Episode 310: Go Your Own Way

Go Your Own Way is the tenth of twelve episodes in Season Three of the Showtime series DEXTER, and the thirty-fourth overall episode of the series. It first aired 30 November 2008.

A series of chess-like moves ensues when Dexter and Miguel vie for the upper hand, with Miguel winning Rita's affection by presenting her with a lavish wedding gift; Debra wonders if her relationship with Anton is worth the trouble.

Summary
Dexter, Miguel, and their wives are eating dinner at a fancy restaurant. Dexter pretends to enjoy himself as he mulls over the riskiness of killing a high-profile ADA. When the Prados offer to cater Dexter and Rita's reception as a wedding present, Rita is overjoyed. Miguel then toasts Rita and Dexter and wishes them a happy marriage.

Back in their car, Dexter grumbles to Rita about Miguel, which she interprets to mean that he is cheating on his wife with Maria LaGuerta.

They stop at Debra’s apartment to pick up the kids, who are asleep. Immediately, Rita tells Debra that Dexter’s best friend is cheating on his wife with her best friend. Debra teasingly asks Dexter, “You have a best friend?” Anton suddenly enters the living room, surprising Rita and Dexter. Debra introduces Anton, leading to Dexter awkwardly asking if he’s the Skinner victim and if he’s Plus One for the wedding.

That night, Anton and Debra fall asleep on her sofa while watching TV. In the morning, Debra wakes up at 7:30 a.m. and swears. She freaks out and orders Anton to leave, hoping that his protective detail doesn’t know that he’s there because he’s a key witness in her case.

At the station, Maria informs the department that a bartender, Toby Edwards, is a prime suspect in Ellen Wolf’s murder. Toby had called Ellen’s house three times the night she was killed - twice from right outside. Dexter knows that Toby isn’t the killer, but maybe he’s a witness. Maria reports that one of Ellen’s wedding rings is missing and Dexter suspects that Miguel took it as a trophy. Dexter thinks he could use the ring as leverage against Miguel.

Masuka gathers donations for Dexter’s bachelor party while promising that it will be “off the charts.” Angel pulls Masuka aside and suggests that he should keep the party lowkey since they are in the middle of two big investigations. When Masuka protests, Angel says that strippers are okay, but not hookers or “weird shit.” A disappointed Masuka calls him Sergeant Buzzkill.

Debra calls various homeowners to ask about their landscaper and if they have empty structures on their land. Quinn sits down at her desk and hands her a surveillance report from Anton’s protective detail. It’s noted within that Anton spent the night at her apartment. Quinn criticizes Debra for sleeping with a key witness and reminds her that she wants a detective’s shield.

While trying to contact an embassy regarding King, Angel receives a call that Barbara Gianna is in the hospital. He asks Quinn to cover for him and rushes out.

Miguel enters his office to find Dexter sitting at his desk, playing a game on his computer. Dexter informs Miguel that Ellen Wolf’s case is breaking because Maria has a suspect who was outside Ellen’s house that night. Miguel asks Dexter what they should do since they are “partners.” When Dexter replies that he doesn’t want a partner, Miguel says that he’s not giving up on their friendship. To make it more clear, Dexter tells Miguel that, after the wedding, they will each go their own way -- Miguel as the “honorable ADA upholding the law of the land” and Dexter as the “trusty spatter analyst who always gets his killer.” In a subtle threat, Dexter adds that he’s in a position to do whatever it takes to keep innocent people safe. Dexter departs, thinking he’s gained the upper hand.

At the hospital, Angel finds Barbara with her head bandaged, lying in a hospital bed. She tells Angel that a john attacked her after he followed her home from the Waterfront Stroll. She defended herself with her keys. After Barbara is wheeled away for a CAT scan, Angel takes her keys from the nightstand, removing one. On his way out, he hands the other keys to Vice Officer Jeffries who bags them for evidence. At the station, Angel asks Dexter to test the key for blood and run it through the criminal database. He wants it fast tracked for his eyes only.

Maria rips into Toby Edwards in the interrogation room. She reminds him that she saw him flirting with Ellen in the bar and asks why he called Ellen the night she was murdered at 11:10 p.m., 3:01 a.m., and 3:08 a.m. He admits that he went to her house at her invitation but she didn’t answer the door, so he tried calling her. Maria accuses Toby of killing Ellen because she wouldn’t have sex with him. Meanwhile, Dexter and Miguel are watching the interrogation on a monitor. Miguel tells Dexter that Toby looks like a killer, and Dexter answers that he’s not.

Quinn confirms that four witnesses and a time-stamped video rule out Toby as the murderer. Maria returns to the interrogation room to press Toby for info. He remembers seeing the halogen headlights of a dark-colored SUV near her house that night.

Afterward, Dexter observes Miguel being overly friendly with Maria. He realizes that if Miguel controls Maria, Miguel will control the investigation, and then his leverage will disappear.

Rita shops for a wedding dress with Sylvia who mentions her marital issues with Miguel.

Unexpectedly, Maria enters Dexter’s office and berates him for testing a key without a case number.

Quinn hears a frustrated Masuka on the phone cursing because his party planner cancelled two days before the event. Masuka is relieved when Quinn hands him a card for Platinum Enterprises. With one phone call, they will provide a party boat, food, and alcohol. Quinn advises Masuka to ask for Tammy.

Anton arrives at the station looking for Debra and runs into Quinn. When Quinn apologizes for keeping Anton off the books as an unofficial informant, Anton punches him in the face. Back outside, Anton confronts Debra about the “clerical error” lie, and says he will sue the department if Quinn presses charges. Anton is doubtful that Debra is serious about their relationship and asks her why she’s putting her shield at risk.

Miguel and Maria are drinking wine at her house when they begin to kiss. They're interrupted by Dexter knocking at the door, who wants to limit Miguel's hold over Maria. Miguel knows why Dexter’s there and is secretly furious.

Meanwhile, Rita discloses to Sylvia about her suspicions concerning Miguel and Maria. To confirm, Sylvia drives to Maria's house, arriving as Miguel and Maria are walking outside. Sylvia angrily accuses Miguel of having an affair and tearfully states, "I'm done."

The next morning, Miguel is waiting for Dexter at Sadie’s Donuts. Believing that Dexter himself sent Sylvia to Maria's house, he tells Dexter that he crossed a line. Miguel threatens that his office might conduct an ethics investigation of Debra, related to her relationship with Anton -- contingent upon Dexter's help in the Ellen Wolf case. He has no idea the door he just opened, Dexter thought.

While the Prados aren’t at home, Dexter is let into the house by Norma, the housekeeper, under the ruse that Dexter is researching a best man's gift for Miguel. While there, Dexter discovers Ellen’s wedding ring hidden in a cigar box. He steals the ring and leaves a dry cleaner claim slip in its place.

At the station, Tammy Okama meets with Masuka to plan Dexter’s bachelor party. He lets her pick a nautical theme and she tells him that he has “such nice eyes.”

Having been kicked out by Sylvia, Miguel comes home to retrieve some work stuff. He quickly discovers that Ellen’s ring is missing and realizes that Dexter has it. Miguel takes the claim slip to the dry cleaner and is presented with the shirt that he gave to Dexter, supposedly stained with Freebo's blood.

Angel tracks down Barbara’s attacker and arrests him.

Debra informs Dexter that she’s no longer seeing Anton because, even though he makes her happy, it makes her look bad. When she asks Dexter if she’s crazy, he has nothing to say. Debra laughs and calls him useless.

At the police station, Miguel motions for Dexter to go up to the roof. Enraged, Miguel shows Dexter the stained shirt and demands the ring back. As Miguel paces back and forth, he threatens Dexter with the names of Ethan Turner and Clemson Galt. When Dexter counters that Miguel’s fingerprint is on the ring, Miguel furiously yells, “I am the last person you wanna fuck with, because I will fuck you back in ways you never even imagined! An anonymous tip, couple of search warrants. Hmm? Who knows what the police might find in your apartment or in that little boat of yours. You got the ring. I GOT CITY FUCKING HALL!"

Dexter tells Miguel that he can’t be reasoned with, guilted, or controlled, to which Miguel shouts, "That’s right! I'll do what I want, when I want, to whomever I want! Count on it!" Dexter calmly replies, "I will," and heads back down to the homicide department.

Miguel, still on the rooftop, calls George King who watched the interaction through binoculars. Miguel tells King that Dexter is the only person who knows the whereabouts of Freebo, and adds, "If you want Freebo, if you want your money, then you need to have a long conversation with Dexter Morgan."

Angel brings Barbara’s handcuffed attacker to the station, having decided not to beat him up due to Dexter’s advice.

Debra nearly calls Anton but hesitates and changes her mind.

Dexter decides that Miguel has left him no other choice but to kill him.

After dark, Dexter pulls into a parking space at his apartment. As he’s getting out of the car, his phone rings. When he tries to answer it, someone from behind pulls a black hood over his head. Dexter is pushed inside the trunk of a car and it speeds away.

Quotes

 * He taught me how to golf. I taught him how to kill. - Dexter [voice-over, regarding Miguel]
 * “I got a reputation to live up to. I mean if my show does not make me people vomit and have an erection at the same time then I've let my audience down.” - Vince Masuka to Angel Batista
 * My search for connection always ends in blood. - Dexter [voice over]

Trivia

 * In this episode, Dexter is shown playing the video game Halo 3 on Miguel Prado's office computer. Prior to the release of the Master Chief Collection on Microsoft Windows in 2019, Halo 3 was only available on the Xbox 360, unless if Dexter downloaded an emulator.

Related Pages

 * Dexter's Apartment
 * Ellen Wolf Murder Case
 * Fred Bowman (Freebo)
 * Maria LaGuerta's House
 * Miguel Prado's House
 * Rita Bennett's House
 * Sadie's Donuts
 * Skinner Case
 * The Waterfront Stroll