Norman and Dylan

The relationship between Norman Bates and Dylan Massett. It can be likened to that of Cain and Abel.
==Background==
Four years after Dylan was born, Norman was born to Norma and her second husband Sam Bates, who she married after cheating on Dylan's legal father John Massett. Although Norman initially shows a dislike for his older half-brother, especially when he labels Norma a whore due to her past, their relationship softens over the course of the series with Dylan being the only one who can sees that Norman is mentally ill and wants him to get help.
==Overview==
===Season 1===
Dylan arrived at the Bates residence looking for shelter and money after losing his job.  Both Norma and Norman acted with open hostility to his presence, which Dylan returned by calling his mother “Norma”.  Later, when he received a phone call from Norma, who he had listed as on his cellphone as 'The Whore', it set Norman off and he launched himself at his half-brother who pushed him against the fridge, warning him not to do it again. When he let Norman go, he turned his back on him and seeing the meat tenderizer, Norman picked it and attempted to strike Dylan with it, forcing Dylan to punch him. (Nice Town You Picked, Norma...)
Dylan had another talk with Norman and claimed that Norma was smothering him. He forgave Norman for trying to kill him and Norman jokingly said that he was sure that he struck fear into Dylan's heart, meaning that he couldn't recall his homicidal impulses and actions from the previous night. They started to bond after Dylan saw that he had been in the hospital. (What's Wrong With Norman)
Dylan followed Norman to Shelby’s house and distracted Shelby long enough for Norman to escape, sans girl, from the basement. When Norma was picked up for questioning in relation to Keith Summers' murder, Norman told Dylan the entire story. He also convinced Norman to go see Bradley late at night. When Norma found out from Dylan that Norman was out with a girl she became very upset, with Dylan confronting her about her behavior, stating that he knew enough of what she did, giving him the right to take Norman away from her to stay with him. (Trust Me)
The next day, when Norma was released from custody, she berated Norman for not being home the previous night and they argued. She told him to get out of the car and walk home. As he was walking, Dylan pulled up beside him on his motorcycle and told him to hop on. When they were at home, Dylan told him that he would get his own place and proposed that he should live with him instead. (Ocean View)
Dylan and Norman went to Keith's boat to find his belt and disposed of it in the lake. Later, when Shelby was holding the family hostage, he assaulted Norma which led to Norman attacking him in a fit of rage. Shelby knocked Norman out and Norma dragged her son's unconscious body to the car, as Dylan and Shelby continued to fight. As shots rang out in the bedroom, Norma feared the worst when she saw Shelby emerge from the house but Dylan followed and shot him dead. As they sat on the steps while Shelby's corpse was being removed from the house, Norma came clean about Sam's death - Norman had killed him in a fit of rage by hitting him over the head with the blender after he witnessed Norma being assaulted. She told Dylan that Norman had to be protected. (The Truth)
Dylan informed Norma that when his arm healed, he would move into his own house and was still determined that Norman should live with him. While they were out picking up painting supplies, Norman told Dylan that he would be unable to move in with him while their mother was in such a fragile state. Norman spotted Bradley getting out of a friend's car and went to chat to her. They made smalltalk and she recognised Dylan as being an employee of Gil Turner, saying that Gil was a former business partner of her father. Dylan offered his condolences, and when Norman noticed they were looking at each other he interrupted. When they got back in the truck, Dylan asked Norman if that was the girl he told him to sleep with. (The Man in Number 9)
When Dylan passed by Norman's room, he spotted Juno and asked him what it was. Noticing the laptop, he saw that Norman was doing research on drowning and asked him about it. Norman said that he had a dream in which he was drowning Bradley. Dylan says he wouldn't want to do that, but Norman jokingly said that he had wanted to do it to Dylan once in a while and they laughed. (Underwater)
When Bradley called to the house, Norman let her in. She said she was there to collect stuff from Dylan and Dylan appeared with a box of her father's belongings. Norman eavesdropped as she thanked him for all his help and said she would stop bothering him. He said she could keep bothering him. Later, as Norman was getting ready for the winter formal and couldn't find his socks, Dylan told him he could borrow his and asked if he was angry about Bradley. Norman said he was over her and that Dylan could date her if he wanted. (Midnight)
===Season 2===
When Norman was unable to help Bradley catch her bus to Boise, he contacted Dylan and told him that Bradley had been hiding in their basement and needed a lift to the bus. Dylan went down to the basement and told her that Norman had revealed everything and he would take her to the bus. As they waited at a diner, he told Bradley to write a fake suicide note and leave some clothes behind, so that Gil's men would be unable to track her. She gave him a letter to give to Norman and they said their goodbyes. When Dylan got home, he found Norman waiting on the steps to the house and handed him the letter. He read it and saw that Bradley had said he was the best person she had ever known. (Shadow of a Doubt)
Norma's brother, Caleb, arrived at the house and Norma wasn't pleased to see him. Caleb later told Dylan that he helped protect Norma from their abusive father and when Dylan defended Caleb to Norma, she claimed that he repeatedly raped her years ago. The discussion escalated into a fight and Norman arrived home to break it up, forcing Dylan to the ground. As they argued, Norma intervened by screaming that Caleb was Dylan's father. (Caleb)
After Norman was arrested for Jimmy Brennan's death, Dylan met with Emma who filled him in on what was happening with Norman. Dylan said Norman left him a voicemail and Emma said it was an accident. Dylan said it was no big deal then and asked what he was supposed to do. Emma said he could be there for him and Dylan replied that Norman and Norma only cared about each other and Norman had to figure it out on his own, which angered Emma. (Presumed Innocent)
When Nick Ford kidnapped Norman and held him captive in a hot box, he told Norma that he would only release Norman if Dylan killed Zane. Fearing for his life, Dylan inadvertently killed Ford by hitting him across the face with a fire poker before he could learn Norman's location. (The Box)
Romero found Dylan at the side of the road and learned that Nick Ford had died by his hands. He told Dylan to get into his car and they drove back to the compound where they found Nick Ford's body on the floor of his office. Going outside, they approached an RV when Dylan decided to call out Norman's name. Norman could hear it in the distance and screamed for Dylan until Dylan and Romero found the location. Romero shot the box open with his gun and Dylan and Norman hugged. Norman was taken to hospital for observation. After Norma decided that they should leave the country, she told Dylan that she had an extra plane ticket for him and Dylan told her not leave town with Norman as it would only make his mental illness worse. Dylan suggested that the best option for Norman was an institution. After hearing Dylan's sobering words, Norma decided it was best for Norman to take the polygraph test to prove whether or not he killed Blaire Watson. Dylan accompanied Norma and Norman to the police station. (The Immutable Truth)
===Season 3===
When Dylan called Norman to start work one morning, he eventually found his half-brother asleep beside Norma in her bed and expressed his concern to her about allowing her 18-year son to sleep in her bed, saying it wasn't right. (A Death in the Family)
After Norma received the USB flash drive from Annika Johnson, she went to Dylan to discuss what to do with it and Norman believed they were up to something when they became very secretive in his presence. That evening, he followed Dylan back to his cabin in the woods where he found Caleb. He attempted to run back to the car and Dylan tackled him to the ground, pleading with him not to say anything to Norma as he didn't want to ruin their renewed relationship. Norman said she had to know and drove off. (Unbreak-Able)
The following day, Dylan returned to the house after being found asleep in his truck outside a bar. Norman emerged from his bedroom and told Dylan that he had to tell Norma the truth. However, when Dylan went to the hospital to collect Norma, she was oblivious to the news and he later thanked Norman for not saying anything. Norman later urged him to come clean and when Norma returned home from visiting Bob Paris, Dylan told her that Caleb was back in town and staying with him and that he wanted to apologize for what he had done. Furious, Norma stormed upstairs, packed her belongings and grabbed a gun before getting in the car and telling Dylan to look after Norman as she sped away. (The Deal)
Freaking out, Norman thrashed the kitchen, throwing various objects at Dylan and blaming him for Norma leaving. Dylan told Norman it wasn't his fault and punched him, knocking him out. He phoned and texted Norma to urge her to come home and reassured Norman that she would be back. Emma called up to the house and Dylan told her what had happened and she asked if there was anything she could do. When they discovered Norman in the basement in a trance-like state, Dylan told her that it had happened before and they had to wait it out. Some hours later, Dylan was awoken by rattling sounds coming from the kitchen and going to investigate saw Norman dressed in Norma's nightgown preparing breakfast. 'Norma' told a clearly confused Dylan to go wake Norman up so that he could have his food. After Norman was put back in Norma's bed and Emma left, Dylan lay down on the bed beside his half-brother and fell asleep. (Norma Louise)
Concerned about Norman, Dylan told Norma about Norman wearing her nightgown and making breakfast in the middle of the night. He said that he needed help as he believed that Norman thought he was Norma. (The Last Supper)
===Season 4===
After breaking into the office at Pineview with Julian's help, Norman phoned Dylan to tell him that Norman was in trouble. Dylan was confused and concerned when Norman said that he was getting out of Pineview and the police would be paying Norma a visit as well as everyone's secrets being spilled. When Dylan placated him, he got angry and hung up. (Lights of Winter)
As Dylan visited Norman at Pineview, they played croquet together and Norman asked him what his father was like. Dylan said that Sam was abusive and constantly drunk. Norman also inquired about Emma and Dylan said that she was getting better before saying he had something to tell him. Norman guessed they were a couple but he was totally fine with it. (The Vault)
After Dylan argued with Norma, he stormed out of the house and met Norman, who he hugged and told to check back into Pineview before leaving. (Forever)
Dylan phoned Norman from Seattle to give him his new number and to check in with him. However, Norman didn't mention about Norma's death and told Dylan that it was probably best that they didn't contact each other again. (Norman)
===Season 5===
After Emma had told him of Norma's death, he phoned Norman to ask why he had not told him that she was dead. Norman said that he was one the one who decided to break off contact with them and he was informed by the authorities that Norma had taken her own life via carbon monoxide poisoning. Dylan said that she would never do something like that. (Marion)
Dylan arrived at the motel just as Norman was returning from burying Norma's corpse in the woods. He was shocked to see the house in disarray and told Norman that he should have contacted him after Norma died since he was on his own. He also told Norman that he and Emma were married and were parents to a baby girl, showing him a photo of her on his phone. When he went to Norma's bedroom, he finally broke down.
Later when he went to pick up Norman's prescription, a pharmacist told him that she had just learned from Pineview that Gregg Edwards went missing over a year ago. Dylan found Norman in the kitchen preparing a meal for them and mentioned that Gregg Edwards was missing and he had just met Madeleine who said that Sam was also missing. He told Norman that he cared for him but that he needed help and encouraged him to take his medication, handing him the tablets. As Norman got some water, "Mother" took over and tried to attack Dylan before Norman stepped in to apprehend "her". As Dylan roused, he saw Norman contacting 911 and confessing to the murder of Sam Loomis. (Inseparable)
As Norman was being taken away for questioning, Dylan told him not to say anything until he got an attorney. After being recommended one by Remo, Dylan told Julia Ramos that Norman was not a bad person but was mentally ill. He later told Emma that Norman was in police custody and that the attorney he hired was not cheap. (The Body)
Julia later encouraged Dylan to attend Norman's preliminary hearing after she told Norman that Dylan had mentioned he was mentally ill. After looking through photos on his phone of him with Emma and Kate and photos of Norma and Norman without him, he decided to attend the hearing but stormed out when he heard the evidence against him. (Visiting Hours)
Dylan met with Remo at the lake and was handed a gun. After Norman returned home with Norma's corpse, he phoned Dylan to tell him that he and Norma had moved from Arizona and wanted to invite him to dinner. He then dressed Norma's corpse and set it at the dinner table, so that Dylan saw it when he arrived. Upon seeing the body, he got sick and he tried to convince Norman that he was sick and needed help. Norman got angry, telling him that he did not want to be returned to a psychiatric hospital being pumped full of drugs for the rest of his life, and lunged at him with a knife, which got stuck in the door as a gunshot rang out. As Dylan cradled his brother in his arms, Norman thanked him for ending his suffering as he would finally be with Norma again.  Dylan decided that Norman should be buried next to Norma, although the latter's side of the headstone is left unmarked apart from mentioning his birth and death years. (The Cord)
==Trivia==
* Norman has traditionally been depicted as an only child but he was based on real-life serial killer Ed Gein who had an older brother.
* After Norman finds Caleb with Dylan at the farm in the Season 3 episode Unbreak-Able, the latter pleads with him not to tell Norma. Norman angrily asks what he will do in retaliation, suggesting that he will kill ihim. This foreshadows the final scene between the siblings in the series finale.
==Quotes==
===Season 1===
[After Norman assaults Dylan, who forces him against the fridge]
Dylan: "You're a damn joke, Norman. You let that bitch run you like a puppet"
Norman: "She doesn't run me. She cares about me. And she's not a bad person, she's just not perfect! At least she tries, you son of a bitch!"
Dylan: "You don't get it, do you, Norman? She's ruined you"
Dylan: [to Norman] "Can I give you some advice? You gotta cut that shit out. "Mother?" It's just weird"
Norman: "You don't just walk away from your parents"
Dylan: "Of course you do. We all do. I mean, isn't that the point?"
Dylan: [reading the text message] "She says, "Cool, everyone's asleep, I'm at my house, come over."
Norman: "I can't go now. Not with all... This is crazy"
Dylan: "This is the only thing that is not crazy, okay? Be a 17 year old for 5 minutes. Come on, go have fun"
Norman: "Right now?"
Dylan: "Yeah, right now. She's waiting for you, dumb ass. Come on, leave!"
Dylan: [about Norma] "She lives for the drama. She's like a addict, Norman. And when you have an addict in your life, the best thing you can do for them, and for yourself, is walk away"
Norman: "It's just a dream, Dylan"
Dylan: "You wouldn't want to actually hurt anybody though, would you?"
Norman: "Of course I wouldn't want to. I've never wanted to hurt anyone. Except you once in a while"
===Season 2===
[After Dylan has learned the truth about Caleb being his biological father]
Norman: "Well, it's uh, it's just a piece of information. You know, it doesn't change anything. We're all still the same people we were yesterday"
Dylan: "What total bullshit! What if you were given a piece of information about yourself? Something, something that totally changed the way you perceive yourself for the rest of your life?"
Norman: "I can't imagine anything like that, I guess"
Dylan: "Well, maybe you should talk to mother about that"
Norman: "What does that mean?"
Dylan: "It means what it means. Maybe we don't all know who we are. Maybe someone's been lying to you about an important event in your life that you have no consciousness of"
===Season 3===
[After Norma had fled the house, leaving Norman in Dylan's care Norman is thrashing the kitchen]
Norman: "Get her back, Dylan! Get her back!"
Dylan: "Calm down!"
Norman: "Not calming down! She's never left me!"
Dylan: "Stop it!"
Norman: "No!"
Dylan: "You have to! She's coming back!"
Norman: She's not gonna come back! She hates me!" [He starts hitting Dylan] "She hates me now, Dylan, and it's all your fault!"
Dylan: "It's not my goddamn fault!"
[Dylan punches Norman, knocking him out]
[Dylan tries in vain to get Norma to come home but his calls go unanswered]
Norman: "She's not coming back"
Dylan: "She's your mother. She gonna come back"
Norman: "This is what she does. She leaves. Just like she moved from Arizona and didn't tell you. Just like we moved all those times when we were little. Just like she left her home and never talked to her parents. Only now she's leaving us too" 
Dylan: "No. You're different. She's not gonna leave you"
Norman: "You don't know her like I do"
Dylan: "I think it's gonna be okay. She's just mad. She'll calm down"
Norman: "I feel strange. Like I'm outside my body"
Dylan: "It's probably just from getting knocked out. I'm sorry I had to hit you"
[Dylan awakens to hear rummaging coming from the kitchen and goes to investigate, finding Norman wearing Norma's robe and making breakfast]
Norman: "Ah"
Dylan: "What are you doing?"
Norman: [cheerily] "Sit down, honey! I'm just making some breakfast. French toast"
Dylan: "Are you feeling better?"
Norman: "Oh, I'm fine. I got some beautiful blackberries yesterday. Want to get them out of the fridge?"
Dylan: "Norman?"
Norman: "Norman's sleeping. Give me the blackberries. They're on the bottom shelf"
Dylan: [clearly confused] "OK"
[Dylan gets the blackberries out of the fridge and puts them on the table]
Dylan: "Can I help you?"
Norman: "No, I'm fine. Why don't you go wake your brother so he can eat?"
Dylan: "My brother?"
Norman: "Yes, silly! What's wrong with you?"
Dylan: "Nothing's wrong with me"
Norman: "Then run upstairs! You know how Norman is. He'll sleep all morning if you don't wake him up"
[Dylan prepares to tell Norma the truth about where Caleb is and talks to Norman about it]
Norman: "Dylan, none of this is your fault. I'll go with you to talk with her if you want me to. I'll try and help if I can"
Dylan: "I can't ask you to do that. I mean, if I get thrown out of the house, that's on me, but I can't drag you into it"
Norman: "I feel like this is partly my fault. There's something wrong with me. I wanted to destroy you because you were getting close to her and I hate that person. I'm a man now, not her little boy and I want to be a good man. I trust your judgment if you think this is the right thing to do"
===Season 4===
[Dylan visits Norman at Pineview]
Dylan: "So do you, uh Do you like it here?"
Norman: ""Like's" a strong word, but I do think it might be doing me some good here"
Dylan: "That's good. Glad to hear that, Norman"
Norman: "Oh, have you, uh Have you heard any news from Emma lately?" 
Dylan: "Uh, yeah. Yeah, I have. She's you know, she's getting better every day. Um you know, she's getting stronger, no more tubes, so She's, uh She's pretty amazing. Look, Norman, there's something that I need to tell you"
Norman: "You and Emma"
Dylan: "Something happened. Yeah"
Norman: "Dylan, I'm I'm glad"
Dylan: "You are?" 
Norman: "Yeah. Yeah, I-I get it, the the two of you. I-I really do. Oh, uh, do you remember much about our dad? I mean, uh, your stepdad, Sam?" 
Dylan: "Uh... You know, he, uh... He was a really unhappy man. That's probably the one thing I remember the most. He could get really angry. And he was drunk a lot. He wasn't nice to Norma or me or or you. You know, I don't really remember that much more, you know. I kind of, like, made a career out of not being home"
[Norman arrives home to see Dylan storming out of the house]
Norman: "What... what's happening? What's going on? What... what Dylan?" 
Dylan: "Norman, you're not well. You need to check yourself back into Pineview. Please. Mom's never gonna do it for you. You have to do it for yourself"
Norman: "What are you talking about?"
Dylan: "Good-bye, Norman"
Norman: "Dylan. Dylan, what's going on?"
[Dylan phones Norman]
Norman: "Hello?" 
Dylan: "Hey, Norman"
Norman: "Dylan?"
Dylan: "Yeah"
Norman: "Mother said you were gone"
Dylan: Yeah, well, I'm, um I'm gone to her. Well, for now, anyway. I just, um, I can't do it anymore... and I... I doubt she'll ever reach out to me"
Norman: "No, maybe not for a while"
Dylan: [sighs] "Anyways, I, um so I want you to know that I'm here for you. Okay? And I got a new number, uh, so you you won't be able to reach me at the old one, but you you and I can still talk. And if you need anything, just just let me know, okay?" 
Norman: "Yes. Yes, well, I I appreciate that, Dylan. But I think that it is just probably best if we don't talk anymore. Yeah, I think that's just what she needs me to do now, and so perhaps we should just try and remember how it was in all those moments when it was good for all of us, okay? I am sorry, and I will miss you, Dylan, but good-bye"
===Season 5===
[Dylan angrily phones Norman after learning Norma is dead]
Norman: "Hello?"
Dylan: "Norman, it's me"
Norman: "Dylan?"
Dylan: "The hell is going on down there, Norman? Why didn't you tell me that Mom died?" 
Norman: "I... I just didn't know how to reach you" 
Dylan: "Well, you could have figured it out"
Norman: "You left, Dylan. You changed your number. You said you didn't want to be contacted, and I was just respecting your wishes"
Dylan: "Norman, I called you after I left. I tried to reach out. You told me it'd be it'd be best if we didn't speak. How is that my fault? Why would you keep this from me?" 
Norman: "Because it was too painful. I was shut down. I couldn't deal with anything. I couldn't bring myself to tell you the horrible truth, which is that she committed suicide"
Dylan: "Bullshit! All right, she wou... she wouldn't do that"
Norman: "Well, I'm sorry you feel that way, Dylan, but that is what happened" 
Dylan: "No-no-no-no, no, it that is not what happened. I know her, and she wouldn't do that"
Norman: "Oh, come on, Dylan. You never knew her that well. So take it from me. All right? She had a darkness in her, and she killed herself. And died from carbon monoxide asphyxiation. In fact, she tried to kill both of us. It was even confirmed by the authorities" 
Dylan: "No, I-I-I-I don't understand. What-what why would she do that, Norman?"
Norman: "I don't know why! But I don't want to discuss it anymore, okay?" 
Dylan: "Okay, well-well-well, I do want to discuss it, okay? Because she was my mother too. None of this makes any sense" 
Norman: "It was a horrible tragedy, Dylan. Tragedies don't make sense. That is why they are so horrible. It never should have happened, but it did and now she's gone. What what else is there to say? What else? There is nothing. I don't want to talk about it anymore. I don't want to talk, period. So thank you for calling, but good-bye"
[Dylan tries to convince Norman to go back on his meds]
Dylan: "I just really want to help you get better. Okay, you need to trust me, please? I'm your brother and I love you. I-I got the pharmacy to give me a few pills, until we can get you a new prescription. We need to get you some help. And you need to start taking these again. You were doing really well on them. Please just take one in front of me so I know you're taking it"
[Norman hesitates before taking a pill from the bottle and approaches the sink to get some water]
Norman: [to "Mother"] "Please stay out of this, Mother" [as "Mother"] "I just want to talk to him, Norman"[Norman turns around to face Dylan as "Mother"] "Dylan, I know you mean well. Because you have always meant well. And you may not believe me, but I am so proud of you. I love you. But unfortunately, I can only ever be a real mother to one person. And so even though I love you so very much, and this pains me. You're getting in the way"
["Mother" smashes a glass on Dylan's head]
[After Dylan sees Norma's corpse he throws up and as Norman cleans it up Dylan tries to get him to see what he has done]
Dylan: "Stop what you're doing"
Norman: "What am I doing, Dylan?"
Dylan: "Norman"
Norman: "Dylan, please don't ruin it!"
Dylan: "I have to, Norman! You're not living in the real world! You need to live in the real world! You you have to stop this!"
Norman: "Stop what, Dylan?"
Dylan: "Norma is.. is dead, okay? She... Th-th-this is her body. You brought her body here"
Norman: "Well, I disagree"
Dylan: "This isn't something that you can... That you can agree or disagree with! She's dead, Norman"
Norman: "No, stop it. Stop it, Dylan. Stop saying that"
Dylan: "You have to deal with it. You you need to come, and you need to turn yourself in, and we need to get you help"
Norman: "That's what you want for me? To be shut up in some prison for the criminally insane and drugged out of my mind?"
Dylan: "I don't know what I want for you! What I really want is something that can never happen, okay? I want you to be happy, I wan... And I want you to be well. I want Mom to be alive again. I got... I wan... I want both of you to... I want you guys to meet my daughter. I want to have I want to have Christmases together, okay? I want all of these things to have never happened"
Norman: "Well, if you believe hard enough, then you can make it that way"
Dylan: "No, you no, you can't! You can't. [as Norman grabs a knife] "What are you doing?"
Norman: [as he picks up a knife and holds it towards Dylan] "I can't let you take me away from her"
Dylan: "Put down the knife. Norman, put down the knife"
Norman: "This is how it ends, isn't it?"
Dylan: "Doesn't have to end this way. Put the knife down"
Norman: "I just want to be with her, Dylan"
Dylan: "Norman, no. Don't ask me to do this"
[As Norman lunges at Dylan with the knife a gunshot rings out causing Norman to fall forward and for the knife to go into the door]
Dylan: [As he cradles a dying Norman in his arms] "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Norman. Norman"
Norman: "Thank you"
==Gallery==
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Category:Relationship
Category:Family Relationship