Though Criminal Minds ended in 2020 after 15 seasons, the show had a successful run that left a lot of fans fondly remembering the impact of the great main characters. The team changed on and off throughout the series, but there were three characters from season 1 that were still part of the cast until the very end and that includes fan-favorite Penelope Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness). Penelope appears in all but one episode of Criminal Minds. With 321 episodes starring Penelope, fans had plenty of time to get to know her quirky, passionate character.
With Vangsness recently hinting at a Criminal Minds revival on Paramount+ (per Screen Rant), viewers are excited about the prospect of seeing their favorite technical analyst on screens once more. With buzz aplenty over a possible reboot, there's no better time to revisit Penelope's most memorable moments and stand-out quotes.
Her Signature Enthusiasm
"As fast as a caffeinated cheetah riding a lightning bolt, I am on it."
This is one great example of Penelope Garcia's witty banter striking again (no pun intended). While it's obvious that Penelope has a knack for lifting the heavy tension of the show, and is often seen as the comedic relief, she repeatedly proves through her quick words how smart and thoughtful she can be. It's hard to believe that Criminal Minds planned to drop Garcia's storyline after the first episode.
How She Deals With Her Tough Job
“So you know how I like to sometimes say something clever before I say something sad and disturbing to self-soothe. To that end: please, make sure your seat backs and your tray tables are in their fully upright position, because..."
Garcia is the true heart of the team. While JJ (CJ Cook) is known for being the communication expert when it comes to dealing with families of victims, she has a tougher interior that helps her deal with hard situations. Penelope, on the other hand, is always struck frantic when she has to deal with hard, sad situations. This line, said as she's walking into a meeting with the team, proves how trying her job is and how she copes with it in her unique way.
When She Has An Epiphany
"I kept flashing in and out of consciousness and everything was really bright and I remember thinking, 'wait...Is David Bowie Really God?'"
When she's recalling her thoughts when going in and out of consciousness after getting shot, she can still make jokes. If nothing besides her comedic relief, Penelope's character is also based on her often need to please others. While one of the scariest Criminal Minds episodes, appropriately called "Penelope," is about them hunting for the man that targeted and shot her, she's still there to lift her team's spirits with funny quips like this one.
Her Insatiable Flirting With Derek
"Hey, eyebrows? When they do Men of the FBI Calendar, is it just twelve months of you?"
The platonic, humorously heartwarming relationship of Penelope Garcia and Derek Morgan is just another aspect that makes her character even more favorable. When Garcia has just been caught as the Black Queen (as a hacker) and given a deal to join the BAU to avoid jail time, this is one of the first things she says to Agent Morgan. One of the worst character exits on TV was Derek Morgan in season 11. However, though Penelope feels the loss, she keeps up her witty, uplifting personality.
When She Stands Up For Herself
"No, you used to make fun of chicks like me. This is who I always wanted to be and I was too afraid to tell you because I didn't think you'd like me."
The episode, appropriately titled "The Black Queen," is about Penelope revisiting her hacker days when the team needs information from the group she used to work with.
It was empowering for Penelope to finally tell off her toxic, degrading ex-boyfriend when he mentions how they used to make fun of girls like her. This comeback is exceptionally bold of her, given how complicated their relationship was. In the end, she's able to own up to who she is and speak her truth with confidence.
Her Vague Mutterings
"I did a thing... Best not talk about the thing."
How she does her job is a hidden detail about Penelope Garcia and is often misunderstood when considering her character. While it's clear what she does in theory, her expertise dealing with software and the web is quite a mystery to the viewer. In this scene, Agent Hotchner has just questioned her about where she got new tablets for them to view case files more efficiently and these are her vague and cautious responses. It's intriguing to wonder what ways Penelope is able to work her system to get the information she needs (or wants, in the case of somehow finding access to funding for tablets for the whole team).
When She Shows Her Smarts
"You are trapped in a cacoon just waiting for someone to set you free."
Throughout the series, Penelope demonstrates how smart she can be, often using her kind nature and likability to her advantage. When a friend of hers from a support group goes missing, she gets her team involved in finding her. She then takes it upon herself to confront the man that has captured her friend and manipulate him with pretty words. Penelope's good nature comes in handy in this case, using her overt sensitivity to coax the man into giving up and dropping his weapon.
Kind In The Face Of Brutality
"When I got shot I remember thinking 'the last thing I'm ever going to see in this life is the man who killed me' and I couldn't let that happen to him. He had to see something good before he died."
Penelope cares about people. That's why she's always so afraid to lose herself in the work they're doing; she's afraid murder and violence will desensitize her.
But lines like this prove caring is simply in her nature. When she happens upon a man that was just stabbed and is about to die, she doesn't hesitate in running towards him, despite the killer still being a possible threat. She can't imagine letting someone die alone with the image of their killer as their last memory.
Her Love Of Technology
"I want to believe that the world is just teeming with awesome people but all of this is giving me great pause. I want to go back to cyberspace."
One cute aspect of Penelope's character is how easily she gets flustered when pulled away from her screens. Though it doesn't happen often, this particular instance occurs when Hotchner needs her to profile a number of people residing in a small town. As she digs up dirt on these people, it's clear her caring and optimistic personality are making it hard for her to do the job the rest of her team performs on a daily.
She Believes In Forgiveness
"My parents taught us that a big part of love is forgiveness... I won't ever forget the past, but moving on is important too."
There's something about Penelope's personality that pulls her to make the hard decisions she knows are a good choice. When asked to speak at the parole hearing of the drunk driver that killed her parents, her brother wants her to make sure he stays in jail. Instead, Penelope sees no option besides being honest and speaking from the heart. When it comes to Penelope Garcia, it's hard to see anything but heartfelt moments and honesty.