Burn
Directed by Karen Gaviola
Written by Janine Sherman Barrois
An UnSub who hears a voice in his head recite Dante Alighieri, kills people according to the Circles of Hell from that author's most famous work. His father was an abusive alcoholic. Garcia feels guilty about her attempted murderer being sentenced to death.Written by Janine Sherman Barrois
Morgan: "The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you can see." Winston Churchill.
Tropes in this episode
- Abusive Parents: The UnSub was abused by his domineering father in his teen years. His victims were all domineering fathers or father figures who reminded him of his deceased father. Depending on the descriptions of their backgrounds, some were overly strict, some were verbally abusive, some had a habit of slapping their kids, and punishing them for little to no reason. In some cases, the UnSub took photographic evidence of the physical abuse before deciding to act against the fathers.
- Armor-Piercing Question: At one point Garcia asks her attempted murder why he even agreed to see her for a visit considering that she obviously isn't friend or family...and when the man doesn't answer, Garcia realizes that he did and that Garcia herself was the only person who actually showed up.
- Armor-Piercing Response: The man who Garcia visits tells her that she's not doing this for him, she's doing it for herself. However, she fires back that he could easily send her packing if he actually wanted to, and he admits that he does want to see one friendly face before he dies.
- The B Grade: A major plot point of the episode. As a teen, the UnSub was both severely punished and humiliated by his father for getting B Grades at school. As an adult, he is a teacher. And he is disturbed when he learns that one of his students fears for his life when returning home with B Grades.
- Call-Back: The B-plot is Garcia visiting the man who tried to kill her and Reid in the season nine finale.
- Catapult Nightmare: Garcia has one in the beginning of the episode.
- Education Papa: One of the UnSub's students reveals he has one, and this gets the teacher to improve his grade.
- Freudian Excuse: The UnSub's father was violent to both his sons, and the oldest son killed himself.
- Right Behind You: Rossi comments on Morgan and Garcia fighting... right as Morgan is standing behind him.
- Shout-Out: The UnSub's actions are The Divine Comedy-themed.
- Sympathy for the Devil: Despite Baylor's crimes, Garcia never wanted him to be put to death and attends his execution so he won't have to die alone. She also notices that the supposed hardened criminal was struggling with his fear of death, with feelings of isolation, and with the realization that his former loved ones no longer cared about him. She can relate to these feelings.
- Garcia: "It doesn't take a lot of strength to hang on. It takes a lot of strength to let go." J.C. Watts.
