‘Dexter: New Blood’: Will There Be a Rita Cameo Too? Julie Benz Has Commented on Her Involvement
Your favorite vigilante killer is back for a limited series titled Dexter: New Blood. The show catches up with Dexter Morgan in the years after he left Miami and went into hiding, after abandoning his young son Harrison. It finds him in Upstate New York, where he has a normal life as sales clerk Jim Lindsay. But his past is brought to light by a series of events.
This means characters from his past tend to show up. But what about Rita Morgan? After Trinity appeared in the Dec. 19 episode of Dexter: New Blood, viewers have been wondering whether they’ll see her again too. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem likely. But there are other cameos ahead.
‘Dexter: New Blood’ revisited Rita’s death in its latest episode
Since the beginning of Dexter: New Blood, one of the biggest questions was about whether Harrison had a dark passenger. While he initially came off as a normal teenager, over time, it became increasingly clear that he indeed had a dark side.
In Dexter: New Blood Episode 7, Harrison finally opens up to his father about his mother’s death. He explains he always had nightmares about The Trinity Killer, but after listening to Molly Park’s podcast, he realized they were actually memories.
He remembers a naked Trinity stepping out of the tub after killing Rita and coming over to comfort him, saying, “Daddy will be home soon.” Harrison says he’s had violent urges ever since and thinks that’s the reason Dexter abandoned him.
The truth is, Dexter just wanted to protect Harrison. But Harrison flees before he can explain himself. Dexter realizes he has to come clean about it all in order to have a relationship with his son.
Will Rita be in ‘Dexter: New Blood’?
After the episode, fans took to websites such as Reddit to react. Some believed there would be more Trinity cameos, having noticed John Lithgow’s name in the IMDb credits for three more episodes. There was also some speculation that there would be scenes of Trinity confronting and killing Rita and more of the aftermath of that. But the thing is, Julie Benz has said she’s not involved in the revival.
“I think Dexter has moved way past Rita,” she told TVLine when asked about a possible cameo. “It doesn’t make sense for her to be on his mind as a ghost because she was only his cover. He didn’t internalize her, so there are no plans for Rita to show up. I would obviously do it in a heartbeat if they asked. But I’ve always said Rita shouldn’t make an appearance in his head because she didn’t know the real him. She didn’t know the Dark Passenger.”
Benz added in a later interview that she still hadn’t been asked to reprise her role. “If they asked, I would do it in a heartbeat and not tell you but I can honestly say there is no flashback,” she told Nicki Swift.
There is, however, at least one more character return ahead
Though a Rita cameo in Dexter: New Blood seems unlikely, there are other cameos to come. Showrunner Clyde Phillips spoke about the return of original characters in an interview with TV Insider.
The report mentioned “someone else from Dexter’s past” would return in the Dexter: New Blood finale. “It becomes a big story point,” Phillips added. But, of course, viewers will have to keep watching for that big reveal.
Check out the series on Showtime at 9 p.m. ET on Sundays.
