‘Dexter: New Blood’: Could Dexter’s Dark Theory About Harrison Be True?
Dexter: New Blood gave Harrison Morgan (Jack Alcott) a new possible storyline with killer implications. Episode 4 of the series has Dexter (Michael C. Hall) questioning whether or not his son really does take after his father. Harrison stops a school shooting and claims he attacked a student out of self-defense. But Dexter finds a hole in his story and starts to believe Harrison knows more than he lets on and might have his own Dark Passenger to worry about in Dexter: New Blood. But is Dexter’s theory about his own son true?
[SPOILER ALERT: Spoilers ahead for Dexter: New Blood Episode 4 “H is for Hero.”]
Harrison is deemed a hero for stopping a student’s plan of massacre
In “H is for Hero,” Dexter is urgently called to the high school after Harrison is stabbed while trying to stop Ethan (Christian Dell’Edera) from starting a school shooting. According to Harrison’s story, Ethan asked to meet with him backstage in the auditorium. Ethan claimed to want revenge against his bullies and told Harrison because he was his only friend. Ethan wanted Harrison’s help to commit the massacre.
But the story takes a turn when Harrison tries to persuade Ethan to get help and find a teacher. Ethan takes out a knife and attacks Harrison. Harrison gets to the knife first in the scuffle and claims to have accidentally cut Ethan’s leg badly. Throughout Harrison’s story, he is frazzled, emotional, empathetic, and shows all the signs of being truthful.
While the town and students call Harrison a hero, Dexter notices discrepancies in his son’s story. Dexter starts to believe Harrison is lying about what happened.
Dexter role plays the scenario and figures out the truth to Harrison’s story in ‘Dexter: New Blood’
After the events between Harrison and Ethan, Dexter gets a clue that leads him to question his son. Dexter cleans Harrison’s stab wound before school. Years working in forensics and his own serial killer history, Dexter notices something is wrong with the injury. He asks Harrison if he remembers what hand Ethan used to hold the knife.
Harrison gets upset about his father’s supposed interrogation. Dexter decides to go back to the crime scene and act out the events according to what Harrison said. Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) appears and berates Dexter for trying to look for holes in Harrison’s story. She even showers him in balloons and confetti, similar to a scene in season 1.
While Dexter’s Dark Passenger believes Harrison, Dexter’s re-enactment shows his son did cut Ethan with the knife. But it was not out of self-defense. Dexter stabs himself with the same knife used at the scene and realizes Harrison’s wound is self-inflicted.
Harrison has his own killer tendencies in ‘Dexter: New Blood’
Dexter’s theory about his son in Dexter: New Blood is further solidified when he learns what Ethan told the police. Ethan claims Harrison is the one who attacked him. According to Den of Geek, “Harrison has appeared to take advantage of the impotent rage of his new friend Ethan, and he uses it as a chance to test out his violent urges.”
Episode 4 furthers Harrison’s dilemma when Dexter finds the same straight razor the Trinity Killer (John Lithgow) used to kill Harrison’s mother. Dexter now believed his son also has a Dark Passenger. But Reddit fans believe otherwise.
One fan commented, “My theory is that Harrison knows what Dexter is and what he meant by ‘dark urges’ in the letter. When Harrison was reminded of losing his mother with the podcast, he lashed out at Ethan and made up that story, thinking that hurting people is how his father copes, so it must be how he should get rid of what he thinks is his ‘dark urge.” Some fans believe Harrison does feel guilt over hurting his friend and has baggage, but it is unclear if he is a killer in the making.
