Criminal Minds: 10 Best JJ Quotes

With the announcement of the Criminal Minds revival, fans are looking forward to seeing their favorite characters return for the show. Along with five of her costars, A.J. Cook, who portrays JJ, is said to be returning for the series revival.

Jennifer “JJ” Jareau starts out at the BAU as the media liaison but turns to profiling later in the series. JJ is a people person and she specializes in communication, which makes her an integral part of the BAU. JJ is often the voice of reason, but she also has a great sense of humor, which leads her to have some great quotes throughout the series.

When Garcia Has A Crush On A Videogame Character

“Please Don’t Tell Me You Have A Crush On A Fictional Character.”

JJ is often depicted as the mom of the group so when she finds out that Garcia is playing an online game at the BAU and has an online “boyfriend,” she delivers this line to Garcia.

The parallel between this and something a mother would say to their child after finding out they have an online love interest is what makes this quote so great. Though she may not be considered one of the best moms in television history, JJ’s nurturing personality is something fans love about her character. This is a great example of JJ taking on her “mom” persona.

When She Shoots The Man Who Tried To Kill Garcia

“You Do Whatever It Takes To Protect Your Family.”

JJ isn’t typically the one who makes the final shot, especially in the first few seasons. But when the man who tries to kill Garcia shows up at the BAU and takes a hostage, JJ shoots him through a window. Garcia apologizes for putting JJ in that situation and this is JJ’s response.

As the series progresses it is evident that the members of the BAU see their fellow team members as more of a family and, with such a high-risk job, it is important that they look out for each other. JJ loves her family and her maternal instinct is to keep them safe. This line shows viewers how far JJ will go to protect the ones she loves.

When She Leaves The BAU

“There Are Things We Don’t Want To Happen, But Have To Accept. Things We Don’t Want To Know, But Have To Learn. And People We Can’t Live Without, But Have To Let Go.”

JJ loves the BAU and never wanted to leave it, but she is offered a promotion to work in the Pentagon. Despite turning down the offer a number of times, JJ ends up leaving the BAU and this, one of the best quotes in Criminal Minds, was part of her exit interview.

This quote comes from the memoir The Truth About Butterflies by Nancy Stephan. Despite not being her own words, this quote sums up the situation JJ faces with leaving the BAU. She never wanted to leave the BAU, but in the end, she really didn’t have much of a choice and has to accept that.

When The Team Got Called In On A Sunday

“I Wish Psychopathic Killers Would Be A Little More Respectful Of Our Weekends Too.”

JJ is aware that killers don’t have a schedule. JJ calls Garcia early on a Sunday morning to tell her they have a case and she needs to come in. Garcia complains and this was JJ’s response.

In the beginning seasons, JJ is the one that decides which cases the BAU takes and is the one to call the team in. JJ is used to being the bearer of bad news, but this quote shows that she can sometimes make a joke while doing so. While JJ isn’t known as a funny character, she is known to be sarcastic at times, which is also apparent in this quote.

When She Acted As A Hostage Negotiator

“Yes There Are Monsters, And It’s Okay To Be Afraid Of Them. But It’s Not Okay To Let Them Win, And It’s Not Okay To Be One.”

JJ is asked to be the hostage negotiator in season 6 and she is told to sympathize with the unsub. But JJ isn’t able to sympathize with someone who kidnapped a girl.

JJ is the nurturing mother figure in the BAU so when she is asked to sympathize with someone who clearly doesn’t have a nurturing personality, she is unable to do it. JJ is a mother and this role sometimes makes her job difficult. She empathizes with victims especially if they are children or mothers.

When She, Emily, And Garcia Call Out An FBI Wannabe

“It Must Be Really Tough Keeping All Those Secrets.”

The women of the BAU meet a man at the bar, who is pretending to be an FBI agent. The man keeps telling them that everything is classified and JJ delivers this line in retort.

This is another example of JJ’s sarcasm. When a man is trying to impress them by lying about his FBI qualifications, she can’t help but play along for a little bit before calling him out. This scene is meant to be a funny and lighthearted way to start the episode before things get dark. It’s proof that JJ can be hilarious when she wants to be, as well as demonstrating one of Criminal Mind‘s best workplace friendships.

When She Tells The Team About Her Secret Relationship

“When It Becomes Real People Get Hurt, And I’ve always Run From Getting Hurt. I Don’t Want To Run Anymore. Not From You.”

JJ kept her relationship with Will secret for quite a while, telling Will she wanted their relationship private because the team already knew so much about her. She ends up telling Will this because she realizes what he means to her.

JJ has always been the compassionate one and she has been hurt many times so it is reasonable that she would run from things she knows can hurt her. This quote is proof that despite her tendency to avoid pain, JJ is strong and willing to face the pain to pursue someone she loves.

When She Calls Out Rossi

“Could You Be Anymore Obvious?”

Even before becoming a profiler, JJ could read people. Rossi and Strauss make eyes at each other before Strauss states that she’s leaving for the hotel, and JJ says this to Rossi.

JJ started out as the media liaison for the BAU and graduated to become a profiler. Despite that, she has always been good at reading people because people have always been her specialty. So she can’t help but call out Rossi when she notices the way he looks at Strauss, delivering a funny but heartwarming moment.

When She Patronizes An Unsub

“Shh! The Adults Are Talking. When It’s Your Turn To Speak, I’ll Give You Permission.”

The BAU encounters many unsubs that look down on and mistreat women. JJ and Emily, two of Criminal Mind‘s badass female leads, are often used to throw an unsub off balance as they are women in a male-dominated field. This quote comes from an episode with an extremely misogynistic man.

JJ again takes on her maternal persona to throw this unsub off-balance, talking to him as if he is a child being disciplined by his mother. While JJ is often gentle and nurturing, this quote is proof that she has no problem talking down to an unsub, especially one that thinks so little of her or women in general. It shows that JJ can be a badass when she wants to be.

When She Stands Up For Her Team

“Keep Taking Your Best Shot, And Maybe You Will Get Us. But We’re Damn Sure Gonna Take You Down Too.”

The FBI’s Assistant Director Linda Barnes tries her hardest to break up the BAU in her frenzy for power and JJ defends her team against Barnes’ attempts, assuring Barnes that if they go down they are taking her with them.

JJ is often seen as the sensitive and gentle one of the group, but when someone threatens the people she is closest to, they will see how badass JJ can be. When JJ is angry, it is usually because someone threatens her friends or family. This quote is proof that JJ will not let anyone come between her and the people she loves.

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