Keeper
A man whose abusive father got rid of his childhood dog has taken to killing people and eating them. His homeless brother tries to protect him, but he can't get over the loss of the dog either, only he handles it by looking for the dog in the forest decades later.
Provides examples of
- Abusive Parents: The UnSub's father, obviously. He used to force his two sons to wear dog muzzles, had them sleep in a slaughterhouse, and forced them to watch him kill the pigs, while at the same time telling them they were going to be next. Later, he found out his sons were caring for a dog, took it away, and had the UnSub's brother help him abandon it.
- Cain and Abel: Subverted. The BAU initially suspects that the first John Doe was the initial suspect’s brother, but it turned out to be the opposite trope: The initial suspect Todd is trying to protect his little brother, who is the UnSub.
- Call-Back: In the meeting, they mention the last UnSub who lived near the Appalachian trail.
- Freudian Excuse: Cormac's abusive father took the dog he loved and abandoned him by the road. This causes Cormac to grow up to be a serial killer cannibal.
- My Greatest Failure: The UnSub's brother, Todd, was overwhelmed with guilt for being unable to protect his brother from their abusive father and helping him abandon their dog. Therefore, he felt the best way to atone for it and protect his younger sibling was by covering the UnSub's tracks and destroying any evidence to his crimes.
