Dexter Episode 75: Buck the System

Dexter is stuck living under Debra’s close supervision, and his frustration pushes him toward a new target: Ray Speltzer, a parolee Dexter believes is likely to kill again. At the same time, Dexter quietly retaliates against Louis by anonymously returning the prosthetic hand to Masuka, which leads to Louis being exposed and fired, and by sending Jamie proof that Louis cheated on her, which ends their relationship.

Debra initially resists Dexter’s attempts to justify vigilante killing, but she agrees to look into Speltzer after Dexter shows her why he thinks the man is dangerous. Dexter investigates further by breaking into a mausoleum and confirming that Speltzer keeps trophies from victims there. Meanwhile, Miami Metro receives the belongings of Wayne Randall from his mother, Donna, adding another case to the department’s attention.

Speltzer lures a woman to his house, where he forces her into a homemade Minotaur-style maze and kills her inside it. Debra keeps watch on the house, but when she hears screams she goes in, is knocked unconscious by Speltzer, and is nearly killed before Dexter intervenes. Speltzer escapes, and Debra later discovers the woman’s body, realizing that stopping Dexter from acting sooner allowed the murder to happen. By the end of the episode, Debra still does not accept Dexter’s methods, but she understands why he believes his code matters.