As we reach beyond the midpoint ofDexter: Resurrection, the story is taking twists and turns that no one saw coming. While some theories have been confirmed, other plotlines have come out of left field and thrown viewers for a loop. One such instance comes at the end of Episode 6, “Cats and Mouse,” when a major character’s death has fans reeling. Fans expected this character to play a much larger role in the series. But the death drives the story forward in anew way for Dexter(Michael C. Hall) that might actually work to his advantage.
Spoilers ahead for Dexter: Resurrection, Season 1, Episode 6
This Character’s Death Actually Helps Dexter
In Episode 5, “Murder Horny,” something Charley (Uma Thurman) said to Mia (Krysten Ritter) in prison had fans unsure about the fate of Lady Vengeance. Mia assured Leon’s (Peter Dinklage) head of security that she would not talk, would not be sending threats, attempting blackmail, or even asking for money. Charley expressed that this would please their “mutual friend,” referring to Leon, and added that they would ensure her stay in prison would be comfortable and short.
The implication is that they would do their best to get Mia released. But considering Mia was caught red-handed in the middle of torturing a man and in possession of trinkets owned by all of Lady Vengeance’s previous victims, it would take a miracle and a lot of pulled strings to make that happen. If anyone could do it, it would be Leon. But he’s intent on ensuring no one ever learns of his connection to (and fascination with) these killers. So, it’s unlikely he would stick his neck out to help.This only leaves one interpretation of these seemingly comforting words. The look in Mia’s eyes suggests she knows it, too.
Later, Charley walks into a room full of men watching horse races on television and cheering for their picks. She approaches one man who has clearly just lost a lot of money and plops an envelope on the table with a wad of cash inside, asking if he needs a friend. He nods reluctantly and knowingly.
At the end of the episode, when Claudette (Kadia Saraf), Melvin (Dominic Fumusa), and Angel (David Zayas) arrive at the prison to talk to Mia, the alarm bell sounds before they get to her.As they rush to Mia’s cell, her legs are seen dangling from the ceiling as the guards frantically pull her down. Her neck is severely bruised, and one guard places his fingers on her neck to feel for a pulse. He turns to them and says she’s gone. His face is familiar, though.It’s the same guard Charley approached earlier, clearly having orchestrated this fake death by suicide in exchange for a payday.
Mia’s Death Is Yet Another Lucky Break for Dexter
Mia’s death is tragic and marks the second serial killer from Leon’s group to die since Dexter arrived (at least as far as Leon knows). But the fact that she didn’t die by his hands, despitehim realizing the truth about her, actually works to his advantage.It shows that his clever plan and willpower in avoiding her attention paid off, even if the details surrounding the anonymous phone call that took Mia down remain a mystery.
Why will this help Dexter? Angel approached Claudette when he saw the news report about Lady Vengeance being linked to Ryan’s (Bryan Lillis) murder. He knew she was not responsible and, in fact, guessed exactly what really happened, right down to Dexter planting Ryan’s watch in her box of trinkets. Angel asked to come along for their interrogation because he had questions of his own and wanted to prove his theory.
When the trio met with the prison guard who was to walk them to Mia’s cell, he told them that Mia had stonewalled the FBI and anyone else who had come asking questions. He wasn’t confident they would be able to get anything out of her because she is “one tough cookie.”But Angel had an ace up his sleeve: a photo of Dexter, who, if she could identify as someone she knows, would potentially clear her of the charges because it would prove his theory plausible. This would have also alerted Mia to the fact that Dexter was not who she thought he was and was one of the most notorious serial killers ever. That’s a detail she surely would have gotten back to Leon.
The anger in Angel’s face when realizing thatDexter has thwarted an attempt at captureyet again suggests that this cat-and-mouse game will continue throughout the season. So many others have tried to catch Dexter in the past, and many came inches away from succeeding. But Dexter is clever, quick-thinking, and resourceful. He also has tremendous luck. In instances when his back is up against the wall, someone or something always seems to come through in the nick of time. He simply can’t be caught.
Is Mia Really Dead?
Or Could She Return in ‘Dexter: Resurrection’?
Some wonder if Mia is really dead or if this is all a fake-out, and she will pop back up again on the show. A death by hanging is not easy to fake, however. There was visible bruising on her neck, and she was hanging at the time she was discovered. But it’s not impossible. The security guard could have drugged and hanged her seconds before sounding the alarm with fake (or self-imposed) bruising already on her neck. He could have timed it to pull her down before she actually choked, but while she was still unconscious. That guard, after all, was the only one who took her pulse. Could that guard have then arranged for her to escape once she regained consciousness? It’s unlikely, but a theory worth considering.
That said, considering how Charley has dealt with others who have tried to cross Leon or got caught, like Keith, a.k.a. The Canton Clubber (Max von Essen), Leon doesn’t take chances. Mia knew too much and had too much to lose. So, it’s likely she’s gone. The real question is, with Mia gone, will it officially be case closed on Ryan’s death? Or will Angel continue to pursue his theory and insist that while Mia clearly murdered the others, she didn’t murder him, and he knows who did? At least now, there’s one less distraction in Dexter’s way.
Mia’s death proves that this show isn’t going in the direction many have predicted. There are a lot of surprises, her death being one of them. Buckle up, because if Lady Vengeance can meet her end even without seeing Dexter’s table, there’s no telling who else could, when, and how.StreamDexter: ResurrectiononParamount+ with Showtime.
