The Big Game
Directed by Gloria Muzio
Written by Edward Allen Bernero & Andrew Wilder
Written by Edward Allen Bernero & Andrew Wilder
Gideon: Condemned murderer, Perry Smith, said of his victims, the Clutter family, "I didn't have anything against them, and they never did anything wrong to me, the way other people have all my life. Maybe they're just the ones who have to pay for it."
An UnSub with DID murders wealthy people in their homes, because according to his religious and abusive father's rules, they have too much stuff. His meek personality manages to call 911 and warn them that his avenging angel personality, whom he refers to as Raphael, is about to kill someone. The coroner thinks the injuries are identical to how a farmer or butcher would slaughter an animal. [part 1 of 2]
Tropes
- And You Thought It Was a Game: The UnSub films a woman being torn apart by dogs and posts it online hoping to inspire terror. He's horrified when people mistake it for a horror movie trailer and excitedly ask for more information.
- Cliffhanger: The episode ends with Reid being abducted by Tobias Hankel, while J.J. is about to be attacked by the wild dogs who tore apart the victim.
- Deadpan Snarker: After the UnSub murmurs about the materialistic values of his victims, the police dispatcher asks if he is calling because some people have too much stuff.
- Present Day: As the story begins, the team are watching a Super Bowl post-game show; the episode originally aired immediately after Super Bowl XLI.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Tobias has this reaction to having murdered two couples while co-fronting with Raphael.
- Soft-Spoken Sadist: The Raphael personality, contrasting with the bombastic Charles personality.
- Split Personality: One of the most famous examples in the series. Tobias Hankel, who is himself a meek, kind-hearted man, has two alters: a highly angry and violent personality based on his (now-deceased) abusive father, and Raphael, a murderous, scripture-quoting Soft-Spoken Sadist archangel.
- Traveling at the Speed of Plot: For no particular reason, it takes JJ and Reid almost an entire day to make it out to Hankel's farm, allowing them to arrive at exactly the time the rest of the team is finding out he's the UnSub. In this time Hankel is able to travel from his farm to town, murder someone and abduct someone else, take them back to his farm, stage a fairly elaborate execution, and clean up.
- Wham Shot: Tobias switching back-and-forth between his two personalities in front of Reid.
