Our Darkest Hour
Directed by Edward Allen Bernero
Written by Erica Messer
A serial killer at large in California hits during blackouts. He hates being watched to the extent that he turns photographs away, but he wants his victims' children to watch, or at least hear what he's doing. Garcia determines that he has killed before — in every state, or at least the continental ones — and that he stopped years ago, only to come back again now. A local detective turns out to be the first victim he left alive after killing his parents 26 years ago.Written by Erica Messer
Morgan: Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote, "And out of the darkness came the hands that reach thro' nature, moulding men."
Tropes:
- Above Good and Evil: Reid explains that the concept of evil cannot be scientifically defined.
- Darkness Equals Death: The UnSub only kills in the dark, at night and during blackouts.
- Evil Brit: The Villain of the Week of this season finale episode is played by Tim Curry, and as such sports a posh English accent.
- Freudian Excuse Is No Excuse: Hotch explains to the LAPD that what the UnSub does to children probably mirrors his own experiences. When accused of excusing his behavior, Hotch and Rossi clarify that nothing excuses his behavior — they are only trying to explain his behavior so they can figure out how he thinks, and thereby catch him.
- Kick the Dog: Garcia finds intel on a dog-kicking burglar but doesn't think he's the UnSub they're looking for.
- Mama Bear: The kid who is forced to listen to his parents' murder doesn't grasp why his mother tried to fight the UnSub even though he had a gun.
- Not Quite the Right Thing: The city decides to stop the rolling blackouts to try and cut off the UnSub's rampage, only for the grid to overwhelm and give him even more blackouts to hunt in.
- Tap on the Head: How the first victim we see is taken down.
