Truck Killer, and Rita is contacted by the imprisoned Paul who tells her that Dexter framed him for his drug possession charge. Original air date: 12/17/2006
Written by: Daniel Cerone, Melissa Rosenberg
Directed by: Michael Cuesta
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 Description of crime: Continued search of the Ice Truck Killer: Debra Morgan is missing.
Victim(s): Debra Morgan
Assigned officer(s): Doakes,LaGuerta, Esme Pasquale (the new lieutenant that replaced LaGuerta)
Crime scene: Dexter's mother's house, Debra is tied up, Dexter is in the house, and Rudy/Brian runs. Later, Rudy breaks into Dexter's house to attempt to kill Debra again.
Suspect(s): Rudy Cooper/Brian Moser
Clue(s): A Born Free screensaver on Dexter's computer, "Born Free" record at Brian's "killpad". The department put together that Rudy attacked Angel and Angel checked Rudy's prints across mental institution's prints and found a match.
Blood spatter evidence suggests: none
Killer calling card(s): Barbie at Rudy's/Dexter's house | | |
Victim Name: Brian Moser / Rudy Cooper/ The Ice Truck Killer
Age/Occupation: Prosthetics doctor
Where/how Dexter stalks victim: The Ice Truck Killer has been leaving Dexter clues. He finally figures it out and tears his apartment apart looking for a clue on where to find Rudy and Debra. He follows the clues left for him and meets Rudy/Brian face-to-face at their mother's house. Before Rudy/Brian kills Debra, she wakes up, Dexter grabs his hand, and the police show up. Later, Brian/Rudy breaks into Dexter's house to attempt to kill Debra again.
 Why victim deserves it: He is the Ice Truck Killer. He has killed at least six different victims and maimed Tony Tucci.
Dexter's kill methods and rituals: Rudy/Brian sets Debra up the same way Dexter kills his victims: he plans to kill her together. Rudy/Brian gets away then Dexter tricks him when he breaks into Dexter's apartment to kill Debra: Dexter had placed Brian/Rudy's prosthetics in his bed to pose as Debra. When Rudy/Brian attacks the dummy, Dexter chokes him and brings him to his apartment to kill him. He wraps Brian/Rudy up as he does with all of his other victims, however, this time he doesn't collect a slide of blood. He lays his forehead against his brother's and slits his throat, letting the blood drain from his body. Dexter made Rudy's death look like a suicide where Rudy killed himself as he killed his victims. Dexter mourns his brother's death: he was the one victim Dexter wanted to set free.
Victim's last words: "You're the one who needs setting free, brother..."
Location of killing: Rudy/Brian's apartment in his freezer kill room.
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FLASHBACKS
- Flashbacks of Harry carrying Dexter out of the cargo container his mother was killed in.
- Dexter remembers his mother used to paint her fingernails different colors.
- It isn't until this episode that Dexter realizes that Rudy/Brian is his brother after he sees his mother and himself playing at their old house.
- When Harry is carrying Dexter out of the cargo container, Dexter has a small cut on his left check, foreshadowing his method of collecting his blood sample for his slide collection.
- Dexter's brother Brian putting a band-aid on his knees and telling Dexter to bend his knees the next time he's on his skateboard. Dexter says "Hi" to the little boy version of himself, he says "Hi" back and yells "Look out" when Brian comes up behind Dexter with a syringe.
| CLUES TO DEXTER'S PAST
- Dexter and Rudy/Brian are blood brothers and witnessed their mother's murder together.
- Dexter was three when Harry Morgan found him. Harry left Rudy/Brian behind.
- Dexter feels Harry betrayed him because he wasn't alone.
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DEXTER'S RELATIONSHIPS
Developments with Rita:
- Paul tells Rita he thinks Dexter is dangerous and the he thinks Dexter knocked him out, planted him in his hotel room, and shot him up with heroine. Paul continues to harass Rita about Dexter. Rita finds the shoe Paul tells her to look for.
- Dexter blows Rita off when she comes by his work for presumably the first time. Dexter tells her Deb is in trouble and can't deal with her too at the moment and takes off.
- After Dexter deals with his sister and Rudy, he returns to Rita's house and tells her he wants to spend more time with her.
| Interactions with others:
- Doakes follows Dexter to the shipyard. Doakes knows that Dexter is somehow connected to the Ice Truck killer.
- Debra yells at Doakes and LaGuerta to treat Dexter like a hero because he's just saved her life.
- Debra questions why the ITK chose her, then thanks Dexter profusely. He tells her she's, "Just lucky, I guess".
- Dexter denies his only living relatives life dream of becoming killing brothers and dispatches of Rudy/Brian, as much as it pains him to do so.
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| SIGNIFICANCE OF EPISODE TITLE |
| Born Free is the name of the Andy Williams song Rudy (or Brian) leaves Dexter at both of their apartments. The song itself evokes images of being completely liberated and absolutely free of all inhibitions and having nothing to hide from anyone, which is something Rudy feels he can offer Dexter once he joins him as a brother in murder. |
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
Best Moments:
- Dexter and Doakes' scuffle in the cargo container lot: Doakes is surprised by Dexter's show of strength.
- "Surprise, motherfu¢ker!"
- Dexter meeting face-to-face with Rudy/Brian at their mother's house, then arguing about "The Code" over Debra's body.
- Brian setting up and bounding Deb for Dexter to kill the way Dexter usually sets it up.
- Deb defends Dexter and says he's a hero when Doakes is questioning Dexter and saying that he's going to look into putting him on suspension.
- Dexter's fantasy parade at the end.
| Best Lines:
- "I've lived in darkness a long time. Over the years my eyes adjusted until the dark became my world and I could see. But then Rudy turned on the light. He flooded my memory and now I'm blind. I don't have much time- or, to be more accurate, my sister doesn't have much time. He wants me to find them, but where do I look? I can't think, it's too bright" (Dexter, to himself).
- "I couldn't find the remote" (Dexter, on the current disarray of his apartment).
- Doakes: You trying to be smart?
Dexter: Not trying, no
- "You're the only one I ever wanted to set free" (Dexter, to Rudy)
- "You can't be a killer and a hero. It doesn't work that way!" (Rudy, to Dexter)
- "They say home is where the heart is, maybe this is where I left mine" (Dexter, to himself).
- "You don't have to pretend with me Dexter. You can be yourself. You're real, genuine self. Takes the breath away doesn't it?" (Rudy, to Dexter.
- "What did I just do? I drove away a brother who accepts me, sees me, for an adopted sister who'd reject me if she knew, and a foster father who betrayed me. That's what it was. A betrayal. The most imprtant singel fact about me - I'm not alone- and Harry kept it from me. What do I really owe him after that?" (Dexter, to himself)
- "Sometimes I wonder what it would be like for everything inside me that's denied an unkown to be revealed. But I'll never know. I live my life in hiding. My survival depends on it" (Dexter, to himself).
- Rita: I got your message. How's Debra?
Dexter: Hmm, she has all her limbs. Rita: Thank God she is alive. That poor thing must be a mess, falling for a serial killer.
Dexter: What are the odds? - "Dearly damaged Debra. She's here to face what's left of the monster. Spit on his carcass. Mourn him. She's in hiding now too. Harry's daughter will be damned if she let's anyone see what she's suffering inside. That's her tragedy. My tragedy is I killed the one person I didn't have to hide from, and I'm the only one who mourns him. Everyone else would probably thank me if they knew I was the one who drained him of his life. In fact, deep down I'm sure they'd appreciate a lot of my work. This is what it must feel like to walk in full sunlight. My darkness revealed, my shadow self embraced. Yeah, they see me. I'm one of them... in their darkest dreams" (Dexter, to himself).
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EPISODE TRIVIA
- The car we see Doakes driving in this episode is different from the car we see him driving in episode four of this season, "Let's Give the Boy a Hand", and different still from the car he drives during season two.
- I guess this is the last time we see this particular actor playing Cody. I wonder why they changed actors? Maybe he grew too fast?
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ORIGINAL VERSUS NETWORK BROADCAST
This one is for the superfans, tell the newbie fans what they're missin' out on!
 IN THE SHOWTIME SERIES | |  IN THE CBS BROADCAST | | | | |
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