Most powerful moments from Jennifer “JJ” Jareau in Criminal Minds

It’s Women’s History Month and what better way to celebrate than to show some love to our favorite female characters from shows past and present? One of those ways is to provide a look into some of our favorite powerful moments this character has exhibited. Some may be subtle, while others are more action-based. This is no different with the one we’re focusing on here, and that is Jennifer “JJ” Jareau from the long-running CBS series, Criminal Minds.

Having ended in 2015, the television show recently got a chance at a reboot, with actress A.J. Cook set to reprise her role as the FBI liaison turned behavior analyst.

Over the 15-year span of the show, we watched her grow as a mother, special agent, and strong woman who went through a lot but always came out fighting. We wanted to highlight some key moments that focus on her character’s journey. Perhaps one of the most well-known powerful moments for JJ came in the season 7 finale, “Run.”

Powerful moments from Jennifer “JJ” Jareau on Criminal Minds

JJ found herself in a situation where a bank robbery investigation led to both her boyfriend, Will LaMontange, and young son, Henry, being in danger. Arriving at her home with Agent David Rossi, he helps her cause a distraction so she can get in the house and stop the assassin who is going after her son. JJ has an incredible fight scene that shows just how hard she will fight to protect her child.

It not only displays how far she would go to protect her child, but also how capable she is when it comes to a fight. She went through a lot of growth over the span of the series and this was just one of those moments.

There would be no way to possibly go down the list of everything that makes her powerful, from the more noticeable moments to subtle scenes. But we can at least briefly mention things that showed Jennifer “JJ” Jareau and her growth through the years. This includes:

• An early episode in season 1 where she is not yet an agent, but does help Agent Aaron Hotchner question a serial killer before he is executed for his crimes. She exemplified the ability to hold her own while questioning some of their most vile killers.
• Another episode, season 4’s “Amplification,” highlighted JJ learning how to separate her emotions as a new mother, while also working to protect the public from the panic that would come from a bioweapon attack.
• There are just too many to name, but one of the funniest is just a small scene where, before she questions a misogynistic suspect, she shushes him as though she is talking to her toddler. It’s an interrogation technique they use, but also displays how well she does at her job.

All in all, if the Criminal Minds reboot does get a chance to air, it will be amazing to see Jennifer “JJ” Jareau back on our screens. There’s so much they can do with her character and we look forward to seeing what she can do. In any case, we will always at least celebrate this strong, amazing woman who worked to balance her roles as a mother and an FBI agent.

Which character moment for Jennifer “JJ” Jareau was your favorite as a Criminal Minds fan? Let us know in the comments below.