Norma and Dylan

The relationship between Norma Bates and Dylan Massett.
==Background==
At the age of 17, Norma gave birth to Dylan, later discovered to have been fathered via an incestuous relationship with her brother Caleb. Unlike her relationship with Norman, he and Norma have failed to bond over the years since he blamed her for cheating on his legal father John Massett. However, over the course of the series their relationship improves, although Dylan is always aware that she favors Norman over him.
==Overview==
===Season 1===
As Norma was busy preparing dinner, she received a phone call from her eldest son Dylan, who berated her for not telling him that she and Norman had moved and asked what would have happened if he had been hurt and he needed her. He requested some money, but Norma hung up on him. (First You Dream, Then You Die)
Dylan soon arrived at the Bates residence looking for shelter and money after losing his job. Norma questioned him about being there and Dylan responded that most mothers don't move their home out of state and attempt to hide the fact from their own son. That night, Dylan returned home to be confronted by an angry Norma and Dylan retaliated by saying she drove his dad out by “skanking around with Norman’s father.” Norma defended herself, saying she was only 17 when she met Dylan’s dad, so it wasn’t surprising that she later fell in love with Sam. Norma told Dylan she hated him, but he seemed unaffected before changing the subject, asking her how she afforded a motel and a new car. She claimed it was the settlement from Sam’s death, but Dylan didn't believe her. Later, when he received a phone call from Norma, who he had listed as 'The Whore', it set Norman off and he launched himself at his half-brother, forcing Dylan to pin him against the fridge and tell him not to do that again. When they were at home together, Norma tried to tell Dylan that he needed to leave, but Dylan said that he talked to the insurance people when he was trying to find where she had moved, and the agent mentioned what a wonderful husband and father her late husband had been. Knowing she had been defeated, Norma just told him to keep the music down. (Nice Town You Picked, Norma...)
As Dylan walked into the kitchen the following morning, Norma asked for his help with motel business. Dylan replied that he would love to help but that he already had a job. Norma quizzed him about it but he responded that it was nothing before heading out the door. (What's Wrong With Norman)
After having sex with Shelby, Norma exited one of the cabins, and ran into Dylan. He snarkily asked her how the new linens were working out, and then Shelby stepped out of the room. Later, Norma found Dylan putting groceries away and asked what he was doing. Dylan said that as he would be living there for a while, he thought he should contribute before calling her "a real piece of work" and asking her how long she had being seeing Shelby, warning her to be careful as he didn't trust him. When Norma found out that evening 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)
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 to Dylan 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)
After Romero showed up at the scene and told the family how they were going to explain the Shelby situation, Dylan wasn't pleased as he had risked his life to save the family. Rather than hugging him, Norma hugged Norman instead. The following morning, Norma made Dylan breakfast to show her appreciation for him risking his life. 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. Later, Dylan returned to the motel where Norma was finishing locking up and asked who was staying there. Norma explained the whole standing reservations thing, and Dylan reported that he ran into the same man earlier, just sitting in his car, staring at the motel. After Dylan requested payment from Jake Abernathy, he found Norma on the outside steps with a bucket and scrub brush, as she was attempting to clean up the Shelby stain, but Dylan told her it would wear away in time and no-one would notice it, before throwing the money down beside her. (The Man in Number 9)
When Dylan brought the trimmers to stay at the motel, Norma laid into them for smoking pot on the premises and then asked Dylan what they were doing for employment with his company. Dylan said they were processing "stuff" and Norma put two and two together, before saying that she hated White Pine Bay. (Underwater)
After Norman was threatened by Jake Abernathy, she asked Dylan where he could get a gun and he later handed her a paper bag. He took her out to teach her how to shoot with the requisite beer bottles lined up on a fence. They sson argue and then she asked where the gun came from. He eventually told her that he had a job guarding pot fields and he said that he was 22 years old, so he was an adult. She fired the gun again, angering him some more. He then convinced her to settle down and get in the right stance and take a good aim instead of just firing like she has been. She struck one of the bottles and then realized he called her "Mom", which he hadn't done for years. She said she was scared and Dylan told her that she just had to trust Romero. (Midnight)
===Season 2===
When Norma's brother, Caleb, arrived at the house 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)
In the aftermath of Norma's revelation, Dylan went on a bender and was found passed out in his truck by Emma the following morning. She got Norman to help carry Dylan to a motel room and Norma soon entered, kicking Emma and Norman out. Dylan was still passed out on the bed, so she covered him up with a blanket and stared at him a moment and then headed back outside. Later, Dylan and Norma got into an argument, and he correctly accused Norma of using his birth to get away from Caleb and told her he was moving out. (Check-Out)
When Norman questioned Norma about Dylan moving out, Norma said it had always been just her and Norman. (The Escape Artist)
After Norman was detained for questioning about Jimmy Brennan's death, Dylan met with Emma who filled him in on what was happening. Dylan said Norman left him a voicemail. Emma said it was an accident and Dylan said it was no big deal then. Emma said he could be there for him and Dylan said Norman and Norma only care about each other. (Presumed Innocent)
Norma visited Dylan at his workplace and told him about Nick Ford and the bypass and how he wanted to see him. She complimented his officee and said she didn't like the marijuana part but was glad he was doing well. He asked why Nick wanted to see him. Norma said she didn't know but that it was important. Dylan said since he was the head of the rival drug family he probably wanted to kill him and said Norma should tell him she couldn't find him and then having nothing further to do with him. She said she didn't want him ever to get hurt. (Meltdown)
After Norman was rescued from the hot box and Dylan killed Nick Ford, 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===
Dylan confronted Norma about letting Norman sleep in the same bed as her, saying that it wasn't normal for an 18-year old to be doing so. Later, Norma broke down in front of Dylan when she told him about how hard life was growing up with her parents. (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. (Unbreak-Able)
After Norman discovered Caleb was staying with Dylan and Dylan begged him not to say anything to Norma, Dylan returned to the house the following morning 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. He later learned that Gunner had managed to hack into the flash drive and so he told Norma. 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. The following morning when Norma returned home she decided to grant her sons' wishes to talk to Caleb, so they went to see him, where Caleb broke down in front of his sister and apologized for how he treated her. Dylan looked pleased but Norman did not. (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 said that Norman believed he was Norma. When Norma decided to invite Caleb into the house for dinner that evening, Dylan was pleased to see him. (The Last Supper)
The following morning, Dylan entered Norma's room and she was in a good mood due to the previous night's dinner. He told her that he was returning to the farm for a few days to work on the barn, but still wanted to discuss Norman with her. (The Pit)
Dylan arrived at the house in the morning to find a guitar on the coffee table. Norma told him that Caleb had left it for him and was leaving town. After Norma knocked Norman out and dragged him down to the basement, tying his arms and legs, she phoned Dylan to come to the house. When he arrived, he went down to the basement, Norman was nowhere to be found and they realized he had escaped via a window. Dylan admitted to Norma that Bradley was still alive, having faked her own death. (Unconscious)
===Season 4===
As Dylan hung "Missing" posters of Norman around town, he contacted Norma. He later returned home and told her that a farmer had found Norman in an unstable state and he was now in a hospital in Willamette County. He told Norma that he couldn't go with her as he wanted to go to Portland to see Emma. Norma realized they were a couple but said nothing. (A Danger to Himself and Others)
When Dylan returned home from Portland, Norma told him she had married Romero for insurance reasons and was convinced that he didn't actually like her. Dylan said she was doing the right thing by having Norman committed. ('Til Death Do You Part)
After visiting Norman, Dylan told Norma how Norman was getting on and then revealed that he would be leaving with Emma and her father in a few days. As he left the house, Norma asked if he had heard from Caleb but he said he hadn't. (The Vault)
When Dylan found Norma sewing curtains in Norman's bedroom he showed her the letter Audrey had written for Emma and said that he felt that Norman may have had something to do with her disappearance but Norma refused to admit that Norman could have done anything to harm her. (There's No Place Like Home)
After discovering Audrey's earring in the pocket of Norma's coat which she had let Emma borrow, Dylan returned the coat and asked Norma why she kept the earring. Her inability to see Norman's issues and violent nature were the last straw for him and she accused him of inventing his stories as he was jealous of Norman and he told her that Romero also believed that Norman should be committed. Dylan stormed out of the house and met Norman on the way down to his truck, giving him a hug and telling him to get help, in spite of Norma telling him not to say anything. (Forever)
==Quotes==
==Gallery==
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Category:Relationship
Category:Family Relationship