The Criminal Minds Character You Are Based On Your Zodiac Sign
In February of 2020, the final episode of "Criminal Minds" aired on CBS, making the series — at fifteen seasons — one of the longest-running crime procedurals of all time ("Law and Order: SVU" still outranks it by several seasons). Based on real-life FBI unit the BAU (Behavior Analysis Unit), the series follows agents as they profile and catch serial killers all over the country, traveling from city to city on their private jet. Although the origins of the BAU have since been explored in depth via David Fincher's acclaimed "Mindhunter" series on Netflix, "Criminal Minds" was the first show to introduce the Behavior Analysis Unit to the public, and they've since become one of the most well-known units in the FBI.
"Criminal Minds" came on the air in 2005 with seven core characters, but the show's lineup has changed frequently throughout its run. There have been tons of controversies surrounding the cast, with its stars frequently leaving or getting fired, but a few of the show's core team members have remained. Though "Criminal Minds" is billed as a nail-biting procedural investigation of the psychology of deranged serial killers, the thing that has always kept fans coming back is the heroic main characters, often as interesting as the killers they pursue.
While all the members of the BAU are highly trained, intelligent individuals (a necessity for these positions), they go about their jobs differently. Like any good team, each member has their own strengths and weaknesses, and as a whole they are an unstoppable force of justice and psychological combat.
This is where the signs of the zodiac — which also ascribe characteristics to groups of people, based on their birth date — come into play. Much like the members of the BAU, each sign has its own unique strengths and weaknesses. We've paired the two, so read on for a breakdown of which "Criminal Minds" character your personality most closely resembles, based on your sign.
Aries: Luke Alvez
Prior to his time at the BAU, Luke Alvez (Adam Rodriguez) served in Iraq, later becoming a member of the FBI's Fugitive Task Force. Alvez made his career out of tracing, chasing, and catching criminals, and it's what he excels at. A quick-moving, action-oriented guy, Alvez aligns most closely with the sign of Aries, which applies to everyone born between March 21 and April 19.
Aries are the first sign in the zodiac, and because of this they often have a strong desire to be first. Aries are known for being driven, confident, passionate, and enthusiastic about everything they do. Symbolized by the ram and associated with the archetype of the warrior, they are the most active of the signs, and do not often back down from a fight or competitive game.
For Alvez, his action-first mentality is what makes him a great agent, but he's not without intellect. Though Aries are known for acting before thinking, Alvez is a well-trained Aries who acts both on instinct and the trusted predictions of his team. Though his quickness sometimes causes him to be impatient, Alvez is a reliable member of the team and serves as a very capable replacement for his predecessor, Derek Morgan. Like Morgan, Alvez is a charming, brawny guy, who — underneath it all — has a heart of gold.
Taurus: Aaron Hotchner
Aaron Hotchner (Thomas Gibson) was the chief of the BAU until Season 12, when he had to go into witness protection after a serial killer named Mr. Scratch was after him and his son. Hotchner — often referred to as "Hotch" — is a very no-nonsense leader. He doesn't smile often, and is all about business when he's at work. When he's not at work, he tries to be the best family man he can be, but his efforts often fall short as the job keeps him away from his wife and son. These two warring factors — his dedication to work, and his dedication to family — mean the zodiac sign he most closely aligns with is the Taurus.
Taureans — those born between April 20 and May 20 — are earth signs symbolized by the bull and, as such, are often considered quite stubborn and set in their ways. They are responsible, devoted, stable signs, who often have a noticeably patient demeanor and will persevere through any and all obstacles. For Hotch, this makes him a good leader, but he also struggles to balance his home and work life because he is so dedicated to his job. He is serious and single-minded, which sometimes is to his own detriment, such as when he thought of nothing else but stopping the killer called "The Reaper." Hotch finally left the BAU for good in Season 13 to become a full-time father, apparently giving in to his more grounded Taurean nature.
Gemini: David Rossi
Geminis — those born between May 21 and June 20 — are known as the communicators of the zodiac. They are charismatic, quick-witted, and love learning and entertaining. Because of their highly adaptable nature — they are mutable signs, after all — Geminis are sometimes known as two-sided or two-faced, containing within them two very distinct personalities.
Enter David Rossi (Joe Mantegna), a senior agent at the BAU and the replacement for his good friend Jason Gideon. Rossi initially comes off as a bit of a showboat and, prior to returning to the BAU, spent his time in retirement going on book tours and giving lectures around the country. Because he has more experience than anyone on the team, Rossi thinks of himself in sort of a leadership position despite Hotch being his direct superior. Something of a ladies' man, Rossi has been married three times and doesn't have much success maintaining long-term relationships.
Despite his occasional flair for the dramatic (another Gemini trait), Rossi becomes an essential member of the team, often acting as mentor to younger team members. As Geminis often are, Rossi is bold, unafraid of danger, and ] confident in himself, which proves to be a huge asset when facing down dangerous killers on a weekly basis. His humor and wisdom adds a lot to the team, and he's always there for his chosen family when things get rough.
Cancer: Kate Callahan
Though she was only on the show for one season, Kate Callahan quickly became an important part of the BAU team. Callahan initially joined the team in Season 10, but left at the end of the season because she (and the actress who plays her, Jennifer Love Hewitt) went on maternity leave. Like her colleague JJ, Kate is driven by a deep empathy for the victims, which is one of the reasons she is definitely a Cancer.
Cancers — those born between June 21 and July 22 — are water signs known for being emotional, sympathetic, and intuitive. These signs have a strong sense of family and home, and often find themselves taking on other people's problems.
Callahan is a kind, nurturing figure, which is another essential Cancer trait. She has a strong sense of duty and responsibility, having raised her niece after her sister and brother-and-law were killed during 9/11. Prior to joining the BAU, Callahan worked in Sex Crimes, where she spent months and months trying to catch criminals. This means she is slower-moving than her colleagues — another Cancerian trait — and has to learn to adjust to the BAU's quick pace. Nonetheless, she is intuitive and not too kind to do her job well, proving that she is talented at manipulating criminals and getting them to trust her. Plus, she's been known to look at cute photos of animals in her spare time. What's more Cancerian than that?
Leo: Derek Morgan
Those born between July 23 and August 22 are known as Leos, and are said to be the most dramatic, charming, and confident of the signs. Symbolized by the lion, Leos are fixed signs known for being extravagant, but they can also be loyal and generous friends passionate about what they do. On "Criminal Minds," the team member who most resembles a Leo is Derek Morgan, the charming stud of the BAU.
Like his successor Luke Alvez, Morgan is a man of action who serves as the brawn of the team, frequently being the one to take down the unsubs himself. Morgan is a charming ladies' man who also happens to be intelligent and good at his job. Often driven by a sense of justice — vengeance, even — Morgan can be serious when he's on the job but also loves to joke around with his colleagues — especially Garcia, with whom he incessantly flirts.
Leos are passionate people who bring humor and warmth to a situation, something Morgan does quite often. Nonetheless, sometimes his passion for justice becomes too strong, especially when his personal feelings get involved in a case. Like the emblematic lion, Morgan thinks of himself as the tenacious protector of the pack, and does not tolerate threats to him or his family.
Virgo: Spencer Reid
If you know anything about astrology, you might have guessed this one: Spencer Reid, the boy genius of the BAU, is a quintessential Virgo.
Virgos — those born between August 23 and September 23 — are practical earth signs symbolized by the analyst. Virgos love solving problems and are systemically processing information in order to create solutions. Kind, loyal, and detail-oriented, Virgos are great to have on your team.
Almost all of the prototypical Virgo traits represent Spencer Reid in some way. A child prodigy who graduated school at the age of 12, Reid is a literal genius with an eidetic memory and the ability to read at 20,000 words per minute. As is the case with certain Virgos, Reid is brilliant but can sometimes be socially awkward, often missing social cues or going on long tangents when the team wants him to get straight to the point.
Empathy doesn't come as easily to Reid as it does to his colleagues, because he's more focused on logic than emotion, but throughout the series he proves that he cares deeply about his team and would do anything to protect them. Like a typical Virgo, Reid prefers to solve problems using logical methods like math and science — and as the series goes on, learns more from his team about the fragile, sentimental aspects of life.
Libra: Jennifer 'JJ' Jareau
Along with Reid and Garcia, JJ is the only team member in the BAU to have been on the show from the beginning (apart from a controversial season-long break), and has always been an integral part of the BAU family. Though she initially worked for the BAU as a media liaison, acting as the go-between for the police and the press, she officially became a profiler in Season 7 after taking profiling courses. As her job requires, JJ (Jennifer Jareau) is diplomatic, good with people, and excellent at keeping the piece. As such, JJ is most definitely a Libra, which you are too if you were born between September 23 and October 22.
Symbolized by the scales and represented as diplomats, Libras are compassionate, love helping others, and are skilled at defusing conflict and promoting cooperation. These qualities are what made JJ such an excellent media liaison and later a great profiler. JJ is one of the most empathetic members of the team and, while she is a talented profiler, often uses her empathy to support the victims and their families, always offering herself as a shoulder to cry on. She is very calm in intense situations and — despite her kind, cheerful demeanor — is a total badass in her own right and isn't afraid to take down unsubs in any situation. As it turns out, every team needs a JJ.
Scorpio: Elle Greenaway
Scorpios – those born between October 23 and November 22 — are represented as alchemists, and are known as intense, very perceptive individuals. They often come off as very mysterious, and though they are passionate and loyal, can be quite calculating. Scorpios get cast as villains, partially because of their proclivity for manipulation and partially because of all the signs, they react most intensely to one thing: betrayal.
The "Criminal Minds" character that most fits this description is Elle Greenaway (Lola Glaudini), a team member from Seasons 1 and 2. Elle was a BAU agent who specialized in sexual offense crimes. A woman of action, Elle was a driven agent but could be impulsive a times, leading with her heart rather than her head.
Though she initially acted as a dedicated member of the BAU team, after getting shot Elle struggled to handle her PTSD and refused the help that was offered to her by her colleagues. After failing to catch a serial rapist who attacked a woman in her own home (similar to how Elle was attacked), she shoots the unsub in cold blood, claiming self-defense. In a discussion with Hotch, Elle says she does not regret killing the unsub and would do it again if she had the chance to go back. Feeling betrayed by a team who she felt did not support her, Elle resigned from the BAU, never to be seen or heard from again. Scorpios are rather mysterious, after all.
Sagittarius: Tara Lewis
Like her colleague Reid, Tara Lewis (Aisha Tyler) is an academic, holding a PhD in psychology. Before coming to the FBI as a forensic psychologist, Dr. Lewis traveled around the world with her father, a military man, before settling in Germany. An adventurer filled with endless curiosity and a thirst for knowledge, Dr. Lewis is a Sagittarius, the sign known as the traveler of the zodiac.
Sagittarians — those born between November 22 and December 21 — are symbolized by the archer and represented as philosophers on a quest for knowledge. Always seeking excitement and adventure, Sagittarians love self-improvement and are full of spontaneity.
For Dr. Lewis, these characteristics define both a passion for work and her enjoyment of life. Serving as a temporary replacement for Kate Callahan and JJ while they were both on maternity leave, Dr. Lewis became a full-fledged member of the team in Season 12 and was immediately welcomed by the team. Out of everyone at the BAU, Dr. Lewis is the best at identifying with killers in order to bond with them and extract information. She is funny, passionate, engaged in her work but not afraid to let loose and have a good time, either. Dr. Lewis has a strong personality and does not sugarcoat things but is still friendly and kind, representing the very best qualities of both Sagittarians and fire signs.
Capricorn: Emily Prentiss
Emily Prentiss (Paget Brewster) is someone you do not want to mess with. Having joined the BAU in Season 2, Prentiss immediately proved herself to be a formidable profiler and agent, never letting cases get the better of her and always remaining calm in stressful situations. After becoming chief of the unit in Season 12, Prentiss revealed herself to be an extremely capable, responsible leader of the team.
The sign most closely associated with these self-assured leadership qualities is Capricorn, which represents those born between December 22 to January 19. Capricorns are methodical earth signs known for being disciplined, persistent, and having excellent self-control. They are the most stoic of the signs and for this reason, often repress emotions they see getting in the way of their goals.
For Emily Prentiss, these qualities make her a great leader and a character that fans want to root for. Perhaps as a result of an unstable upbringing in which she traveled with her diplomat mother, Prentiss is good at compartmentalizing and moving past obstacles. She doesn't let people in easily and is committed to doing the right thing, no matter the cost. This dedication is made apparent in Season 6, when she fakes her death in order to escape the clutches of an escaped killer. A hard-working, level-headed leader, her main character flaw is that she really needs to learn how to relax a little bit, something many other Capricorns could probably relate to.
Aquarius: Penelope Garcia
For those born under the sign of Aquarius, being original is important. Aquarius — born between January 20 and February 18 — are represented as humanitarians, and they are committed to creating change and thinking up bold new ideas. They are committed to the notion of personal freedom and independence, and for this reason, sometimes find themselves on the fringes of society rather than in its center. The most eccentric of the signs, they are not afraid to assert themselves and are always looking for somewhere to belong.
If there's one "Criminal Minds" character that could clearly be defined as an eccentric, it's got to be none other than Penelope Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness). Originally a hacker put on the FBI's list of the most dangerous in the world, she was recruited by the FBI (and threatened with jail time) until agreeing to become a technical analyst for the BAU, one of the most essential members of the team.
Garcia is a very unique individual, as evidenced by her fashion, the way she decorates her office, and how she communicates with the team. She would have been described as an outcast prior to joining the FBI, but was able to find a family at the BAU while still maintaining her individuality. Garcia is perfectly happy not to travel with the team, preferring to stay with her computers, which she sees as a way to maintain her sunny outlook and ability to always look for the good in people.
Pisces: Jason Gideon
In the first two seasons of "Criminal Minds," Jason Gideon was a senior supervisory agent at the BAU, having been a part of the program since nearly the beginning. Like many at the BAU, Gideon (Mandy Patinkin) was very committed to his job, to the point where he became estranged from his son. Gideon is a very intelligent, intuitive profiler, and he comes off as a very knowledgeable, soft-spoken fixture at the BAU.
Because of his exceedingly wise and calm personality, the sign that most represents Gideon is Pisces, which applies to all those born between February 19 and March 20. Pisces is the last sign of the zodiac and as such, those born under this sign are said to encompass all that has come before, leading them to come off as one of the wisest signs. Pisces are very compassionate and gentle, and because of their highly imaginative and intuitive nature, are quite often prone to fantasy.
For Gideon, his empathy and intuition are essential to his success at the BAU, but they are also detrimental to his personal life. His commitment to his job is the result of his dedication to the people he helps, as evidenced by the photos of all the people he's saved displayed proudly in his office. But, after his girlfriend was killed, Gideon could no longer handle the devastation of the job and he left the BAU in Season 3. Nonetheless, his legacy remained an important part of the BAU, and his wisdom has been frequently invoked by Reid even after his departure.