premiere hotch speculation

[ohshiznaps.livejournal.com]

This was discussed briefly on the episode discussion post, but i felt it needed it's own as it could be a HUGE added pain for our beloved leader.

The reaper, Hotch... was there a rape? it was most definitely insinuated, but i felt it was more of a "wait, WHAT?!" moment that passed to quickly to get  a full read on the situation.

im thinking no. if it had, i feel they would have put in more content to support it. all we really saw was a stab that looked below the belt. and the reaper was still fully in pants through the whole thing. 

unless it's something hotch blocked from his memory...

does anyone remember what the reaper said to him? about stabbing being a substitute for sex?

  if this has been discussed or anything already, feel free to mod it up.

Comments

[took-skye.livejournal.com]

blondychik1, I believe it's how it was supposed to feel...cause that's what it was. Serial killers get their real/best/genuine sexual-type release from killing. It's the most intimate interaction they have probably. And kudos to the show's creators (cast, crew, writers, etc) for giving that an accurate portrayal! (Even if the image of pale Foyet all hovering over Hotch whilst slowing sliding his knife in and out of the beloved agent will forever creep me out, lol!)

...As for what happened between Foyet and Hotch...hmm...I'm not completely sure. Either Foyet raping Hotch or stabbing him in the genitals works to make his point about "he stabs because he's impotent" being false really. If he stabs, thus (presumably) leaving Hotch impotent than it's a way of taunting..."Will you stab others as a substitute for sex now that you can't get it up? ...No? Well neither do I and so I've proved you wrong!" If it's a rape Foyet's sadistically proven Hotch wrong by completing a sex act. Either would qualify as a sexual assault and, if the show does what it should, we'll see whatever happened start to back-up on Hotch. (Much like the Henkel case did with Reid - flashbacks, etc.)

My guess is it was a stabbing in the genitals...after all Foyet slid the knife into Hotch right after the statement in an area that seems rather below the belt (though not inner thigh, the femoral artery's there and it'd be too risky a stab). If there were a rape you'd expect to hear an unbuckling of a belt or some slightly clearer indication that Foyet took that extra sexually sadistic step. Though, honestly, I rather hope the show goes all out, is really brave, and does go with Hotch having been raped. Not that I want that to happen - I love Hotch and the poor guy's been through more than enough - but I'd be really impressed with the creators' willingness to go there.

[rwhip923.livejournal.com]

This is pretty much how I've been thinking. He clearly did stab somewhere in the genital region. But the psychological fallout of rape would make for some very interesting television.

[runriggers.livejournal.com]

I also think that there would have been some more indication on Hotch's part that something other than a stabbing took place .... he'd be flinching away from physical contact or something to that effect, even if he didn't break down and fall apart.

I really don't think that a rape took place

[a_blackpanther]

That's just it. Hotch doesn't flinch. He didn't even blink at the gunshot.

[runriggers.livejournal.com]

Maybe Hotch doesn't flinch .... but don't you think the network/writers would show him pulling away from the nurses or Haley or something to show an implication of something other than just a stabbing? If there was something other than a stabbing?

[unfamiluartheme.livejournal.com]

I think it would be so interesting for them to have a man getting raped because that's not really shown a lot on television. I don't even remember it on Criminal Minds!It's usually women, so I think it would put a nice (but not nice) twist.

[took-skye.livejournal.com]

Actually it was in "Conflicted" with Jackson Rathbone playing the UNSUB Adam/Amanda...he would rape and kill male co-eds on Spring Break. ...Only, of course, no fallout because the victims were also killed.

That being said a male rape victim - and especially a male like Hotch - having to go through the psychological aftermath would be deeply interesting to watch.

[a_blackpanther]

The did show the fallout, mostly, with Morgan in Profiler, Profiled.

[took-skye.livejournal.com]

Very true, they did. ...But I'd still like to see the psychological aftermath of this attack because while many emotions would be similar (shame, anger, self-blame, confusion) some would be different. Morgan had years to deal with his molestation (not that he recovered - I don't think anyone really, completely, does after any sexual assault - but he was able to build his psyche and life back up; Hotch's trauma is very fresh. And Hotch has to deal with the clearly violent aspect of his attack; Morgan's molestation, from my understanding and recall, wasn't violent (I'm not saying it's wasn't painful - physically or otherwise - but the UNSUB was a pedophile that seduced boys, not simply attacked them).

Did that make sense? Hope so, haha!

[took-skye.livejournal.com]

Very true...the personalization, or over-personalization it seems at times, adds a much deeper element to the Foyet/Hotch dynamic. Both men have been invested in the other - in one way or another - for a good chunk of their lives (much like, if not even more than, Gideon and Frank were in previous seasons - I can't currently remember if Frank's first appearance on the show was the first in Gideon's career or not). That fact alone changes the inner monologue, and thus behavior, of both the victim and the attacker...and my guess/hope is it'll continue to do so throughout this season.

[took-skye.livejournal.com]

I agree, he pretty much is. Yeah, I think you're right, Gideon was aware of the killer but I don't think he ever really was able to create a profile. Hotch did...Of course Foyet seemed to make a point to try and destroy every aspect of it during the attack.

...Which actually makes me think that their (Hotch and Foyet's) connection/relationship/whatever you choose to call it is deeper. Not only did Frank not brazenly go after Gideon like Foyet did (he used surrogates instead) Frank didn't really change his MO at all even while attacking those close to Gideon (same Ketamine use, same evisceration, etc). Hotch made Foyet change his behavior; Foyet made Hotch "rethink the way [he'll] profile"...whatever that might imply.

[took-skye.livejournal.com]

Haha, well Hotch certainly shook the killer up, that's for sure! And, no doubt, Foyet repaid him big time! They feed off each other because they are both stubborn and completely unwilling to give in to the other. Hotch's refusal to make a deal (failure, what sets a killer off) and then the implied statement that Hotch would hunt him down because he was just like all the rest (insult to injury)...well that set the killer off in a different direction than, I'm sure, either of them expected. And now that Hotch's suffered victimhood, for all intensive purposes lost his son (and ex-wife who I'm sure he still cares for), and was unable to catch Foyet yet again it should certainly change Hotch as well. ...And that's why the whole thing is so great to follow, haha!