Mosquito

Mosquito is an insect character that appears in every title sequence, except the pilot, on Showtime's series DEXTER

The killing of the mosquito by Dexter Morgan has been mentioned, written about, debated, or dissected by various people. The following quotes are selected examples.

Dexter's Mosquito

 * “His first sight when he awakens is blood, after he squashes the mosquito.” ~ Quora


 * "The first image we see is a mosquito, which Angelina Karpovich calls a “curiously apt metaphor for the protagonist.” Both feed on human blood and often go undetected until they strike; however, men “more often than not kill mosquitoes.” Interestingly enough, Dexter is the hunter and the hunted, yet he appears in total control of the first sequence we see before each episode. Dexter swats the mosquito after closing in on it carefully and watching its every move. The hint of a smile we see in the background conveys his bloodlust and the satisfaction that comes with stamping out the lesser in a ritual that we will eventually hear him call “taking out the trash.” ~Dissecting Dexter


 * “It begins with an extreme close-up of a mosquito (like Dexter, a blood-sucking predator). SMACK! Dexter swats it and we rack-focus down his extended forearm and notice his face -- still fuzzy, abstract, in semi-darkness, cheek against the mattress. The hint of a satisfied smile. Another kill, another day. Good morning! Time to rise and shine.” ~ Roger Ebert


 * “It starts off bluntly with Dexter murdering (a skill Dexter is more than adept at doing) a mosquito. But every kill that Dexter has in the show is premeditated and Dexter stalks his ‘prey’ and covers his tracks like no other. This juxtaposition of killing the mosquito and Dexter’s normal careful murders show the difference between the two types of murders.” ~Barbaric Poetries


 * “Even the presence of mosquito and sunny brightness outdoors crudely indicate the geographical location. Mosquitoes are typical of warm environments near water. While the audience may not be able to exactly pinpoint the location to the area being Miami (USA), they get a sense of a place very similar.” ~Prialiaenated Wordpress


 * “I had no idea what to expect but it’s safe to say I was hooked the second I saw him smack that mosquito. What a great way to introduce such a complex character. Someone who appears unlikely to hurt a fly (or at least an innocent fly) smashes it with a devilish grin on his face.” ~The Athletic Nerd


 * “Analysis of Intro: Open to close up of mosquito on arm. Centered focus. Music starts. Cut to medium shot, panning up, face now visible blurry in background. Hand smacks the mosquito, blood spot, smacking noise. Eye open, comes into focus. Smile in corner of screen, just out of focus with blood spot barely visible. Blinks as camera comes to focus on Hall.” -Television Criticism, Univ. of Iowa

Trivia

 * More deaths are associated with mosquitoes than any other animal on the planet. Mosquitoes may carry any number of deadly diseases, including malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever, Zika, West Nile disease, and encephalitis. Mosquitoes also carry heartworm, which can be lethal to a dog. (Mosquitoes are responsible for around 725,000 deaths per year. Approximately 475,000 people die every year at the hand of fellow man.)