The Criminal Minds Character That Fans Could See Becoming An Unsub
The characters of "Criminals Minds" have made their careers on chasing down serial killers and other violent criminals, called unidentified subjects, or "unsubs" for short. Using their extensive knowledge of the somewhat questionable science of behavioral profiling, they use clues from the crime scene and victim to form an understanding of the unsub they're after.
Often, these killers are people with troubled pasts and strange obsessions. But after being around so much gruesome death, could one of the members of the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit turn into the very thing they're sworn to protect people from? Characters on "Criminal Minds" have made some upsetting choices, though none have joined forces with a serial killer like the forensics intern Zack Addy on "Bones." Still, there are plenty of red flags: Elle (Lola Glaudini) kills an unsub in a situation that doesn't call for it and over the seasons, many unsubs die by the BAU's hand before they make it into cuffs — to protect the team or the victims.
So, who would be most well equipped to become the enemy? Fans discussed the topic on the r/criminalminds subreddit.
There's just something about Gideon, but Elle has history
Reddit user u/Iwishistayedhome asked fans which main character they thought would "do well as an unsub?" User u/JesterTTT came in with the top answer, implicating a short-lived character: "I could have seen Gideon snapping and going on a spree." Though he is only a regular for the first two seasons of "Criminal Minds," Gideon, the head profiler played by Mandy Patinkin, made quite an impression on audiences. Fans are divided over him: He isn't always the warmest character, but he does care a lot about his job. Despite that, user u/BrighterSage chimed in to say that Gideon "was on the edge!" Gideon, however, does not live long enough to become the villain — he's killed in Season 10, though the BAU catches his murderer.
Outside of Gideon, there were a few other popular answers to the question: Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler), Hotch (Thomas Gibson), and Elle. While the lovable, fan-favorite Reid starts off as a fresh agent in the series, he quickly becomes the one who suffers over and over again. In fact, there is a whole storyline where he's framed for murder and sent to prison. Plus, as one fan points out, he certainly has the smarts to get away with the crime. As for Hotch, well, he has the highest kill count of the whole team. Although he usually only shoots people as an emergency act to protect someone, it's enough to give anyone pause. But Reddit users brought up Elle multiple times because of her history of killing an unsub who got away with their crimes, and remarked that they could see her murdering more unsubs who weren't convicted, "Dexter"-style.
It'd be a pretty dark storyline for one of the BAU team members to turn around and start murdering people, but from all the crime they've seen, any one of them would certainly be well equipped to hide the evidence. Good thing it didn't come to that.