“Promise me that you will tell him how we met. And how you used to make me laugh. He needs to know that you weren’t always so serious, Aaron. I want him to believe in love. Because it is the most important thing. But you need to show him. Promise me.”
This is loooong rambling.———
One of the biggest reason why I’m so into Hotch/Beth development is, that I know Hotch was once very happy and how his personal happiness turned into hell. I know what he has been through, not just as his background story but ongoing process. He was happiest at the beginning of the series and kept going downhill for four seasons and half to hell. And as if divorce was not enough, his world got almost completely destroyed by Foyet (his confidence and pride and everything he built up). And in a way I experienced his hell with him (I mean, it was really really hard for me to watch Hotch during season 5, he was on the edge and tried really hard to keep himself together and… Morgan/Hotch scene in the end of 5.11 Retaliation was one of the hardest to watch because I cannot help but compare Morgan’s confidence and Hotch’s “barely keeping pieces of himself together” feature.).
I alway think Hotch and Haley’s story was very real. And always feel sad for both of them because sometimes love is not enough to be together and I feel pain for the fact that’s the case for them. I think failed marriage destroyed part of him once. But also I have a feeling at the end of season 4 Hotch started to make some kind of peace with Haley (judging by the way he talked on the phone in Amplification.). And when I think about this way, Foyet’s ordeal become more cruel for Hotch. Because Foyet destroyed what Hotch started fixing completely and made sure Hotch would feel guilty over it. This could have destroyed Hotch completely. This should have destroyed Hotch completely. Because that’s exactly what Foyet planned.
I feel, during divorce and Foyet’s attack, at one point he lost hope or even any desire to be happy for himself ever again. But then there’s Haley’s promise left. Whatever happened between them, I think this promise was her biggest love for Hotch. Because she knew this could destroy Hotch and made sure Hotch can move on from this and try to be happy again. Because she knew him and wanted him and Jack to be happy. She wanted Hotch to make Jack happy.
And Hotch started to build himself again little by little and started to build his life with Jack.
And Beth comes. With full of positive energy and brightness.
And she brings back part of Hotch which he himself has been forgotten ever been existed to life.
I’m just…. so fascinated how Hotch’s story is playing out in the show and just so happy to see he finally starts trying to be happy, not only for Jack but for himself.
And I think Beth is smart and cute and funny and just perfect for Hotch and Jack. I can really easily imagine why she can bring this playful and joyous Hotch back to life and their happy life together with Jack.
I welcome and look forward to see coming inevitable difficulty they will face. I’m so glad TG takes this relationship seriously. But, the show, please don’t destroy this. Please make them live happily together when series ends.
- After-Case Conversation: 5.20 A Thousand Words
As much as I like to see personal moments and team bondings, I want the episode ends with conversation something related to the case. With after-case conversation, the case story become deeper, richer, more complete for me. And with the conversations they have, I can learn a little bit more about the character. How they feel. How they think. How they care people.I feel in season 7, the show was too busy exploring personal issues and team bonding, and the case had become more flat and superficial because the case was just there and totally separated to the characters most of the time.
Season 7 finale was felt some closure for the mess they had. So, I hope, the show will make balance between purely personal/team bonding moments and how the characters feel/think about the case, what they learn from it. Like this episode; they have purely team banter moment with Morgan/Reid/Prentiss and after-case conversation with Hotch/Rossi/JJ. It’s not necessarily big conversation all the time, just a few words exchange was better than nothing. Like the in Bittersweet Science, after the case Hotch and Rossi exchange information about the case just before personal talk. That’s only a few words and just a information talk, but with that, I felt they care about the case. I guess I want to see the team cares about the case after solved. Then I can feel somehow the case more real, more human. Not just a material.
- Hotch and Beth and Jack Moment: 7.23 Hit *day off*
I said thousand times, but I love them so much. I love Beth and Hotch’s playfulness. I love Beth’s joyful and carefree laugh. I love the fact they already look like a cute little family. I mean, this is exactly what Haley wanted for them, right? Beth brings so much joy and brightness into Hotchners.
