Sumith Prasad
The fourth episode of Paramount+ with Showtime’s crime drama series ‘Dexter: Original Sin,’ titled ‘Fender Bender,’ depicts Dexter Morgan struggling with his homicidal urges after encountering the dead body of a child in the line of duty. The unsettling sight exposes him to the barbarity that exists around him, making his instincts crave blood. To calm his nerves down, he sets his eyes on an experienced hitman who moonlights as a charter boat captain. Harry Morgan continues to guide his adoptive son while recollecting his memories with the latter’s mother, Laura Moser, with whom he nurtured a secret and intense affair! SPOILERS AHEAD.
The Murder of Jimmy Powell Unsettles Miami Metro PD
‘Fender Bender’ begins with the discovery of the dead body of Jimmy Powell, the missing son of Judge Powell. He is found hanging in the city, which puzzles the police officers, who don’t even have a suspect to investigate. Captain Aaron Spencer seeks Harry Morgan’s expertise for preliminary observations, only for the latter to lean on the possibility of a drug cartel being responsible. María LaGuerta shows her interest in the case, but her superior assigns her a different death to investigate. She is joined by Dexter Morgan, who cannot stand watching the dead body of a young boy.
The second body is discovered at a beach in Coconut Grove. LaGuerta is not happy about her bosses sending her a 20-year-old novice as the forensic expert but asks the latter to do his job anyway out of frustration. While Aaron and Harry discuss the specifics of Jimmy’s murder, which aren’t many, the former’s ex-wife, Becca, shows up at the station. She is furious that the police officer can’t accompany their son to a game like her fiancé. He tries to reason with her, stating that he has to prioritize the investigation of a boy’s murder, but the duo ends up having a fight.
Similarly, Harry deals with the anger of his daughter, Debra Morgan, who grows furious at her father because he took his truck for work after giving her permission to use it for the day. When the police officer reveals that he had to take the vehicle after learning about a dead boy, she feels that he prioritized a lifeless child over her. Debra processes her anger and frustration by going clubbing with her best friend, Sofia Rivera. During one of these nights, she meets Gio Martino, a businessman specializing in import and export. She lies to her father and decides to spend a night with him.
Dexter Morgan Showcases His Forensic Skills
After joining hands with María LaGuerta, Dexter investigates the death of Blake Kersten in detail. He comes to know that the victim was a reclusive man who parted ways with his family at the age of 17 after his loved ones learned that he was gay. After examining the body and the crime scene, the forensic expert concludes that the murderer strangled Blake with the intent of killing him and was even enjoying the act. He uses two cantaloupes to showcase how there was not much blood at the crime scene, which wouldn’t have been the case if the killer had spontaneously committed the murder.
Dexter’s demonstration amuses his colleagues, much to the displeasure of LaGuerta. Still, because of this particular case, he finds a friend in Officer Clark Sanders. The latter talks about finding the dead body of a child, which caused immense pain and anger in him, just like what happens in Dexter after he sees the lifeless Jimmy Powell. The police officer reminds the forensic expert that the bottled-up anger will explode in various ways, including unexpected violence. These words convince Dexter that he needs to kill again, specifically not to feel unsettled. He then goes through several unsolved cases, only to learn about a hitman named Mad-Dog.
Dexter Morgan Makes Mistakes as a Killer
Dexter’s search for his next victim ends when he learns about Mad-Dog. A deep dive into the latter’s case files reveals that he served as a hitman/assassin for the mob for years. The forensic expert estimates that the man is responsible for around 200 murders. The serial killer shares the case with his adoptive father, Harry, who is aware of the former’s target. He is not too enthusiastic about permitting Dexter to kill again, but he knows that he does not have a choice, especially when the target is someone who deserves to die without a shadow of a doubt.
After receiving permission from Harry, Dexter meets Mad-Dog, who works as a charter boat captain by the name of Anthony Moretti. The serial killer meets the hitman under the guise of a student who wants to charter his boat. After the end of the conversation, Mad-Dog gives the young man a business card with his address. Dexter breaks into his target’s home and discovers that the man is planning to kill Omar Reyes, a witness of the state who is part of a high-profile trial. The serial killer realizes that he needs to kill Mad-Dog before the latter eliminates Omar.
Dexter sets the plan in motion by hiding himself in Mad-Dog’s house. When the hitman shows up after the day’s work, the serial killer bashes his target’s head and places him on a long table in his trademark style. Unfortunately, while Dexter ties him up, the assassin regains consciousness and fights back. The old man uses the surprise retaliation to run away from his house, only for a huge vehicle to hit him. Even though he must be dead, the turn of events leaves Dexter vulnerable.
