Let’s get back to the moment when Jack met Hannibal for the first time.
Dr. Hannibal Lecter, serial killer and a cannibal named The Chesapeake Ripper by the press, has just finished a session with his favorite patient Franklin Froideveaux when he found a man in his room for leaving patients.
And not just any man! An FBI agent. And not just any FBI agent! Jack Crawford. The Jack Crawford. The head of the behavioural science unit of the FBI, who sent Miriam Lass on her unfortunate journey two years ago, who is a head of the case hunting the ripper down. How marvellous! Does that mean that this is the end for the doctor as a practicing psychiatrist? Whatever happens, whether the FBI agent ends up as a steak or is going to keep Miriam company (Did I feed her today? Yeaaah, I think I did.), or whether the sophisticated monster ends up dead or in a prison cell hidden in his Memory Palace, the Good Doctor just tells the agent to wait in the waiting room and goes to set the trap.
- You expecting another patient?
- We’re all alone.
Now, note that is still light outside and based on the list of Hannibal’s patients from Sorbet episode:
there should be another patient coming after Franklin. Sure, the time could have changed by then, but I think our doctor had just cancelled the next patient because he had expected this meeting to go in a quite different way then it then went.
When Jack is approaching the desk with the drawings, Hannibal has an expectant look. Yes, the showtime is coming. (I am going to ruin my suit probably! Oh nevermind, I didn’t like this blue one anyway.)
And what should have happened here was Jack recognizing that Wound Man illustration underneath Hannibal’s drawing!
The man is the head of behavioural science of the FBI, he investigated the ripper murders referring to the Wound Man and he send a woman to her supposed death when dealing with that case. He should have memorized every illustrations and depictions of the Wound Man ever appearing in literature. Hannibal didn’t even use his drawing, which is only black and white drawn by pencil and could be mayyybe overlooked. He used the most possibly colorful one!
Even if Jack wasn’t there because of investigating Hannibal, he should have caught up on that. Sorry, but if you’re an FBI agent, you should be observant. (and here it is practically screaming in your face).
You can see on Hannibal’s face when Jack only says
- The amount of detail is incredible
and then when he ask if he’s investigating him
- No, you were referred to me by Alana Bloom.
without any suspicion whatsoever, that for a moment he can’t believe this. Alright, so his ‘FBI archenemy’ is there by a coincidence, he could live with that. But this man is as observant as a sleepy three-toed sloth. With a blindfold on his head. After a night of heavy partying!
*Hannibal getting over the dissapointemnt of a weak enemy.* Okay, so let’s invite this guy to dinners and make cannibal puns all the time. Should be fun.