On the latest episode of Criminal Minds, “The Forever People” focuses heavily on JJ as she deals with the first anniversary of her kidnapping and torture at the hands of Tivon Askari. She is still going through a lot of trauma, having not dealt completely with the pain of losing her unborn child or what happened to her. In a touching scene with Spencer, she reveals some of her pain to him and he tries to do what he can to help his friend.
The subject of this week’s case is a murder victim who was found frozen, but has electrical burns on her body. After discovering some evidence that gives JJ a lead, we find out that a cult known as The Forever People could be responsible for her death. But when the team goes to investigate, there is more to the story, especially when JJ learns one of the members is only there to save his son, Bobby, who happens to be the son of their victim.
This episode was amazing, powerful, and raw as we saw the after effects of what JJ went through nearly a year earlier. We got to see an amazing moment between friends when Spencer tries to figure out how to help and how JJ herself has dealt with all she suffered through. Let’s look at some of the top ten moments in the episode, from subtle team moments to scenes that drew us in due to the emotions being expressed.
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Cult
JJ figures out a cult is behind a victim’s death and the team goes to interview a former follower who made his way home. But when Morgan and Kate arrive, his mind is still stuck inside the brainwashing he experienced and they discover that his fingers are missing because of being stuck in the cold.
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Actual culprit
After infiltrating the cult, the team discovers that the cult leader is not the unsub and that most likely, there is a serial killer within the cult. JJ then realizes that of all the members who saw the crime scene photos, there’s only one who didn’t and it is whoever was watching the children since they were kept separated.
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Bobby’s father
When the team arrives at the building where the cult is, JJ notices a man look up at her even after being ordered to look away. She speaks to him in another room and finds out he is the father of the victim’s son. He had joined the cult in an effort to save his son and he asks JJ to help get both of them out of the cult.
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Don’t shoot
When Bobby’s father is taken by the unsub when he interferes in trying to find Bobby, JJ makes a desperate drive to the house, ignoring her boss and team when they tell her to wait for their arrival. She goes into the house and finds Jon being held inside a freezer-type space. The unsub has gas lit up to jolt him and make him suffer, but JJ figures that it’s not cold enough to blow them up, so she shoots the unsub. When Morgan calls her name as he arrives in time, JJ tells him what’s going on.
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Fighting scene
JJ is practicing her kickboxing with an instructor, but as she is taking beatings, she has flashbacks to her kidnapping and torture. When she is in the locker room later, we see electrical burn scars on her stomach.
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Load up
In the plane, the team is discussing the area where they are heading and Reid claims to know the number of boats that are on Lake Meade, but Kate doesn’t believe him. When he says he made an estimate, she accuses him of guessing and Morgan is glad to have someone on his side. But then Rossi confirms Reid is right, making both Kate and Morgan groan. Reid teases her that he accepts her apology and tries to get a fist bump from Morgan but is more successful with Hotch.
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Spencer and JJ talk
Spencer knows something is going on with JJ, especially since the anniversary of her abduction is coming. When he suggests she has PTSD, JJ takes him to an empty room and tells her that what she is feeling inside is bigger than that. After finding out he knows details of what happened to her, she admits she was pregnant. When he can’t figure out a word to describe what she’s going through, she asks him not to reveal what they talked about.
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Reunion
Bobby and his father, Jon, are reunited and Bobby doesn’t remember his father at first. But when he realizes it is his dad, he begs him not to leave again. JJ watches the reunion, but it doesn’t help with her emotions, as she later tells Spencer.
Image via Facebook from Criminal Minds
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No words
After the case is over, Spencer finds JJ to tell her that he found some information on Tivon from Emily, whom he assures does not know why he called. He wanted her to eb able to read his case file if she wished. Without speaking, they both head in different directions, showing what a true friendship they have with one another.
Image via Facebook from Criminal Minds
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Let go
In a powerful final scene, JJ is reading the case file on Tivon Askari and she hears and sees him speaking to her. He is telling her that because she can’t let him go, he will continue to destroy her until she can no longer smile or be recognizable to her family. After being brought to tears, JJ emphatically replies, ‘No’ and he disappears, showing her fighting to let go of the pain.