Spoiler alert: If you are one of the few that has not seen most, if not all, "Criminal Minds" episodes, there will be spoilers revealed in this article. Proceed with caution.
"Criminal Minds" is a crime show, to say the least. The Federal Bureau of Investigation uses a select time of criminal profilers in the Behavioral Analyst Unit to catch the bad guys across the country. The fictional stories of the victims are often frightening and upsetting. Throughout the seasons, viewers feel themselves becoming apart of the BAU family, and we are often more affected by the struggles the FBI agents face than the actual victims. Although there were countless heartbreaking moments in the show's history, these are the most memorable.
1. Spencer Reid's discrete girlfriend is murdered.
Reid's affection toward his mysterious girlfriend made our hearts melt. When her curious life forces Reid to involve the BAU in capturing her killer, our hearts break because his heart breaks.
2. The "killing off" of Agent Emily Prentiss.
In an effort to fend off her enemy, Ian Doyle, and protect her hidden son, Declan, Prentiss suffers an injury, and Agent Hotchner announces to his team that it was fatal. Our hearts broke for the toughest girl in the BAU, but not for long.
3. When Penelope Garcia's date goes horribly wrong.
When Morgan warned Garcia to be careful of this mysterious coffee shop sweetheart, Garcia took offense. She was excited that a stranger found her attractive enough to take her out, but with such a scary and unexpected ending to their first date, we couldn't help but feel heartbroken for Garcia.
4. Learning that Derek Morgan is a childhood sexual assault victim.
Derek Morgan is the backbone of the BAU. He keeps Garcia calm, protects Reid like an older brother and takes every attack on his teammates as a personal one. When we learned of his damaging past, we couldn't help but shed a tear as we saw the macho-man himself breakdown.
5. JJ's Afghanistan miscarriage.
Jennifer Jareau is the motherly figure of the whole team. During any case involving children, she takes it personally and makes it a point to call and check on her own son frequently. It isn't until season 9 we find out about her secret mission in Afghanistan where she had a miscarriage. Knowing JJ's passion for children, it was heartbreaking to learn this news.
6. When Aaron Hotchner's family is hunted.
The most heartbreaking was saved for last. After much taunting from George Foyet, Hotchner's family is hunted, and he is unsuccessful in saving his separated wife Haley. His young son, Jack, kept himself safe from the killer by listening to his dad's secret code word to lead him to a hiding space in the house. Haley's murder impacted the entire BAU, and it is observed that Hotchner does not smile the same until years after the malicious event. This episode forever changed the show, and our hearts still break in its memory.
These events are not the only ones that left us sad for our BAU family. They, however, impacted the show and the way we view our favorite characters and, therefore, will not be forgotten.
