Just when we thought Dexter would tip toe its way toward the series finale, the return of the Brain Surgeon kind of flipped everything upside down even though it wasn’t that too far fetched that the Brain Surgeon wasn’t who we originally believed it was. It wasn’t just the fact that the Brain Surgeon is back, but how he/she made his return — at Zach’s expense — that makes me a bit more optimistic as the end nears.
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Zach’s death happened just when we were getting into his hyper “Are we there yet?” personality, the latest victim to have his brain carved out and delivered to Dr. Vogel. So who did it? One person seems most likely, one seems probable and everything else is just a theory. Let’s clear through all the cobwebs.
Theory: Oliver Saxon is the Brain Surgeon
Cassie’s boyfriend killed her (in the non Brain Surgeon-y way) to frame Zach for it, which would distract Dexter and the police. He then killed Zach himself in the Brain Surgeon-y way. It’s a little too convenient that Oliver started dating Cassie. It was so he could keep tabs on her next door neighbor, Dexter.
Then he’s been mailing the brains to his former doc, Dr. Vogel. He seems the most likely and interesting of possibilities. We haven’t seen him too much on screen, but he’s been there all along.
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Theory: Dr. Vogel is the Brain Surgeon
It’s totally convoluted if Dr. Vogel has been killing everyone and then mailing the brain of the victims — to herself. That’s one busy woman! But it can’t be overlooked that she’s the one who dropped Zach off at his home after dinner, which conveniently gets the two of them alone for her to kill. But they’ve been alone before so why didn’t she take matters into her own hands then?
Her age makes me believe she can’t be killing people, dragging their bodies and doing all of this physical work. But I don’t completely believe that she’s innocent, which brings us to the next theory.
Theory: Dr. Vogel and the Brain Surgeon are Working Together
For someone who’s worked with psychopaths for such a long time, it wouldn’t be all that surprising that she found herself involved in what they do, as well. Back to Vogel driving Zach home — how would the Brain Surgeon have had time to get Zach from his home, kill him, clean him up and then drop him off at Dexter’s?
It seems that would only be possible if Vogel and the Brain Surgeon were working together.
What if Oliver is the Brain Surgeon — and also Dr. Vogel’s son? I heard that theory after Sunday’s episode. That could very well be true without the two of them working together. In which case, Oliver’s got some serious maternal issues.
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Theory: The Brain Surgeon is Someone Else
Quinn is a little too eager to catch Zach as Norma Rivera’s killer so first thought would be he set up Zach. But that would be a little too obvious so throw that theory out the window.
Angel, meanwhile, seems to really want Quinn to be sergeant so that the man involved with his sister does something bigger with his life. Would Angel frame Zach, so Quinn would’ve been right all along and then he just has to be promoted? Maybe, but only if you believe Norma and Cassie’s deaths are unrelated to the Brain Surgeon. I think they are.
Is it Niki, Masuka’s daughter? Breast-baring bartender by day, serial killer by night. There’s still something not right about her, but I don’t think being the Brain Surgeon is it.
Then there’s Jacob Elway, but I’m so uninterested by him that it just can’t be him. He’s just filler for the season.
Theory: The Brain Surgeon is Someone We Don’t Know
What about Dr. Vogel’s husband? He’s supposed to be dead but maybe he isn’t. And he was also a doctor so it’s a possibility.
But I’m hoping the Brain Surgeon isn’t someone we haven’t been introduced to. With only four episodes left, would the writers really have the killer be someone who hasn’t been introduced? It seems too complex and somewhat silly.
What are your theories? Share in the comments below!
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(Image courtesy of Showtime)
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Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
