"I'm not afraid of you son...and damn sure ain't afraid to die. I know what's waiting for me on the other side, do you?"
| Brother Sam |
|---|
| |
| Samuel Wright | |
| Aliases | |
| Brother Sam | |
| Status | |
| Deceased | |
| Reason | |
| Killed by Nick | |
| Characteristics | |
| Age | |
| 30's | |
| Gender | |
| Male | |
| Eyes | |
| Brown | |
| Hair | |
| Black (Shaven) | |
| Personal Status | |
| Marital Status | |
| N/A | |
| Spouse | |
| N/A | |
| Immediate Relatives | |
| N/A | |
| Professional Status | |
|---|---|
| Profession | |
| Priest Body Shop Owner | |
| TV Appearances | |
| First Appearance | |
| Once Upon a Time... | |
| Last Appearance | |
| Just Let Go | |
| Portrayed By | |
| Mos Def |
Brother Samuel Wright (or simply Brother Sam as he's come to be known) is a character in Dexter. Sam has his life drenched in crime, but through what he believes to be Divine Intervention, he was given a second chance off of death-row and has reformed himself as a man of the cloth. Sam now runs a body shop in Miami where he tries to extend his good luck to other ex-convicts by giving them a place to work and feel comfortable with one another.
Unfortunately, within his chosen line of work helping ex-convicts, he also has to deal with their troubles along the way (as shown with one of his workers, Nick, when Julio Benes shows up to grab him). Sam is not afraid of death as he believes he deserves to pay for what he did earlier in his life, granting him nerve in situations where most would back down.
Appearance
Brother Sam is an average height African-American male with darker toned skin. Sam is fashioned with a scruffy goatee and a distinct smile he can give in any situation, even with a gun in his face. Sam also often wears a pair of reading glasses, though it is presumed he can see everything else fine.
His work attire consists of a typical blue jumpsuit used for mechanics which underneath he has a black T-shirt and blue jeans. When he's not working, he'll likely be wearing a black jacket with a hoody along with blue jeans.
Personality
Brother Sam is a man that believes in change; largely due to the stroke of luck that removed him from death row, he can now continue living. Because of his life of crime before his evolution, Sam is often burdened with those that doubt his reform and believe he is still nothing more than a criminal "in disguise". Sam is aware of these opinions but carries on with his work regardless, caring not for what others think because naturally his nature of crime would leave anyone doubting his change to a better man. However, he has never truly forgotten what he did, feeling that he deserves punishment for killing a man in cold blood; however, he also sees this as a sign from God that he's part of a greater plan and continues on living, helping ex-convicts to try and reform themselves in the same way.
He can appear to be fundamentalistic in his beliefs, but despite this he remains a logical and clear thinker, maintaining the attitude of a true realist when faced with every day dilemmas. Sam realise he has changed but he isn't "blinded by the light"; he realizes that he remains capable of inherent "evils" and continues to deal with his personal demons for the better of himself and others.
His personality has an interesting feature, however, considering he believes himself ready to die for his sins he isn't afraid of someone pointing a gun straight at him. This can be seen in the case with Julio Benes, where he first sets down a crowbar he had and then takes off his glasses, staring him directly in the eye while saying he's not afraid to die. He knows what's waiting for him on the other side but points a question in his direction of whether or not Julio himself knows what awaits. He asks him what he's waiting for, why not take the shot...but before Julio can make such a decision Dexter intervenes.
Brother Sam training with a punching bag
Sam trains himself physically, seen punching with skill on a punching bag at his body shop. He later demonstrates this ability when avoiding a gunshot from his worker Nick and knocks him out with a single blow to the head. It is possible that he has some training in martial arts, which compared to a majority of the people Dexter has encountered makes him one of the most skilled fighters.
Dexter refers to him as a "good shepherd", sticking his neck out for others where most might do nothing. In hearing the news of Omar Rivera's death, Sam expresses his grief in his own way over the situation, explaining that Omar did not have that coming. Later on when one of his workers, Nick, misses work he figures it's due to him getting high and goes to his house later that night. Nick, for one reason or another, takes a shot at Sam who luckily avoids getting hit and knocks Nick out with a single blow. He did this for his own safety, so he could bring him back to the shop and watch over him there. When questioned of this method, Sam replies with "David broke a lamb's leg to protect it from wandering off...I have to protect my flock any way I can". It's not long before Julio arrives with his gang in search of Nick, but Sam protects his worker by standing firm without choosing to bring him out. He even stands ready to die in front of a gun, something that Dexter decides to pull his badge out on in order to end this situation.
His relationship with Dexter thus far has been a complex one. Dexter originally targeted Sam as a potential kill due to his history, meeting with him at his garage by damaging his vehicle on purpose to get an estimate. Sam looks at Dexter with somewhat of a puzzled expression, considering their type of neighborhood and Dexter's appearance but agrees nonetheless, though remains observant of Dexter just in case this is something more than it should be. The two converse, where Sam is not afraid to tell his story of how he survived death row and even that he killed a man...but his purpose for doing so is to express that he feels he still deserves to pay for an innocent man's death. Dexter remains skeptical, asking if he believes his darkness is gone but Sam replies that it's still there and that he's fighting it every day since, trying to sacrifice that dark part of his soul to make up for some of the pain he's caused.
He's tailed to Nick's house later and back to the body shop, where Dexter believes that Sam killed him. He comes prepared with a needle of M99 just in case something goes wrong and when the garage's dog, Eli, begins barking up a storm Sam comes out and spots Dexter. Suspicious of Dexter's reasoning for being there, the tone in his voice as well as his expression shows that he's not too trusting of Dexter's reason for being here (which Dexter claims is to grab his garage door clicker) but agrees to let him get it, now even just to take care of things. Dexter, a little bewildered that he may have to take care of Sam sooner than he expected, follows with needle in hand until he spots Nick alive and well. This blindsides him and after Nick goes into another room, learns that Sam cared for his worker and was just looking out for him...something that Dexter replies with by calling him a "good shepherd". With his doubts starting to vanish, Dexter ponders over whether or not he's truly changed when suddenly Julio Benes and gang arrives on scene in search of Nick. Sam tells him to stand back and that he'll handle this, but the part of Dexter that believes in Sam's change forces him forward to aide in this situation, disarming and grounding one of the thugs. Dexter then watches on as Sam confronts Julio, while a handgun is pointed directly at him...and observes as he shows no fear in the face of death. Dexter thinks to himself (the same thought that he presumes Julio's feeling) of whether or not Sam's insane or truly a changed man and chooses to avoid a bloody situation by revealing himself as Miami Metro, to ward off Julio and gang. Sam, who had observed the way that Dexter disarmed and defeated one of Julio's thugs, questions if he's really with the police department and Dexter replies that he's a lab geek to which Sam laughs and says that he fights like no lab geek he's ever seen. He then starts to tell him that this was all a miracle, that the night has been full of miracles (saving Nick, dealing with Julio in a non-violent fashion and even meeting Dexter likely) and Dexter, in his mind, somewhat agrees.
Early Life
Store owner that Samuel Wright killed
Brother Sam was born Samuel Wright, likely having lived in Miami most of his life. Sam didn't always have faith in God, rather like Dexter Morgan the only person or being he looked to his was own father. His father was a man known popularly as Mister, well liked by a lot of folks but Sam didn't know the extent of this popularity or even more importantly what his father did. That is until one night Mister brought Sam along to a man's house, telling him to ring the doorbell for him. The owner answered, unsure of what was really going on just the same way that Sam was confused when suddenly from behind him, his father stood with a pistol aimed at the stranger's face and he pulled the trigger, killing him right in front of Sam. He then picked his son up and drove off, calmly as ever as if the entire experience was normal for him.
This experience effected Sam, eventually leading him into a unfortunate life of crime involved with gangs, drugs and even robberies. In time he encountered a man who fought back, resulting in him killing the poor shopkeeper by bashing his head in with a bottle. Sam spent his days in jail, angry at the world and ready to savagely beat anyone who tried to bother him...and one day such a man came, a loudmouth newcomer to prison. Sam followed this man into the chapel and it's here, while alone, that he attempted to strangle the life out of him. Suddenly the light through the stain glass windows shined through, straight from the sun and Sam could see clearly around him. He began to realize for the first time how wrong this was and he let the man go, proclaiming that he did something for the first time in his life that he felt really good for in letting that man live.
Mugshot of Samuel Wright before becoming Brother Sam
Sam had been ordered to death row, not for what he did in Prison but the murder of the shopkeeper. The judge preceding his case dropped dead (for yet unknown reasons) and he was parole'd, allowed to start a new life. Sam saw this as another sign from God and quickly became known as Brother Sam, becoming a minister while also deciding to open up a body shop where he could help former inmates along the right path and give them a second chance where others would not. In this time, one of his former workers Victor Torez is parole'd and goes out to kill a 19 year old girl. The police hold this over on Sam, who says not a day goes by why he doesn't pray for that girl or reach out to their family. Omar Rivera also went to work for him after getting out of jail, only to end up dead while running a fruit stand.
Plot
Brother Sam as well as the body shop and its workers appear in Season Six.
Season Six
Brother Sam arrives for questioning
Omar Rivera is found murdered by a strange, religious method. His intestines are removed and replaced with seven baby snakes, then he is sewn up with the Greek symbol for Alpha and Omega. Sergeant Angel Batista runs some background on Rivera, revealing that he had ties to the Salaz Cartel (a drug-related organization) and considers the possibility that the snakes are a sign of dealing with a snitch. As another angle, including finding out more information on Rivera, Batista calls in for Brother Samuel Wright to arrive for questioning. Apparently Rivera went to work for Sam shortly after being released from jail and considering the history with Sam (and one of his previously associated ex-convicts), Angel views him as a potential suspect. Joey Quinn and the rest of the department have a negative view on the religiously reformed man, something that Dexter inquires about from Vince Masuka. Apparently he's gone from ex-convict to man of the clothe but no one in the department believes it and feels as if this change is nothing more than a sham.
Dexter watches on as Batista questions Sam
Angel Batista begins to question Sam, asking when he last saw Rivera. Sam tells him that he saw Rivera a few months ago needing breaks for his pickup and even brought them grapefruits and oranges. Sam sounds broken up over the loss of Rivera, something Batista isn't too sure about, but is asked none the less if they're any closer to finding out who killed Rivera. Batista sits down and says that's why he's there, to give him something to go on in this case. He asks him if he had seen Rivera around with any of his old crew to which Sam says he hadn't but then he brings up an incident with one of Sam's previous workers, an ex-convict by the name of Victor Torez. Torez had apparently been parole'd then went out and killed a 19 year old girl, Sam expresses his sympathy for that poor girl and tries every day to reach out to the family in order to help them. Batista claims that her blood is on his hands and Sam tells him that there's much more than hers, referring to his past and the things that he's done. Angel doesn't believe him but Sam says that he doesn't "give a rat's ass" what anyone thinks over his change or his line of work and the people he works with. He then says that Omar didn't have this coming, that whatever he was in before going to jail was gone and that men can change. He's let go shortly thereafter but Dexter isn't so sure if he should believe in Sam just yet.
Brother Sam and Dexter meet each other for the first time
After Dexter does a little background checking of his own at home, he stages an incident where he causes damage to the back of his vehicle (by backing up into a trash bin at his work) and heads to the body shop to find Sam and get a chance to talk to him. While there, he gets a look at his workers which all appear to be ex-convicts and one of them points him in the direction of Sam. Dexter heads out back and watches Sam training with a punching bag, having quite a bit of skill with his punches. Sam turns and notices Dexter, asking him what he can help him with and Dexter informs him of his vehicle damage, wondering if he can get an estimate. Sam seems a bit suspicious at first, asking if he's from around here and Dexter replies by saying that his shop came highly recommended by a coworker. Sam seems a little hesitant at first but agrees to check out the damage.
Dexter spots the "Good Shepherd" while Sam works out the estimate
Sam informs him that his guys can get it out in a day or two. Dexter manages to spot the spray-painted "Good Shepherd" on a wall on the building and inquires about it, to where Sam replies "The men you see here are like my flock...and my job is to make sure that they don't wander". Eventually he mentions that he once killed a man and walked off scott free, and while Dexter feels he deserves to pay for it Sam says the very same thing. Dexter seems surprised to hear him say that and Sam reveals that the spirit moves him to tell his story.
Sam informs his worker that he's going to get Nick himself
He was facing death row until the judge watching over his case suddenly dropped dead and granted a mistrial, to which Dexter dubs as "divine intervention" with Sam laughing a bit while agreeing. He reveals that possession charge got him sent back to jail after he stopped taking drugs and says that's how he got saved. He tells Dexter that the darkness inside of him isn't gone but that he's fighting it every day, that small dark part of his soul was sacrificed to make up for some of what he's done. One of his workers then approaches and tells him about Nick still not having shown up. Dexter watches on as he appears to get a bit stern, telling the man to inform Nick that he's coming to go get him and to tell him now. Dexter asks if one of his flock got lost and he replied that it was something like that, then handing him the estimate and Dexter hands over his key agreeing to let them take care of the damage on the vehicle.
Sam carrying Nick to his car
Dexter remembers this bit of information and chooses to tail Sam later that night. He follows him to the Nick's house, where a gunshot is fired and Sam is seen carrying a body with him out to his car. Putting Nick in his trunk, Sam closes it and drives off with Dexter following him to the body shop. Convinced now that Sam's a killer, Dexter brings a vile of M99 to make sure he has enough evidence to put Sam on his table. As he approaches the garage on foot, he is caught up by their dog Eli that forces Dexter in a corner. Looking at his needle, he readies himself to inject the dog when Sam shows up and calms the dog down.
Sam keeps the dog calm while talking with Dexter
Curious as to why Dexter's here, he holds a strong suspicion of his new client while Dexter makes up an excuse that he came by for his garage door opener. Sam keeps a close eye on him, before deciding to tell him that the car is inside for the night and Dexter tries to tell him he'll come back tomorrow. Sam however decides to just get it over with now, turning around to head back inside while Dexter works in his mind that this isn't what he was planning. Readying the needle as he approaches the door, he walks inside with an expression of a man ready to strike when he suddenly spots Nick alive and well, leaning on Dexter's vehicle.
Dexter surprised to see that Nick is still alive
Sam tells Nick to get off of Dexter's vehicle and Nick asks why he had to hit him, which he replies by saying that Nick had taken a shot at him anyways. He tells him to take Eli off back and not to run off, because he'll just chase him down again. Sam begins to say that David had to break the leg of one of his lambs to keep them safe and that Sam will take care of his flock however he needs to. Dexter goes on to call him a good shepherd, just like the writing out front and he says that he is a shepherd, when he needs to be. Sam tells him to go ahead and get his clicker, to which Dexter opens the car door and fakes that he got it...trying to figure out his next course of action. He turns to look at Sam just as lights shine through the window of the door behind him and Dexter asks what's going on, with a reply from Sam saying "Nothing good..". He proceeds to tell Dexter to stay back as he approaches the arrivals.
Julio arrives looking for Nick
Julio Benes and his gang exit the car, demanding that Nick be brought to him. Sam informs him that Nick's safe and that they need to leave his property, which Julio isn't too happy to do. Dexter approaches, deciding now to stand by Sam and one of Julio's thugs walks up to Dexter attempting to threaten him. Dexter with his martial arts training quickly disarms and knocks down the thug, which startles Julio and makes him all the more curious to Sam. Julio however, isn't going to leave without Nick and pulls a gun out on Sam. He stands there, dropping a crowbar he was holding and takes off his glasses. He then says the following:
Brother Sam faces a gun with no fear
"I'm not afraid of you son. And damn sure ain't afraid to die. I know what's waiting for me on the other side, do you? Mark the perfect man...and uphold the upright because at the end of that man is peace. What are you waiting for son? Fate brother, God is in Control
Sam talks to Dexter after they leave
He then quotes a line from the bible and Julio tells him to shut up, while Sam wonders why he doesn't take the shot. Dexter believes in his head that it's the same thing that Dexter's thinking in Julio's case, whether or not Sam is crazy or truly a believer. Julio pulls back the hammer of the gun, while Dexter tells him he doesn't want to do that...yet Sam stands ready still. Dexter then decides to pull out his ID and flash it as a badge telling Julio that he's with Miami Metro and if either he or Sam dies that the whole department will be after him. One of Julio's thugs tells him they should leave and he agrees, but not before threatening Sam who says that he's praying for him. He mentions a victim of his, Hector Nunez, before departing.
Sam turns and looks at Dexter, asking him about Miami Metro when Dexter chooses to show how flimsy his badge is and informs him that he's from the forensics department, "a lab geek". Sam laughs and tells him that he doesn't fight like a lab geek, then starts to praise the night with having miracles. He moves to close the garage door and Dexter agrees in his own way the same. Later on after Julio is dealt with, he can be seen working on a vehicle with Nick, showing him how to connect parts in it.
Sam working with Nick on a vehicle
When Harrison gets appendicitis and his appendix explodes, Brother Sam shows up to the hospital to offer moral support. Sam called Dexter to tell him his car was ready, but Dexter told him he couldn't make it because Harrison was in the hospital. Brother Sam while at the hospital tells Dexter a little bit about his past.
Sam tells Dexter that his father was his role model as a kid. He was a famous hit man known Mister. Even Sam called his father Mister.
After Harrison is given the all clear by the doctors, Sam talks about his views on faith and spirituality, and how science is Dexter's faith. Brother Sam earlier is heard saying “Faith, man, you put it in the wrong thing? It can f*ck you up.”, in relation to the 4 horses killings that Dexter says he is working on.
After his garage is shot up by some of Nick's former associates, he goes to file a report at Miami Metro Police Department, and runs into Dexter. While talking with him, he asks if he can come by Dexter's place to see Harrison, and Dexter allows him to. While there, he gives Harrison a stuffed animal, and then he and Dexter talk. During their talk, Dexter reveals to him that he saw his mother murdered. Sam then tells Dexter that he can see a light between Dexter and Harrison, after Dexter lights up after hearing Sam mention Harrison's name.
Later, while Sam is in his garage, he is confronted by an assailant, possibly Julio Benes replacement. He is shot once in the stomach, once in the chest, and again in the back.
Death
Sam was immediately rushed into the hospital for surgery, Dexter vows to find the one responsible for shooting him. Dexter begins to suspect that the reason for Sam's shooting was that it was an act of revenge for Julio Benes committed by Leo Hernandez. After surgery, Sam was able to gain consciousness long enough to give Dexter one last request to spare the one who actually shot him, Nick. Sam eventually dies from his wounds, everyone mourned his death, including Dexter. Dexter then confronts Nick about Sam's shooting, Nick revealed that the reason he shot Sam was because his old gang won't accept him back unless he kills Sam. Dexter offers Nick to turn himself into police custody, however with no evidence against him, Nick could get away with Sam's murder and simply laughs. The enraged Dexter kills Nick by drowning him to death in the very beach he was baptized rather than honoring Sam's request by sparing him.