Norman and Alex

Norman and Alex
First Met:	First You Dream, Then You Die
Status:	Stepfather and stepson/Enemies

The relationship between Norman Bates and Alex Romero.

Overview

Season 1

After the disappearance of Keith Summers, Romero and Zack Shelby showed up at the Bates Motel to investigate and Norma greeted them and told them that she was pulling up the carpets in the motel rooms.  When they entered the room, Norma introduced Romero to her son Norman. (First You Dream, Then You Die)

Season 2

Romero was visited at his office by Norman, who informed him of a mysterious man he saw standing at Blaire Watson's grave. Romero questioned Norman on matters related to Watson's unsolved murder, making Norman uncomfortable. After Romero assured him that Watson's killer will be caught, Norman left. Romero later told Norma about this visit and suggested to her that Norman's obsession with Blaire is unhealthy. (Gone But Not Forgotten)

Romero informed Norma that Norman accidentally killed Jimmy Brennan, and allowed her to visit him. He soon told her that Norman would not be charged with a crime. At home, he received a phone call from his new deputy, who told him that she had discovered new evidence linking Norman to the Miss Watson case. (Presumed Innocent)

While Norman was helping fix the shower rail in his motel room, Romero asked about the night of Blaire's death, but Norman ran away from him. Romero threatened to tell Norma about the new evidence, and warned Norman that "this isn't just going to go away". (Meltdown)

Romero asked an old friend of his father's to do a test on Norman to determine whether he killed Blaire or not. He later went to the Bates house to talk to Norman, who had been kidnapped by Nick. Romero told Norma about the evidence against Norman before leaving; he came back later, and Norma again told him that Norman was ill. He pushed past her and entered the house, forcing her to reveal that Nick kidnapped him. (The Box)

Norman, along with Dylan and Norma, met Romero to do the polygraph test which revealed that Norman was innocent in the killing of Blaire Watson. (The Immutable Truth)

Season 3

He visited the Bates home to question Norman about Annika since he was the last person with her before her disappearance. Norma was afraid and hesitant but Norman was happy to speak with Romero. Once Romero got the answers he needed, he left. (Persuasion)

Season 4

In order to help Norma, Romero paid a visit to Pineview where he met with Vicki Monroe. He offered her money to admit Norman and when asked what relation he was to Norman, he told her that he was marrying Norma. He later phoned Norma to tell her that Norman would be admitted and that he would marry her if she still wanted him to. When Norman later unleashed his anger on Norma after finding the consent forms, she barricaded herself in Dylan's room and phoned Romero for help. He showed up after an altercation in the basement and took Norman away. (Goodnight, Mother)

As Norman and Norma ate breakfast, he was upset when he saw how different things looked around the house and even more upset when she let on that Romero had been spending time there. She tried to convince him of Romero's goodness and to be thankful for what he'd done for them.

He paid Romero a visit at work, telling Regina to let Romero know that his wife's son wants to see him. Romero warily met him and Norman politely thanked him for everything he had done for them and then promptly told him that he and Norma could get a divorce now that he was home. Norman went on to say that now that he was out of Pineview he could get a second job in order to get more money and insurance and that Romero wasn't needed any more. Romero was taken aback by both Norman's request and insistence that he divorce Norma and told him that things had changed.

During a trip to purchase a Christmas tree, Norma finally told Norman that she and Romero loved each other and Norman threw up. Later that night, they decided to sleep in the motel but Norman elected to sleep in a separate room. He tried to sleep but failed and was distracted when he heard Romero pull up outside Norma's room. An upset Norma said she told Norman everything and while Romero comforted her, Norman snuck into the adjoining room and listened through the walls. He went a step further by removing the painting on the wall and used some tools to widen a hole so that he could spy on them having sex.

The following day, Norma told Norman that she has invited Romero over for dinner and was through with Norman's hissy fits. As Romero helped Norma set the table they shared a kiss but were interrupted by Norman. During the meal, Norman acted overly polite with Romero, addressing him as "sheriff" and again informing him of his intention to get another job and his own insurance. Things escalated when he realized just how involved in their lives Romero was and when Romero told him he would get used to it, Norman completely went off the rails, informing him that he would never come between Norma and him. Norma finally lost her cool and told her son that she loved Romero and he loved her and he had to deal with it no matter what.

He stormed outside to chop wood and Romero followed him in order to try and have a heart-to-heart with him. However, Norman was furious and Romero made a huge mistake when he asked him if he thought that Norma deserved to have a man in her life. Axe in hand, Norman advanced on him but instead of harming Romero, he took his anger out on a shed and told him he hated him before running back to the house and storming up to his room. A clearly frightened and shocked Romero told Norma that he was going to move back in with her. (Unfaithful)

As Norman prepared to check himself out of the hospital, Romero showed up and he was the last person Norman wanted to see. He lashed out at Romero, saying he tried to warn him and that he didn't want to see him anywhere. Romero lost it and held him against a wall by his neck, telling him he would find out what led to Norma's death.

After Norman gave his eulogy at Norma's funeral, Romero arrived and an angry Norman returned the wedding ring which Romero took back but then he punched Norman and a fight erupted. Justin and his son attempted to break it up with Justin threatening to call the police. Romero informed him that he was the police and left. (Norman)

Season 5

Having realized that Jim Blackwell had been sent by Romero to kill him, Norman paid the latter a visit at the prison and thanked him for sending the man to check up on him, not letting on that he was dead. Romero warned him not the get too comfortable all alone in the house. (The Convergence of the Twain)

After discovering that Norman was in police custody, Romero showed up at the station and rounded up the deputies, forcing them to take him to Norman. A deputy shoved Norman out of his cell and Romero attempted to choke him before a deputy ordered him to stop as he was going to kill him. He then ordered Norman to take him to where Norma's body was buried. (Visiting Hours)

Romero forced Regina to drive and after telling her to return to town he ordered Norman to get into the passenger's seat. Norman told him to drive for ten more minutes and soon revealed himself to be "Mother", which led Romero to point his gun at him, telling him to take him to Norma's body. They trudged through the snow and the grave was eventually located. When Norma's corpse was uncovered, Romero viciously assaulted Norman, punching him several times, seemingly knocking him unconscious. However, as Romero was distracted tending to his wife's body, Norman roused and hit him repeatedly with a rock before grabbing his gun and shooting him dead. (The Cord)

Quotes

Season 4

[Norman visits Alex at work]
Norman: "So as soon as I get this all straightened out, which should be in the next two weeks, you and my mother can get a divorce."

[After Norma's death, an angry Romero confronts Norman at the hospital]
Alex: "You think I'm putting up with any of your crap, you think again."
Norman: My mother would just be touched at how you're handling her son, who she loved more than anything on this earth."
Alex: "Oh, yeah? That wasn't a suicide. We both know that."
Norman: "I-I-I tried to warn you. I tried to warn both of you it was never going to work. You pushed her too far, and you broke her. Now, if she has gone, it is your fault."
Alex: That's not true.
Norman: "No, it is true. I don't want you anywhere near me. I don't want you at the house, and I do not want you near her at that funeral home or at the funeral. I don't want to see you ever again."
[Romero slams him up against a wall]
Alex: "Go on, go on, cut me out of everything. I don't care now. She's gone, so what does it matter?"
Norman: "What are you gonna do, kill me in the hallway?"
Alex: "No, I'm gonna prove you did it, you piece of shit".

Season 5

[As Romero and Norman drive to the location of Norma's body]
Norman: "Why should I tell you where she is if you're only going to kill me anyway? Did you think about that Sheriff Lonely Heart?"
Alex: "Listen to me, you piece of shit. I don't know what kind of sick fuck digs his mother's body out of a grave and moves it around and I don't want to know about it or what you did to it".

Gallery

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