The Fisher King pt 1
Directed by Edward Allen Bernero
Written by Bernero & Andrew Wilder
Written by Bernero & Andrew Wilder
Gideon: Writer Elbert Hubbard said, "No man needs a vacation so much as the man who has just had one."
The BAU sans Jennifer take a vacation. Garcia stays at Quantico and goes on a virtual date in an online rpg. She gets hacked, and can't help her team when their vacations get brutally interrupted with shipments of cut-up human remains. Gideon and Jennifer also receive personalized items related to their childhood interests, while Reid gets a key. They track down the man who seems to be the hacker, and UnSub in general, but find his body nailed to his bed with a sword. [Part 1 of 2]
This episode provides examples of:
- Asshole Victim: Downplayed. Rebecca Bryant isn't very popular with the police due to being a conflictive teen and serial runaway. The other victims of the unsub are selected for being criminals, however.
- Berserk Button: The unsub gave the BAU team only one rule for his Criminal Mind Games: only they could do the "quest". Following standard procedure, JJ did a press conference asking for help from the audience and for cops to be on the lookout. The unsub breaks into Elle's house and shoots her in a screaming fury.Unsub: ONE RULE! I only gave you one rule! I told you this was important! Bang!
- Busman's Holiday: Morgan and Elle go on vacation to Jamaica, only to be pulled into the case by the unsub along with everyone else.
- Clear Their Name: Downplayed. Elle is briefly held in custody as a suspect on a murder (with Morgan also being watched) committed by the unsub in the island.
- Cliffhanger: The episode ends with Elle being shot.
- Couldn't Find a Pen: The unsub writes messages to the BAU on the walls, using the blood of his victims.
- Evil Cripple: The unsub was disfigured on a house fire.
- Fisher King: The alias used by the unsub is "The Fisher King", and he is obsessed with the Arthurian legend.
- Foreshadowing: Gideon starts to question his ability to continue with the BAU.
- Hollywood Hacking: The first unsub to hack on Garcia's computer in order to unravel his plan.
- Love at First Sight: Hotch apparently fell head over heels with Haley back in college when he saw her in the drama club.
- Ms. Fanservice: Elle wears a green bikini in Jamaica.
- Police Are Useless: Jamaican cops are at least in this instance. The one questioning Elle clearly wants to just force her to confess because it's easier than actually investigating the crime.
- Real-Life Relative: Rebecca is played by Amanda Bernero, daughter of then showrunner Edward Allen Bernero who also wrote and directed the episode.
- Stalker without a Crush: The unsub stalked the BAU through the first season before striking. And he was not motivated romantically, obviously.
- Vacation Episode: The BAU goes on vacation during this episode. Of course, it soon turns into a Busman's Holiday.
- Ye Olde Butcherede Englishe: The unsub's final message reads "Here thy quest doth truly begin."
