Maria LaGuerta
Encyclopedia
Captain María Esperanza del Alma LaGuerta ( or ləˈɡwɜrtə; ), known in the books as Migdia LaGuerta, is a fictional character in the Showtime television series Dexter
and the novels by Jeff Lindsay
upon which it is based. She is portrayed by Lauren Vélez
in the television series. LaGuerta is a tough, determined woman in command of the Homicide division.
, she had a sincere dislike for Debra that all but disappeared until the sixth season. In the first season
, she made no secret of her attraction to Dexter, with whom she flirted constantly, to his discomfort. After the first season, however, it is suggested that she sees him more as a good friend. At the end of the first season, she is removed from command.
, she continues to struggle with her demotion and annoyance of Esmee Pascal's presence in the office. She resorts to sleeping with Pascal's fiancee Bertrand (though often doubts what she's doing), which quickly drives Pascal toward paranoia and instability. The woman's increasingly erratic behavior around everyone results in Captain Matthews being forced to take her out of the Lieutenant position and put Maria back.
When her friend, former partner and former lover James Doakes
becomes the prime suspect in the Bay Harbor Butcher case, she tries to clear his name. She learns from a questionable source of two Special Forces
missions Doakes took part in that directly conflicted with the deaths of two Butcher victims. However, Doakes is found dead in a seemingly accidental explosion, along with the body of drug dealer Jose Garza, and the case is closed. The evidence LaGuerta finds is ignored. After his death, LaGuerta starts a memorial fund for him, asking police officers for donations, and refuses to think of her deceased friend as a serial killer
.
, as she recovers from the trauma
of Doakes' death, she leads an investigation into the murder of Oscar Prado, the brother of her ex-boyfriend and longtime friend Miguel Prado. She also develops a close relationship with defense attorney Ellen Wolf, and is devastated when she is found murdered. But through the help of some personal investigative work, along with Dexter's input, she was able to discover that Miguel was Wolf's killer. She confides in Dexter, as he is the "only other one who knows". After Miguel's own murder (ostensibly at the hands of the Skinner, but in reality by Dexter), she becomes distraught that the Cuban community is thinking about naming a highway after Miguel. She wants to find admissible evidence to prove he killed Wolf, but Dexter is able to convince her that doing so would only hurt Miguel's family and the Cuban community, and that even then there is a high chance that nothing will be proved. Reluctantly, LaGuerta drops it.
, she is shown to be romantically involved with Angel Batista
. They keep their romance hidden from the rest of the staff within the homicide department, aside from Dexter, whom both Batista and LaGuerta confide in. Their relationship hits a roadblock when she tells their superiors about their relationship so that it cannot be used against them during a trial. The consequence of her disclosure is a threat of reassignment; either Batista or LaGuerta will have to move out of Homicide. Deciding that their jobs are integral parts of who they both are, the two decide to end their relationship, and sign affidavit
s to that effect. Staying away from each other does not prove easy, however, and they begin having secret liaisons once more. In order to circumvent a reprimand from higher up, and also as a result of their deepening feelings for one another, they secretly get married with Dexter as witness.
, Maria and Angel are married, but they begin to have problems, as Maria becomes too bossy with him and Angel becomes more impulsive and gets in a bar fight.
contact list which includes his name.
, LaGuerta is portrayed as a spiteful, manipulative woman skilled only in political gamesmanship; in the series, she is cast in a more sympathetic light, as a tough but good-hearted woman and a talented police officer. In both the novel and the TV series, she flirts semi-openly with Dexter, much to his annoyance. In the first book, LaGuerta is stabbed to death by Brian; in the TV series, LaGuerta remains alive and very much a factor in the lives of Dexter and Debra, although her attraction to him is short-lived.
Dexter (TV series)
Dexter is an American television drama series, which debuted on Showtime on October 1, 2006. The sixth season premiered on October 2, 2011. The series centers on Dexter Morgan , a bloodstain pattern analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department who moonlights as a serial killer...
and the novels by Jeff Lindsay
Jeff Lindsay (writer)
Jeff Lindsay is the pen name of American playwright and crime novelist Jeffry P. Freundlich , best known for his novels about sociopathic vigilante Dexter Morgan. Many of his earlier published works include his wife Hilary Hemingway as a co-author. His wife is the niece of Ernest Hemingway and an...
upon which it is based. She is portrayed by Lauren Vélez
Lauren Vélez
Lauren Vélez is an American actress of Puerto Rican descent and the twin sister of actress Loraine Vélez. Her most notable roles are as María LaGuerta on Dexter, Detective Nina Moreno on Fox's New York Undercover, and Dr...
in the television series. LaGuerta is a tough, determined woman in command of the Homicide division.
Character history
Discussions between LaGuerta and Batista in the first and fourth season give minor insight into LaGuerta's backstory; her family is said to reside entirely in Cuba, and she mentions being alone in a strange land, inferring that LaGuerta was sent to live in America, alone without her family.Season one
In the series' beginningDexter (episode)
"Dexter", or "Pilot", is the pilot and first episode of the first season of American television drama series Dexter, which premiered on October 1, 2006 on Showtime in the United States. The episode was written by developer James Manos, Jr. and directed by Michael Cuesta. It was based on the opening...
, she had a sincere dislike for Debra that all but disappeared until the sixth season. In the first season
Dexter (season 1)
The first season of Dexter is an adaptation of Jeff Lindsay's first novel in the Dexter series, Darkly Dreaming Dexter. Subsequent seasons have featured original storylines. This season aired from October 1, 2006 to December 17, 2006, and follows Dexter's investigation of "The Ice Truck Killer"...
, she made no secret of her attraction to Dexter, with whom she flirted constantly, to his discomfort. After the first season, however, it is suggested that she sees him more as a good friend. At the end of the first season, she is removed from command.
Season two
Early in season twoDexter (season 2)
The second season of Dexter premiered on September 30, 2007, and ended on December 16, 2007. "It's Alive", the season premiere, attracted 1.09 million viewers in the United States, making Dexter the first Showtime series to attract more than a million viewers with a season premiere...
, she continues to struggle with her demotion and annoyance of Esmee Pascal's presence in the office. She resorts to sleeping with Pascal's fiancee Bertrand (though often doubts what she's doing), which quickly drives Pascal toward paranoia and instability. The woman's increasingly erratic behavior around everyone results in Captain Matthews being forced to take her out of the Lieutenant position and put Maria back.
When her friend, former partner and former lover James Doakes
James Doakes
James Doakes is a fictional character in the Showtime television series Dexter and the novels by Jeff Lindsay upon which it is based. In the television series he is portrayed by Erik King. Doakes is a police detective with the rank of Sergeant serving as lead case investigator to Miami Police...
becomes the prime suspect in the Bay Harbor Butcher case, she tries to clear his name. She learns from a questionable source of two Special Forces
Special forces
Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
missions Doakes took part in that directly conflicted with the deaths of two Butcher victims. However, Doakes is found dead in a seemingly accidental explosion, along with the body of drug dealer Jose Garza, and the case is closed. The evidence LaGuerta finds is ignored. After his death, LaGuerta starts a memorial fund for him, asking police officers for donations, and refuses to think of her deceased friend as a serial killer
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
.
Season three
In season threeDexter (season 3)
The third season of Dexter premiered on September 28, 2008, and ended on December 14, 2008. "Our Father", the season premiere, attracted 1.22 million viewers in the United States, making it Showtime's highest-rated drama season premiere since Nielsen Media Research began compiling ratings in...
, as she recovers from the trauma
Psychological trauma
Psychological trauma is a type of damage to the psyche that occurs as a result of a traumatic event...
of Doakes' death, she leads an investigation into the murder of Oscar Prado, the brother of her ex-boyfriend and longtime friend Miguel Prado. She also develops a close relationship with defense attorney Ellen Wolf, and is devastated when she is found murdered. But through the help of some personal investigative work, along with Dexter's input, she was able to discover that Miguel was Wolf's killer. She confides in Dexter, as he is the "only other one who knows". After Miguel's own murder (ostensibly at the hands of the Skinner, but in reality by Dexter), she becomes distraught that the Cuban community is thinking about naming a highway after Miguel. She wants to find admissible evidence to prove he killed Wolf, but Dexter is able to convince her that doing so would only hurt Miguel's family and the Cuban community, and that even then there is a high chance that nothing will be proved. Reluctantly, LaGuerta drops it.
Season four
At the start of season fourDexter (season 4)
On October 21, 2008, Showtime commissioned a fourth and fifth season of Dexter, each consisting of 12 episodes. The show's writers convened during February and March 2009 to brainstorm ideas for the fourth season, and filming was scheduled to begin in June 2009...
, she is shown to be romantically involved with Angel Batista
Angel Batista
Detective Sergeant Ángel Juan Marcos Batista is a fictional character in the Showtime television series Dexter and the novels by Jeff Lindsay upon which it is based.-Character biography:...
. They keep their romance hidden from the rest of the staff within the homicide department, aside from Dexter, whom both Batista and LaGuerta confide in. Their relationship hits a roadblock when she tells their superiors about their relationship so that it cannot be used against them during a trial. The consequence of her disclosure is a threat of reassignment; either Batista or LaGuerta will have to move out of Homicide. Deciding that their jobs are integral parts of who they both are, the two decide to end their relationship, and sign affidavit
Affidavit
An affidavit is a written sworn statement of fact voluntarily made by an affiant or deponent under an oath or affirmation administered by a person authorized to do so by law. Such statement is witnessed as to the authenticity of the affiant's signature by a taker of oaths, such as a notary public...
s to that effect. Staying away from each other does not prove easy, however, and they begin having secret liaisons once more. In order to circumvent a reprimand from higher up, and also as a result of their deepening feelings for one another, they secretly get married with Dexter as witness.
Season five
In season fiveDexter (season 5)
The fifth season of Dexter premiered on September 26, 2010, and consisted of 12 episodes. The season focuses on how Dexter deals with his recent loss, coming to terms with the death of his wife.- Plot :...
, Maria and Angel are married, but they begin to have problems, as Maria becomes too bossy with him and Angel becomes more impulsive and gets in a bar fight.
Season six
Maria has recently divorced Batista after realizing that he's not as politically driven as she is. She is promoted to Captain in the first episode after blackmailing Deputy Chief Matthews over a Madam'sProstitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
contact list which includes his name.
Differences from the novels
In the novels, LaGuerta's first name is "Migdia", but in the TV series, her first name has been changed to "María". In Darkly Dreaming DexterDarkly Dreaming Dexter
Darkly Dreaming Dexter is a 2004 novel by Jeff Lindsay, the first in his series about serial killer Dexter Morgan. It has formed the basis of the Showtime television series Dexter and won the 2005 Dilys Award and the 2007 'Book to TV' award....
, LaGuerta is portrayed as a spiteful, manipulative woman skilled only in political gamesmanship; in the series, she is cast in a more sympathetic light, as a tough but good-hearted woman and a talented police officer. In both the novel and the TV series, she flirts semi-openly with Dexter, much to his annoyance. In the first book, LaGuerta is stabbed to death by Brian; in the TV series, LaGuerta remains alive and very much a factor in the lives of Dexter and Debra, although her attraction to him is short-lived.