Retaliation
Directed by Felix Enriquez Alcala
Written by Erica Messer
A bank robber gets out of prison, kidnaps his own daughter, is apprehended again, and escapes from the police car with the help of an accomplice. During the escape, he kills a federal agent and injures Prentiss. The accomplice is only helping him because the robber is holding his family hostage.Written by Erica Messer
Prentiss: "Men are more ready to repay an injury than a benefit, because gratitude is a burden and revenge a pleasure." Tacitus.
Tropes
- Dirty Coward: Dale calls Dan Otey one for sending his son to the door instead of coming to confront himself, right after he'd shot Dan Otey in the chest twice and right before shooting him in the head.
- Extremely Short Timespan: All the time in this episode is given; everything from Schrader's initial arrest to the ending of the episode takes less than a day.
- I Have Your Wife: The UnSub has kidnapped Joe's wife and sons and agrees to free them if Joe helps him.
- In Medias Res: The episode opens with Prentiss and Morgan arresting Schrader and not detailing the events that led up to them looking for him.
- Laughing Mad: Dale Schrader has a habit of this.
- Moving the Goalposts: The UnSub repeatedly promises to tell Joe he will tell him where his family is, but Schrader continues to change the conditions because he doesn’t have everything he wants.
- Would Not Hurt A Child: While it's left a bit ambiguous considering how callous he is, Schrader shows no serious interest in killing Dan Otey's child, despite having the opportunity.
- You Wouldn't Shoot Me: The UnSub dares Joe to shoot him at one point but knows he won’t because the UnSub is the key to find his family.
- Prentiss: Washington Irving said, "There is a sacredness in tears. They are not a mark of weakness, but of power. They are messengers of overwhelming grief and of unspeakable love."
