- In the Season Two premiere, Dexter finds himself unable to kill again after the harrowing conclusion to the Ice Truck Killer case, and strays from his personal code with disastrous results; Debra returns to work but may not be ready.
- Stress builds as thoughts of the death of Brian (Christian Camargo) aka the Ice Truck Killer, and the constant tailing by Sgt. Doakes (Erik King)keeps Dexter Morgan(Michael C. Hall) on edge. Now more than a month after his brother's murder, Dexter packs a duffle bag with tools of his trade, and sets out into the night - but ends up going bowling instead. Sgt. Doakes, determined to catch Dexter and prove some sort of link between Dexter and the Ice Truck Killer, keeps a keen eye on the bowling Dexter, whose only recourse is to act "relentlessly normal" to throw Doakes off track. Dexter is disturbed to discover that he is good at pretending to be normal. His bowling team, Bowl Till You Bleed, play against the Alley Cats. Angel Batista (David Zayas,) a changed man since his wife left him, tells Dexter they need a strike to win, and encourages Dexter to open up and tell the universe what he needs and it will come to him. Dexter feels the need to kill somebody. He rolls a gutter ball. Doakes, disgusted, leaves.
At a voodoo shop, the blind High Priest hears the front door open. It's Dexter, who asks the priest for a curse - a death curse. The High Priest, suspicious, nonetheless leads Dexter to the back room, where Dexter quickly anesthetizes him.
As Dexter begins his death ritual on the blind priest, he demands to know how the priest poisoned his victims with Ricin. The priest admits that he put the poison into water bottles that the victims purchased from him. Satisfied, Dexter holds a dagger above the priests chest, but finds he can't kill him. Dexter lets the blind priest go. Later, on his boat, Dexter contemplates his predicament.
Dexter arrives home, only to find that his sister and new roommate, Debra Morgan(Jennifer Carpenter,) has locked him out yet again. Deborah, now afraid to live alone, gets off the treadmill and lets Dexter in. Dexter offers to help Deb find her own apartment.
In a flashback, a young Dexter (Devon Graye) practices at the shooting range with father Harry Morgan(James Remar.) Harry breaks the news that he has to work, and must cancel their planned father-son boar hunt. A distraught young Dexter reminds Harry that it's been two weeks since he last killed, and that he needs to go on the hunt. Firmly, Harry tells him that the trip is canceled. Young Dexter accidentally discharges his gun and Harry falls to the floor.
The next morning, Dexter finds himself trying to keep his relationship with Rita (Julie Benz) intact while continuing to struggle to "get things right." Astor (Christina Robinson) and Cody(Preston Bailey) eye Dexter's doughnut offering with disdain. Dexter apologizes, and privately worries that he is unable to even get doughnuts right. Astor and Cody politely eat doughnuts. While the kids watch television, Rita and Dexter go into the bedroom. Dexter apologizes for his inability to perform. He blames it on work pressure.
Dexter ruminates over his inability to kill, and theorizes that perhaps he's rusty after killing his brother. He wonders if he's now feeling empathy for his victims.
At work, Doakes and Dexter get into it. Doakes reminds Dexter that he's watching him. Deb comes back to work. Lt. Maria Laguerta (Lauren Velez) welcomes her back. To Maria's surprise, Deb gives her a hug. Lt. Esme Pasquale (Judith Scott) calls Maria into her office and asks her to investigate a body dumped in the marina. Maria tells Esme that Deb isn't ready to work, and explains that she is demonstrating odd behavior by hugging her. Nonetheless, Esme tells Maria to take Deb with her.
Angel, Vince Masuka (C.S. Lee) and Dexter survey the body at the marina. Dexter suspects a machete was the weapon used in the kill. Angel suspects the 29th Street Gang. Dexter, still in his funk, struggles with his camera, then accidentally steps into the victim's blood. Angel wonders what's up with Dexter.
Deb interviews the Banana Boat Tour Guide (Max Gail.) Tourists, recognizing Deb as the Ice Truck Killer's girlfriend, snap pictures. An Annoying Man (Claude Shires) goads Deb to look scared for the camera as a concerned Maria looks on. Deb, clearly exasperated, spins around - and smiles for the camera.
A screaming woman clambers into the crime scene. It's Eva (Anna Maganini) the victim's mother. Dexter grabs her. Eva implores Dexter to find Little Chino, the man who killed her son, Rafael, and to " kill him like a dog." Eva's daughter, Marissa, (Jillian Bruno) is carried away from the scene. Her eyes lock onto Dexter's.
Rita and the kids visit Paul Bennett (Mark Pellegrino) in jail. Paul asks Rita for help. He wants the shoe that he says fell off when Dexter knocked him out, in order to prove that he was set up. Rita refuses to help and leaves with the kids.
At the station, Angel takes Eva's statement. Deb is happy to be back on the job. Dexter asks Deb about Little Chino. Deb recites Little Chino's brutal police record. Doakes brings in the hulking Little Chino(Matthew Willig.)
In flashback, young Dexter is relieved to discover that Harry is unhurt. The shot missed. Harry tells young Dexter not to point loaded weapons at him. Harry's heart is pounding. Fascinated, young Dexter puts his hand onto Harry's heart and feels the proof of Harry's life, fear, and emotion.
At the station, Dexter feels hope at the challenge brought to him by Little Chino. Angel asks Eva if she is willing to testify against Little Chino. Eva agrees. Dexter is discouraged.
In the interrogation room, Doakes, dwarfed by Little Chino, attempts an interrogation. Little Chino denies seeing Rafael, the victim. Little Chino claims that Eva was high. Deb quickly checks Evas record and finds that she has a history of drug use. Deb is resigned that Little Chino will walk. Dexter is hopeful.
Treasure hunters aboard the Fortune dive in search of gold. They see an aberration in the ocean floor, and believe that it marks the location of treasure. Digging in the sand a little, the divers find a butcher knife. Mystified, they continue their search. They come across a large black garbage bag - one of Dexter's kills. They open the bag and a hand floats out. Repulsed, the divers quickly head to the surface. Looking back, they see that the ocean floor is littered with dozens and dozens of large black garbage bags -Dexter's personal graveyard.
At home, Dexter, on the phone with Rita, begs her to take Deb out to dinner. He apologizes for having to break their date, but bowling calls. Rita agrees to go out with Deb. Satisfied, Dexter heads out to hunt down Little Chino.
Dexter arrives at the bowling alley. He approaches Doakes' car, and tells him that he plans on being at the bowling alley to work on his game until midnight. Disgusted at being spotted so easily, Doakes leaves.
At the office, Maria tries to hide when Esme arrives with her fiancé. Maria listens while the two argue. The fiancé leaves. Esme sees Maria and confides in her. Maria is uncomfortable.
Rita gets a call from Paul, who once again begs Rita for her help. Rita tells Paul that she found the shoe, but that it won't be there if Paul sends his lawyer over to fetch it. Rita hangs up. Furious, Paul beats the phone against the jailhouse wall.
Little Chino gets a tattoo, a teardrop signifying a kill. Dexter watches and waits. Little Chino, freshly tattooed, finds a flock of chickens in his car. Little Chino jumps out of his car, and Dexter quickly anesthetizes him.
Back at the voodoo shop, which the High Priest has long since abandoned, Dexter preps Little Chino for the death ritual.
Deb and Rita have hot wings. Rita confides in Deb about Paul's call. Deb is disturbed to hear Rita talk about Paul. Deb drinks.
A man at the bar (Ron Rogge) recognizes Deb. Deb turns away, but the man puts his hand on her shoulder. A hysterical Deb punches him, breaking the man's nose.
A clumsy Dexter gouges Little Chino's face while attempting to get a drop of blood for his slide collection. Little Chino wakes up, more mistakes are made, and he escapes. Dexter fears he is cursed.
In flashback, a young Dexter stands on the ledge of a tall building, eyes closed, hand clutching his heart. He plays with the edge, leaning dangerously forward, about to fall off. Harry grabs him and pulls him down. Young Dexter explains that he wasn't trying to kill himself, he was simply trying to figure out a way to feel alive.
Feeling like a failure, Dexter finds himself at Rita's house. Rita, crying, tells Dexter that Paul is dead after an altercation in prison. She feels remorseful that she didn't help him. Dexter, trying to console Rita, tells her that it was Paul's own fault that he was dead. Pointedly, Rita asks, "Was it his own fault?"
Dexter arrives home to find a wired Deb watching television. The news reports on the find of an underwater graveyard. Excited, Deb tells Dexter that they've found another murderer, one even worse than the Ice Truck Killer, and that now, maybe, she'll finally get some peace. Dexter watches the newscast; hand on his chest, feeling the beat of his heart.
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