Born Free (Dexter episode)

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“Born Free”
Dexter episode
Episode no.	Season 1 Episode 12
Written by	Daniel Cerone Melissa Rosenberg
Directed by	Michael Cuesta
Production no.	112
Original airdate	December 17, 2006
Episode chronology
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"Truth Be Told"	–
List of Dexter episodes

"Born Free" is the 12th episode and season finale of the first season of the Showtime series Dexter and first aired on December 17, 2006.

[edit] Plot

After the kidnapping of Debra, a series of events show that the Ice Truck Killer is Dexter's biological brother, Brian Moser. He also witnessed the murder of their mother, Laura Moser, but did not repress the memory; instead, he grew up in a mental institution being treated for anti-social personality disorder. Dexter meets his brother in their childhood home where Brian is keeping Debra. He intends to kill Debra with Dexter in a sort of twisted family reunion, but is stopped by Dexter. As Doakes and the rest of the homicide unit close in on the house, Brian escapes through a trap door and Dexter is left with Debra, appearing to have saved her. Doakes tries to question Dexter about his involvement, but is stopped by an indignant Debra. Dexter accompanies her to the hospital and then returns home, apparently with Debra. In the middle of the night, Brian breaks into Dexter's apartment and attempts to stab Debra, only to find a prosthetic body in her place and has a wire pulled across his neck by Dexter. The pair next appear in the refrigeration unit in Brian's apartment, where Dexter has fixed him to his killing table with plastic wrap. After an emotionally charged conversation, Dexter slices his brother's throat and leaves him upside down to drain. The killing is made to look like a suicide.

Meanwhile, Rita is contacted by Paul, from prison, who contends that Dexter knocked him out and set him up. Rita becomes annoyed as Paul persists that Dexter is dangerous and should not be around their children. Later, Rita is visited by Paul's Narcotics Anonymous sponsor, who attempts to convince Rita that Paul is telling the truth. In a final plea, Paul calls Rita and tells her to search the backyard and kitchen area of their house for a shoe which Paul believes came off when Dexter knocked him out. Later, Rita discovers the shoe while taking out the trash. The season ends with Dexter and Debra arriving to a crime scene and while walking in to it, Dexter imagines what would it be like if everyone knew the truth about him.

[edit] Guest Stars

• Geoff Pierson as Captain Tom Astor
• C. S. Lee as Vince Masuka
• Mark Pellegrino as Paul
• Christian Camargo as Rudy
• Judith Scott as Lt. Pascal
• Scott Atkinson as Bob Hicks

[edit] Trivia

• The beer Rudy is drinking is named Jekyll & Hyde and features a skull and crossbones logo.
• The way Dexter eats a banana in the car is the same way Rudy eats a chocolate bar.
• The ending of the episode is different from the ending of the novel Darkly Dreaming Dexter. There, Dexter actually lets his brother go free, but not before Brian murders Laguerta.
• Brandon Killham plays Young Brian, Dexter's brother.
• A possible reference to the popular children's cartoon Dexter's Laboratory may have been made when Rita tells Paul's sponsor that "Dexter spends all his time in a laboratory, for god's sake.", however, this may not have been intentional.