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| “ | I have a feeling that you're a different kind of animal. The question is: what kind are you, Dexter Morgan? | „ |
| ~ Isaak Sirko sizing up Dexter Morgan. |
| “ | Isaak: I was like you. So detached. Until Viktor. Dexter: Was it worth it? Your feelings for him cost you everything. Isaak: Oh, God yes! Being with him, I never had to hide. I was finally… Dexter: Alive. Isaak: There's hope for you yet. |
„ |
| ~ Isaak's final conversation with Dexter before his death, offering words of encouragement. |
Isaak "Volk" Sirko is one of the two main antagonists (alongside Maria LaGuerta) in Season 7 of the crime drama Dexter.
He is the leader of the Ukrainian mafia known as the Koshka Brotherhood and a businessman who runs various strip clubs, particularly a Miami one called the Fox Hole.
After vigilante serial killer Dexter Morgan kills Viktor Baskov, the brotherhood's head of operations in America and Sirko's secret lover, Sirko heads to Miami to seek revenge on Morgan. However, the two end up bonding over their status as outsiders before Sirko's eventual demise.
He was portrayed by the late Ray Stevenson, who also played Murlough in Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant, Roger Wesley in The Other Guys, Firefly in G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Gar Saxon and Baylan Skoll in the Star Wars franchise, Big Ray in Accidental Man, Arkady in Final Score and Scott Buxton in RRR.
Personality[]
| “ | It's a shame, really. Under different circumstances, I think we could've been great friends. | „ |
| ~ Isaak to Dexter. |
Isaak is a cold, calculating, tactical, dangerously charming, and ruthlessly intelligent mobster. Unlike many of Dexter Morgan's more disorderly adversaries, Isaak is sophisticated and composed, and doesn't let his impulses or emotions get the better of him. He is lethally efficient and is able to kill his enemies without a second thought or the slightest hint of remorse. Examples of how unflinchingly brutal he can be include forcing Alex Dubrozny to commit suicide and threatening to put Louis Greene's eyes out with a drill before ultimately killing him. He is also a vindictive individual who harbors vengeance and anger, driving his chess match with Dexter.
Notwithstanding his overall menace, Isaak is not without human qualities. He is fiercely loyal to and genuinely in love with his secret lover Viktor Baskov, leading him to stop at nothing to avenge Viktor's death when he finds out Dexter murdered him. He also shows a level of honor and fair play toward his enemies, calling himself "a man of his word." He even ends up genuinely respecting Dexter despite their mutual differences and almost becomes a friend of his, as they converse reflectively in a bar about being outcasts and end up teaming up with each other to take down Isaak's assassins. Beforehand, Isaak always showed a level of sardonic and good-humored curiosity toward Dexter, wondering why he felt the need to kill Viktor and what kind of "animal" he was in comparison to Isaak himself. He tends to be affable and easygoing in general.
Isaak also has vulnerabilities. He is insecure about being gay, which he conceals from his partners in crime, later mentioning that he only felt comfortable and in control of his life after meeting his partner, allowing him to embrace his true self; when the Brotherhood turns on him, he mentions to Dexter that without them and Viktor, there is nothing for him in Kiev anymore. He also harshly blames himself for Viktor's death by sending him to Miami.
In the end, Isaak admits to Dexter that his feelings for Viktor brought him meaning, and even though it cost him everything, it was completely worth it. He dies in dignity, giving his final words of encouragement to his short-lived friend and fellow outsider Dexter: "There's hope for you yet."
Biography[]
Background[]
Isaak was born on May 25, 1964, in Kiev, Ukraine. As a child, he pushed his music teacher Mr. Chillich down stairs for giving him an F grade. His father then sent him to a disciplinary school in England, which gave him his British accent. Isaak also had a great-uncle who served in the Red Army and was popular with the people of Kiev.
Dexter[]
After Viktor Baskov, a key lieutenant and romantic partner of Isaak's, disappears, Isaak makes his way to Miami with his bodyguard and trusted associate Jurg Yeliashkevych to figure out what happened. When he finds out Viktor has been murdered, Isaak becomes hellbent on enacting his revenge. His investigation leads him to Dexter Morgan's boat, the Slice of Life, where he finds Louis Greene trying to sabotage it. After Louis reveals the boat's owner is Dexter Morgan, Isaak shoots him in the head and begins stalking Dexter.
Dexter quickly catches on to the threat and manages to lead Isaak into a bar controlled by the Rojas Cartel, who are rivals of the Koshka Brotherhood. Although three Colombian gunmen ambush Isaak, he manages to kill them all. However, the remaining evidence from this scene gets him arrested and imprisoned by Miami Metro.
Regardless, Isaak is let go when Joey Quinn, who was blackmailed by George Novikov, destroys the DNA evidence connecting Sirko to the murders. Isaak then resumes his antagonization of Dexter, but his obsession begins interfering with the brotherhood's business ventures; as such, George dispatches an assassin to eliminate Isaak, but Dexter intervenes and kills the would-be killer. Now realizing the Koshka Brotherhood has turned against him, Isaak goes rogue with only Jurg supporting him, and becomes fixated solely on destroying Dexter.
The brotherhood sends two elite assassins, Oleg Mickic and Benjamin Caffrey, to Miami to get rid of Isaak. In response, Isaak forces Dexter into an unlikely alliance by taking his lover Hannah McKay hostage, which convinces Dexter to help eliminate the hitmen.
Dexter successfully kills Mickic at a gun range. Later, when Caffrey is killed by Isaak aboard a cargo ship, George Novikov corners and shoots Isaak in the abdomen before fleeing upon seeing Dexter arrive. Realizing that his wound is fatal, Isaak denies any attempt at hospitalization and asks that Dexter dispose of his body at the same location where Viktor was laid to rest. At night and on Dexter's boat, a bleeding Isaak and Dexter share one final conversation about how they both feel detached and isolated. With his dying words, Isaak tells Dexter that there is hope for his future. Genuinely saddened by Isaak's death, Dexter honors his final wish and throws his body into the ocean, allowing him to rest in peace and be with Viktor again.
Victims[]
| Victims killed by Isaak Sirko |
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Background[]
Dexter[]
Attempted[]
Overall[]
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Quotes[]
| “ | My music teacher, Mr. Chillich, he said to me: “Isaak, you think you’re strong, but you are not strong if you don’t feel.” He gave me an “F,” so I pushed him down a flight of stairs. I felt bad about it. After that, my father shipped me off to a disciplinary school in England. Now I’m afraid my love of opera is all that’s left of my sensitive side. | „ |
| ~ Isaak to Nadia. |
| “ | It's spatter. Blood spatter. | „ |
| ~ Isaak to George Novikov getting Dexter's occupation wrong. |
| “ | Viktor was a good man. He was loyal. He was committed. And he was here to do what you couldn't: keep the Colombians from taking over our traffic! | „ |
| ~ Isaak lashing out at George after he insults Viktor. |
| “ | Hello, handsome. | „ |
| ~ Isaak spotting Dexter Morgan in public while talking to him on the phone. |
| “ | Dexter: Why is it so important that you kill me? Isaak: Well it's quite simple, really. You killed Viktor. I liked Viktor. |
„ |
| ~ Isaak to Dexter. |
| “ | I had a great-uncle. My grandfather's brother. He was a hero, fought with the Red Army during the second World War. When he returned to Kiev afterwards, some fat little party official resented the fact that everyone admired him. So he decided to make an example of him by taking away his house. When my great-uncle protested, he was hung in front of the counsel chambers. My grandfather was just a teenager… when that party official saw that hatred in his eyes, he had him arrested and sent to Siberia. And the years rolled by… and my grandfather got on with his life the best he could. He was a patient man. Finally, when the Soviet Union fell, he returned to Kiev and celebrated in front of City Hall with all the others. And thats when he found that fat little party official. And he got to enjoy the pleasure that belonged to him and him alone, by sticking a six inch knife into that fat little man's kidney. So you ask me if this is over. No. I'm afraid not. | „ |
| ~ Isaak talking to Dexter about revenge while in prison. |
| “ | Well, so long as I'm waiting around to kill you, I thought we might have a little chat. (…) While I was incarcerated, I found myself plagued with a nagging question. And I will move heaven and Earth to snuff out your life because you killed Viktor. In fact, I was so blinded by my desire for vengeance that you were able to lead me into a trap; a mistake, I assure you, won't happen again. (…) You see, I know what motivates me. But what I don't know is what drove you to kill my friend. (…) No. You didn't kill Viktor out of vengeance. I have a feeling that you're a different kind of animal. The question is: what kind are you, Dexter Morgan? | „ |
| ~ Isaak confronting Dexter about his true motives. |
| “ | For the chip. | „ |
| ~ Isaak leaving a dollar bill for Dexter after taking a fry. |
| “ | My, my… You couldn't have described that better if you had been there yourself. | „ |
| ~ Isaak's sarcastic remark to Dexter as he investigates his own murder of Isaak's attempted assassin. |
| “ | There's nothing waiting for me back in Kiev. Except for a large, well-staffed house; an attractive secretary who ocassionally pretends we're an item to keep the rumors from circulating. The one thing that made my life worth living in Kiev, you tossed in the ocean a few weeks back. (…) Lovers, more than that. You took from me the one thing that money and power can't bring back. And now, thanks to you, also the luxuries are gone too. | „ |
| ~ Isaak revealing to Dexter that he was in love with Viktor. |
| “ | Isaak: What did you do to the man who murdered your spouse? Dexter: Nothing you wouldn't have done. Nothing I wouldn't do a thousand times over again. Isaak: Did it help? Dexter: She's still dead. I can see that Viktor meant a great deal to you, but he was a killer and he got what he deserved. My wife was innocent. Isaak: And if she weren't, you'd feel the same. |
„ |
| ~ Isaak to Dexter. |
| “ | We are outsiders, you and I. On the periphery. Watching everybody else. Pretending we're just like them, but knowing we're not. Best we can hope for is to find a place where we don't have to pretend. | „ |
| ~ Isaak to Dexter. |
| “ | It's a shame, really. Under different circumstances, I think we could've been great friends. | „ |
| ~ Isaak to Dexter. |
| “ | Sweetheart. | „ |
| ~ Isaak getting Benjamin Caffrey's attention before killing him. |
Gallery[]
Images[]
Videos[]
Trivia[]
- According to a podcast interview with Michael C. Hall (Dexter), Isaak was initially meant to be killed by Dexter (presumably by beating him to death with a fire extinguisher like Viktor Baskov) and used as bait to lure Maria LaGuerta in the season finale. However, the script needed to be changed because of conflicts in Ray Stevenson's schedule.
- Among the series' antagonists, Isaak holds several distinctions:
- He is the wealthiest and most powerful main antagonist in the original series. The second most wealthy is Jordan Chase; however, unlike Isaak, Jordan's thugs are not loyal to him and Jordan himself is not a skilled fighter or a marksman. Both would be outdone by Leon Prater in Dexter: Resurrection.
- He is the fourth main antagonist who is not a serial killer.
- He is the second antagonist to be from a foreign country (the first one is Lila West).
- He is the third main antagonist whose body was thrown in water (after Arthur Mitchell and Chase), but the first not stripped or chopped up.
- He is the third major antagonist to be killed by someone other than Dexter Morgan (the first two are James Doakes and Jordan Chase). This wouldn't have been the case in the original script.
- Isaak has a love of opera, stating that Nadezhda Obukhova is a singer whom he often listened to in his youth.
- Isaak's favorite drinks are small coffees, as he's seen drinking at least one in every episode.
- Isaak's favorite weapon is a chrome-finished Makarov IJ70-17as, Caliber 9x17 (.380ACP).
- "Isaak" is uncommon as a name in Ukraine, mainly found among older Jewish generations. "Sirko" (Сірко) is a common Ukrainian surname that traditionally refers to wolf-like dogs and comes from the Ukrainian word for gray fur color. It's pronounced with emphasis on the second syllable.
- Isaak's nickname "Volk" means "wolf" in Ukrainian. Coinciding with his coldheartedness, he also has a wolf-like appearance matches this nickname, including his bright green eyes, dark gray hair, and gray suits; he also shows a fixed, intense, murderous smile before attacking his victims.
- The Ukrainian word for wolf is "вовк" (transliterated as "vovk"), while the Russian version is "волк" (transliterated as "volk"). However, Interpol's database entry incorrectly lists it as "Bobk" due to character encoding issues.
External links[]
- Isaak Sirko on the Dexter Wiki
