Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Dexter: Resurrection season 1, episode 4.A new theory aboutDexter: Resurrection’s Leon Prater (Peter Dinklage) could make him the most sinister villain the franchise has had since John Lithgow’s Trinity Killer inDexterseason 4. Leon Prater assembled a new group ofserial killers inDexter: Resurrection, and it became clear byResurrectionepisode 4that he’s a major part of the show.
However, a new theory aboutDexter: Resurrectionsuggests that Prater may be even more important than he already seems: he may be the show’s main villain.Dexterhas a long history of great villains, from the Trinity Killer to the Ice Truck Killer, andResurrectionmay have a new addition to the list. This theory asserts that Prater is a serial killer, and we’ve already been introduced to his alter ego.
Leon Prater Is The New York Ripper – Dexter: Resurrection Theory Explained
Prater Was Weirdly Proud Of The New York Ripper & Could Be A Killer Himself
When Leon Prater took Dexter through his museum of serial killer paraphernalia, he took a moment to highlight his exhibit on the New York Ripper. As Prater explained, the Ripper terrorized the same parts of New York that he grew up on, though they were never caught.A new theory suggests that Prater didn’t invite the New York Ripper to one of his dinners, but that he is the Ripper.
Prater gives a few clues that his relationship to the New York Ripper isn’t the same as his admiration for other killers. He took note that the Ripper operated in his childhood neighborhood and he almost looked proud that the Ripper had never been caught. Dexter and all the other serial killers also got a vibe from Prater that he’s a killer himself, and it’s hard to disagree with them.
Resurrectionhas also set up the New York Ripper to have a bigger role going forward. Prater mentioned the killer, yes, but they also have a huge role in Claudette Wallace’s backstory.As Oliva explained, Wallace was obsessed with the Ripper investigation and nearly lost her job. The Ripper could easily beResurrection’s main villain, and Prater seems like the most likely suspect so far.
Peter Dinklage Being Dexter: Resurrection Season 1’s Main Villain Would Continue A Franchise Casting Trend
Since Dexter: New Blood, The Franchise’s Main Villains Have Been Famous Actors
If Peter Dinklage’s Leon Prater does turn out to be the New York Ripper inResurrection, it would also confirm a trend thatDexterhas been following for years now.SinceNew Blood, each newDextermain villain has been played by a famous actor.New Bloodcast Clancy Brown as Kurt Caldwell whileOriginal Sincast Patrick Dempsey as Aaron Spencer.
Granted, thecast ofDexter: Resurrectionis incredibly stacked with A-list actors. Uma Thurman, Krysten Ritter, Eric Stonestreet, and many others are stars in their own right. However,none of them are as perfectly poised to beResurrection’s main villain as Leon Prater is. There’s the evidence above that he’s a serial killer, but Dinklage is also arguably the biggest celebrity on the show.
Plus, Prater turning out to beDexter’s main villain would also continue the franchise’s recent trend of surprising viewers. Since the Brain Surgeon inDexterseason 8, the franchise has been trying to hide who each season’s main villain is to surprise viewers.Both Kurt Caldwell and Aaron Spencer weren’t clearly serial killers until partway through their seasons, and neither is Leon Prater.
Dexter has also been trying to top the Trinity Killer for years now, and Dinklage has the best shot at it.
Peter Dinklage is also just a perfect choice to play a secretive serial killer who assembles other serial killers together.Dinklage is magnetic in every role he’s in, and he could easily handle the switch between playing a fanboy billionaire and a devilishly smart and paranoid serial killer.Dexterhas also been trying to top the Trinity Killer for years now, and Dinklage has the best shot at it.
Leon Being A Serial Killer Would Change The Real Meaning Of His Dinners
Prater’s Dinners May Not Just Be A Fascination: He May Be Scouting His Competition & Searching For Connection Himself
Knowing that Leon Prater is himself a serial killer would also completely recontextualize his serial killer dinner parties. Right now, Prater just seems like an overly obsessive true-crime fanatic. It’s not enough for him to know the stories, he needs firsthand accounts of the killings and actual memorabilia of the kills. It’s deeply creepy, but also fairly straightforward.
If Prater is the New York Ripper, though, his parties are completely different.Prater’s parties could be his way of keeping tabs on other prominent serial killers, especially one based in New York, like The Dark Passenger. He could be using these meetings to learn from other “experts” in the field of killing and develop new strategies for staying hidden himself.
Additionally,these dinner parties could be a way for Prater to connect emotionally to other people who are like him. That is what Prater said the purpose of the dinners was, he may have just left out that he’s also getting that benefit. Dexter and the other killers clearly appreciate getting to unmask and talk about their kills, and Prater might be getting the same satisfaction himself.
The only problem with it is that Prater is hypothetically keeping his identity secret even from other serial killers. That, too, has a great explanation though.Prater may be hiding his identity as the New York Ripper as a simple precaution to keep from being caught. He may even be using Charley’s investigative skills to build up a list of killers to bargain with if he is ever arrested.
What Dexter & Wallace Both Tracking The New York Ripper Would Mean For Her Investigating Harrison
Dexter May Have An Opportunity To Get Claudette Off Harrison’s Case - One Way Or Another
If Prater is the New York Ripper, that would have some major ramifications for both Dexter and Claudette Wallace. It’s not clear exactly how things are going to play out, butPrater may give Dexter an opportunity to distract Wallace from investigating Harrison. Wallace is clearly still obsessed with the Ripper after however long it’s been, and he’s something of a weakness for her.
As I see it, there are two main ways this could play out. The first is thatDexter could find proof that Prater is the New York Ripper and offer it to Wallace in exchange for her standing down on Harrison. Prater thinks that Dexter is Ronald Schmidt, after all, and Wallace may be willing to let Harrison go to close the Ripper case.
The second, darker, option is that Dexter could manipulate Prater into killing Claudette.Prater is clearly paranoid about being caught, and if Dexter convinces him that Wallace is getting close, Prater may decide to kill her. That would solve Harrison’s problems, as Oliva clearly doesn’t think Harrison did it and wouldn’t be able to prove it without Wallace’s help.
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There’s a lot of room for other options, andDexter: Resurrectionalmost certainly has more surprises up its sleeve, butI’d be surprised if Prater was the New York Ripper and Dexter didn’t find a way to use that to help Harrison. One way or another, Dexter is going to get the NYPD to back off from Harrison. It’s the whole reason he was reborn inDexter: Resurrection, and Prater may be the key.
