Dexter's Final Season: Should Our Favorite Serial Killer Die Before the End?

After eight emotional, death-filled seasons, Dexterwill sign-off for good — but the question remains whether the series' titular character will do the same.

Dexter final season scoop: Does Dexter have to die?

Ever since the show's inception, viewers had wondered how long Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) could get away with being a serial killer. But, over time, those same fans also began to root for the blood-spatter analyst. They'd hold their breath when Sgt. Doakes (Erik King) got close to discovering the truth and mourned the loss of Rita (Julie Benz) because Dexter had actually — and surprisingly, for a sociopath — come to care for her. In short, viewers changed their entire perception on this particular serial killer because he was our anti-hero.

Dexter was able to become likable because he mostly played by the rules of Harry's Code — never get caught and never kill an innocent — meaning he'd only murder people who arguably deserved to be killed. That way, he'd soothe his Dark Passenger while also doing some good in the world. Certainly, viewers cheered him on as he finally killed Trinity (John Lithgow), Lila (Jaime Murray) and a number of other big bads over the years. The Showtime series actually got viewers to condone murder!

But, Dexter is still a serial killer and far from blameless. He's also broken Harry's Code a number of times to help protect himself and his Dark Passenger. In Season 5, Dexter beat a man to death with an anchor because he was rude to him. He even mistakenly killed a photographer back in Season 4, only to have the photog's assistant later arrested for his crimes. He even planned to kill upstanding police captain LaGuerta (Lauren Velez) to protect his secret, although it was his sister Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) who ultimately had to pull the trigger on her superior. And let's not forget that it was his illegal, extracurricular activities that eventually led to Rita's death.

Dexter goes back to our favorite serial killer's origins and more scoop on the final season

But does Dexter deserve swift justice in the form of death in the field or should he get caught and face the music in jail? "Dexter has been playing faster and looser with the code for some time now and I think there's some unconscious desire to reveal himself and that may manifest itself through reckless behavior," Hall tells TVGuide.com, but cautions that Dexter doesn't necessarily have to die before the end of the series.

So now it's your turn to sound off: Should he die? Or should he get caught? Vote in our poll below and hit the comments with your thoughts!

Dexter airs Sundays at 9/8c on Showtime.

(Full disclosure: TVGuide.com is owned by CBS, Showtime's parent company.)