Julia Stiles: There's Something "Oddly Romantic" About Dexter and Lumen

On Dexter, nothing sets up a good sex scene like murder.
In last week's episode, after Dexter (Michael C. Hall) helped rape victim Lumen (guest star Julia Stiles) get her first taste of revenge by killing one of her tormentors, the duo hit the sheets, becoming more than just partners in crime. But Stiles found a certain poetry in the juxtaposition of those two scenes.
"Lumen is the only person alive who sees Dexter's true self and accepts him. There's something oddly romantic about that, and also very intimate," Stiles tells TVGuide.com. "The reverse is true for Lumen. The experience she had before was so traumatic, and had an element of shame, where she couldn't go back and see her family. There's something very isolating about that, and the fact that Dexter knows about it and also embraces her is very sweet amidst all this weirdness."

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But the two lovebirds sealing the deal wasn't the only big development. Viewers finally met the woman who made Jordan Chase (guest star Jonny Lee Miller) the man he is today — his first victim, Emily (Angela Bettis). And considering the bombshell she dropped on Lumen, Stiles says we'll definitely be seeing more of her."I think what's fascinating about Emily is her Stockholm syndrome — the weird way she idolizes the guy that victimized her," says Stiles. "She's a huge linchpin in terms of Lumen finding out what's going on with these guys."Emily's story line isn't the only one that will be addressed in the final two episodes of the season. Things between Quinn (Desmond Harrington) and Liddy (guest star Peter Weller) really heat  up when Dexter finally figures out someone has bugged his apartment. "The tricky thing with Quinn is he has a moral dilemma, and Liddy is sort of out of control," Stiles says. "Quinn can't reverse what he started at the beginning of the season, and it's getting dangerous."

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Because Dexterdie-hards have learned to be suspicious of everyone, fans have speculated all season about whether Lumen is good or bad. Stiles, who grappled with the question herself during the early stages of filming, says that defining Lumen as one or the other would be way too simplistic for the show. "I think what's great is that every story line and every character is dealing with what is right and what is wrong, and this idea that there aren't really absolutes," she says. "A lot of these characters — especially Lumen — fall into the gray area. Their actions don't necessarily define them as good or bad."

What do you think of Lumen? What do you think will happen in the last two episodes?