Penelope Garcia left Criminal Minds because she found a new job in Silicon Valley at a private research company focused on fighting climate crisis issues. This new position was less stressful and emotionally taxing compared to her demanding work at the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU), providing her the balance and change she desired. The character's departure was portrayed as a needed break due to the toll the intense cases had taken on her mental health, and this exit also served as an emotional farewell for the show's conclusion. The decision was confirmed by Kirsten Vangsness, the actress who plays Garcia, who co-wrote the episode depicting her exit, making it a fitting end for the character who represented the viewers' perspective on the series.
