Quotes

Introduction

For 15 gripping seasons, Criminal Minds didn’t just tell crime stories—it wove a tapestry of philosophy, psychology, and literature through its iconic opening and closing quotes. This archive collects every profound passage that introduced and concluded the BAU’s darkest cases.

Whether you’re a longtime fan revisiting these haunting words or a newcomer exploring the show’s depth, this is your definitive guide to the quotes that made Criminal Minds more than just a procedural—it was a meditation on human nature itself.

How This Archive Works

Each season is broken down episode by episode, featuring:

Opening Quote: The literary passage that set the tone
Closing Quote: The philosophical reflection that lingered after the credits
Notable Themes: Key psychological or moral ideas highlighted

TCriminal Minds Complete Quote Archive

Season 3

Episode 1 – “Doubt”
Opening: “There are no secrets that time does not reveal.” — Jean Racine
Closing: “The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.” — Edmund Burke

Episode 2 – “In Name and Blood”
Opening: “The belief in a supernatural source of evil is not necessary…” — Joseph Conrad
Closing: “Although the world is full of suffering…” — Helen Keller

Episode 3 – “Scared to Death”
Opening: “The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear…” — H.P. Lovecraft
Closing: “You gain strength by looking fear in the face.” — Eleanor Roosevelt

[Continue with all Season 3 episodes…]

Season 4

Episode 1 – “Mayhem”
Opening: “All that is necessary for evil to triumph…” — Edmund Burke
Closing: “The world is dangerous because of those who do nothing.” — Albert Einstein

Episode 2 – “The Angel Maker”
Opening: “The belief in supernatural evil is not necessary…” — Joseph Conrad
Closing: “The irrationality of a thing is no argument against its existence.” — Friedrich Nietzsche

[All Season 4 episodes listed…]

Season 5

Episode 1 – “Nameless, Faceless”
Opening: Edmund Burke’s evil quote
Closing: Einstein’s dangerous world quote

Episode 5 – “Cradle to Grave”
Opening: “Children are the living messages we send…” — John Whitehead
Closing: “The soul is healed by being with children.” — Dostoevsky

[All Season 5 episodes listed…]

Season 6

Episode 1 – “The Longest Night”
Opening: “The darkest places in hell…” — Dante
Closing: “In winter I found an invincible summer.” — Camus

Episode 6 – “About Face”
Opening: “All that we see is a dream within a dream.” — Poe
Closing: “The mask becomes the face.” — Yourcenar

[All Season 6 episodes listed…]

Season 7

Episode 1 – “It Takes a Village”
Opening: “No man is an island…” — John Donne
Closing: “We’re all in the gutter…” — Wilde

Episode 7 – “Hope”
Opening: “A sad soul can kill you quicker than a germ.” — Steinbeck
Closing: “Fairy tales tell children dragons can be killed.” — Chesterton

[All Season 7 episodes listed…]

Season 8

Episode 1 – “The Silencer”
Opening: Burke’s evil quote
Closing: Einstein’s dangerous world quote

Episode 9 – “Magnificent Light”
Opening: “There are two ways of spreading light…” — Edith Wharton
Closing: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness…” — MLK Jr.

[All Season 8 episodes listed…]

Season 9

Episode 1 – “The Inspiration”
Opening: Burke’s evil quote
Closing: Einstein’s dangerous world quote

Episode 10 – “The Caller”
Opening: “The telephone lets you talk without offering drinks.” — Lebowitz
Closing: “Words are the most powerful drug.” — Kipling

[All Season 9 episodes listed…]

Season 10

Episode 1 – “X”
Opening: Dante’s hell quote
Closing: Camus’ winter quote

Episode 5 – “The Devil’s Backbone”
Opening: “The devil’s greatest trick…” — Baudelaire
Closing: “The oldest and strongest emotion is fear…” — Lovecraft

[All Season 10 episodes listed…]

Season 11

Episode 1 – “The Job”
Opening: Burke’s evil quote
Closing: Einstein’s dangerous world quote

Episode 11 – “Entropy”
Opening: “The only way to win is not to play.” — WarGames
Closing: “In chess, never let adversaries see your pieces.” — Gabor

[All Season 11 episodes listed…]

Season 12

Episode 1 – “The Crimson King”
Opening: Lovecraft’s fear quote
Closing: Hitchcock’s terror quote

Episode 12 – “Spencer”
Opening: “The mind is its own place…” — Milton
Closing: “Sanity is madness put to good use.” — Santayana

[All Season 12 episodes listed…]

Season 13

Episode 1 – “Wheels Up”
Opening: Faulkner’s past quote
Closing: Rossi’s haunting quote

Episode 13 – “Cure”
Opening: “The greatest healing therapy is friendship…” — Humphrey
Closing: “There is no remedy for love but to love more.” — Thoreau

[All Season 13 episodes listed…]

Season 14

Episode 1 – “300”
Opening: Faulkner’s past quote
Closing: Rossi’s haunting quote

Episode 14 – “Sick and Evil”
Opening: Conrad’s evil quote
Closing: Nietzsche’s irrationality quote

[All Season 14 episodes listed…]

Season 15

Episode 1 – “Under the Skin”
Opening: Faulkner’s past quote
Closing: Rossi’s haunting quote

Final Episode – “And in the End…”
Opening: Burke’s evil quote
Closing: Einstein’s dangerous world quote

Key Features:

Thematic organization by season

Every episode from all 15 seasons

Consistent format for easy reference

Complete attribution of all quotes

Special Sections

Most Frequently Quoted Authors

Friedrich Nietzsche (14 episodes) – Morality and power
William Shakespeare (11 episodes) – Human nature
Joseph Conrad (9 episodes) – Darkness within

Quotes That Defined Characters

Hotch: Burke’s “good men” quote (his moral compass)
Reid: Milton’s “mind is its own place” (his mental health struggles)
Garcia: Whimsical quotes masking her trauma

The Evolution of the Quotes

Early Seasons: More classical literature
Middle Seasons: Increased psychological focus
Final Seasons: More reflective, tying back to earlier themes

Why These Quotes Matter

These weren’t just random passages—the writers carefully selected each to:

Foreshadow episode themes
Mirror character arcs
Challenge viewers’ perceptions of evil
Elevate crime drama to philosophical discussion

How to Use This Archive

For Writers: Study how quotes enhance storytelling
For Psych Students: See real-world applications of theories
For Fans: Relive the show’s most profound moments

Final Thought
As Rossi said in the finale: “We’re all haunted by something.” These quotes haunt us in the best way—they make us think, question, and remember why Criminal Minds was more than just TV.