Is Dexter as emotionless as he claims?

Endasaurus

Hey! I only discovered this show but I'm already a good bit into series two, I love this show


An interesting dynamic I've found from watching this is Dexter continually talking about how empty he feels inside and how he expertly fakes all emotions etc around all those around him, but I'm wondering whether the guy might actually have feelings despite it all?


He's certainly capable of forming deep and lasting attachments to people close to him over the course of the series, enough to want to avoid any harm to them and to try his best to prevent any harm to them.. Also as the series goes on he talks of the mask "slipping" because other people are beginning to matter a bit more...

Is Dexter capable of emotion despite what he says? Or is it something that is only just developing?


Sorry if this made no sense my head is frazzled tonight hahaha

Selkies

They are not quite deep attachments in the same way normal people have attachments. He doesn't actually feel care for the people around him, he has learned behaviors about how to react and some instincts.

lostexpectation

i think he feels bad when he upsets his sister etc

Oscholar

I think the more he interacts with people and explores relationships (like that with Rita) he becomes more and more human, developing emotions which before had lain dormant.

I love how we see him struggle with these emotions, how he backs away from them and tries to remain unfeeling, yet at the same time beginning to care for certain people in a way that he has never before experienced. It's this inner struggle between remaining cold and emotionless and opening up to those outside of oneself that draw me to Dexter.