‘Criminal Minds’ Season 12: 8 Reasons We’ll Miss Thomas Gibson’s Hotch On CBS Series

Supervisory Special Agent Aaron “Hotch” Hotchner will never be seen again on CBS’ “Criminal Minds.” The actor who played the character, Thomas Gibson, was abruptly fired after he allegedly had an on-set altercation with a writer and producer of the show. Worse still, his character unceremoniously left the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) to do a temporary assignment.

The BAU team leader will be sorely missed.

As a celebration of all things Hotch, here are eight reasons why we will miss the compassionate, honest and down-to-earth FBI Agent:

1. He Was A Real Leader

Hotch always impressed “Criminal Minds” fans with his awesome leadership skills. He would make the hard decisions – the ones that no one will make, he delegated tasks on a case with ease and he was always there for his team members whenever they seemed to be struggling. The BAU may never have a leader as decisive and hardworking as him.

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2. Hotch Didn’t Let The Work Get To Him

Most people wouldn’t be able to work after the their ex-wife was killed by an Unsub or after getting framed by a serial killer or after being mind-controlled. But not Hotch. He didn’t let any of that affect him too much.

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3. Hotch Was Always Rational

No matter how emotional all the members of the BAU felt while solving a case, Hotch was always the rational, logical voice to guide them while catching an Unsub. During Derek Morgan’s (Shemar Moore) kidnapping and brutal torture, Hotch was able to keep a calm head while the rest of the team – such as Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness) – were worried sick about their colleague and friend.

4. The Serious BAU Leader Also Knew How To Have Fun

Yes, he’s a very serious man. But that doesn’t mean he can’t crack a smile or have fun once in a while.

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5. Hotch Always Understood When A Case Was Got Too Personal For Someone

In a recent Season 12 episode, when a case hit too close to Jennifer Jareau/J.J. (A.J. Cook), Aaron told her to take some time off.

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6. Gibson’s Character Was Always Determined

Remember when the BAU leader successfully completed the FBI Triathlon finish line? When he puts his mind to something, he doesn’t stop till he’s achieved it.