- Dexter learns more about Arthur's bizarre and twisted world, while Rita has her hands full preparing Thanksgiving dinner for a full house, Debra uses the holiday to further investigate Trinity, and Batista gets closure on an old case.
- For most people, Thanksgiving is a time for traditions and family. But for Dexter, it's an opportunity to get closer to his most dangerous adversary yet. As Dexter gains insight into Arthur's psychology by studying those closest to him, he finds himself drawn into a bizarre and twisted world. Meanwhile, Rita has her hands full preparing dinner for a packed house, including a few unexpected guests. Batista gets closure on an old case, while Debra uses the holiday to continue her investigation of the Trinity Killer, a pursuit which threatens her brother's safety and brings to light surprising revelations about someone else close to her.
- Open with Dexter laying out his knives for cutting the Thanksgiving turkey.
Dexter goes to Trinity's place to observe from the street. He sees Trinity breaking some of Jonah's trophies and yelling at him. Jonah leaves the house and Dexter follows. At a remote spot Jonah begins hitting baseballs to blow off steam. Then he smashes the windshield of the car. Dexter intervenes and Jonah tells him that his dad hits him. Dexter gets invited to Thanksgiving as a way to help Jonah not get beaten for the car.
Debra tells Dexter she'll be spending Thanksgiving working on the Trinity case. She reveals to Dexter that she and Lundy were not shot by Trinity. Though the DNA sweep missed Trinity, it brought in a ton of hits on old cases.
Maria and Angel are also skipping Thanksgiving to get work done.
Dexter tells Rita he'll have to miss several hours of Thanksgiving. She mentions that Elliot will be there. The kids send a cell 'phone video to Debra in an attempt to convince her to come for dinner.
Debra invites Vince to join her at Dexter's place for Thanksgiving.
Christine wants to spend the holiday with Quinn and begins referring to herself as his girlfriend. He seems resistant to the label.
Trinity glances at his paper and notices a front page story written by Christine about the search for the bludgeoner.
Elliot is helping the family get the food ready.
Debra is trying to find a pattern in the Trinity killings. She asks Christine to push back the interview, and Christine says she's sorry for what happened to Debra.
Angel closes a ten-year-old case as a result of the "DNA sweep," and Maria agrees to join him when he tells the victim's family.
Dexter as "Kyle" shows up at Trinity's place. Jonah had not told them Dexter would be coming, but after some awkwardness Trinity invites him for dinner.
Debra arrives at Dexter's place. Elliot and Rita are working on dinner. Vince arrives with dessert.
Trinity is upset Jonah still hasn't arrived for their traditional pre-dinner football game. Trinity says he's going to "go get" their daughter.
Angel is upset to see the victim's husband is in a vegetative state. Maria convinces him to still tell the man they arrested the killer. They do, and we see the man seem to respond to the news.
Trinity's daughter Rebecca surfaces: "At least I have one perfect child," Trinity says. Trinity seems very concerned with traditions. While looking for a football, Dexter uncovers the wooden coffin Trinity built during his suicidal time. And embarrassed Trinity explains it away.
Jonah arrives with the damaged car and tells Trinity he doesn't know what happened. Trinity seems to take it well.
Debra realizes that Trinity's pattern seems to follow the school year. The killer must be a school employee of some kind.
Christine continues to badger Quinn about being his girlfriend.
Dexter sees that Rebecca's room has locks on the window and door. "My God he locks his daughter in here," he whispers to himself.
Dexter asks Rebecca about the locks. "He says they're there to protect me," she says.
During the football game Trinity cruelly breaks one of Jonah's fingers: "That was for the car," he tells his son.
Rebecca asks Dexter to help get her "out of here." She tries to come on to Dexter. Trinity's wife Sally walks up and pleads with Dexter to make sure he doesn't tell Trinity anything about what may have happened between him and Rebecca. Rita calls Dexter and tells him that Elliot had to break into Dexter's shed after Cody fell through the roof.
Dexter returns and spots Jonah's finger. Dexter feels like he can't leave Jonah alone.
Angel and Maria tell each other "I love you."
While working in the kitchen, Elliot and Rita kiss briefly. He apologizes, but says they have a connection. Vince witnesses the whole thing from the patio and tries to leave. Debra talks him into staying.
Before dinner at Trinity's everyone says what they are thankful for. Trinity says he is thankful for "my car," indicating he's taking it back from Jonah. Jonah tells Trinity he's not thankful for his father, which sets in motion a huge family drama. Jonah breaks Trinity's urn and Trinity begins to choke his son. Dexter pulls Trinity off and throws him into the kitchen. He grabs a knife and whispers to a terrified Trinity that "I should have killed you when I had the chance." Sally and Rebecca come into the kitchen, see Dexter's knife and rush to Trinity's defense.
On his way home Dexter tells Harry his family is nothing like Trinity's. Dexter thinks Trinity's family is nothing more than human shields.
Dexter arrives home. He checks on his shed and sees his blood slides and trunk are undisturbed in their hiding spot. He tells Harry he needs to find a new storage place. Cody asks about Lundy's death. During the conversation Debra realizes that Christine should not have known certain details of the shooting she mentioned. She calls Quinn, who assures her Christine had no way of knowing those details.
Quinn leaves Christine's place. There is a knock on her door. She opens it to find Trinity standing there: "Hi dad," she says.
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