We open on Gideon being the most precious old man in the world and smiling while classical cello music plays - Cello Suite No. 1 in G major, Prelude by Bach, to be specific. Cut to a car and JJ is like “Sarah Jean Mason killed what, 12 girls?” and Gideon is like nah dude, 13 now counting the one they just found.

The BAU DRIVES to Central Florida to visit this serial killer couple who are on death row for having brutally murdered these thirteen girls. All were teenagers and all had blonde hair. Garcia goes with them for some reason and is very displeased because she also has blonde hair. We find out the media calls Sara Jean “The Ice Queen” because she was so stoic while on trial. She allegedly killed 12 teenage girls and her 2 year old son Riley. BUT she only confessed to killing her son, and to that, JJ is like “Well, she hasn’t cooperated with any request to interview her” and to that Morgan says “well if she doesn’t talk now, she’s gonna take that story to old sparky” to which i say wow.

We see Sarah Jean being escorted to the cell she’s gonna stay in for the next two days, and the Warden tells her her last meal cannot exceed $20 and i wonder if the economy has caused this price to go up or down over the past 10 years. SJ asks if she can see the full moon the next day and Meanie Warden says thats against regulation. Bitch. Sarah Jean has a long neck. Next we see the BAU roll up to the prison and there are a bunch of women acting their lil hearts out as they are protesting outside of the prison. Apparently, they call themselves “The Women of Jacob” because they try to dress like his victims. We cant actually hear what they say, but they’re probably psyched Jacob is about to die.

We are back at the BAU makeshift headquarters and see Garcia has set up a clock to count down the hours, and it is Monday 8am, and they have 35 hours remaining til Sarah Jean gets zapped. (this feels insensitive but I’m trying to keep it lighthearted). Hotch explains that in 1985 there was a string of girls missing reported in Northern FL. Someone called in and reported they saw Jacob Dawes with one of these girls, but we don’t know who it was that called it in. so they interview Dawes, Sarah Jean & Riley is there. They come back three hours later with a search warrant and find out that Riley has vanished and they found the disembodied remains of 12 girls buried under Dawes’s workshop. They speculate that they think Jacob figured that Riley would slow him down so he ordered Sarah Jean to kill Riley & hide the dispose the body. Sarah Jean admits to killing Riley, but has never spoken about her involvement with the 12 - now 13 other girls, causing her to look complicit.

JACOB DAWES PROFILE

A sexual psychopath
Obsessed with the idea of total possession of his victims
Shown no guilt or remorse
Abused as a child

SARAH JEAN

The demeanor of a war victim, not a psychopath.
She is a possession of Jacob

696 Henessy Street is their home address which i just find fun. It is also due for demolition so Elle and Morgan have been requested to poke around and Elle explains that Jacob claims that Sarah Jean would lure the victims from mall parking lots into her truck by offering them pot, and they would “find Jacob but no pot”. He would then torture them in his workshop and used a bench saw to dismember the bodies. As having had a brief stint as a carpenter before COVID left me unemployed I’m offended by this. This also seems extremely impractical. A table saw would’ve been easier. After disembodying them, he would bury them under the floor. I am horrified to imagine how this would smell.

We find out that SJ’s mother refused to give any testimony in her defense and talked to no one. So they go visit her mother. Cut to the prison and Gideon is getting ready to interview SJ. We find out she has been refused contact with anyone for her own safety, because so many people hate this women. And still as fresh as it was 15 years ago. We see her cell and see that SJ is a very accomplished painter. SJ says she has had plenty of time to practice. Gideon says he is there so that the mothers of the children can find out why their children had to die.

Morgan and Elle show up at Mrs Mason’s house and she says that apparently SJ and Jacob buried one of the bodies of the girls under HER FLOOR! (again, very moors murders). They ask if she will give any background information, and we see there is graffiti saying “go to hell SJ” on the house. Apparently, Jacob also helped build and remodel the house. We learn that SJ was apparently fine, shy and quiet before meeting Jacob, and very smart. Apparently, her father was a strict military man who has since die, and she didn’t always see eye to eye with him. Her father was a “mean bastard” who abused her mother, and they didn’t divorce because they had no where else to go. A letter arrived that morning, and it is a “statement of innocence”.

We cut back to the prison and SJ is complimenting Goobs for being a Dr at such a young age and saying “his mother must be so proud”, but this moment is interrupted as Jacob is being moved and they see one another in the halls between bars, he yells out after her and calls her babycakes its gross, and he thinks its a beautiful thing. She turns to Gideon without missing a beat and says “you designed that to happen. Did you learn anything?” Garcia gets a call from Elle and patches Elle through to Gideon, and it is SJ’s private statement of innocence that she sent to her mother. Gideon starts repeating it verbally and SJ gets REAL upset. Gideon asks SJ why she didn’t say any of this in court, and SJ admits to having known he was bringing girls back to his workshop. She feels guilty because they died as of her neglect. Gideon believes she is innocent and does not believe she should be executed.

Jacob was an only child - which means to fulfill his fantasy he was most likely alone while killing???? They believe that SJ was the one who called the police on Jacob. Hotch and JJ go to interview Dawes. Dawes starts being creepy - she says “my friends call me JJ” “well hello JJ” “you’re not my friend, you can call me Jennifer”. Gideon goes back to SJ. She says he has a lovely smile. Gideon has the warden bring all her paintings from her cell into the interview, and starts analyzing all the possible symbolism in the paintings.

Cut back to Dawes being gross again. Dawes tries to make a deal with Hotch over cards - saying if Hotch wins he gets information from Dawes, but if Dawes wins he gets to smell JJ’s hair. Gross. Hotch is a feminist and immediately does not agree to these terms, but JJ agrees to the terms and says its okay. JJ deals the cards and they begin to play. Gideon asks SJ about why she confessed to killing her son. She asks Gideon if he has kids and carries pictures of his kids. Gideon asks SJ how old her son would have been, etc. SJ asks Gideon if the strain of his work affects his marriage which is kind of a personal question but go off, sad eyes. Gideon says hes not married, and she’s like “but you were though”. He asks why she’s still protecting Jacob, and she’s like “did you divorce because of putting people like me away?” again, girl, this is personal.

Gideon says he think’s she’s innocent. “Its our children who suffers for our sins, isn’t it?” Gideon talks about how is son is 25 and has a picture of him in his office. SJ asks why he doesn’t carry the photo with him to protect him, and how you have to leave them somewhere safe, somewhere clean. This is importante. Gideon asks if killing her son was protecting him, and where he is buried, and SJ only responds by saying he is somewhere safe. Very evasive but appropriate answers.

Back to poker. It looks as if Dawes has won, which means no info and hair smelling time. But Hotch ACTUALLY wins, so Dawes answers the question and says “there are no other bodies”, which feels false. While getting ready to leave Dawes, Hotch “receives a message” (this is fake right??) that SJ is no longer being executed, so Dawes flips shit and is like SHE KILLED HIM I’LL TELL YA WHERE THE BODY IS. so they done bamboolzed him and got the info anyway.

Cut to the backyard of a rich person’s house, and Morgan, Ellee and some other dude are scanning the ground and they find a skull buired under the gazebo. They ID the body and I’m sorry but this Ashley Farley looks like a 2000s version of JoJo Siwa, so it wasnt actually the son. She was 14. Jacob gave them this because taking the secret to his grave still satisifies the need for ultimate power, and SJ while ultimately be his last victim.

Cut to SJ’s cell and we see her eating McDonalds?? A choice. Gideon is visiting her and asks about how she was Ashely Farley’s house cleaner, and tells her that they found her body under the gazebo. Hotch confronts Dawes and is asking how many more bodies there are. Hotch is hot in this episode with how stoic he is towards Dawes.

Gideon and SJ talk about art. Its all loaded with meaning, since Gideon realizes she’s painting her son. SJ tells him to leave since she has literally 5 hours left alive. Gideon and Goobs research the hebrew bible? Because they is symbolism in her paintings. They realize that her son is actually not dead and that she probably sent him somewhere else, which means she is INNOCENT!! They have two hours left, so they go ham - me in the library before a final, doing the most absolute research. Gideon realizes her answers are probably in her cell. We see Dawes getting his hair shaved. Gideon begs for five minutes in her cell and the warden is a bitch - but then he is super nice and allows SJ to go outside and see the moon, and this is super moving and makes me emotional. The warden offers SJ a jacket which she refuses, which again, beautiful compassion. SJ asks about the Warden’s sons, and again, this makes me emotional. She talks about the man in the moon and how he looks down at both of them.

Gideon is doing some sneaky shit in her cell and finds a newspaper clipping of a young man and cello taped to the back of one of her paintings. Its her son! “Thank you warden, this has been wonderful. Your kindness to me. I thank you”. Garcia does her internet magic and they are able to properly ID the newspaper clipping and it is 100% her son.

Next we see baldy Dawes being moved to the execution chamber, and he is so flipping ENTHUSIASTIC. Screaming “Sarah Jean! I’ll be waiting for you!” “DO you want to make your peace with god, Jacob?” “I’ve made my peace 18 times, and each one prettier than him” gross. Hotch is again being SO good. Dawes insists on walking by himself - not being touched - as he walks down to the execution cell. So now we know of sho he has killed four more girls than before. Sarah Jean is having her hair cut. The blue print for Anne Hathaway in Les mis. She realizes that the newspaper clipping is missing from the painting, which she is rightfully very upset about. Dawes is now in the execution chamber and god the outfit is so bad. He’s so fucking smug about it though, its gross. “Bring it on” are his last words. Gross.

HOTCH COMES IN WITH THE ULTIMATE POWER MOVE OF HOLDING RILEY’S PHOTO UP AGAINST THE GLASS WINDOW AND SAYS “RILEY. YOU LOSE” and Dawes snarls “NO” its so good. And then its zap zap time for him. Again, the death penalty is a very complicated moral conversation that i have thoughts on, but this is so dramatic. Now SJ is also bald, and Gideon tells her that Dawes is gone. Gideon is essentially begging her to tell them where Riley is, and she says this has never been about Jacob, but Riley. SJ says her gift to Riley was him not knowing her.

Garcia ID’s where Riley is, and he’s a cello prodigy and won fancy scholarships. Again, my heartstrings. Elle and Morgan zoom over to Riley’s house. SJ is also now dressed in a horrific death outfit, being escorted to the execution cell. I would be mortified if I had to wear this. SJ explains to Gideon that she is “at peace with the knowledge that my son is free to be whatever he chooses to be”. She doesn’t want him to know who his parents are because of the damage her legacy could do to him. Gideon is extremely distressed and so am I. she says “you [Gideon] will have the chance to save Rileys life”.

Elle and Morgan arrive at Riley’s home. Its a FANCY house. There is no one at the house. Gideon says to break into the house if needed. The family arrives in the fancy driveway, and the father comes out. Morgan talks to the father and asserts they are with the FBI. Sj is begging Gideon. “I am standing her because of choices i made. Don’t let Riley my son be Jacob’s last victim. Let me go. Let us both go.” Gideon hugs SJ and its extremely moving, i am unwell. Then Gideon tells Hotch - while not looking away from SJ “tell Morgan it’s not her son. That we made a mistake”. Fuck. Morgan apologizes and says they have the wrong house, and they get ready to leave. Mr Sheffieled says “Agent..thank you” which suggests he may have known what this was about? Thoughts? SJ then says “would it be too much to ask if yours is the last face i see?” to Gideon and now I’m actually crying. Gideon doesn’t actually answer, but he follows her down. She is smiling as she is in the chair, and he is smiling softly back at her. Fuck this is so sad. But god, imagine the toll it takes on a person to witness this?

Cut to Gideon then seeing Riley perform a cello solo - the same one that the episode opened with.

Rating Critieria

Criminal/Serial Killer: 18/20
Character development/ character arcs: 20/20
Forensics/Context: 13/20
Script writing: 19/20
Background characters: 20/20

Overall: 90/100

S1E14 - “Riding The Lightning”

S1E15 - “Unfinished Business”

S1E13 - “Poison”