Dexter: Resurrection

Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Dexter: Resurrection season 1, episode 7!Dexter: Resurrection star David Zayas explains Batista and Dexter’s tense episode 7 reunion, and what it says about their relationship. The story of Dexter: Resurrection features a cat-and-mouse game between Batista and Dexter, with the former now convinced he’s the Bay Harbor Butcher. Episode 7 saw the pair have their first honest conversation about Batista’s investigation and what it means.

In an interview with ScreenRant, Zayas, who portrays Batista, unpacked the moment between him and Michael C. Hall’s Dexter in Dexter: Resurrection episode 7. He explained how Batista didn’t want to confront him in front of his family, but that he’s still going to do everything he can to get justice for those who’ve died because of him:

ScreenRant: Very much so. There’s a moment in the end of episode 107 where Batista greets Dexter, and he says, ‘Surprise, hermano.’ Was that channeling a little James Doakes, ‘Surprise mf’er’?
David Zayas: You have to ask the writers, I didn’t look at it that way, but I see where you’re going with that. I’m not sure. I didn’t look at it that way. I just basically did not want to expose him in front of this family because they might’ve created a bigger confrontation at that moment, and I didn’t want to do that at that moment. So I think that’s what Batista plays it off like, ‘Hey, my friend is here,’ because he doesn’t want to get that family involved. The thing is with Batista and the character, he wouldn’t know that that’s what Doakes said to him. It’s not going to connect. You could ask the writers. That would be a different story. That’s the wonderful thing about art, right? You could interpret it whichever way you want.
ScreenRant: Later in the episode, we eventually get that very tense car ride between Dexter and Batista. This is honestly one of the first moments I can remember of Batista being face to face with the dark passenger side of Dexter, not so much Dexter Morgan, the guy who’s on the crime scene working alongside Batista. So with that in mind, what gives Batista the strength to stay his ground and not waver in the face of that threat?
David Zayas: A couple of things. The fact is that he’s known this man for over 30 years. If you go back to Original Sin, that’s where Batista and Dexter first met. That was 30 years ago, 33 years ago. So he’s known this man for 33 years. And so it’s like he knows the relationship they’ve had. The second thing is I don’t think fear is on top of his priority list. Batista, I’m talking about. I think Batista knows exactly what he’s getting into, but it doesn’t matter because he’s out for this justice and he needs to find out the truth. He needs the truth to come out. And so I think fear, even though it’s there, it’s not at the top of his list. That’s not to say that Batista doesn’t understand what can possibly happen, he does. It’s just that at this point, he’s just on a mission to just seek the justice that he has to get for the people that he loved and the people that he worked with.

What Zayas’ Statement Means For Batista & Dexter In Dexter: Resurrection

Zach Dilgard/Paramount+ with SHOWTIME

Of all the returning characters in Dexter: Resurrection, Batista is the one who’s most on Dexter’s trail. Ever since the new series began, he’s been investigating him with suspicion that he’s the Bay Harbor Butcher. He’s also clearly making an enemy of him, too, seeking justice for all the major characters who died in the original series.

Based on Zayas’ statement, their battle is far from over, with Batista willing to do whatever it takes to get concrete evidence that his former friend is the Bay Harbor Butcher. Dexter: Resurrection episode 7 ended with him leaving his AirPods in Dexter’s car, using them as a tracking device. This puts the protagonist in even more danger.

In the meantime, Dexter himself is still dealing with Prater’s group of killers, having murdered Gareth, one of the Gemini Killers, earlier in the episode. It’s possible that Batista’s tracking of him will lead him to get involved in this secret world of serial killers, making for an explosive discovery if he lives long enough to bring them to justice.

Our Take On Batista & Dexter’s Confrontation In Dexter: Resurrection Episode 7

Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan in Dexter Resurrection season 1 episode 6 — Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan in Dexter: Resurrection season 1, episode 6.

Batista is getting dangerously close to proving Dexter is a serial killer, something that will put his entire life in New York and relationship with Harrison in jeopardy. He’s killed before to protect his identity, such as Logan in Dexter: New Blood, meaning he’d be willing to break the code if it means following the first rule: don’t get caught.

But, given his long-standing friendship with Batista and how much they’ve been through, killing him likely won’t be that simple. If Dexter: Resurrection does end with him discovering the truth, there’s still a chance it doesn’t end with him dead. Instead, he could become a long-term adversary for Dexter depending on where the series goes from there.

New episodes of Dexter: Resurrection arrive Fridays on Paramount+ with Showtime.