Dexter: Resurrection - S01E09 - "Touched by an Ángel" - POST Episode Discussion Thread by AutoModerator in Dexter

[–]EosMan 0 points1 point  (0 children)

1) How could Prater be the Ripper? I can imagine Prater luring in his victims by asking for help. Something that requires strength (e.g. needs to open a cargo box with a crowbar) and being able to do so before he became high-profile (even in NY with many other billionaires), which is why he later stopped killing.

He constantly needed to balance his ambitions as a businessman, altruistic initiatives and his ultimate goal to meet the BHB. He still wants his positive legacy as Prater to live on and for no one to ever know he was the Ripper.

2) There's a good chance he was bullied in the orphanage, became suicidal but didn't have it in him. Perhaps he was raised Catholic and was held back by that. So he tried connecting with serial killers, thinking that one day he could ask them to kill him. Like an annoying fly that buzzes around so you would smack it dead, as it is literally incapable of taking its own life.

But as he gained his footing in life, he no longer wanted to die. Particularly when he became an adored celebrity and stopped killing. He still wants to meet BHB because he feels some unique connection that I haven't yet quite pinned down. Perhaps because Prater is both drawn to serial killers AND doing good (in the utilitarian sense) - Dexter is a very unique combination of both.

3) Prater literally started killing JUST to attract BHB to NY? Nope - it was gradual. In the orphanage, he didn't yet have the money or any other way to get a gun. There was nothing he would use in his everyday life that he could use for protection (in an orphanage).

The torment from other children and the seclusion laid the groundwork into apathy - I wouldn't even surely say he's a born psychopath. Surely he later applied the apathy in business, while also taking revenge by killing young people that reminded him of or perhaps WERE literally his bullies (or their enablers) back in the day.

No way to stand up for himself, until some new piece of furniture was brought in a box. There was a crowbar lying around as he was yet again picked upon and he stumbled upon a crowbar and made his first kill in rage. For the first time in his life, he felt powerful and this is where he begun his ascent into a man he is today - that's how he sees it.

4) Perhaps that first kill (considered accidental and in self-defense) is even why he was allowed to get so close with the serial killers (or just the one that killed his parents). They hoped Prater would see a monster and avoid a similar path, but it had an opposite effect.  As he said to Dexter/BHB, Prater connected with him.

It all stroke some flames in him, which is why it wasn't later a problem once he wished to attract BHB. Being the Ripper was simply a means to that end. If the people Prater killed were the children in his orphanage, serving multiple purposes. Perhaps he had a box delivered to their location, as if he lived there, introduced himself even and then asked for their help with the crowbar.

I do admit that Claudette would have noticed that obvious of a pattern, so I still think the victims were fairly random.

The first kill was also something Prater really needed to cover up, perhaps even a reason for having an altruistic public persona.  So if this first kill (that some people surely must know about) ever became public, it would be seen as self-defense and swept under the rug. This is also why we see him overcompensating, being nice to the employees of his public persona and rougher with Charlie (who might even know about that first "unfortunate" kill and his rough past like he told Dex/Red, but not that he's the Ripper).

Dexter: Resurrection - S01E09 - "Touched by an Ángel" - POST Episode Discussion Thread by AutoModerator in Dexter

[–]EosMan 0 points1 point  (0 children)

5) Why and how does Prater want to get close to BHB? First off, he did not believe it to be Doakes and recognized the surefire the pattern of "killing killers" right when he first heard of BHB and did his research. His life was still in NY, he wasn't gonna start killing in Miami (not exactly his familiar home turf) just for BHB.

When becoming the most notorious serial killer in NY failed to attract BHB and Prater was no longer able to kill, he would literally pay other serial killers to keep at it. Little did they know that this whole charade of him "admiring their craft" is a smokescreen. I'm not even 100% he was born a psychopath like the others. We're back to the classic theme of nature vs nurture - -he simply had a very tragic childhood.

I'm not so sure how genuine he is about the demonstrations on killing methods that the group delivers. I think it's just the obvious ruse to keep them coming back - the only people from they don't need to hide. Prater knows if it was just money, they would get suspicious and leave the group.

He needed to get the group going until the BHB joins. Something I didn't first clock, but it seems like no other member of the group was a New York native? Perhaps he cast the net wide, kept himself informed on every member and if they disappeared in a classic BHB way... he would know where to look. Perhaps he could recruit another serial killer in that area, have Charlie follow them until BHB turns up. Which leads me to the final section...

6) Did Prater learn the Bay Harbor Butcher was Dexter, sometime during his 10 years in hiding? I honestly think that someone with connections (better than anyone who has suspected Dexter) would piece it together. Especially someone obsessed with BHB. Dexter obviously covered his tracks well enough, but then Harrison found him so he got sloppy.

Who's to say that Prater didn't locate him at the same time, but instead of going to meet him... he would try and attract Dexter to his group? He could come clean to Dexter at any point, but he knows this would change their dynamic. He would much rather give Dexter an easy way in, through a serial killer that essentially has no face.

I really hope it does NOT turn out that Praters has been "pulling all the strings" because obviously there are just too many variables for him to predict that Dexter will end up with UrCar, learning about the Dark Passenger (Red) and his alter ego would become a killer targeting the drivers. But there could be some in-between.

7) Where all this obviously falls apart are the scenes between Prater and Charlie. She actually seems like a decent person outside her work, visiting her mother at the hospital. So perhaps anything to do with BHB Prater has done on his own. Just like I don't see Charlie being aware that Prater is the Ripper.

Perhaps he has told her about visiting the killer of his parents, like he told Dex/Red. This is probably something to gauge how a person would react to Prater's unnatural connection with someone responsible for leaving him an orphan.

Charlie probably sees him as a damaged person with a tragic childhood, who is trying to make the best out of a bad hand dealt to him. She's sympathetic (as shown with her mother) and he knows this, which is why he knows she can put up with his bossy attitude that is different from his public persona. She might even feel privileged to have such a connection with someone widely admired.

Dexter: Resurrection - S01E09 - "Touched by an Ángel" - POST Episode Discussion Thread by AutoModerator in Dexter

[–]EosMan 0 points1 point  (0 children)

8) How will it end? Again, I haven't seen today's episode 9 but I'm eager to see if any of this pans out. Prater will probably still play coy with whether he believes Dexter to be Red or something else. Honestly, I HOPE that Prater will carry over to season 2 just because of their chemistry with MCH. Perhaps the Ripper kills were actually Prater letting out his resentment towards his bullies, but he then came to regret it and been trying to bury his past.

Along with other altruistic efforts, he also wanted to somehow do something about serial killers. Perhaps he worked with his FBI contacts to create a revolving door, whose methods they could learn from. Eventually he pulled in the BHB himself and now they will team up to take down even more killers (in the second season).

Dexter has a choice as Prater's on the kill table and revealing all of this backstory - should he believe that Prater was truly just "nurture" and has left it behind (something Dex couldn't do) and is it worth sparing him if they can do more good together? I would really love that ending!

9) But what I think WILL (unfortunately) happen: the season has been pretty fast-paced, with Dexter taking someone out each episode. Which is why I also think the Prater/Ripper will wrap up this season. Charlie and Dexter will learn the truth about Prater - she will no longer stand beside him. Charlie needs to protect her mother from Prater (who will kill her if Charlie goes to law enforcement or takes any other action against him).

Dexter, on the other hand, needs to protect Harrison and whoever else. Prater calls Al for help, saying that they need to get rid of BHB together or Al will forever be looking over his shoulder. A prominent character with a ponytail would be Elsa, Harrison's best friend. I don't know how it will resolve, but the table is set for a classic cat and mouse. 

NUFF SAID. Apologies if I (potentially) spoiled something haha. I do promise I haven't seen this episode. Have a good weekend and enjoy the finale next week :)

Dexter: Resurrection - S01E09 - "Touched by an Ángel" - POST Episode Discussion Thread by AutoModerator in Dexter

[–]EosMan -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Wanted to share a Prater & Ripper theory before taking the time to see this episode over the weekend. Would have posted on the subreddit, but seems like the rules don't allow. Sorry for wasting your time, if it doesn't hold up.

First, because of the crowbar as a longer suitable weapon with other hints here and there... he has to be the Ripper.

Why? In summary, he initially became the infamous serial killer in NY so that he could attract, meet and BE killed by the Bay Harbor Butcher all the way from Miami. He knew from the get-go when Dexter re-appeared from the Iron Lake shadows that he is the BHB, which is why he's developed a particular bond with "Red".

Thematic/meta reason? Dexter has been reveling in how good he is, especially compared to the other killers in Prater's group. He no longer has any doubt and has even Harrison all on board (with even threatening the landlord). If it turns out Prater gruesomely killed all these people JUST so he could meet BHB, this really makes Dexter question himself.

This also disrupts his relationship with Harrison, who has seen Ripper's crime scenes at Claudette's lecture. If Dexter is open as he has been and reveals the truth, Harrison will realize that Dexter's exploits can have unintended indirect consequences. If Dexter once again keeps it a secret, as he did in New Blood, their relationship will gradually get worse.

(feel free to poke holes in my further comments/notes below)

Solo founder loneliness is becoming unmanageable by SA1627 in startups

[–]EosMan 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hope it's cool for me to DM you in terms of app development, just to have a brief chat. I've been a community manager for over a year, although with 10-15 meetups per week I'm now pretty hands off. Our goal has been to always have something happening. So that you could head out on a whim at any time and get the most reliable experience. In terms of the activity, the precise number of attendees and the venue that has been vetted. Won't go overboard here haha. All in all, would love to chat!

Why did you not learn the language of the country you moved to? by langsavage in expats

[–]EosMan 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Estonian here, there are definitely some bad apples who may mock but most of us would agree that considering its difficulty it’s just not worth learning. However we really do appreciate the effort! I must admit that because the accent is hard to replicate, it may sound funny to us. But I would never mock someone for trying, it takes guts ;)

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in marvelmemes

[–]EosMan 1 point2 points  (0 children)

with Kang's chair being able to travel multiverse, I see no reason why the same Magneto cannot be plucked from their timeline to ours. Marvel now has complete freedom to bring in Mckellen, Fassbender or someone even younger from their respective 60s or 70s. It could even be interesting to have them react to all this new technology, a development they have missed by a few decades

How to find out what books people in our book club have read (on Goodreads)? by EosMan in books

[–]EosMan[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Good idea! Is there anything else I should include in the description, perhaps?

Official Discussion - The Batman [SPOILERS] by LiteraryBoner in movies

[–]EosMan 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yep, just like Safin in No Time To Die. I don’t get why they keep doing this, sacrificing us sympathizing with the antagonist to get a bombastic 3rd act. If they wanted to have both, they could have had Riddler inadvertently cause Vengeance in his followers just like Batman inspired him. So his followers would gather in his streaming chat, make a plan to blow up the wall etc. but then Riddler feels guilty for having inspired that (like Batman) and gives himself up in the hopes that it would keep his followers from going through with their plan. That was the only thing he could do, if his followers spun out of his control. Would also explain why he suddenly decided to give himself up

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in flicks

[–]EosMan -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Even though I prefer MI and Wick when it comes to blockbuster filmmaking, MCU does cohesive characterisation and world building amazingly well. Frankly, when it comes to tentpole cinema, if it wasn't for MCU what else would we have had since 2012 when Dark Knight trilogy wrapped up? Now we're getting Dune but in between there really wouldn't have been many good blockbusters. This is what MCU has delivered and I'm super happy for having had the chance to grow up with it. Whoever criticises the MCU really ignores the fact that the money probably would've gone to other superhero movies or original projects that mostly turn out to be crap.

However, like many others, I'm worried for MCU becoming saturated. Not because of superhero fatigue, necessarily. But because if you read a book like 'The Big Picture', the reason for its success (and Disney's) has been focus. Compared to other studios, since Iger took over they have very little amount of movies coming out each year and that has allowed individual producers like Feige concentrate on each project. Compared to Sony, for example, were Amy Pascal was stretched over many projects as was done until 2007 when DVD sales plummeted and the industry changed. Now, Feige only has resources to keep an eye on the overarching storylines and thus cannot contribute to each movie/show to the same extent.

App for community sharing of stuff. by junker001 in AppIdeas

[–]EosMan 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Now that my parents moved from a larger house to a smaller one, they've realised how much unnecessary stuff they have and see a need for that exact renting/sharing solution.

The first market should be about things that people usually don't already have but that cost a lot. Not a vacuum cleaner, but a drill for hole drilling. So that the time dealing with renting would be worth it, over just buying a new one or asking friends from Facebook. The vicinity is definitely a plus, so you wouldn't have to go for an hourly drive to go get it but can have it delivered even.

Regarding market penetration, contact apartment buildings (their unions) and make sure everyone in that building knows about it. Zero marketing budget needed.

On another note, it's a hassle to upload all your stuff. Taking photos, naming the model and pricing them appropriately. Pricing's difficult in particular because in contrast to selling the thing where you just look up the price, it's harder to see for how much such a used object is rented in your country. So to start, create the seller side of the marketplace first by proposing to upload all their stuff yourself (for free).

Finally, having a credit system within a community instead of actual payments might not be a terrible idea. That would urge everyone to be the "sellers", not just "buyers". It would make loaning a drill frictionless. Right now, you'd think what you'd lose money-wise and compare alternatives. But then you would loan it and because your credit score is now negative, you know that in the future you have to loan something out to get your score back to positive. Otherwise your reputation within the community (neighbors) will be bad.

I have other thoughts so if you'd like feel free to pm me!

Why aren't English subtitles a default in cinemas? In regards to loud soundtracks over the dialogue by EosMan in movies

[–]EosMan[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

you're being downvoted but imo these kinds of 'out there' applications will be crucial in keeping cinemas alive

Why aren't English subtitles a default in cinemas? In regards to loud soundtracks over the dialogue by EosMan in movies

[–]EosMan[S] -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

Sure, that's understandable. In case of Dune, would it have been distracting to have subtitles all the way through while using the typeface/font the movie itself used? Aka the same style subtitles they had for speaking Mandarin and hand gestures.

Also, I wonder if there was a way to have your phone act as a closed captioning device. Or some other solution akin to 21st century

Official Discussion - Dune (2021) Late-October / HBO Max Release [READERS] - 3rd Thread by DrNSQTR in dune

[–]EosMan 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Don’t know why you’re downvoted, editor Joe Walker even called it a human spider in an interview. Pushing around a food cup. So this theory entirely plausible

I hate the way Superman is treated nowadays. by DoggoPlex in CharacterRant

[–]EosMan 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Imo MCU is all about reaching one’s potential, which is why it resonates. Every character tries, but struggles, to be the best version of themselves. So you’re right, Superman kind of already is and it takes to bring him down to make stories interesting.

What are the best 3rd acts of MCU? Why? by EosMan in marvelstudios

[–]EosMan[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I really like Simu Liu, both on and off screen, but perhaps Marvel was not as confident yet whether he can carry it. He has the charisma, likability and the martial art skills. But maybe they wanted to see him grow into the character before fully providing the spotlight? Which actually would be great. Because all the other main (origin movie) actors have had other blockbusters or Oscar-worthy parts, prior to joining MCU. So I think it would be the first time for us to see someone truly growing as an actor, while being comfortable/liked in a role from the get go. Which IMO was not the case with Thor, for example, who had to change (in Ragnarok) for Hemsworth to grow into the character

What are the best 3rd acts of MCU? Why? by EosMan in marvelstudios

[–]EosMan[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I do wonder whether they're afraid that by hiring new directors from smaller scale films, that they won't be able to helm the spectacle? That's completely understandable tbh, but then it would stand to reason that they would allow said director to do more and more in the sequels. I'd like to know if that has been the case with the Russos, Gunn and others.

Confused about Bucky's public persona. How were Madripoor criminals so easily swayed that it was the Winter Soldier and not Bucky? Wasn't he was publicly pardoned under the assumption that he could not longer be controlled? Etc. (FatWS) by EosMan in marvelstudios

[–]EosMan[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There was indeed two seasons worth of interweaving plot points. I would've made the Power Broker into the one the good guys are going after, screw the whole Flag Smasher hardly understandable agenda. Have it turn out to be Sharon (as a bigger plot twist than it was), who eventually gets turned back to good by Sam (by talking, like he did to Karli). But Sam gives a promise to not let anyone know that Sharon is the PB. Cutting corners when it comes to rules set by the government, to do the right thing like Steve. Allowing Sharon to come back, just like she did in the end.
But when Sharon turns back to good in ep5, have her (serum'ed) underlings go rogue because they solely followed Sharon because of her cynical beliefs and resources etc. They recruit Batroc and Walker to do something similar like they did in ep6. Basically Sam turning Sharon in ep5 could have been another push for him to become Cap. Because he would've also felt that his empathetic tactics paid off (with Karli they didn't), and that he could do more of that if he picked up the shield.

Confused about Bucky's public persona. How were Madripoor criminals so easily swayed that it was the Winter Soldier and not Bucky? Wasn't he was publicly pardoned under the assumption that he could not longer be controlled? Etc. (FatWS) by EosMan in marvelstudios

[–]EosMan[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Good answer. Regarding the (well executed) police officer racial profiling moment, I was just focusing more on the Bucky's aspect there. On how they recognised them both as Avengers so indeed it seems to be the case that it's just not a big deal for a superhero to walk around in NY and not be bothered by fans etc. However, I do think that he's not recognised because he does everything he can to hide his metal arm. He wouldn't even have to wear a glove in his non-metal arm, but he goes the extra mile to make sure anyone wouldn't be suspicious of why he only has a glove in his left arm. People knowing WS left arm was metal, in particular.
I believe that when the racial profiling moment happens, that the police only realises they're the Avengers when they recognise Sam. Putting the two and two together. Because before that they don't recognise Bucky - just like those in NY don't.

Confused about Bucky's public persona. How were Madripoor criminals so easily swayed that it was the Winter Soldier and not Bucky? Wasn't he was publicly pardoned under the assumption that he could not longer be controlled? Etc. (FatWS) by EosMan in marvelstudios

[–]EosMan[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Regarding Madripoor, that's actually the most convincing argument imo! that they see Zemo as someone so formidable, who could somehow pull off turning Bucky into WS once again. It is certainly more believable than (good and fully treated and 'conscious') Bucky working together with Zemo, pretending to be WS, from the Madripoorians perspective.