Michael C. Hall’s title character becoming a father inDexteris one of the original show’s biggest storylines, but the name he chooses for his son essentially sentences Harrison to a doomed existence. While Harrison Morgan isn’t a huge part of theoriginalDextercast, the character’s return inDexter: New Bloodsignificantly fleshes out his story. Harrison’s biggest development when Jack Alcott plays him in thecast ofDexter: New Bloodis only relatively unexpected. With a father like Dexter Morgan, it was always possible Alcott’s character would follow a similar path. However,Harrison’s name also foreshadowed his destiny.
Dexter: New Blood’s subtitle references Harrison’s return to the franchise. The 10-episode miniseries revolves around the somewhat predictable twist that Dexter’s teenage son now has a Dark Passenger of his own, and thatHarrison has the same urge to kill as his father. Regardless of what Dexter would have named Harrison, his son would likely still have turned out the same - especially given their horrific shared origin of being found in the blood of their respective mothers. That being said, the name given to Harrison made it even clearer that the thirst for murder wasn’t going to skip a generation.
Dexter’s Original Series Ending Explained: Why Dexter Chooses That Controversial Lumberjack Fate
The ending of the original Dexter series has left viewers divided for over a decade, although it did set up the sequel series Dexter: New Blood.
Dexter Morgan’s Son’s Name Is Derived From “Harry’s Son”
Harry Morgan’s full name was also Harrison
Harrison is named after Dexter’s late adoptive father: Harrison “Harry” Morgan. While Michael C. Hall’s character may have intended the title to be an innocent tribute to Harry, the meaning being Harrison’s name actually goes much deeper. The name “Harrison” derives from “Harry’s son.” So, whileit may have been a more fitting title for Dexter than it is for his son, it still helps maintain the familial connection.
It’s easy to forget that Harry Morgan’s first name was actually Harrison, as he never used his full name.
It’s easy to forget that Harry Morgan’s first name was actually Harrison, as he never used his full name. The character himself never appears in the show’s present-day sequences due to passing away before the events of the first episode. His appearances in flashbacks and manifestations as Dexter’s conscience/sounding board allow Harry Morgan to haunt the narrative in a way that makes it seem as though he was never a physical character. So, whilethere are technically two significant Harrisons inDextercanon, only the son of Hall’s character is really relevant when using the full title.
Harrison’s Name Foreshadowed He Would Become Like Dexter (Not Harry)
Dexter is “Harry’s son” too
While Harry did guide his son away from murdering innocent people and gave Dexter a code to live (and kill) by,Harry wasn’t himself a killer. So Dexter choosing to name his son after Harry may have been an unconscious move that communicated Dexter’s desire for Harrison to turn out a little more like Harry and not grow up with serial killer tendencies. Unfortunately, by giving his son a name that’s derived from “Harry’s son,” Dexter was all but assuring that Harrison would turn out like Dexter (Harry’s actual son) and not like Harrison’s late grandfather.
Ultimately, Harrison’s blood-soaked experience as a baby probably did most of the heavy lifting, but his name didn’t help either.
While Harrison’s age in the originalDextershow made it impossible to tell if he had his own version of his father’s Dark Passenger,his return inNew Bloodconfirmed Dexter’s son had the same desire for murder. So, despite Dexter’s attempt to steer Harrison more in the direction of Harry, the desperate gambit failed. Ultimately, Harrison’s blood-soaked experience as a baby probably did most of the heavy lifting, but his name didn’t help either.
Will We See Harrison Morgan Again?
Harrison could easily return in Dexter: Resurrection
The upcomingDexter: Resurrectionwill continue the events ofDexter: New Blood, the latter of which was when Harrison last appeared. He survived the events ofNew Blood, so there’s a very real possibility of him coming back forResurrection. There has been very little information on what the story will be like forResurrection. However, Michael C. Hall has been confirmed to return as Dexter Morgan, despite beinggunned down by his son at the end ofNew Blood.
Dexter’s Upcoming Sequel Show Means A Massive Unsolved Mystery From New Blood Can Finally Be Addressed
Dexter: Resurrection needs to address a big part of the saga’s story that New Blood ignores, and it would arguably make sense for it to do so.
While there were whispers in the wake ofNew Bloodabout the next franchise installment following Harrison rather than Dexter,Resurrectionnow appears to be centering on Hall’s character. It’s currently unclear whether Dexter will physically return or whether he’ll be a specter - like Deb inNew Blood.Comments from Hall suggest Dexter will surviveNew Blood’s endingand the saga will continue from there. If so, Harrison could remain away from the story, as he fled at the end ofNew Blood. That being said, it would also make sense if he returned to theDexterfranchise forResurrection.
Dexter
Cast
Dexter is a television series following Dexter Morgan, a blood spatter analyst for Miami Metro Police who secretly leads a dual life as a vigilante serial killer. Released in 2006, the show focuses on Dexter’s internal conflict as he hunts down criminals who elude justice within the legal system.
