One of the biggest plot holesDexter: New Bloodintroduced was completely ignored byDexter: Original Sin, three years after the fact. Retroactive continuity changes, or retcons, are no stranger to long-running franchises. After multiple seasons spanning several years, most shows accidentally change something that was previously established at least once.Dexterhad been mostly free of retcons for a very long time, untilDexter: New Bloodintroduced a major plot hole that also changed the franchise’s history. However, just three years afterNew Blood,Dexter: Original Sinhas changed it again.
One of the hallmarks of Dexter’s killing ritual is his use of a syringe to knock his victims out. While he sometimes puts his victims in a headlock or hits them with something, more often than not he injects a drug directly into their neck. There was even an entire episode of the original series -Dexterseason 1, episode 6 - dedicated to explaining how Dexter used a powerful animal tranquilizer called M99. Despite that, however,New Bloodchanged Dexter’s drug to ketamine, andOriginal Sinjust changed it back.
Dexter: Original Sin Ignores New Blood Changing Dexter’s “Drug Of Choice” To Ketamine
New Blood Changed Dexter’s Drug From M99 To Ketamine, & Original Sin Changed It Back
Near the controversialending ofDexter: New Blood, Angela Bishop (Julia Jones) deduced that Dexter was the Bay Harbor Butcher. The way she discovered Dexter was a serial killer, however, was a source of massive controversy. Angela found one of Dexter’s victims in Iron Lake who had been sedated with ketamine, and she then linked his use of ketamine in New York with the Bay Harbor Butcher’s in Miami, where she knew Dexter was from.The only problem is, Dexter used M99 throughout the original series, andNew Bloodchanged it to ketamine to make it possible for Angela to discover his secret.
Dexter: Original Sin Has A Huge Choice To Make After New Blood’s Most Divisive Plot Hole
Dexter: New Blood introduced a divisive retcon that also created a massive plot hole, but Original Sin now has the chance to fix it years later.
SinceNew Bloodretroactively changed M99 to ketamine,Original Sinshould have kept Dexter using ketamine to fit with the retcon.Instead of keepingNew Blood’s drug canon, however,Original Sinignored it and switched back to Dexter using M99. That decision effectively undoesNew Blood’s retcon, and reaffirms that Dexter had been using M99 the entire time. Though it does make it harder to explain how Angela was able to link Dexter to the Bay Harbor Butcher through ketamine, an entirely different drug,Original Sin’s decision has brought more clarity to the franchise as a whole.
Dexter: Original Sin Season 1, Episode 5 Reveals Where Dexter Got The Idea To Use M99 On His Victims
Tanya Martin Explained That M99 Could Tranquilize Horses For Hours
Original Sindidn’t just revert to using M99, however, it also gave new insight into how Dexter chose that drug to sedate his victims with.Dexter’s boss at Miami Metro, Tanya Martin (Sarah Michelle Gellar), was an avid horse racing fan, and she explained to Dexter that horses were sedated for hours at a time with M99. Dexter had been knocking his victims out with physical force, but since Mad-Dog (Joe Pantoliano) woke up prematurely inOriginal Sinepisode 4, he happily started using the chemical to subdue his victims. It even showed Dexter breaking into a horse stable to steal vials of M99.
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“And in the Beginning…”
June 21, 2025 @ 12:01 am ET
June 02, 2025 @ 10 pm ET
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“Kid in a Candy Store”
June 14, 2025 @ 12:01 am ET
August 15, 2025 @ 10 pm ET
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June 21, 2025 @ 11 pm ET
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June 13, 2025 @ 12:01 am ET
June 06, 2025 @ 10 pm ET
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“F is for F***-Up”
July 27, 2025 @ 12:01 am ET
July 30, 2025 @ 10 pm ET
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“The Joy of Killing”
June 10, 2025 @ 12:01 am ET
June 23, 2025 @ 10 pm ET
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June 28, 2025 @ 12:01 am ET
July 31, 2025 @ 10 pm ET
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“Business and Pleasure”
July 05, 2025 @ 12:01 am ET
August 23, 2025 @ 10 pm ET
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June 18, 2025 @ 12:01 am ET
July 12, 2025 @ 10 pm ET
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June 06, 2025 @ 12:01 am ET
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There’s also another detail that could indicateOriginal Sinwill dive even deeper into Dexter’s use of M99. In the original show, Dexter used the alias “Patrick Bateman, M.D.” to apply for regular supplies of M99, since it was a substance controlled by the DEA.Dexter’s already using Patrick Bateman as an alias inOriginal Sin, which could be a sign that the show will explain how Dexter was able to counterfeit medical licenses to get M99 more reliably. Even if it doesn’t, though,Dexter: Original Sinhas seemingly put the M99 vs. ketamine debate to bed, three years afterDexter: New Bloodended.
Dexter: Original Sin
Cast
Dexter: Original Sin explores Dexter Morgan’s early years in 1991 Miami as he transitions from student to avenging serial killer. Guided by his father, Harry, Dexter crafts a moral code and navigates a forensics internship at Miami Metro Police, all while controlling his darker impulses.
Dexter: New Blood
Set a decade after his disappearance, Dexter: New Blood follows Dexter Morgan living under a new identity in Iron Lake, New York. Despite his attempts to embrace a peaceful life, unforeseen events in the tight-knit community reignite his Dark Passenger, challenging his efforts to leave his past behind.
