Recap / Criminal Minds S 13 E 16 Last Gasp

Last Gasp

Since Linda Barnes won't give the go-ahead on any low-profile cases, the BAU take it into their own hands to solve a series of murders posted online. As luck would have it, one of the victims is a prominent senator's daughter, and they get a chance to air their grievances concerning Barnes with someone higher up. Emily is reinstated and Barnes is recalled.

Tropes:

• Brother–Sister Incest: The UnSub was attracted to his stepsister, and from the sound of it she let him watch.
• Death Glare: Barnes gets a wealth of these from JJ, Alvez and Simmons when she dismisses cases they bring to her as not looking good for PR.
  Luke Alvez: We think there's an "Angel of Death" working in southern California. The UnSub is targeting elderly immigrants living in nursing homes-
  Linda Barnes: Immigrants? That's divisive. We need cases that unite the public! I can already hear people asking why they should care about a dead Mexican grandma?
  Luke Alvez: Anyone with elderly loved ones should care!
• Double-Meaning Title: The serial killer of the episode photographs women as they die. The BAU agree to take on this case in what they believe is a final assignment, since it's in defiance of orders.
• Hidden in Plain Sight: The UnSub can post photos of his victims on porn sites, because everyone just assumes they are staged photos of live women.
• Laser-Guided Karma: Barnes deliberately withholds information from the BAU to spite them for working the case behind her back. When the UnSub is caught before he can kill his last victim, and Prentiss informs the victim's father, an extremely prominent Senator, of Barnes' meddling, he promptly pulls strings and Barnes finds herself reassigned far away from the BAU.
• "The Reason You Suck" Speech: JJ gives a short but succinct one to Barnes, effectively accusing her of killing people the BAU could have saved without her in charge.
  Linda Barnes: The BAU is an elite unit, your cases should play out that way in the media!
  Jennifer Jareau: Twenty six.
  Linda Barnes: I beg your pardon?
  Jennifer Jareau: That is the number of people who have died since you sidelined the BAU. People die when we don't do our jobs.
• Shout-Out: Tara counsels a couple of FBI agents bearing a striking resemblance to Mulder and Scully, both appearance-wise and in terms of how they describe each other.

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