Who Is The Ice Truck Killer In Dexter? Identity & Twist Explained

WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS ahead for Dexter season 1.

Summary Rudy Cooper, alias of Brian Moser, is revealed as the Ice Truck Killer, Dexter's biological brother, in a shocking twist in Dexter season 1.

Through a series of clever clues and murders, Rudy tries to get Dexter to betray his sister, Debra, showing the depth of his obsession.

Despite their shared psychopathic tendencies and blood connection, Dexter ultimately chooses to uphold Harry's code and takes out his own brother.

The identity of the Ice Truck Killer is one of the biggest mysteries of Dexter season 1. Throughout the compelling first season of the beloved Showtime thriller series, Dexter Morgan must figure out who is behind a series of murders that completely fascinates him and his "dark passenger." Dexter, a vigilante of sorts who works as a Blood Spatter Analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department by day and is a morally aware serial killer by night, is faced with one of the best villains of the entire Dexter series in the first season.

The Ice Truck Killer gives Dexter plenty of signs that ultimately lure him into an unbelievable truth, which is one of the reasons why season 1 is often considered one of the best seasons of Dexter. Some of the most memorable moments involving the Ice Truck Killer in Dexter season 1 include the initial body found in the pilot episode, which was completely drained of blood and divided into perfectly cut parts, and when he threw a severed head at Dexter to let him know he knew he was following him. There was also the notable scene in which the Miami Metro force discovered five fingertips of one of the Ice Truck Killer's victims frozen in a block of ice.

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Brian Moser Is The Real Ice Truck Killer In Dexter

Brian had been using the alias Rudy Cooper throughout season 1

The identity of The Ice Truck Killer is revealed to be none other than Rudy Cooper, which is the alias of Brian Moser, Dexter's biological brother. The first big twist in Dexter arrives in the season 1 finale titled "Born Free." The episode ties in the classic song "Born Free" from 1966 by Matt Morno which acts as an extended metaphor and clue that the Ice Truck Killer uses to lure Dexter in. Rudy had ironically been dating Debra, Dexter's adoptive sibling and Harry Morgan's daughter, throughout the first season, which is revealed to be all part of Brian Moser's plan to tell Dexter that he existed.

Brian Moser proves that Dexter was not alone on that fateful night in the Shipping Yard Massacre in which their mother, Laura Moser, was brutally murdered to death with a chainsaw. Harry Morgan found Dexter and Brian in the shipping container in a pool of blood, taking Dexter out and yelling out "Someone get in there!" to his fellow officers to retrieve Brian. While Harry took Dexter under his own wing and legally adopted him, Brian had a much more unfortunate fate, being sent to a psychiatric hospital and not getting adopted by Harry to live with his younger brother Dexter. Brian helps Dexter remember him through his murders as the Ice Truck Killer.

Brian's Rudy Alias In Dexter Explained

Brian used Debra to lure Dexter in

Brian explains to Debra after he kidnaps her in Dexter season 1, episode 11 "Truth Be Told" that it had all a part of his master plan to get close to Dexter through Debra and lure Dexter in for the big reveal in the season 1 finale. Brian was convinced that upon the revelation that Dexter had a biological brother Dexter would betray Debra and help him kill her so that they could live the rest of their lives as close brothers. Brian seemingly did not consider that Dexter had learned to love Debra as his own sister and would not betray her. When Brian tries to murder Debra, Dexter stops him just in time.

Despite both Brian and Dexter being murderous psychopaths, that commonality wasn't enough for the two brothers to connect nearly three decades after they were separated in the Shipping Yard Massacre. It's evident that Brian did care deeply for Dexter and had high hopes that Dexter would accept him as his one true sibling. Brian underestimated the strength of Dexter's bond with Debra, however, which ended up being his downfall. In the end, Brian murdered innocent people and had to be taken out due to Dexter's allegiance to Harry's code. Dexter killed his brother by slicing his jugular and bleeding him out.

Was The Ice Truck Killer Dexter's Brother?

Brian and Dexter were connected by blood

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Brian Moser was in fact Dexter's true biological brother. While Harry and Debra Morgan have had the biggest impact on Dexter's life, they are his adoptive family members who are not connected to Dexter by blood. Dexter's real name is Dexter Moser and he is the younger brother of Brian. It is certainly unfortunate what happened to both Brian and Dexter in the Shipping Yard Massacre, but Dexter could not allow Brian to continue living knowing that he killed innocent people. Dexter sobs after killing Brian in the Dexter season 1 finale, letting go of his last known blood relative for the greater good.