List of Dexter characters

This is a list of characters from the Jeff Lindsay novel series Dexter, consisting of Darkly Dreaming Dexter, Dearly Devoted Dexter, Dexter in the Dark, Dexter by Design, Dexter Is Delicious, Double Dexter, the Dexter graphic novel, Dexter's Final Cut, and Dexter Is Dead, the Showtime television series adaptation Dexter, and its revival seasons Dexter: New Blood, Dexter: Original Sin, and Dexter: Resurrection, the majority of which focus on the exploits of Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall), a forensic technician specializing in bloodstain pattern analysis for the fictional Miami Metro Police Department, who leads a secret parallel life as a vigilante serial killer, hunting down murderers who have not been adequately punished by the justice system due to corruption or legal technicalities.

Overview

Main cast

= Main cast (credited)

= Recurring cast (3+)

= Guest cast (1-2)

Recurring cast

= Recurring cast (3+)

= Guest cast (1-2)

= Co-Starring

Main characters

Introduced in the main series

Dexter Morgan

Dominic Janes (preteen Dexter)

Devon Graye (teenage Dexter)

Patrick Gibson (Original Sin)

Dexter considers himself emotionally divorced from the rest of humanity; in his narration, he often refers to "humans" as if he is not one of them. He makes frequent references to an internal feeling of emptiness, leading to several attempts in his youth to "feel alive". He claims to have no feelings or conscience and that all of his emotional responses are part of a well-rehearsed act to conceal his true nature. In the beginning of season 1 of the television series, he has no interest in romance or sex; this changes after his psychological breakthrough with Emmett Meridian. He initially considers his relationship with Rita to be part of his disguise; however, by the end of season 4, Dexter has fully evolved into a family man and wishes to rid himself of his self-titled "Dark Passenger".

After his wife, Rita's, death in the season 4 finale, however, he is shocked, growing worse in multiple ways. He becomes emotionally paralyzed and breaks the code on multiple occasions.

There are chinks in Dexter's emotional armor; he acknowledges loyalty to family, particularly his now-deceased, adoptive father, stating "If I were capable of love, how I would have loved Harry". Since Harry's death, Dexter's only family has been his sister, Debra Morgan, Harry's biological daughter.