Why The Song In The Dexter: New Blood Trailer Means More Than You Think

The popular crime drama series "Dexter" is returning for Season 9 this November, and to say fans are excited would be an understatement. The series centers on Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall), an orphan who witnessed his mother's murder and was later adopted by a Miami police officer named Harry (James Remar). The traumatizing childhood event resulted in Dexter developing sociopathic and murderous urges, but Harry managed to channel Dexter's violence toward criminals.

As an adult, Dexter works as a blood spatter pattern analyst for the same police station his father worked at, and in his free time, he murders and disposes of his criminal victims with expert precision. Dexter's foster sibling Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) also works at the Miami police station, and eventually, the siblings' personal lives intersect with their jobs. Over the course of its original eight seasons, "Dexter" was a popular series thanks to the talented cast, inventive plot, and high-stakes scenarios, and viewers couldn't help but root for Hall's Dexter even in spite of his obvious issues.

The original "Dexter" finale caused controversy and left tons of questions unanswered, but fans will finally get some closure this November. Earlier today, Showtime released a trailer for the upcoming ninth season (titled "Dexter: New Blood"), and it featured a song that is likely a reference to a key component of the show.

If you listen closely to the latest "Dexter: New Blood" trailer, you'll hear a song playing called "The Passenger" by Iggy Pop. The song's ominous lyrics provide a perfect backdrop for the intense trailer, with lines like, "Oh, the passenger / How, how he rides / Oh, the passenger / He rides and he rides / He looks through his window / What does he see? He sees the silent hollow sky / He sees the stars come out tonight / He sees the city's ripped backsides / He sees the winding ocean drive / And everything was made for you and me."

Of course, the song's lyrics hold an additional meaning when applied to the character of Dexter Morgan. Fans of the series will recognize that the title of the song is eerily similar to the phrase "Dark Passenger," which is a term created to describe Dexter's intense desire to kill. Throughout the show, Dexter refers to his Dark Passenger as the force that compels him to act violently and it helps him to rationalize his brutal thoughts. While Dexter's father Harry originally served as the voice of the Dark Passenger, Deb is set to take over the role this season, since her death is what motivated Dexter to move to his current small-town home in the first place.

All of which is to say that, it looks like "New Blood" is set to be just as dark as the eight seasons that came before it, and we can't wait to catch up with Dexter soon.