Born Free (Dexter)

This article may reveal major plot points, especially considering the episode, season, or series had either been released recently or not in specific countries yet.‎

## Born Free

### Director

Michael Cuesta

Born Free is the 12th and final episode of Dexter's first season as well as the 12th episode of the series overall. The episode concludes the Ice Truck Killer arc.

## Plot

Debra has been kidnapped by the Ice Truck Killer, Rudy Cooper, and Dexter goes on a desperate search to save her before it's too late. Meanwhile, Rita's abusive ex-husband, Paul, tries to convince Rita that Dexter is dangerous while incarcerated in maximum security prison.

## Why it Rocks

1. The Ice Truck Killer becomes a personal threat to Dexter and his family, having been an observer before, leaving cryptic clues for Dexter personally and killing only prostitutes, but now he has kidnapped Debra and threatens her life, considering she's one of the few people Dexter feels a genuine connection to.
2. The Ice Truck Killer is also finally put on the wanted list, as they now more or less discover his true identity and set out to find him and rescue Debra.
3. The episode deals with Dexter confronting his past, specifically the traumatic murder of his mother in a shipping container, all spurred by Rudy, to the point where he tries to find that exact shipping container, only to find it full of bananas instead.
4. Plenty of great scenes, especially when Doakes stalks Dexter to the shipping container, demanding to know what he's doing there, and starting a fight between them.
5. Plenty of great lines, especially Doakes' that became a meme, "Surprise, motherfucker!", and Dexter's opening monologue.
6. The identity and backstory of the Ice Truck Killer is finally revealed, as well as his interest in Dexter, being that he was Dexter's biological brother, Brian Mouser, and also witnessed their mother's murder, though he was declared FUBAR and not adopted by Harry like Dexter was.
7. The final scenes are downright amazing, as Brian takes Dexter back to their childhood home with Debra tied up for Dexter to murder and they can be a family again, though Dexter hesitates as he's genuinely fond of Debra and can't break his code for this, which involves Brian's ire.
8. Brian gets his comeuppance when he tries to murder Debra in Dexter's apartment, only for that to be a trap and Dexter kidnaps him and puts him in a kill room in his own apartment.
9. Dexter's final conversation is saddening as he offers him tranquilizer (something he doesn't usually offer), but ultimately has to slit his throat because he can't listen to his rhetoric and frame it as a suicide. As he's killed his own biological brother despite not seeing him in decades, and realizes that he's truly no better than Brian or the rest of his victims.
10. An appropriate ending where Doakes begins obsessively stalking Dexter after the Ice Truck Killer case is closed, trying to prove Dexter's true nature to the others despite the latter being fully aware of his presence.
11. This episode sets up many plot points not only for the next season, but some seasons afterwards, such as Harry's relationship with Dexter's biological mother, Laura Mouser, Dexter's further descent into darkness after killing his own brother, his conflict with Doakes, and his desire to stop the killing while Debra tries to learn more about what happened to him before his adoption.
12. A hilarious, darkly comical final scene, where Dexter imagines what would happen if the world knew his secret, and imagines they would throw a parade for him or worship him as a hero.

## Reception

The episode has received critical acclaim, with praise for it's performances, particularly Michael C. Hall, the twists, and the closure for the Ice Truck Killer story arc and plot points set up for future sessions. The episode has received 9.6 out of 10 stars, becoming the highest rated episode of the series, until the finale of season 4, "The Getaway".