Derek Morgan (Criminal Minds)
Encyclopedia
Derek Morgan is a fictional character on the CBS
crime drama Criminal Minds
, portrayed by Shemar Moore
. Morgan specializes in fixations
and obsessive behaviors.
. He went to Northwestern University
on a football
scholarship
, holds a black belt in Judo
, runs FBI self-defense classes, served in a bomb squad unit, and worked as a Chicago police officer
. He and his two sisters, Sarah and Desirée, grew up in a tough
Chicago
neighborhood.
At the age of ten, Morgan was a witness to the shooting death of his father, a police officer. After his father's death, Morgan struggled somewhat with youthful fighting earning him a juvenile criminal record. He was taken under the wing of a local youth center coordinator, Carl Buford. Buford acted as a surrogate father to Morgan, helping Morgan to obtain the aforementioned football scholarship, but Buford was also sexually abusing
him, which Morgan revealed several years later, under extreme duress. As a teen he discovered the body of an unidentified boy, which had a profound effect on him (he went door to door in order to collect money to buy the boy a headstone and visited the boy's grave every time he came home to Chicago).
Years later, Morgan's past would come back to haunt him when he was arrested by the Chicago Police Department for the murder of the unidentified boy and two others. The lead detective (who had arrested Morgan several times as a boy) believed Morgan was guilty and used a BAU profile done by Jason Gideon
(who was unaware Morgan was the prime suspect) to support his case. Believing he was being framed
by the real killer, the BAU searched through Morgan's life and background to prove him innocent, which Garcia
was uncomfortable doing. They later identified Carl Buford as the man who set Morgan up to take the fall (Buford was friends with the lead detective). When Hotch asked about Buford, Morgan told him to back off. He then escaped police custody and spoke to a local boy who was friends with the latest victim. The boy revealed he was currently being molested by Buford and that the latest victim knew about it. Morgan confronted Buford, who at first denied anything happened between them, and told Morgan the other boy was lying. Refusing to back down (and wishing that he had told someone about Buford when he was a kid), Morgan eventually got Buford to admit to the abuse. Buford's admission was overheard by Chicago detectives (who were hiding nearby), and they arrested Buford. Buford pleaded with Morgan to help him, and Derek told Buford, "You go to Hell." leaving the child molester to his fate.
, didn't recommend him for the position due to concerns that Morgan didn't have enough trust in his coworkers. However, after Joyner was killed by an IED
in the fourth-season premiere, Hotchner told Morgan that the job was his if he wanted it. Nevertheless, Morgan chose not to take the position, and remained with the BAU due to fear of John Manuel.
Morgan is known for intense physical bravado. For example, he once chased a suspect (called an unknown subject, or "unsub", in FBI terms) to a train, then jumped aboard himself. He then had to hang on for dear life while the unsub kept attempting to dislodge Morgan from the train.
Morgan bears an especially intense grudge against George Foyet ("the Boston Reaper"). After Morgan was knocked out by Foyet in early 2009, Foyet stole Morgan's FBI credentials. He then used the credentials while dropping off a severely injured Aaron Hotchner
in the Emergency Room after attacking and nearly killing Hotchner.
Because of his experiences as a teenager, Morgan seems to bear a lingering hostility towards organized religion, but he still prays, even going so far as to visit a church. He is very charming, and has been seen flirting with many women, even dancing with several at a time in a bar. Morgan once asked out Jordan Todd, only later realizing that she would be his coworker. However, as with most BAU agents, a long-term stable romantic relationship has so far eluded him.
Morgan is intensely devoted to his coworkers, especially Technical Analyst Penelope Garcia
. They have a bantering, sweet, flirtatious relationship. Morgan often calls her "baby girl, doll face or sweetness" (having first used the term when he didn't know her name, he continued doing so when she seemed to like it). In the aftermath of the New York bombing that killed SSA Joyner, Morgan told Garcia that she was his "God-given solace" after jumping out of an ambulence which was about to blow up.. Morgan's close relationship with Garcia was made especially clear after she was shot by a perpetrator of hero homicide; taking her home from the hospital, Morgan told Garcia that he loved her, and then insisted on staying with her to protect her, eventually saving her life, until the perpetrator was killed. He also had somewhat of a close relationship with Agent Emily Prentiss
. As she joined the team in season 2, they immediately bonded due to their mutual love of Kurt Vonnegut
books. Morgan is protective of Prentiss, but their relationship is never brought beyond outside of the bureau. In the episode 6x13 "The Thirteenth Step," Prentiss receives some rather disturbing news from a former boss at Interpol
, and Morgan is the only one who becomes concerned with her odd behavior. This concern resurfaces in the following episodes when Prentiss's odd behavior increases and concerns for her grow. In the episode 6x17 "Valhalla", Morgan tells Prentiss that she can "trust him", and that he is there for her no matter what. In Prentiss's final episode as a series regular, 6x18 "Lauren," she disappears after walking out of the BAU to go and confront her nemesis, Ian Doyle. At the end of the episode after being stabbed in the abdomen by Doyle, Morgan rushes to her side to try to save her. She tells him to let her go, and he responds by saying "No, no, I am not letting you go." The he says "Listen to me [to Prentiss], I know why you did all of this; I know what you did for Declan. I am so proud of you. Do you understand that? I am proud of you because you are my friend, and you are my partner," to which then, Emily starts to fade in and out of consciousness while Morgan is holding her hand. At the hospital, J.J. tells the team that Prentiss "never made it off the table," and everyone dropped their heads in sadness. Everyone, except Hotch and J.J., think Prentiss is dead as they attend her funeral, but little do they know that she is alive and went into hiding from Doyle once again and that she is living in France
.
In the Season 6 premiere, Morgan was left injured and tied up after being attacked by the Prince of Darkness, Billy Flynn (played by Tim Curry
), who also killed Matthew Spicer in the attack. After being treated by paramedics, Morgan rejoined his coworkers in hunting Flynn, who the team had identified as "a pure psychopath". Throughout the episode, Morgan snaps at several of his teammates, including Garcia, whom he is normally flirtatious with. After Flynn turns Ellie loose, The team arrives at a house where Flynn is holding two people hostage. Flynn calls Hotch's phone, and demands that Morgan enter. Hotch initially refuses, until Morgan steps to him and says "This one is mine." Morgan enters the house with his weapon drawn, and finds Flynn in a bedroom, with two victims tied up. Flynn tells Morgan that while he may not be afraid, the hostages were. Morgan responds by saying "You point that gun at them, and I will kill you, and that is another promise." After a bit of attempted conversation, Flynn starts crying, and asks Morgan if he believes in heaven, causing the agent to raise his gun. Flynn stands up and aims his gun at the female victim, resulting in Morgan instantly opening fire, coldly shooting Flynn in the chest repeatedly until "The Prince of Darkness" dies, and falls back onto the bed. Morgan emerges from the house removing his Kevlar vest and is greeted by Ellie. He takes her into his arms and comforts her as her bravado cracks, and she begins to cry.
In episode 6x23 "Big Sea," Morgan gets personal on a case in Jacksonville, Florida when bodies are discovered buried in the ocean floor off the coast. His aunt Yvonne fears that her missing daughter, Cindy, was one of the victims. Rossi tells Seaver that Morgan's cousin escaped a stalker and was never heard from. After Morgan catches the Unsub, he shows him pictures of two of his victims during his interrogation. When Morgan showed Cindy's picture he claims that she cried for Morgan before her throat was sliced."The killer didn't know Cindy's name, but he knew those of the other victims" Morgan said to Rossi. Even though Cindy wasn't one of the victims, Morgan lies to his aunt, and tells her that she was dead, to give her closure however, she is still missing. In the season six finale he fatally shoots the unsub leader of the human trafficking ring who'd been pretending to be a victim and was about to shoot Rossi.
In season seven, Morgan's summer investigation will lead him to be the first to discover that Prentiss is alive. It's clear that Morgan and Prentiss have an intense emotional connection. It's evident when they encounter one another for the firt time after Emily is revealed to be alive and they are both practically speechless. While the others in the team continue to discuss the case, Morgan stares at Prentiss in obvious shock and disbelief. Later, Morgan tells her he was never upset nor does he feel betrayed. In 7x03, Mogan signs them up for takedown resertificaion without telling her it was him who signed them up. Later, he admits he did it because losing her was "7 months of Hell" and he worried that his fear of losing her would be so great he wouldn't be able to perform properly because he would be worrying about her.
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
crime drama Criminal Minds
Criminal Minds
Criminal Minds is an American police procedural drama that premiered September 22, 2005, on CBS. The series follows a team of profilers from the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit based in Quantico, Virginia. The BAU is part of the FBI National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime...
, portrayed by Shemar Moore
Shemar Moore
Shemar Franklin Moore is an American actor and former male fashion model. His most notable roles are that of Malcolm Winters on The Young and the Restless from 1994 to 2005, Derek Morgan on CBS's Criminal Minds, and as the third permanent host of Soul Train from 1999 to 2003.-Early life:Moore was...
. Morgan specializes in fixations
Fixation (psychology)
Fixation: 'concept originated by Sigmund Freud to denote the persistence of anachronistic sexual traits'. Subsequently '"Fixation" acquired a broader connotation...
and obsessive behaviors.
Background
Morgan is the son of an African American father and biracial mother actress Lonette McKeeLonette McKee
Lonette McKee is an American film and television actress, music composer/producer/songwriter, screenwriter and director.-Biography:...
. He went to Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
on a football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
scholarship
Athletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
, holds a black belt in Judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
, runs FBI self-defense classes, served in a bomb squad unit, and worked as a Chicago police officer
Chicago Police Department
The Chicago Police Department, also known as the CPD, is the principal law enforcement agency of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States, under the jurisdiction of the Mayor of Chicago. It is the largest police department in the Midwest and the second largest local law enforcement agency in the...
. He and his two sisters, Sarah and Desirée, grew up in a tough
South Side (Chicago)
The South Side is a major part of the City of Chicago, which is located in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Much of it has evolved from the city's incorporation of independent townships, such as Hyde Park Township which voted along with several other townships to be annexed in the June 29,...
Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
neighborhood.
At the age of ten, Morgan was a witness to the shooting death of his father, a police officer. After his father's death, Morgan struggled somewhat with youthful fighting earning him a juvenile criminal record. He was taken under the wing of a local youth center coordinator, Carl Buford. Buford acted as a surrogate father to Morgan, helping Morgan to obtain the aforementioned football scholarship, but Buford was also sexually abusing
Child sexual abuse
Child sexual abuse is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include asking or pressuring a child to engage in sexual activities , indecent exposure with intent to gratify their own sexual desires or to...
him, which Morgan revealed several years later, under extreme duress. As a teen he discovered the body of an unidentified boy, which had a profound effect on him (he went door to door in order to collect money to buy the boy a headstone and visited the boy's grave every time he came home to Chicago).
Years later, Morgan's past would come back to haunt him when he was arrested by the Chicago Police Department for the murder of the unidentified boy and two others. The lead detective (who had arrested Morgan several times as a boy) believed Morgan was guilty and used a BAU profile done by Jason Gideon
Jason Gideon
Jason Gideon is a fictional character on the CBS crime drama Criminal Minds, portrayed by Mandy Patinkin. Along with Agents Aaron Hotchner and Emily Prentiss, he seemed to be the traditionally academic of the group...
(who was unaware Morgan was the prime suspect) to support his case. Believing he was being framed
Frameup
A frame-up or setup is an American term referring to the act of framing someone, that is, providing false evidence or false testimony in order to falsely prove someone guilty of a crime....
by the real killer, the BAU searched through Morgan's life and background to prove him innocent, which Garcia
Penelope Garcia
Penelope Garcia is a fictional character on the CBS crime dramas Criminal Minds and its short-lived spin-off Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior, portrayed by Kirsten Vangsness...
was uncomfortable doing. They later identified Carl Buford as the man who set Morgan up to take the fall (Buford was friends with the lead detective). When Hotch asked about Buford, Morgan told him to back off. He then escaped police custody and spoke to a local boy who was friends with the latest victim. The boy revealed he was currently being molested by Buford and that the latest victim knew about it. Morgan confronted Buford, who at first denied anything happened between them, and told Morgan the other boy was lying. Refusing to back down (and wishing that he had told someone about Buford when he was a kid), Morgan eventually got Buford to admit to the abuse. Buford's admission was overheard by Chicago detectives (who were hiding nearby), and they arrested Buford. Buford pleaded with Morgan to help him, and Derek told Buford, "You go to Hell." leaving the child molester to his fate.
Behavioral Analysis Unit
Morgan was at one point being considered to replace SSA Kate Joyner as Unit Chief of the New York FBI field office. His boss, BAU Unit Chief Aaron HotchnerAaron Hotchner
Aaron "Hotch" Hotchner is a fictional character from the CBS crime drama Criminal Minds, portrayed by Thomas Gibson. He is a Supervisory Special Agent within the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit, and has appeared from the series' first episode, originally broadcast on September 22, 2005. Hotch begins...
, didn't recommend him for the position due to concerns that Morgan didn't have enough trust in his coworkers. However, after Joyner was killed by an IED
Improvised explosive device
An improvised explosive device , also known as a roadside bomb, is a homemade bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action...
in the fourth-season premiere, Hotchner told Morgan that the job was his if he wanted it. Nevertheless, Morgan chose not to take the position, and remained with the BAU due to fear of John Manuel.
Morgan is known for intense physical bravado. For example, he once chased a suspect (called an unknown subject, or "unsub", in FBI terms) to a train, then jumped aboard himself. He then had to hang on for dear life while the unsub kept attempting to dislodge Morgan from the train.
Morgan bears an especially intense grudge against George Foyet ("the Boston Reaper"). After Morgan was knocked out by Foyet in early 2009, Foyet stole Morgan's FBI credentials. He then used the credentials while dropping off a severely injured Aaron Hotchner
Aaron Hotchner
Aaron "Hotch" Hotchner is a fictional character from the CBS crime drama Criminal Minds, portrayed by Thomas Gibson. He is a Supervisory Special Agent within the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit, and has appeared from the series' first episode, originally broadcast on September 22, 2005. Hotch begins...
in the Emergency Room after attacking and nearly killing Hotchner.
Because of his experiences as a teenager, Morgan seems to bear a lingering hostility towards organized religion, but he still prays, even going so far as to visit a church. He is very charming, and has been seen flirting with many women, even dancing with several at a time in a bar. Morgan once asked out Jordan Todd, only later realizing that she would be his coworker. However, as with most BAU agents, a long-term stable romantic relationship has so far eluded him.
Morgan is intensely devoted to his coworkers, especially Technical Analyst Penelope Garcia
Penelope Garcia
Penelope Garcia is a fictional character on the CBS crime dramas Criminal Minds and its short-lived spin-off Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior, portrayed by Kirsten Vangsness...
. They have a bantering, sweet, flirtatious relationship. Morgan often calls her "baby girl, doll face or sweetness" (having first used the term when he didn't know her name, he continued doing so when she seemed to like it). In the aftermath of the New York bombing that killed SSA Joyner, Morgan told Garcia that she was his "God-given solace" after jumping out of an ambulence which was about to blow up.. Morgan's close relationship with Garcia was made especially clear after she was shot by a perpetrator of hero homicide; taking her home from the hospital, Morgan told Garcia that he loved her, and then insisted on staying with her to protect her, eventually saving her life, until the perpetrator was killed. He also had somewhat of a close relationship with Agent Emily Prentiss
Emily Prentiss
Emily Prentiss is a fictional character on the CBS crime drama Criminal Minds, portrayed by Paget Brewster. Prentiss first appeared in "The Last Word" - episode nine of season two, replacing Agent Elle Greenaway who had quit in "The Boogeyman"...
. As she joined the team in season 2, they immediately bonded due to their mutual love of Kurt Vonnegut
Kurt Vonnegut
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. was a 20th century American writer. His works such as Cat's Cradle , Slaughterhouse-Five and Breakfast of Champions blend satire, gallows humor and science fiction. He was known for his humanist beliefs and was honorary president of the American Humanist Association.-Early...
books. Morgan is protective of Prentiss, but their relationship is never brought beyond outside of the bureau. In the episode 6x13 "The Thirteenth Step," Prentiss receives some rather disturbing news from a former boss at Interpol
Interpol
Interpol, whose full name is the International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL, is an organization facilitating international police cooperation...
, and Morgan is the only one who becomes concerned with her odd behavior. This concern resurfaces in the following episodes when Prentiss's odd behavior increases and concerns for her grow. In the episode 6x17 "Valhalla", Morgan tells Prentiss that she can "trust him", and that he is there for her no matter what. In Prentiss's final episode as a series regular, 6x18 "Lauren," she disappears after walking out of the BAU to go and confront her nemesis, Ian Doyle. At the end of the episode after being stabbed in the abdomen by Doyle, Morgan rushes to her side to try to save her. She tells him to let her go, and he responds by saying "No, no, I am not letting you go." The he says "Listen to me [to Prentiss], I know why you did all of this; I know what you did for Declan. I am so proud of you. Do you understand that? I am proud of you because you are my friend, and you are my partner," to which then, Emily starts to fade in and out of consciousness while Morgan is holding her hand. At the hospital, J.J. tells the team that Prentiss "never made it off the table," and everyone dropped their heads in sadness. Everyone, except Hotch and J.J., think Prentiss is dead as they attend her funeral, but little do they know that she is alive and went into hiding from Doyle once again and that she is living in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
In the Season 6 premiere, Morgan was left injured and tied up after being attacked by the Prince of Darkness, Billy Flynn (played by Tim Curry
Tim Curry
Timothy James "Tim" Curry is a British actor, singer, composer and voice actor, known for his work in a diverse range of theatre, film and television productions. He currently resides in Los Angeles, California....
), who also killed Matthew Spicer in the attack. After being treated by paramedics, Morgan rejoined his coworkers in hunting Flynn, who the team had identified as "a pure psychopath". Throughout the episode, Morgan snaps at several of his teammates, including Garcia, whom he is normally flirtatious with. After Flynn turns Ellie loose, The team arrives at a house where Flynn is holding two people hostage. Flynn calls Hotch's phone, and demands that Morgan enter. Hotch initially refuses, until Morgan steps to him and says "This one is mine." Morgan enters the house with his weapon drawn, and finds Flynn in a bedroom, with two victims tied up. Flynn tells Morgan that while he may not be afraid, the hostages were. Morgan responds by saying "You point that gun at them, and I will kill you, and that is another promise." After a bit of attempted conversation, Flynn starts crying, and asks Morgan if he believes in heaven, causing the agent to raise his gun. Flynn stands up and aims his gun at the female victim, resulting in Morgan instantly opening fire, coldly shooting Flynn in the chest repeatedly until "The Prince of Darkness" dies, and falls back onto the bed. Morgan emerges from the house removing his Kevlar vest and is greeted by Ellie. He takes her into his arms and comforts her as her bravado cracks, and she begins to cry.
In episode 6x23 "Big Sea," Morgan gets personal on a case in Jacksonville, Florida when bodies are discovered buried in the ocean floor off the coast. His aunt Yvonne fears that her missing daughter, Cindy, was one of the victims. Rossi tells Seaver that Morgan's cousin escaped a stalker and was never heard from. After Morgan catches the Unsub, he shows him pictures of two of his victims during his interrogation. When Morgan showed Cindy's picture he claims that she cried for Morgan before her throat was sliced."The killer didn't know Cindy's name, but he knew those of the other victims" Morgan said to Rossi. Even though Cindy wasn't one of the victims, Morgan lies to his aunt, and tells her that she was dead, to give her closure however, she is still missing. In the season six finale he fatally shoots the unsub leader of the human trafficking ring who'd been pretending to be a victim and was about to shoot Rossi.
In season seven, Morgan's summer investigation will lead him to be the first to discover that Prentiss is alive. It's clear that Morgan and Prentiss have an intense emotional connection. It's evident when they encounter one another for the firt time after Emily is revealed to be alive and they are both practically speechless. While the others in the team continue to discuss the case, Morgan stares at Prentiss in obvious shock and disbelief. Later, Morgan tells her he was never upset nor does he feel betrayed. In 7x03, Mogan signs them up for takedown resertificaion without telling her it was him who signed them up. Later, he admits he did it because losing her was "7 months of Hell" and he worried that his fear of losing her would be so great he wouldn't be able to perform properly because he would be worrying about her.