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Who am I, mother? Who am I and what do I do?

–Norman to Norma, Presumed Innocent

Norman Bates was a smart, sensitive, quietly funny, handsome and sometimes shy young man with an intensely close bond with his mother, Norma Bates.

At the start of the series, he is resistant to starting over in a new town, but changes his mind as he begins to spread his wings.

Over the course of the series, he slowly transforms into the iconic character depicted in Robert Bloch's popular novel and Alfred Hitchcock's film adaption of that novel, Psycho.

Biography

History

Norman lived in Arizona with his parents, Norma and Sam. Norman killed Sam when he was beating Norma, but didn't remember the event afterward. Norma made it look like it was an accident, where a shelf fell on Sam, in order to protect Norman.

Season 1

After Norman found his father's body crushed under a shelf in their garage, the two remaining Bates moved to White Pine Bay. There, they planned to start a new life and run an old motel together. Soon after their move, Norman was befriended by Bradley Martin and Emma Decody.

The former owner of the motel, Keith Summers, believed that the property was rightfully his, and after stalking Norma, he then raped her. While raping Norma, Norman comes in and saves her, but Norma then killed Summers out of rage. Norman and Norma covered up Summers' death by dumping his body in a river but were still suspected by the town's sheriff, Alex Romero.[3]

Normanfight

One day, Dylan Massett showed up at Norma's doorstep, saying that he has no other place to stay. That night, Dylan got a call from Norma, who was programmed in his phone as "The Whore". Norman saw this, and confronted Dylan. A fight broke out between the two. Norman was easily overpowered by his older brother, who threatened to hurt him "bad" if he ever struck him again. Nevertheless, Norman grabbed a meat tenderizer and swung it at Dylan, who evaded it and gave Norman a black eye.

Norman kept two items from the cover-up from Keith Summer's death: Summers' belt (as a "memento") and Jiao's diary (found under the carpet of room 4). While Norman and Emma worked on a school project together, she found the diary in his room. She later did some research and found one of the locations depicted in the diary. As they agreed to investigate, Emma kissed Norman. They eventually discovered a large marijuana field (the one where Dylan later works at later on in the show), and they were chased away by two armed guards.[4]

Sleep-deprived, Norman hallucinated revealing images of his teacher, Miss Watson, tied up. He later passed out in the classroom. Norma visited him at the hospital to make sure he wasn't hurt and then took him home early. At home, Norman looked under his bed and realized that Keith's belt, his "memento" from the attack, was missing. He admitted to Norma that he had kept it, worrying her. She later told him that Deputy Zack Shelby secretly took the belt in order to protect Norma and her family. Norman warned her that Shelby is a shady person, but she ignored his warnings. Afterwards, Norman and Emma decide to continue looking into the mystery of the sketchbook. That night, Norman saw Norma in his room, telling him that he had to retrieve the belt from Shelby. He then broke into Shelby's house and accidentally stumbled upon Jiao, the girl who drew the sketchbook.[5]

Norman heard Shelby entering the house, and tried to escape in a panic. Dylan distracted Shelby, buying Norman time to escape. Norman later denied breaking into the house when Dylan asked him about it. Norman told Norma about Jiao and the belt, to which Norma replied that Norman "sometimes sees and hears things that aren't there". Norman then went fishing with Shelby (despite not wanting to go) but the trip was cut short when Shelby left to investigate the discovery of Keith's severed hand in the lake. Norman told Dylan about Keith and Jiao; Dylan promised to help him, and they bonded. Bradley sent Norman a text, and Dylan advised Norman to go visit Bradley at her house. They ended up sleeping together.[6]

After Norma was arrested for the murder of Keith Summers, Norman bailed her out. Dylan proposed that Norman should live with him. Emma and Norman found the girl from Shelby's basement in Keith Summer's boat and took her back to the motel. Norma didn't believe Shelby was guilty until Jiao identified him as the man who was assaulting her.[7]

Dylan and Norman found Summers' belt and disposed of it in the harbor. After Shelby found Jiao at the motel, he held the Bates family at gunpoint and assaulted Norma, which caused Norman to angrily attack him. Dylan killed Shelby to save the family and Norma revealed the truth about Norman's father's death to Dylan: Norman killed him in a fit of rage by hitting him over the head with a blender after seeing his father beating Norma and had absolutely no recollection of it. She told Dylan that Norman needed to be protected.[8]

Norman grew close to a stray dog, whom he named Juno. He headed to Bradley's house to declare his love for her, only for Bradley to tell him they are not meant for each other. Enraged, he headed home and witnessed Juno being hit and killed by a car, leaving him devastated.[9]>

Emma's father, Will, taught Norman taxidermy after Norman took his dead dog to him. Upon the school principal's request, Norma had Norman meet with a psychologist, who suggested Norma may have control issues over her son.[10]

Norman and Emma decided to go to the winter dance as friends. At the dance, Norman repeatedly eyed Bradley, which caused a heartbroken Emma to leave and Bradley's boyfriend to punch him. Finding Norman walking in the rain, Blaire Watson offered him a ride in her car and brought him to her house, where she cleaned his face. She then went to her room to change leaving her door open. A hallucination of Norma convinced Norman that Blaire Watson was seducing him and told him what he must do. He soon rushed home and he told Norma that Blaire Watson was going to drive him, but the next thing he remembered was running home. In her room, Blaire Watson's corpse is shown on the floor with her throat slashed and in a pool of blood.[11]

Season 2

Four months passed since Blaire Watson's death. Norma started to worry about Norman, who was spending his time practicing taxidermy and obsessing over Blaire Watson and her unsolved murder, including frequent visits to her grave. During one visit to the graveyard, Norman saw an older man at Blaire Watson's grave and took a photo of him assuming he could be her killer. He showed the photo to Sheriff Romero, who took the opportunity to ask Norman about his whereabouts on the night of her killing. After Bradley murdered Gil she snuck over to Norman's house to ask him for help.[12]

Norman hid Bradley in the basement where she confessed to Gil's killing. When a stoner named Kyle was arrested after his semen was found in Blaire Watson, another unidentified semen sample was also found. To bond with Norman, Norma signed them up for the community musical. A problem arose as, at the same time Norman was supposed to be driving Bradley to a bus stop to flee town, he had a rehearsal. Norman therefore had Dylan take her instead.[13]

While helping out with the community musical, Norman made a new friend, Cody Brennen. When Dylan defended Caleb to Norma, she claimed that he repeatedly raped her during their childhood. Norman tackled Dylan to the ground until Norma intervened by ultimately revealing that Caleb was Dylan's father.[14]

In the aftermath of Norma's revelation, Norman's imagining of her rape by Caleb put him in a blank trance and led him to Caleb's motel room. His fractured psyche caused him to lash out at Caleb in Norma's persona. Caleb hit him and left the motel room. Cody picked up Norman, who initially came out of his trance, but didn't remember anything.[15]

Norman admitted to Cody about having had similar blackouts in the past. She took Norman to her secret tree house, where they had sex.[16]

Norman and Cody encountered Gunner and Emma on a day out at the lake. The four of them went swimming, and Cody, Gunner, and Norman decided to swing into the water on a rope. After Emma nearly drowned while attempting this, the swim ended as Norman berated Gunner. Norman had another blackout while with Cody. A worried Cody told Emma, who informed Norma when Norman was about to get his driver's license. Worried, Norma prevented him from getting his license by revealing this fact (as it would be unsafe for him to black out while driving). Norma drove Norman home, and he made her pull over to let him out. He angrily told her that he was walking home, and she accepted this. He went to Cody's house and their heated discussion woke her father, who became abusive with her. Norman accidentally pushed him down the stairs to their basement, breaking his neck and killing him.[17]

Norman was questioned about Mr. Brennen's death and his DNA was taken for processing. Before she left to go live with her aunt in Indiana, Cody told Norman that Norma was hiding something from him and he must get answers from her. Norman was released as the death was ruled an accident, but Romero later learns that Norman's DNA matched the semen found earlier from Blaire Watson's body.[18]

Norman became distant with Norma. He yelled that their relationship had changed and would never be the same. While Norma was with George, Norman was abducted by an intruder.[19]

Nick Ford's henchmen kept Norman in a hot box in a field. While trapped, Norman's sanity slipped, causing him to envision his mother promising to protect him, and he recalled the blackout he had at Blaire Watson's house: he sliced her throat while they engaged in sex. Romero informed Norma that Norman had sex with Blaire Watson, and Norma told him that Nick Ford kidnapped him.[20]

Dylan and Romero went looking for Norman and were alerted to his shouting from the hot box. He was transported to hospital where he told his mother about his "dream" of killing Blaire Watson. She told him to rest and not think about it. Romero insisted on giving Norman a polygraph test. At home, Norman prepared a list of things he checked off after completing – packing up his taxidermy hobby, telling Emma about Norma's rape and Dylan's paternity, and dancing with his mother. Meanwhile, he took a gun and bullets from his mother's drawer. Norma found him wandering in the woods with the gun and she was able to talk him out of killing himself. Wanting to flee the country with her sons, she ultimately allowed the polygraph, wherein Norman was asked if he killed Blaire Watson. His mother's persona re-emerged and he answered "no". He passed the polygraph with a knowing smile to himself.[21]

Season 3

After spending the summer with his mother at the motel, Norman returned to school as a senior, but ran home after hallucinating Blaire Watson. Because of this, Norma decided to home school him. Dylan confronted her about letting Norman sleep in her bed, and, as a result, she set some boundaries which displeased him. She also decided to make him motel manager. Although Norman took an immediate interest in the motel's new guest, Annika, he decided to finally ask Emma out. That evening, Norma caught him spying on Annika showering through an open bathroom window. She berated him and he promised not to do it again. When Annika asked for directions into town, Norman offered to show her the way and while driving she told him about her work. He told her where to take a turn. Later, as Emma left the motel to return home, Norman arrived back with Annika's car but she was nowhere to be found.[22]

Norma became curious when Annika failed to return home, especially after Norman had lied about not being with her and Emma stating otherwise. Norman and Emma went on their date and discussed sex as an important step into adulthood.[23]

Norman became increasingly frustrated that his mother didn't trust him and blacked out, submerging himself in a bathtub, hoping to recall the events before Annika's disappearance. Norma saved him, then locked up the motel as Annika arrived to die in her arms from a gunshot to the abdomen. She gave Norma a USB drive before dying, telling her to use it for her and Norman.[24]

Hearing the noise of the ambulance and police cars, Norman wandered down to the scene and believed he had something to do with it, but Norma reassured him he didn't cause it. Norman grew more suspicious over Annika's death and the secrecy between his mother and brother and Emma attempted to calm him by inviting him on a picnic, which she cut short when he mentioned Norma's suggestion that they shouldn't have sex. Norman later arrived at Dylan's cabin and finding Caleb with him threatened to tell his mother.[25]

Norman awoke in his bed the following morning to find Emma in his room. She told him he blacked out and Norma asked her to stay with him while she went out. When Dylan returned Norman told him that he had to tell Norma about Caleb. Later, Norman approached Norma as she was about to prepare dinner and asked her if she was wearing the same dress when he last saw her and said her blue and white dress was his favorite. He went up to her room and rummaged through her closet until he found the dress and caressed it. Norma called him for dinner and he hid it between the mattress of his bed. When Dylan realized Norman didn't tell Norma about Caleb, he talked to Norman who told him he's sorry. He also urged Dylan to come clean to Norma and this caused Norma to storm out of the house. As she got into the car, he screamed to her.[26]

In a fury, Norman started thrashing the kitchen, throwing various items at Dylan and screaming that Norma wasn't coming back. Dylan tried to calm him down and ended up punching him. Norman was put to bed and Dylan reassured him that Norma would come back. Later, Norman called out for Norma, got out of bed and went towards his mother's room. Upon entering, he saw butterflies fluttering in the window and the wall began to crack. Suddenly, he awoke in bed. As he worked on a dead bird down in the basement and admonished Juno, the bird suddenly started flapping its wings and he crushed it, before putting his head down beside it. Dylan and Emma found him in a trance-like state and were really worried. As they brought him back upstairs and he said that he wanted his mother, they decided to put him to bed in Norma's room. Dylan later awoke to hear rattling coming from the kitchen. Going to investigate he found Norman dressed in Norma's nightgown preparing food. 'Norma' told Dylan that Norman was sleeping and to go wake him up so that he could eat, which caused Dylan to be concerned. Norman was put back in bed and when Emma left, Dylan lay down beside him and fell asleep. When Norma returned, she told them that they were going to see Caleb. Upon their arrival, Caleb emerged from his van and broke down in front of his sister and started hugging her, as Norman stared with anger on his face.[27]

Norman accompanied Norma when she went to get her phone repaired. When she received a call from James Finnigan, Norman answered the phone. James later called to the house to see Norman and to find out more about him. Norman asked him what it was like to sleep with Norma and this made James believe that Norman's feelings for his mother were much deeper. Norman suddenly snapped and attempted to choke James for saying "such an ugly thing" but James managed to escape and ran out of the house. Norma found Norman in the basement and comforted him. Later that evening, Norman emerged from the basement to find Caleb there and prevented his uncle from sitting next to Norma at the dinner table by sitting next to her himself. That night, as Norma slept Norman entered her room and caressed her thigh.[28]

The following morning, Norma went into Norman's room to talk to him but he said he had to go down to the motel office to help Emma, acknowledging her declining health. They were interrupted by noise from outside and when they went to look, Norman eyed Norma's bottom. When Norma went outside to confront the construction workers, who told her they were installing the pool she requested, Norman acted with hostility towards her and said that he had to go help Emma. He later found Norma in her room and confessed that he may be sexually attracted to her, but Norma said that what he was feeling was completely normal for someone his age and they embraced each other. After trying to talk to James Finnigan, Norma confessed to Norman that she had told James about him killing his father and said that he was killing her as well, which infuriated Norman. When she left, Norman saw his mother before him but he refused to listen to her, and ran off. When Emma decided to talk to him about their relationship, she said that she had helped Dylan take care of him when Norma ran off. She said it would be best if they remained friends and hugged him, saying that she would always care about him. He pulled back from her and ran to his room, where he sat in the rocking chair until night fell and hallucinated Juno. After Norman told him that she was going to sort out the mess that she had created, he had a vision of her standing before him in her blue and white floral dress. He pushed her aside and ran outside after the dog and down the darkened road where he was stopped by a person standing in the road. The person turned to reveal herself as Bradley.[29]

Norman asked her why she had returned and she said that she didn't want to be dead any more. He decided to allow her to sleep in one of the motel rooms and gave her food, before she asked him if he could give her mother a message from her to say that she was actually okay. They drove to her mother's house and Bradley was shocked to discover that she had re-married. When her mother and her husband departed, Bradley decided to do some exploring around the house and used a house key hidden under a candle to enter. They found several photos of her mother and her new husband and only one of Bradley, which Bradley admitted to hating. They went upstairs and found that the decor was different and that Bradley's bedroom was now a fitness room. They went back to the car, where Bradley broke down and Norman held her hand to comfort her. They stopped by the sea and Norman admitted that he was a bad person.

Norman arrived home to find Norma in the basement clearing away his taxidermy and questioned her. Norma told him that if the investigation into his father's death was re-opened it would look bad if all of his taxidermy tools were found. Norman grabbed the knives and shouted at her, so she told him to go to his room and stay there.

When they were back in the motel room, Bradley asked Norman what he had meant when he said he was bad and he admitted to having mental problems. She then told him about the night he showed up at her house about to profess his love for her. She put her arms around his neck and admitted she had feelings for him, before they kissed. They then engaged in more kissing and started making out, but Norman kept seeing 'Norma' who was disapproving of what was happening. Things came to a stop when he decided to leave the room and as he was walking back to the house, 'Norma' told him that Bradley needed to be dealt with.[30]

Norman went to Bradley's motel room with some food but found it empty and saw that she had left via the bathroom window. When Norma returned home from visiting the mental hospital, she had a talk with Norman and told him she had visited a place where he could get professional help. Unfortunately, he didn't take the news well. Later, he went to see Bradley, who told him she had broken into her mother's house and could pawn the jewelry so they would have enough money to leave that evening. However, Norman was reluctant to leave Norma. Norma later found him in his room trying to hide a suitcase and he stormed past her, saying that he was leaving with Bradley. Norma said that Bradley was dead but Norman said she wasn't and this led to them arguing on the stairs and as Norma tried to grab the suitcase she lost her balance and tumbled down the stairs. Norman tried to gather his belongings but Norma knocked him out and dragged him to the basement, where she tied his hands and legs up and rang Dylan for help. When Dylan arrived and went down to the basement, Norman was nowhere to be found and they saw that Norman had escaped via a small window. Dylan came clean about Bradley faking her death, but still admitted that Norman couldn't differentiate between what was real and what wasn't.

Norman was picked up by Bradley, who said that they would drive as far as the car took them before it ran out of gas. However, as soon as they passed the sign that said they were leaving White Pine Bay, Norman started arguing with 'Mother', who said that 'she' wanted to talk to Bradley. Norman told Bradley this and forced the car off the road into the woods. 'Mother' grabbed Bradley out of the driver's seat and when she tried to run 'Mother' caught her and bashed her head repeatedly off a rock, killing her. Suddenly, Norman came to with his hands covered in her blood. He drove to the fishing docks and taking one last look at Bradley's motionless body in the trunk, disposed of the car in the lake.[31]

Season 4

Norman awoke in a field, covered in cuts and arguing with "Mother". A farmer discovered him and knocked him out when Norman tried to attack him. Norman was transported to a psychiatric hospital with no idea of what he was doing there. A doctor informed Norma that she suspected Norman of being dangerous and wanted to keep him in for a 48-hour observation. However, Norma brought Norman home and while cutting his hair, Norman told her about the "dream" he had that she had killed Bradley. He made her promise not to send him back to the mental institution. Norma let him sleep in her bed but while she went out, he awoke to find himself locked in her room. Furious, he repeatedly banged on the door and managed to break through the door leading to his room. He put on Norma's nightgown and sat in front of the mirror, transforming into "Mother". When Audrey Ellis called to the house, "Mother" answered the door and invited her in for tea. Audrey explained her situation and "Mother" asked her what kind of mother would abandon her own child before strangling her to death with her own scarf.[32]

When Norman awoke the following morning, he asked Norma why she had locked him in her room while she went out. She told him she had gone shopping and over breakfast he questioned why there were no grocery bags out. She later found him in the basement next to the freezer and he questioned her about Audrey Decody's missing body. He said that Norma needed help and he would protect her. He later found her searching the pit and when a family arrived to check in, he told Norma to go up to the house to clean herself up as he would check them in. After he finished doing so, he found the consent forms that Pineview had faxed over. He hallucinated his father who told him Norma was crazy and was really the one who killed him.

Norman confronted Norma as she prepared dinner, refusing to leave her as he didn't trust her. As he sat at the opposite end of the table, he started creeping Norma out. He approached her and started yelling at her about her being the one who really killed Blaire Watson and Bradley Martin as she was jealous of them. Norma fled the table and ran upstairs with Norman in pursuit. She tried to find the gun under her mattress but saw that Norman had it. She tried to get him to give it to her but knowing what she was up to, he pushed her away and she barricaded herself in Dylan's room and phoned Romero for help.

Later when the coast was clear, she went downstairs and grabbed a pair of scissors. She went down to the basement where she found Norman. He said he had found the consent forms and she told him she only wanted to help him. From the way he talked, it seemed like he was prepared to kill both of them but as Romero arrived, she took the gun from his hand and he was lead outside. She grabbed the forms and pleaded with him to sign them, which he did.[33]

Norman was none too pleased about being admitted to Pineview and seemed disinterested when the nurse showed him around. He asked how long he would be there and was told it was for Dr. Edwards to decide. During their initial therapy session, Norman refused to say anything to Dr. Edwards but blamed Norma for putting him there. However, he later said that she was the most wonderful mother in the world. He also told the nurse that he didn't want to do yoga, saying he "would rather stick red hot pins" in his eyes.

As he sat down to dinner, he was joined by a fellow patient, Julian and told him his turkey pot pie reminded him of someone. Julian said he was there as his parents found him annoying.

Later when Norma visited, their reunion did not go well as he was cold and distant, telling her he would never forgive her. Afterwards, still on edge from the visit, he stormed to Dr. Edwards office, demanding to see him. He ended up in solitary confinement and when Dr. Edwards finally visited, Norman said he had reason to believe that his mother was crazy and committing murders. Dr. Edwards said that such and accusation would warrant an investigation and Norman agreed.[34]

Norman and Julian broke into Pineview's office where Norman called Dylan. He tried to tell him that Norma was in trouble but thinking Dylan didn't believe him, he hung up. Later, he tried to tell the staff that he was leaving the facility but no one believed him. After he was prevented from leaving by a doorman, Julian told him he could sneak both of them out that evening. That evening, they provided a distraction and escaped via a window with the help of a screwdriver. They hitched a ride to a strip club but Norman appeared disinterested by what he saw when Julian was taken to the VIP lounge. A dancer named Athena brought him back to the VIP lounge and attempted to seduce him but Norman told her that "Norman doesn't like that" before morphing into "Mother" and seducing Athena. However, they were interrupted by Julian, who got into a brawl with a bouncer. While Julian was taken to hospital, Norman was handcuffed and appeared in shock over what happened. When Dr. Edwards arrived to collect him, he finally broke down and admitted he needed help.[35]

Norman had another session with Dr. Edwards and asked how to manage his blackouts. When he was leaving the office, he asked if he could phone Emma but ended up phoning Norma instead. He was happy to see Julian had returned but discovered him in a comatose state and ran outside to calm down. Norma arrived and he ran to hug her. As they walked, she questioned him about what he had revealed to Dr. Edwards and told him not to talk about his father as it would upset him. During his next session with Dr. Edwards, he said that he had given good advice in group and than Norma had been to visit him. However, Dr. Edwards said that Norman may have been imagining Norma being there as he received an e-mail with the list of visitors and her name wasn't on it. Norman got angry and tried to leave but Dr. Edwards got him to calm down and came face to face with "Mother". "She" tried to seduce him but Dr. Edwards asked for her opinion on Norman and if she knew him better than anyone else to which "Mother" replied, "Of course I do. I'm his mother".[36]

As Norman sat on his bed, he had an episode of being under a bed with it shaking and things falling on the ground around him. During another session with Dr. Edwards, he was asked if he was familiar with Dissociative Identity Disorder but he wasn't. Dr. Edwards explained that when children suffered trauma they tended to go into themselves and Norman would go into his "Mother" persona as a source of security. As Norman played croquet with Dylan, he asked what his father was like and Dylan said he was abusive and drank a lot.

In their next session, "Mother" told Norman not to say anything and Norman slipped into his "Mother" persona, threatening Dr. Edwards. Dr. Edwards asked Norman to recount his childhood with his father. Norman said he remembered being afraid to get a glass of water if his father was around and remembered doing so and finding his father asleep at the kitchen table. Sam awoke and It terrified Norman. When he and Norma tried to flee, Sam found them and threatened them at gunpoint, forcing them to return home. As Norman hid under his parents' bed, Sam subjected Norma to rape and Norman, who was hiding under their bed, held her hand through the whole ordeal.[37]

During an arts and crafts session at Pineview, Julian and Norman were making things out of papier-mâché - Julian a model of his head and Norman a model of Juno. While looking at a piece of paper, Norman saw a photo of Norma and arranging the torn pieces together discovered that she and Romero are married. He phoned home, only for Romero to answer, but when he spoke to Norma he didn't let on that he knew they were married. He shocked her by telling her that he was coming home. He then went about attempting to check himself out but found out that it wasn't so simple as he would need a letter. Dr. Edwards later found him typing up a letter and tried to talk him out of leaving, saying he was dangerous, but Norman was having none of it. As he sat having dinner with Julian, he pictured Norma and Romero having sex and when Julian snapped him out of it, he told him he would be leaving, further stating that he wasn't normal and could make those around him believe he was a good person.

The following day, Norma visited Norman but their reunion didn't go well as he acted distant towards her and soon revealed that he knew she and Romero were married. She told him she was doing everything for him and he told her to prove it by allowing him to come home. That evening, Dr. Edwards had another chat with him but Norman was still insistent on going home so Dr. Edwards signed the papers to release him. The following day Norman returned home with Norma.[38]

As Norma awoke to find the house freezing and discovered that the heater was broken, Norman expressed his dissatisfaction of the new TV and the DVDs. After he interrogated her, she told him to go back to bed but he ended up getting into her bed beside her as he thought it would be a good way for both of them to keep warm. Over breakfast, he noticed things were different, such as the new drapes. He wasn't happy that his room was turned into a sewing room and he was even more upset when Norma told him that Romero had been spending time at the house. 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 wanted to see him. Romero warily met him and Norman politely thanked him for everything he'd 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.

That evening during a trip to purchase a Christmas tree, Dylan noticed how Norman was reacting with Norma, who was angry about his visit to Romero, and was even more concerned when Norman apologized profusely to his mother in almost a psychotic way. Norman ended up throwing up when she told him the truth about Romero and they headed home. Norma and Norman later decided to sleep in the motel but in separate rooms. Norman had difficulty trying to sleep and noticed Romero pulling up outside. 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, as Norma got a repairman in, who mentioned not to light the furnace due to the cracks in it, Norman eavesdropped from the stairs. When he left, she told Norman that she had invited Romero over for dinner and was through with her son's hissy fits. 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. She tried to diffuse the situation by telling Norman that more than one person could love someone and he instantly blamed her for keeping him too close to her, only for her to cut him loose. She finally lost her cool and told her son that she loved Romero and he loved her and he has 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. Ax in hand, Norman advanced on him but instead of harming him, 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 would be staying the night.[39]

During his therapy session, Norman completely lost it, going off about how Romero only married Norma for money and insurance and how he never liked him, wanting him out of the picture so that he could make a move on Norma. He then said that he knew she would be hurt and how everyone would leave her but he never would. While all of this was happening, Norma called Romero, who again tried to persuade her that Norman being home wasn't the best thing for either of them. She was angry that as her husband he thought he had a right to know what was best for her son but he told her to ask Dr. Edwards. However, she thought he wasn't giving Norman a chance. As they drove home, she reassured Norman that he would always be number one in her heart, soul and mind.

After getting into an argument with Norma after her refusal to admit that Norman was sick, Dylan stormed out of the house and met Norman on the way down to his truck, giving him a hug and telling him to get help. A confused Norman asked his mother what was going on and she told him that Dylan thought he needed to get help, but added that everyone didn't know him like she did.

As Norman later searched the attic for Christmas tree lights, he discovered his taxidermy as well as Audrey's suitcase. He put on her dirt-covered coat and looked in the mirror, potentially realizing what he did and remembering his actions from when he wasn't himself. Later, when Norma returned after seeing Romero he asked what happened as she was visibly upset and although Norma tried to brush it off, she broke down crying as her argument with Romero hit her harder than she thought and Norman hugged her.

As she got ready for bed, she wrote Romero a note, telling him that she was sorry and that she would always love him, before placing it in an envelope with her wedding ring and leaving it on her dresser As Norman came in to say goodnight, he lay down beside her and soothed her with promises of leaving Pineview and escaping to Oahu for a new life. As she fell asleep, he comforted her by singing. When she was fully asleep, he headed down to the basement to light the broken furnace. He let it run while he navigated the house, closing all the windows and vents except for the one under Norma's bed and returned to her room to fall asleep beside her.

Sometime later, Romero returned to the house and was concerned to find the doors and windows locked. Upon entering, he called out to Norma but got no response. He went upstairs and headed towards her room where upon opening the door he saw both Norma and Norman asleep on the bed. Still failing to get an answer, he attempted to rouse her but she was unresponsive and he smashed a window before carrying her from her room and laying her on the floor in the hallway, opening the other windows and returning for Norman, who he laid beside his mother. He attempted CPR on Norma but she remained unresponsive. He then saw Norman cough and awaken. Norman saw Romero crying and embracing Norma and looking at them, he whispered "Mother".[40]

Paramedics brought Norma's corpse to the hospital where Norman later learned that she had died from carbon monoxide poisoning. Romero mentioned to Detective Chambers that he had been married to her for two weeks and said that Norman may have been responsible. When Justin Willcock, a funeral home owner, phoned to make arrangements for her funeral, Norman answered and told him that Romero didn't live there anymore. Romero showed up at the morgue and demanded to see Norma. He cried and kissed her as he slipped her wedding ring on her finger.

After selecting a periwinkle blue dress for his mother to wear, Norman showed up at the funeral home to meet with Justin Willcock and his son. He declined to have his mother embalmed and mentioned that he had a fondness for taxidermy. He asked to see her and when he held her hand, he saw her wedding ring and angrily removed it as she opened her eyes.

Her funeral was held as Norman informed Justin Willcock that no one else would be coming. As he made an emotional speech about his mother, his mood turned to anger as he blamed her for leaving him to figure everything out himself. When he returned home, he again argued about her leaving him and resorted to driving to the cemetery to dig up her corpse. He brought her home and placed her on the couch, telling her to open her eyes but got no response. He grabbed a bottle of superglue and used it to open her eyelids, being taken aback when he saw that they were glassy. After Chick showed up to offer his condolences, Norman realized that Norma would not be coming back and attempted to shoot himself before hearing the piano playing. He went downstairs to find the house decorated for Christmas and saw his mother. She told him that she had promised never to leave him and they sat together, happy in the knowledge that they would be together forever.[41]

Season 5

Picking up over two years after the end of Season 4, Norman was busy running the motel on his own while also having his own struggles with "Mother", who was upset that she could not go outside. He told her the new shower curtains looked great in the motel and that he was heading into town to buy more paint. While in the hardware store, he met a young married woman named Madeleine Loomis. When he found that he had a wallet belonging to another man, he said he would pay later for the paint and rushed home where he inquired from "Mother" about the mystery wallet which he knew nothing about. He also checked his diary which contained a list of things he did during the day as well as his blackouts.

When a young man showed up at the motel requesting a room, Norman said that he could book one for the night. After the man checked into the room, Norman went into the motel office, removed the painting and spied on the man having sex with an unknown person. It appeared that he was masturbating until a phone call from "Mother" told him dinner was ready. Over dinner, they argued about how things were going and she got angry when he revealed that he had met Madeleine. Later he attempted to leave the house, only to be stopped by a clearly jealous "Mother", who then dragged him down to the basement and showed him a dead male stuffed in the freezer. Through flashback, it was revealed that the man had showed up intending to kill Norman but "Mother" got to him first. They decided to dump the body in the lake but as they were doing so, the man's cellphone rang and when Norman answered it, Romero was on the end of the line asking for the man.[42]

Norman paid Romero a visit at the prison and thanked him for sending the man to check on him. Romero warned him not to get too comfortable alone in the house. Norman returned home to find "Mother" learning French and "she" said that she would deal with Romero if he was intending to cause trouble. When Norman later met Madeleine in town, who invited him on a double date with a friend. He also met her husband, Sam, who he recognized as the man who had checked into the motel under a fake name to have sex with a unknown woman. Sam later dropped by the motel and told Norman that he would kick his ass, but Norman remained unfazed about this.

Chick also dropped by the house with roadkill, offering Norman the chance to go into business and split the profits 50/50. While on the double date, Norman was unimpressed with Joanne and tried to get under Sam's skin before talk turned to his mother. He excused himself to the bathroom where "Mother" appeared, asking him if he still liked "her". Norman got "her" to go out the window but then found "her" in his car. Noticing that Madeleine looked like "her" she asked him if he was going to be "that guy". Norman drove to a bar and in his "Mother" persona admitted that "she" was taking care of a mentally ill child.

Returning to the house clearly drunk, he went into Norma's room to change out of his clothes. After Caleb learned of Norma's death, he returned to the house to extract revenge on Norman and went down to the basement where he came across Norma's dead body in the freezer. Before he had time to react, Norman, dressed as "Mother", knocked him out cold and told Chick, who had followed Caleb back there, "Well, now you know, Chick. I'm still alive".[43]

When Caleb awoke and thought he saw his sister, he was actually being confronted by Norman dressed as "Mother", who was told that "she" was a grandmother. However, "she" refused to let him go and thanked Chick for staying around to help Norman. When Madeleine called by to apologize for the disastrous double date, he told her she could always trust him and when he returned to the house and heard the noise coming from the basement, Chick informed him that Caleb showed up two days previously wanting to kill him. Norman went back down to the basement and in his "Mother" persona told Caleb that both he and Norman were in love with "her" and that he had to die. However, in spite of "Mother" commanding him to kill his uncle, he found himself unable to do so and opted to release him with the order that he never return to the town. When Caleb fled the house, "Mother" chased after him and shot him in the leg before he was knocked down and killed by Chick's car.[44]

After Caleb was knocked down, a worried Norman did not know what to do, in spite of protestations from "Mother". He decided to do a bit of spring cleaning in the house, which included disposing of his mother's dresses. Before leaving the house, he met the new sheriff Jane Greene, who question why Jim Blackwell would have his address and mentioned that he had been in the same prison as Romero, who was on the run. Norman stopped by the church to dispose of the dresses before deciding to give them to Madeleine. That evening, the sheriff returned to the motel to further question him and he let it slip that Blackwell was from Canyon City, which the sheriff had not mentioned during their first meeting. Afterwards, he told "Mother" they had to find the car and "they" got into an argument about how to dispose of it, so he turned to Chick for help. When Madeleine phoned to thank him for the dresses, she invited him to her house for dinner and while they were making a cake, he freaked out when he saw "Mother" apparently slashing Madeleine's throat. He bolted from the house and arrived home looking for his mother, only to find himself alone.[45]

When Norman awoke in bed, he noticed strange markings on his shoulder as he got dressed and in the living room found a box of matches from the "White Horse Bar". The bartender phoned to say that his car had been left in the parking lot the night before and Norman asked if a woman named Norma had been there the night before. The sheriff also rang for a chat and when they met Norman again badmouthed Romero but had no idea why he would be after him.

When Madeleine rang, she offered him a ride to the bar and he eventually revealed that Sam was having an affair, which caused her to yell at him to get out of her truck. Norman was confused that the bartender recognized him and while he was reversing out of the parking lot, he noticed a pair of lacy underwear on the backseat. He encountered Gregg Edwards and apologized for stopping their sessions but lied about still taking his medication and the fact that Norma was dead. That evening when he returned to the bar he started to freak out when the bartender and patrons all recognized him. He fled to the restrooms where he was approached by a man who tried to come on to him. He had a vision back to the previous night where he saw "Mother" having sex with the man and he bolted from the bar in a panic.[46]

Norman checked Marion in and put her in Room #1 next to the the office and offered her a sandwich. While he was making the sandwich, "Mother" voiced "her" disapproval of the new motel guest. He took the sandwiches and tea down to the motel office and while they ate he and Marion chatted about parents but she excused herself when Sam rang. After the call ended, Marion decided to shower and Norman spied while she undressed via a peephole behind a picture in the office. Marion cut her shower short and returned to the office hoping to get Sam's address. Norman then revealed that Sam was married but Marion did not believe him until she showed up outside the Loomis house and saw the couple arguing.

An upset Marion returned to the motel to pack and offered to pay for the lamp she broke. When she placed her head on Norman's shoulder, he sensed that danger was afoot and told Marion to get out of there as fast as she could and not to worry about the lamp. Once she left, Norman repaired the lamp while "Mother" admonished him for letting Marion get away. Sam soon arrived and went into Room #1, attempting to ring Marion to meet him there, unaware that she had already thrown her phone out of the car window. "Mother" told Norman that Sam was just as abusive as his father and had to be dealt with. Taking a knife, Norman went into Room #1 while Sam was in the shower and pulling back the shower curtain stabbed him until he died.[47]

As Norman realized what he had done, "Mother" appeared in order to wrap the body in a shower curtain in order to get rid of any evidence that may incriminate Norman. Driving to the woods, "they" came across the police pulling a body from the lake and argued about what to do with Sam's body with "Mother" mentioning dumping it off the cliffs or burying it in the woods like the other bodies, which shocked Norman into asking who else had died. "They" ended up dumping the body down a well and got rid of Sam's car.

Returning to the motel, Norman encountered Sheriff Greene, who informed him that Jim Blackwell's body had been pulled from the lake along with several other bodies. Noticing fresh tire marks in the gravel, she asked if anyone else had been there the previous night as they must have left in a hurry. Norman slipped up but the sheriff said she would be in contact again.

Norman told "Mother" about the police finding multiple bodies and Norman eventually made the decision to bury Norma's corpse in the woods, promising that he would be back soon. As he returned home, he was surprised to see Dylan there. Inviting him in, Dylan was shocked to see the house in disarray and told Norman that he should not have had to go through everything on his own.

"Mother" later awoke Norman and told him that Dylan had to be dealt with as it should only be the two of them together forever. Norman prepared a meal for him and Dylan, who returned from the pharmacy with a prescription, having learned that Gregg Edwards had been missing for over a year and just met Madeleine outside. He questioned Norman about Gregg Edwards and also about Sam and even encouraged him to start take his meds again. Norman took a pill and went to get some water but "Mother" soon told Dylan that she only had a place for one person in "her" life and hit him with a glass. As Dylan lay on the floor, he saw Norman wrestling with no-one until he finally stopped and went to pick up the phone, dialing 911 and confessing that he had murdered Sam Loomis.[48]

When the sheriff arrived to question Norman, he saw "Mother" approaching him and when he closed his eyes and opened them again, "she" had disappeared. He begged the sheriff to give him his meds so the delusions would stop and she told him that he would get them down at the station. As he was being taken to the police car, Dylan begged him not to say anything until he got him an attorney. While being questioned at the station about Sam's murder, the sheriff told him that he was making everything up and that he was only doing so for attention.

When Norman was taken to his cell, he was given his meds and took them, only for "Mother" to appear and rebuke him for Dylan still being alive. "She" made him throw up his meds in the toilet and bashed his head on the toilet, knocking him out, thus enabling "her" to fully possess him. When the sheriff returned, she was unaware of what had happened and granted "her" request for an attorney. When Julia Ramos met with "Mother", the latter cunningly decided to set Madeleine up to take the blame for Sam's death due to Norman being infatuated with her. Madeleine discovered this when she was later questioned about the nature of her relationship with Norman and saw "Mother" glaring at her as she left the sheriff's department. Following the discovery of Jim Blackwell's and Audrey Ellis' bodies in the lake, Norman was formally charged with their murders along with Sam's.[49]

As "Mother" was fingerprinted, "she" was told that it was up to the judge to decide what the penalty for Norman's crimes would be. At the preliminary hearing, the judge revealed that if convicted he would face the death penalty. The following day as Emma prepared to leave to return to Seattle she visited Norman at the sheriff's station but realized she was talking to "Mother" when the latter said that Audrey was not a good mother and got what she deserved. She asked to speak to Norman and "Mother" said that Norman was sleeping. Emma told "her" to tell him that she missed him. Some time later, 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.[50]

Norman led Romero and Regina to a remote stretch of wood before Romero ordered Regina to head back to town. He then forced Norman to get into the passenger's seat where Norman revealed himself to be "Mother", sneering at Romero. Romero pointed his gun at him and when they got to the woods he ordered Norman to take him to the body. When they found the location, Norman began to dig through the snow, uncovering the body. An enraged Romero punched him repeatedly and while he cried over his dead wife's body, Norman roused and bashed him over the head with a rock before grabbing his gun and shooting him dead. He collapsed as he had visions of Norma telling him they were moving to White Pine Bay and as he drove home he had memories of Norma showing him the motel. He then came to in his bed with his mother telling him he had been dreaming as she prepared breakfast but it all turned out to be just a dream as he was still in the woods.

He drove back to the house with Norma's corpse and set it on the bed, as he went down to the motel to check in a mother and her children. He phoned Dylan to tell him that he and Norma had moved from Arizona and wanted to invite him to dinner. He then dressed Norma's corpse and set it at the dinner table, so that Dylan saw it when he arrived. Upon seeing the body, he got sick and begged Norman to turn himself in, get help, and face reality. Unwilling to live without mother, Norman picked up a knife and lunged at Dylan, who, having obtained a gun from Remo, was forced to fatally shoot Norman in the chest. He died thanking Dylan, thus ending his suffering. Norman's body, along with that of his mother, was taken away and they were buried next to each other, with Norman's side of the headstone bearing only his birth and death years.[51]

Personality

Norman seems like he is a bright young man and appears polite around others. He is also protective of Norma and feels guilty about disappointing her. He has lots of anger and occasionally lashes out at Norma or Dylan, but always comes to regret it due to his close and emotional bond with his mother. He also seems to feel a unhealthy sexual attraction to Norma.

Psychological Issues

Honey, sometimes you hear and see things that aren't there.

Norma Bates to Norman Bates, Trust Me

02-norma-talks-to-norman

Norman occasionally goes into a fugue state, during which time he attacks those who threaten Norma. He will then black out and not remember the event. For example, when Sam Bates beat Norma, Norman struck Sam in the head with a blender, but doesn't recall the ordeal. Norma made it look like a freak accident where a shelf fell on Sam. Another example is when Dylan Massett disrespected Norma. Norman tried to bludgeon him, but Dylan punched him. He didn't remember it and Dylan ended up telling him what happened. In the episode What's Wrong With Norman, while Norman is in bed, he sees a visual and auditory hallucination of Norma advising him to go search for Summers' belt at Deputy Shelby's house. While Norman really believes Norma told him to do so, Norma tells Norman in Trust Me that sometimes he imagines stuff that doesn't actually happen. In the episode The Man in Number 9, Norman is seen talking to himself as if in a dialogue after an argument with Bradley which is a sign of a psychotic episode. In the episode Midnight, Norman experienced a blackout between the time Miss Watson drove him to her home and he sees her undress herself inside her room and before the time he is running home from the rain. In addition, Norman had possession of Miss Watson's pearls but he doesn't remember acquiring it. All these evidence suggests that Norman is psychotic as he experiences many auditory and visual hallucinations and is unable to recall specific events beyond what is normal forgetfulness. In Norman's case, he does not remember his violent encounters almost immediately after they occur.

In the episode Check-Out, Cody drives Norman to Caleb's motel so they can beat him up. Norman recalls in his mind the time Norma confessed her brother used to force her into sex as a child. Norman then has a visual hallucination of Norma getting raped by Caleb. At the end of the episode, Norman heads to Caleb's place and takes full possession of Norma's character. In his Norma-mode, Norman accuses Caleb of raping him and says, “I was your little sister you should have protected me.” Norman's embodiment of his mother indicates that Norman possibly has Dissociative Identity Disorder as well.

In the episode Goodnight, Mother, after he finds the consent forms for Pineview, his has a vision of his father who tells him that it was not his son who caused his death but Norma and says that Norman needs to control her before she destroys him.

Following his mother's death, half of Norman begins to deny her death and after digging up her corpse he begins to imagine "Mother" living with him in their own paradise, and as part of the delusion he sees her death as faked and that she had to live in isolation. Over the next two years the blackouts have begun to get out of control, as the episode Dark Paradise shows Norman looking through his diary in which he is recording the blackouts, which are getting far more frequent, to the point they happen at least once a week and for almost a whole day. The illusion of "Mother" starts to come into question when Norman is reminded by Dr. Edwards that he can see things that are not actually there. "Mother" eventually reveals to Norman that he indeed created her to combat horrible situations that he would otherwise be emotionally unequipped to confront by himself. It is later discovered that Norman had been hallucinating his meeting with Dr. Edwards when the later had reminded him about his hallucinations, since the doctor disappeared some time after Norma's death. By the time he confesses to Sam Loomis' murder, the "Mother" persona has completely taken over Norman.

Sexuality

Throughout the course of the series Norman has appeared to be very confused about the theme of sexuality. He has been seen sleeping with Cody Brennen, Bradley Martin and Blaire Watson, ultimately killing the latter two while in his "Mother" persona. He also dated Emma Decody in order to make his mother jealous, although she advised him against sleeping with her which led to them splitting up. He spied on motel guest Annika Johnson while she was showering and confessed to Norma later on that he may have a sexual attraction to her. During his visit to a strip club with Julian Howe, while he was a patient at Pineview Institute, his "Mother" persona took over when he was left alone with stripper Athena as they made out in the VIP lounge before they were stopped by a commotion between Julian and the club's security personnel.

Although he has never shown any physical attraction to members of the same sex, in the Season 2 episode Shadow of a Doubt he attended a beach memorial for Bradley Martin where Cody's friend Philip attempted to touch his leg while the later and Cody were making out in front of him. When she told him that her friend was gay Norman informed her that he was not.  He also confessed to Norma that he may be attracted to her, which she merely dismissed. Later, in the Season 4 episode Lights of Winter when he and Julian went to the strip club, he was seen in both his normal state and in his "Mother" persona seducing exotic dancer Athena in the VIP lounge.

In the final season premiere he was seen masturbating while spying on Sam Loomis with a mystery woman in the motel room next to the office.  In the episode Dreams Die First, he was also seen in a bar where all of the patrons appeared to know who he was and the bartender told him to take the drinking easy since things had been wild the night before. While in the restroom, an attractive man approached him, seemingly recognizing him by calling him 'Norma' and tried to kiss him, which led to Norman freaking out when he had a vision of "Mother" having sex with the man in her car. This led to the conclusion that he had made several visits to the same bar in his "Mother" persona in the year and a half following Norma's death.[52]


Physical Appearance

Norman is a Caucasian male with brown hair and blue eyes. Norman’s usual style is comprised of a button down shirt, with or without a sweater or jacket, paired with khakis, loafers, and his messenger bag. His style is classic and comfortable.

As a high school student, Norman knows he is different and is always trying to fit in. His school style is classic, casual, and inconspicuous.

Family Tree

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Ray
Calhoun
   
   
Francine
Calhoun
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Audrey
Ellis
   
   
Will
Decody
   
   
Caleb
Calhoun
   
   
Norma
Bates
   
   
Sam
Bates
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Emma
Decody
   
   
Dylan
Massett
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Norman
Bates
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Kate
Massett

Killings

Appearances

Episodes 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Season 1
Season 2
Season 3
Season 4
Season 5
— appears physically + — mentioned only , none — doesn't appear

Videos

Trivia

  • Every season starts with Norman waking up in his bed, except for Season 4, where he wakes up in a field.
  • Norman was famously portrayed by the late Anthony Perkins in the 1960 Alfred Hitchcock film Psycho, a role which he reprised for three sequels from 1983 to 1990, with Henry Thomas playing a younger Norman in the latter. Vince Vaughn portrayed him in the 1998 Gus Van Sant remake of the Hitchcock film.
  • In the original novel by Robert Bloch Norman was much older (being in his 40s) and was overweight and an alcoholic. However, Hitchcock changed this to a more handsome man to make the character appear more sympathetic and give him the normal boy next door look. This in turn led to him casting the handsome Anthony Perkins, who he would always address as "Master Bates" during filming.
  • During an argument with Norma in the Season 1 episode The Man in Number 9, Norman states that he is nearly 18 years old. As his headstone in the series finale says that he was born in 1995 and a promo clip released prior to the final season shows party hats he has celebrated his 22nd birthday by the start of the final season which starts in October 2017. However, a prop card for the 2015 San Diego Comic Con that shows his driver’s license lists his birthday as February 14, 1995 - three years to the day that Freddie Highmore was born. This would also put it in line with the winter formal in the Season 1 finale as the US normally holds them between December and February.
  • "You Belong To Me" by Patsy Cline is the last song Norman heard before his death.

Gallery

Promotional Pictures

Episode Stills


References

  1. According to Norman's St. Sebastian Hospital wristband in 2012 (as shown in the official Bates Motel auction) his date of birth is given as October 14. However, his date of birth is given as May 18 on his Willmatte County Hospital wristband (as shown in the official Bates Motel auction) in 2015, although the final season takes place in October and in the first promo showcases a birthday cake and party hats.
  2. 2.0 2.1 The flyer that Norma and Dylan made after Norman went missing has an information about Norman's physical description.
  3. "First You Dream, Then You Die": Season 1. Episode 1. Carlton Cuse, Kerry Ehrin, Anthony Cipriano (writer) & Tucker Gates (director). [18 March, 2013].
  4. "Nice Town You Picked, Norma...": Season 1. Episode 2. Kerry Ehrin (writer) & Tucker Gates (director). [25 March, 2013].
  5. "What's Wrong With Norman": Season 1. Episode 3. Jeff Wadlow (writer) & Paul Edwards (director). [1 April, 2013].
  6. "Trust Me": Season 1. Episode 4. Kerry Ehrin (writer) & Johan Renck (director). [8 April, 2013].
  7. "Ocean View": Season 1. Episode 5. Jeff Wadlow (writer) & David Straiton (director). [15 April, 2013].
  8. "The Truth": Season 1. Episode 6. Carlton Cuse, Kerry Ehrin (writer) & Tucker Gates (director). [22 April, 2013].
  9. "The Man in Number 9": Season 1. Episode 7. Bill Balas (writer) & Ed Bianchi (director). [6 May, 2013].
  10. "A Boy and His Dog": Season 1. Episode 8. Bill Balas (writer) & Ed Bianchi (director). [6 May, 2013].
  11. "Midnight": Season 1. Episode 10. Carlton Cuse, Kerry Ehrin (writer) & Tucker Gates (director). [20 May, 2013].
  12. "Gone But Not Forgotten": Season 2. Episode 1. Carlton Cuse, Kerry Ehrin (writer) & Tucker Gates (director). [3 March, 2014].
  13. "Shadow of a Doubt": Season 2. Episode 2. Kerry Ehrin (writer) & Tucker Gates (director). [10 March, 2014].
  14. "Caleb": Season 2. Episode 3. Alexandra Cunningham (writer) & Lodge Kerrigan (director). [17 March, 2014].
  15. "Check-Out": Season 2. Episode 4. Liz Tigelaar (writer) & John David Coles (director). [24 March, 2014].
  16. "The Escape Artist": Season 2. Episode 5. Nikki Toscano (writer) & Christopher Nelson (director). [31 March, 2014].
  17. "Plunge": Season 2. Episode 6. Kerry Ehrin (writer) & Ed Bianchi (director). [7 April, 2014].
  18. "Presumed Innocent": Season 2. Episode 7. Alexandra Cunningham (writer) & Roxann Dawson (director). [14 April, 2014].
  19. "Meltdown": Season 2. Episode 8. Liz Tigelaar, Nikki Toscano (writer) & Ed Bianchi (director). [21 April, 2014].
  20. "The Box": Season 2. Episode 9. Carlton Cuse, Kerry Ehrin (writer) & Tucker Gates (director). [28 April, 2014].
  21. "The Immutable Truth": Season 2. Episode 10. Carlton Cuse, Kerry Ehrin (writer) & Tucker Gates (director). [5 May, 2014].
  22. "A Death in the Family": Season 3. Episode 1. Carlton Cuse, Kerry Ehrin (writer) & Tucker Gates (director). [9 March, 2015].
  23. "The Arcanum Club": Season 3. Episode 2. Kerry Ehrin (writer) & Tucker Gates (director). [16 March, 2015].
  24. "Persuasion": Season 3. Episode 3. Steve Kornacki, Alyson Evans (writer) & Tim Southam (director). [23 March, 2015].
  25. "Unbreak-Able": Season 3. Episode 4. Erica Lipez (writer) & Christopher Nelson (director). [30 March, 2015].
  26. "The Deal": Season 3. Episode 5. Scott Kosar (writer) & Nestor Carbonell (director). [6 April, 2015].
  27. "Norma Louise": Season 3. Episode 6. Kerry Ehrin (writer) & Phil Abraham (director). [13 April, 2015].
  28. "The Last Supper": Season 3. Episode 7. Philip Buiser (writer) & Ed Bianchi (director). [20 April, 2015].
  29. "The Pit": Season 3. Episode 8. Bill Balas (writer) & Roxann Dawson (director). [27 April, 2015].
  30. "Crazy": Season 3. Episode 9. Steve Kornacki, Alyson Evans, Torrey Speer (writer) & Tucker Gates (director). [4 May, 2015].
  31. "Unconscious": Season 3. Episode 10. Carlton Cuse, Kerry Ehrin (writer) & Tucker Gates (director). [11 May, 2015].
  32. "A Danger to Himself and Others": Season 4. Episode 1. Carlton Cuse, Kerry Ehrin (writer) & Tucker Gates (director). [7 March, 2016].
  33. "Goodnight, Mother": Season 4. Episode 2. Kerry Ehrin, Torrey Speer (writer) & Tim Southam (director). [14 March, 2016].
  34. "'Til Death Do You Part": Season 4. Episode 3. Steve Kornacki, Alyson Evans (writer) & Phil Abraham (director). [21 March, 2016].
  35. "Lights of Winter": Season 4. Episode 4. Tom Szentgyorgyi (writer) & TJ Scott (director). [28 March, 2016].
  36. "Refraction": Season 4. Episode 5. Erica Lipez (writer) & Sarah Boyd (director). [11 April, 2016].
  37. "The Vault": Season 4. Episode 6. Olatunde Osunsanmi (writer) & Scott Kosar (director). [18 April, 2016].
  38. "There's No Place Like Home": Season 4. Episode 7. Philip Buiser (writer) & Nestor Carbonell (director). [25 April, 2016].
  39. "Unfaithful": Season 4. Episode 8. Freddie Highmore (writer) & Stephen Surjik (director). [2 May, 2016].
  40. "Forever": Season 4. Episode 9. Carlton Cuse, Kerry Ehrin (writer) & Tim Southam (director). [9 May, 2016].
  41. "Norman": Season 4. Episode 10. Kerry Ehrin (writer) & Tucker Gates (director). [16 May, 2016].
  42. "Dark Paradise": Season 5. Episode 1. Kerry Ehrin (writer) & Tucker Gates (director). [20 February, 2017].
  43. "The Convergence of the Twain": Season 5. Episode 2. Alyson Evans, Steve Kornacki (writer) & Sarah Boyd (director). [27 February, 2017].
  44. "Bad Blood": Season 5. Episode 3. Tom Szentgyorgyi (writer) & Sarah Boyd (director). [6 March, 2017].
  45. "Hidden": Season 5. Episode 4. Torrey Speer (writer) & Max Thieriot (director). [13 March, 2017].
  46. "Dreams Die First": Season 5. Episode 5. Erica Lipez, Kerry Ehrin (writer) & Nestor Carbonell (director). [20 March, 2017].
  47. "Marion": Season 5. Episode 6. Carlton Cuse, Kerry Ehrin (writer) & Phil Abraham (director). [27 March, 2017].
  48. "Inseparable": Season 5. Episode 7. Freddie Highmore, Erica Lipez (writer) & Steph Green (director). [3 April, 2017].
  49. "The Body": Season 5. Episode 8. Erica Lipez (writer) & Freddie Highmore (director). [10 April, 2017].
  50. "Visiting Hours": Season 5. Episode 9. Scott Kosar (writer) & Olatunde Osunsanmi (director). [17 April, 2017].
  51. "The Cord": Season 5. Episode 10. Kerry Ehrin, Carlton Cuse (writer) & Tucker Gates (director). [24 April, 2017].
  52. Bates Motel Bosses Talk 'Same-Sex' Twist, Confirm Rihanna Body Double. TVLine. March 20, 2017


Main Characters
Season 1
Norman BatesNorma BatesDylan MassettEmma DecodyBradley Martin
Season 2
Norman BatesNorma BatesDylan MassettEmma DecodyBradley MartinAlex Romero
Season 3
Norman BatesNorma BatesDylan MassettEmma DecodyAlex RomeroCaleb Calhoun
Season 4
Norman BatesNorma BatesDylan MassettEmma DecodyAlex Romero
Season 5
Norman BatesNorma BatesDylan MassettEmma DecodyAlex Romero
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