Dexter: Resurrection episode 3 ending explained: Has the code been completely broken?

Dexter: Resurrection premiered with two episodes on Paramount+ on July 11, 2025, followed by the third episode on July 18. The story picks up right after the events of Dexter: New Blood. The series also revives the infamous “Code,” the ethical system of Dexter Morgan developed by his adoptive father, Harry. It prevented him from pointless killings during the previous seasons, so that he could only go after murderers.

In Dexter: Resurrection episode 3, titled Backseat Driver, the titular character gets employed as a ride-share driver in New York City. Under disguise, he investigates a string of murders targeting drivers like himself. When he takes on a case involving Ronald Schmidt, a murderer whose offense is grotesque and personal, something changes.

In contrast to acting according to the Code of Harry, which requires certainty, control, and moral clarity, Dexter operates on an impulse. His choice to kill Schmidt is not a question of justice but an impulsive act. With this killing, Dexter does not merely bend the Code, but rather breaks it, making this scene a stark change in the rules that governed him earlier.

Disclaimer: The article contains spoilers about the Dexter: Resurrection episode 3. Reader's discretion is advised.

---

Blessing and Dexter’s unlikely partnership in Dexter: Resurrection episode 3

Blessing Kamara, a fellow successful driver who helped Dexter in the previous two episodes, has a more significant role in episode 3. Not only is he the most direct connection Dexter has to the local community of drivers, but he is also one of the few people who completely trust the titular character.

Blessing introduces Dexter (Michael C. Hall) into his social life, and even when he gets to this small driver party, he learns more about the ride-share attacks such as eye eyewitness of Chike, one of the victims of the hit man. Dexter is aware that his friendship with Blessing is risky.

His participation in the driver meet-up is beneficial to the case, but it also brings him closer to being exposed. However, more shocking is how Dexter, through interactions with Blessing, shows that he still wants a connection even though it complicates his secret life.

---

Harrison’s breakdown and Detective Wallace’s suspicion

Back at home, Dexter’s son Harrison is falling apart. Harrison has been dogged by the killing he has committed since the season started.

Detective Claudette Wallace is putting the pieces together in Dexter: Resurrection episode 3, but notices his jittery nature and the tone of his responses. Wallace suspects that there is something big and secretive about Harrison. The watch he left the crime scene with is gone, and his alibi doesn’t hold.

His stealthy yet deliberate tracking increases the tensions, not only of Harrison but also of Dexter Morgan. If Wallace presses too hard, Harrison could snap, and the entire Morgan family secret may get revealed. The contrast between Dexter himself declining into a darker world and Harrison descending into exposure forms a father-son rivalry that brings out the series’ most emotional arcs.

---

Dexter: Resurrection episode 3 ending: Why does Dexter take Schmidt’s thumb?

Dexter: Resurrection episode 3 ends in a shocking way, Dexter tracks down Ronald Schmidt, an unassuming, awkward man who proves to be the killer stalking ride-share drivers, just as he is about to kill again. Dexter intervenes to prevent the murder before it is committed. It is a brief display of self-control that appears to be a sign of development. He does not kill because he has an urge; he saves a life first.

However, he later ambushes Schmidt, kills him, and does something that he hadn't done before: he cuts off his thumb and burns the body. This is later explained as Dexter finds a velvet-lined kit at Schmidt's apartment with a pile of cash, an unused phone, and a note of invitation.

The letter is addressed to “those who share the craft” and requires a fingerprint to unlock further contact. The violence is disturbing, but so is the fact that this act marks a turning point in the motives of Dexter. He’s no longer trying to stay hidden; instead, he’s responding to a group of killers who don’t follow his old code. It hints at a step toward something bigger and much darker.

---

Interested viewers can stream Dexter: Resurrection episode 3 on Paramount+ with Showtime beginning Friday, July 18, or tune in on the Showtime TV channel on Sunday, July 20 at 8 pm ET.

Edited by DEEPALI