History Recap / ColdCaseS1E21MaternalInstincts

* PayEvilUntoEvil: Downplayed. Bobby's real parents wanted Detective Rush to drop the case on Linda's murderer, given she kidnapped their infant son. ''However'', unbeknownst to them, the murderer is just as much at fault for not returning the son when he had the opportunity.

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* ItsAllAboutMe: Kyle only came by to Linda's place to either have her as a lover or as a murder victim. When he ended up making her the latter, he doesn't bother to take Bobby home or even comfort him.

* PrecociousCrush: Sean develops a crush on Lilly, but she doesn't buy it.

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: Discussed. When Sean and Lilly are discussing the former's plans for the future, she points out the flaws in his plan. For instance, if he plans to have thirteen children with his future wife, that's going to be a lot of mouths to feed. And it doesn't help that he doesn't know what career path to take. Even if he does reduce that number to one daughter, that's still one daughter who won't have decent clothes if Sean doesn't have the skills to hold a job.

* AssholeVictim: Linda/Rebecca is this to Sean’s biological parents. When they find out the detectives are trying to solve her murder, they want the case to be dropped, wanting there to be no justice for the woman who stole their child.

* DeadPersonImpersonation: Linda’s alias, Rebecca Morgan, was taken from a college student who died four years before Sean was born.

* LaserGuidedKarma: Kyle neglecting to take Sean/Bobby home would come back later to bite him when the now-grown kid remembers some crucial clues about him (having to do with his real name and catching a train).

* MaternallyChallenged: Sally admits that Linda was a good kid, but she “didn’t take to her” on the day her daughter was born. This attitude didn’t change when Linda reached adulthood, nor did she react strongly to the news of her murder.
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: In the GhostReunionEnding, Linda sees Sean with the parents she stole him from, and it’s written all over her face that she finally realizes that she ruined his chance to have a happy childhood with a loving family.

* NotSoDifferent: Lilly tells Sean that he can "have it all" (money, home, wife, family) but he's going to need help. When he presses her for information on how she knows what he needs, she confesses that she was once like him:

* DeadPersonImpersonation: Linda’s alias, Rebecca Morgan, was taken from a college student who died four years before Shawn was born.

* LaserGuidedKarma: Kyle neglecting to take Shawn/Bobby home would come back later to bite him when the now-grown kid remembers some crucial clues about him (having to do with his real name and catching a train).

* NotSoDifferent: Lily tells Sean that he can "have it all" (money, home, wife, family) but he's going to need help. When he presses her for information on how she knows what he needs, she confesses that she was once like him:
-->'''Lily:''' Because I wanted everything too! And I was too damn proud to ask for help for way too long...

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: Discussed. When Sean and Lily are discussing the former's plans for the future, she points out the flaws in his plan. For instance, if he plans to have thirteen children with his future wife, that's going to be a lot of mouths to feed. And it doesn't help that he doesn't know what career path to take. Even if he does reduce that number to one daughter, that's still one daughter who won't have decent clothes if Sean doesn't have the skills to hold a job.

* RealityEnsues: Discussed. When Sean and Lily are discussing the former's plans for the future, she points out the flaws in his plan. For instance, if he plans to have thirteen children with his future wife, that's going to be a lot of mouths to feed. And it doesn't help that he doesn't know what career path to take. Even if he does reduce that number to one daughter, that's still one daughter who won't have decent clothes if Sean doesn't have the skills to hold a job.

* BittersweetEnding: Sean is still going to jail for at least two years. But he is also reunited with his real family, who will wait for him to finish his sentence and hopefully help him get his life together.

* PayEvilUntoEvil: Downplayed. Bobby's real parents wanted Detective Rush to drop the case on Linda's murderer, given she kidnapped their infant son. (However, the murderer is just as much at fault for not returning the son when he had the opportunity.)

* PayEvilUntoEvil: Downplayed. Bobby's real parents wanted Detective Rush to drop the case on Linda's murderer, given she kidnapped their infant son.

* MaternallyChallenged: Sally admits that Linda was a good kid, but she “didn’t take to her” on the day her daughter was born. This attitude didn’t change when Linda reached adulthood.

* MaternallyChallenged: Sally admits that Linda was a good kid, but she “didn’t take to her.” This attitude didn’t change when Linda reached adulthood.

* MaternallyChallenged: Sally admits that she “didn’t take to Linda” after she was born and her attitude didn’t change when Linda reached adulthood.

* DeadPersonImpersonation: Linda’s alias, Rebecca Morgan, was taken from a college student who died four years before Shawn was born.