‘Criminal Minds’ Fans Sound off on Shemar Moore’s Derek Morgan Appearing in Series Finale

After fifteen seasons, Criminal Minds came to an end on Wednesday. Naturally, fans had plenty to say about the final episodes of the series. Fans were especially pleased to see Shemar Moore‘s Derek Morgan, make a brief return in the finale, even if it was simply in a flashback scene from Season 1 of the series. And they had plenty to say about this trip down memory lane.

“That is an insane opening segment to the final episode! Thank you for honouring past cast members,” one fan wrote about the flashback sequence.

“STOP MORGAN MADE ME CRY,” another fan wrote upon seeing Moore’s Morgan back in his Season 1 glory.

“At least we get to see Derek Morgan in flashbacks. It is better then nothing,” yet another viewer tweeted.

In the episode, Matthew Gray Gubler‘s Spencer Reid hit his head at the end of the first half of the finale special. He subsequently began to hallucinate, which is why Moore, who was previously on the show from 2005 to 2017, was able to appear in the finale in this capacity. The flashback also featured other Criminal Minds fan-favorites including Thomas Gibson‘s Aaron Hotchner and Mandy Patinkin‘s Jason Gideon.

Prior to the finale, showrunner Erica Messer explained that Moore wasn’t able to officially come back to the series because of his commitment to fellow CBS series S.W.A.T.

“I’ve been asked if Shemar is coming back, and it’s [a] no,” Messer told TV Line prior to the Season 15 premiere of Criminal Minds in January. “He’s very busy shooting S.W.A.T. Again, I wanted to be able to acknowledge the history of the series, certainly in that finale, and was able to do it in a different way.”

Moore is currently preoccupied with a different, and much more serious, matter than the finale of Criminal Minds. On Wednesday, the day of the Criminal Minds series finale, Moore made a heartbreaking announcement on Instagram as he revealed that his mother, Marylin Joan Wilson-Moore, had passed away on Feb. 8 at the age of 76.

“Marylin Joan Wilson-Moore, my mother, best friend, and partner in crime passed away Feb 8th at 76 years old… I miss her more than I ever thought possible and I don’t know how to do this life without her …. but I get my STRENGTH from her and I will be OK because of HER,” Moore wrote on Instagram, captioning a series of clips in which he discussed the close relationship he had with his mother. “Mama…. here come that man!!!!! What I do from this day forward is for YOU!!!! I’m going to continue to LEAP and pray that the NET appears!! It was too soon …. and it hurts so bad…. but I know you are with me and will continue to give me strength… I love you mama.”