Penelope Garcia

Penelope Garcia is the BAU audio/visual technician.

Background
She is into online games, specifically MMORPGs. Garcia has said she can run U.S. Central Command from her office while also playing online poker. She is extremely protective of her computers and the FBI database, though she once allowed a serisl killer to access thr FBI' records while having her lsptop connected to the FBI's network (to play an online RPG).

On the Job
Garcia seems to share a playful, flirtative relationship with Derek Morgan. When working together, they refer to each other by such names as "sweet cheeks" or "baby girl". There hasn't been an actual romantic relationship, though Garcia once got a little jealous while watching Morgan dance with two women.

Some cases seem to eat away at Garcia, as she often gets nervous or upset when analyzing video or sound recordings of murders or other serious crimes, as she has to listen to and watch them over and over again many times. In one episode, she showed a fondness for Reid, offering to take him out on the town to distance himself from a subject, only to have it interrupted by the subject's attempted suicide.

Personal Life
It is revealed in the episode "Penelope" that Garcia went underground after her parents were killed in a car crash and learned computer code as a way to deal with their loss. It is also revealed that she is considered by the FBI as one of the most dangerous hackers in the world, and, when she was finally arrested after several years of mercenary hacking, they offered her an expunged record and amnesty if she agreed to join the FBI.

Behind the Scenes
Penelope Garcia is portrayed by Kirsten Vangsness.