#pls canon don't let me down we have two seasons left to see

[darkmagicmirror]

I could write an essay (literally) on why I think dark magic being inherently evil would be boring and uncreative and how I think that coming to a conclusion of "dark magic should never be done, ever, and should cease to happen" would be a huge waste of an opportunity to expand on the themes of healing from history by adjusting misunderstandings and moving forward with forgiveness and the openness to learn that things taught from a young age are not necessarily correct -- but do I really have the spoons for that?

[pumpkin-stars]

⚠️mentions of a*use⚠️ I don't think the cm fandom gives Hotch's childhood enough thought when it comes to how closed off he is. It was heavily implied by him that his father abused him as a child when he was angry. I think knowing and understanding that makes seeing how closed off he is more understandable. And I just don't think we as a fandom takes into account that underlying trauma enough.

Yes yes yes we need more acknowledgment of trauma everywhere!!

this pisses me off (with canon) all the time, it’s mentioned explicitly maybe ONCE (and not even that explicitly tbh) in Natural Born Killer and then the writers were just like “lol what we didn’t say that, which one’s Hotch?”

(The same with Derek and Buford but that at least got more than an episode even if it wasn’t handled in the best way (not that I’m an expert on this type of thing, I have no claim to know anything)).

But yeah no you’re totally right and then the stuff with Haley just leaving without a word, and he’s left without the chance to say bye to Jack?? He’s probably thinking about his own shitty dad and hoping beyond all hope that jack’s not gonna end up hating him??

Also Hotch’s dad was 1000% the kind of asshole who made Aaron call him Sir instead of Dad, I just know it... which goes towards Hotch just never letting jack see him as Boss Man?? Pls correct me if I’m wrong but I’m p sure the only ep where he’s forced into AgentMode near Jack is when he’s arrested in s10(?) like even with Foyet when he’s covered in blood and exhausted and stuff Hotch still shifts back to DadMode when he goes to find Jack???

foyet is the only time we see him properly 1000% loose his shit (I think?? I watched 10 seasons in 3 months I forgot a lot) and he still has enough sense to be like DONT LET JACK SEE YOU LIKE THIS!!! DO NOT SCARE YOUR SON!!!

And even the difference in how he acts with Rossi and Gideon?? (And that dude who was in that one episode and (I’m assuming) was meant to be the og Rossi before Mandy decided he hated the show and they needed a replacement),,, I mean, he’s friendly with both for sure, but he knows Gideon’s son hates him and he knows (tiny s7 spoiler 🚨) Rossi’s son died before he could be a dad

so like,,, he doesn’t wanna be like either of them as a father but he REALLY doesn’t wanna be like Gideon and have Jack just never talk to him?? So he’s wary of Jason but then Dave comes along and he’s still laughing and joking (after a rocky start) even after all the shit, and I think Aaron realises he can be Big Bad Profiler Man and still Jack’s Superhero Dad and yeah, they can be the same person?? He doesn’t have to swap between the two (at least after s5)

Even then Hotch is always closed off and can’t trust other men but he’s had to learn to open himself up to others, and the BAU team totally helped with that, cause Fake Italian Dad, Skinny Twink Who Needs A Dad, Kinda-Insecure Jock Who Also Needs A Dad But Won’t Admit It, and His Actual Son are all looking to him as this role model of both an agent and a man

And it takes him so long to let his guard down around them but he does and it’s great, and then all the shit he goes through hardens him up again because he won’t let himself break in front of the people who need him most (even though he really wants to) because he knows that seeing him as anything other than Agent Hotchner or Dad will scare them (either his sadness or his anger maybe both)

This got a bit off topic and I wrote more than I intended but yes your OG point is totally right and I 100% agree. Someone give him a hug for god’s sake please.