Season 2

Complete listed story — includes the ending

1. It's Alive!

A suspicious Doakes follows Dexter at all times, which makes it impossible for Dexter to kill. Thirty-eight days after his last kill, Dexter gains an opportunity, but finds himself unable to murder a blind voodoo priest called Jimmy. A member of the 29th St. Kings gang is killed by the leader Little Chino ( Matthew Willig ), in whom Dexter sees a chance to get his urges under control again. An emotionally unstable Debra returns to work in the Homicide Department. She tries to resume a normal lifestyle, but finds herself under scrutiny from the public. Paul tries to convince Rita that he was framed by Dexter, but she refuses to believe him in spite of the evidence presented to her. Scuba divers discover approximately 30 hefty bags of Dexter's mutilated victims' body parts on the ocean floor.

2. Waiting to Exhale

The Miami Metro Police Department, led by FBI Special Agent Frank Lundy, begins the hunt for the "Bay Harbor Butcher". Both Dexter and the police are hunting for Little Chino, and Dexter is determined to kill him properly given a second chance. Debra and Dexter struggle to overcome memories of the encounter with Brian that led to his death. After Paul's funeral, Rita confronts Dexter about his involvement in Paul's death, and he admits to having an addiction, which Rita infers to be to drugs. LaGuerta shows surprising support for new boss, Lieutenant Esmee Pascal ( Judith Scott ).

3. An Inconvenient Lie

Rita threatens to leave Dexter if he does not commit to a program to deal with his "drug addiction". He starts attending Narcotics Anonymous meetings, while still trying to evade Doakes' constant surveillance. At the meeting, Dexter meets a mysterious and flirtatious woman named Lila ( Jaime Murray ), who volunteers to be his sponsor. Doakes tracks Dexter at the meeting, but to Dexter's relief, Doakes displays understanding of the "addiction" and lets Dexter go. Later, he hunts down a new victim, Roger Hicks (Don McManus), a used-car salesman who murders beautiful brunettes. Lundy invites Debra to join the new task force investigating the Bay Harbor Butcher, and she soon discovers a pattern to the murders.

4. See-Through

Dexter begins to question Lila's suitability as his sponsor, and Rita encourages him to find a male one. Rita's visiting mother, Gail ( JoBeth Williams ), becomes sure that Dexter is hiding something from the family. Cody starts having nightmares about the Bay Harbor Butcher. When Vince announces that he has found a way to identify the marina where the Bay Harbor Butcher moors his boat, Dexter attempts to destroy some of the evidence. Doakes ends up in stand-off against one of his old special ops colleagues, after he murders his own wife. Debra starts dating Gabriel (Dave Baez), whom she met at the gym. LaGuerta returns to her job as lieutenant following the mental collapsing of Pascal, who suspects her fiancé of cheating; it turns out that he was cheating on her with none other than LaGuerta.

5. The Dark Defender

Dexter discovers that one of the men who murdered his mother in front of him as a boy is still alive. He dreams that a comic-book hero based on the Bay Harbor Butcher saves his mother, and is encouraged by Lila to seek closure by confronting his mother's killer, Santos Jimenez ( Tony Amendola ). Doakes and LaGuerta investigate a homicide in a comic-book store, and reminisce about their days as partners. Rita's mother warns Dexter to leave Rita and her children alone. Debra begins to lose faith in her relationship with Gabriel, suspecting that he is taking advantage of her.

6. Dex, Lies, and Videotape

After learning that he was filmed while cleaning his boat at the marina, Dexter becomes desperate and tries to delete the videofile, which he eventually manages to do before computer upgrades enable its viewing by his colleagues. A mock killer mimics, and claims to be inspired by, the Bay Harbor Butcher, and unless the police find him, the FBI may take over the case completely. Following a conversation with Debra, Doakes becomes suspicious that Dexter isn't an addict like he previously thought, and becomes more determined to find out his secret. After learning about his mother's secret relationship with his foster father, Dexter questions Harry's motives about his own adoption. At Rita's mother suggestion, Dexter brings Lila to dinner, and when Rita finds out that Lila accompanied Dexter on his road trip, Rita breaks up with him. Dexter and Lila leave together and have sex later.

7. That Night, a Forest Grew

A written manifesto sent by the Bay Harbor Butcher to a local newspaper sends Lundy's special task force into chaos. Doakes almost discovers the truth about Dexter's past, which forces Dexter to devise a plan to get him suspended from the police force. During a romantic dinner with Dexter, Lila learns that Dexter plans to attend one of Cody's school events where he will see Rita, and becomes jealous. Rita stands up to her mother and compels her to move out of the house. Debra breaks up with Gabriel and decides to pursue a relationship with Lundy, not knowing if her feelings are reciprocated.

8. Morning Comes

A desperate Lila sets her loft on fire in an effort to sustain her relationship with Dexter, but Dexter realizes that Lila is lying when she claims it was an accident. Jimenez visits Dexter and the suspicious Doakes breaks into Dexter's apartment and finds the hidden collection of blood slides. Lundy re-examines all of the department's old cases when he suspects that the Bay Harbor Butcher has a history in law enforcement. Rita tells Dexter that he is no longer welcome to visit her house or her children.

9. Resistance is Futile

Under constant surveillance by federal agents, Dexter is unable to dispose of his latest victim's remains. He apologizes to Rita, admitting that his affair with Lila was a mistake, but she is still hesitant to forgive him, as Lila retaliates by pursuing Angel. After finding Dexter's collection of blood slides, Doakes seeks the advice of an old friend in Haiti to analyze them. The department begins to suspect Doakes' involvement in the Bay Harbor Butcher case, but cannot find him for questions. Debra and Lundy spend the night together and contemplate making their relationship public.

10. There's Something About Harry

After their latest confrontation, Dexter imprisons Doakes in a cabin hidden in the Florida Everglades, but is unsure of what to do next. Doakes reveals information that leads Dexter to a surprising discovery about his foster father's death. The FBI continues the search for Doakes, while LaGuerta tries to prove his innocence. As the investigation comes to a close, Debra realizes that Lundy will leave Miami at the end of the investigation. She confronts him about the future of their relationship. Rita and Dexter reconcile and visit the beach together, while Lila plans to frame Angel for raping her.

11. Left Turn Ahead

Dexter contemplates admitting to the Bay Harbor Butcher killings. Doakes escapes from his cell but runs afoul of two drug smugglers. The FBI is displeased with the lack of progress in the Bay Harbor Butcher case and assigns a deputy director to take over Lundy's role in the investigation. Angel is arrested for the sexual assault of Lila, who offers to drop the charges if Dexter will resume their relationship. Debra investigates Lila's past and discovers that she is an illegal immigrant. Meanwhile, using Dexter's global positioning system, Lila discovers the cabin in the swamp, where Doakes is being held.

12. The British Invasion

Lila finds Doakes imprisoned in the cabin, and realizes that Dexter is the Bay Harbor Butcher. She ignores his pleas for help, and kills Doakes by setting the cabin on fire. Doakes is found dead, and because the evidence of the Bay Harbor Butcher killings indicates him as the criminal, the case is closed. Debra and Lundy try to resolve their relationship problems and Dexter reconciles with Rita. When Lila threatens Rita's children, Dexter realizes that he needs to find a solution to Lila's obsession with him. After Lila attempts to kill him, Dexter follows her to Paris and kills her.