Maggie’s Big Ella Decision Is Absurd & FBI Season 7 Is Better Off Walking Back On It

Maggie’s (Missy Peregrym) decision about Ella (Rose Decker) in FBI season 7, episode 6, “Perfect,” is too ridiculous for the procedural to allow it to stand. Maggie’s relationship with Ella in FBI was originally intended to be temporary, as she was taking care of her while Ella’s mother, Jessica (Charlotte Sullivan), was recovering from an aneurysm. Unfortunately, Jessica died on the operating table, so Maggie took Ella in full-time to honor her best friend’s wishes.

However, during “Perfect,” Maggie questions her decision to do so. Although she is initially resistant to the idea of giving Ella’s uncle, Kevin (Jeremy Gabriel), full custody, Maggie eventually decides this is in Ella’s best interest, telling him: “I really wanted to be able to do this, but if I keep Ella, I’m putting her in harm’s way.” Yet there is still time for Maggie to change her mind about this during FBI season 7, as Kevin insists she sleep on it before making a final decision

Maggie’s Decision To Give Up Ella Is Motivated By Fear

She Thinks Her Job Will Continually Place A Target on Ella’s Back

Maggie’s reasoning for giving Ella up is fear-based, although it is not necessarily irrational. While searching for a serial killer, Maggie discovers photos of herself and Ella in a suspect’s apartment. This chilling discovery is made worse by the suspect’s comments during interrogation, which make it clear he has been stalking Maggie and her daughter. While the suspect’s attempt to use this to intimidate Maggie fails, it leads her to the conclusion that Ella will never be safe while she is in her care.

It is undoubtedly true that FBI agents have dangerous jobs. However, other agents, such as Scola, have children without fear of stalkers abducting them. Thus, if Maggie sticks to this decision, she’s allowing her fear to dominate her choices rather than deciding rationally what is in Ella’s best interest. Additionally, she is allowing this suspect and hypothetical other threats to control her decisions about her personal life, which is a power they should not be allowed to have.

Ella Getting Separated From Maggie Can Be Worse For Her

She Is Already Traumatized By Her Mother’s Death

Ella is already having a difficult time coping with the trauma of her mother’s death. Kevin shares with Maggie at the beginning of “Perfect” that Ella’s therapist thinks that Ella acting out, specifically hitting another child in the eye, is due to her feeling a lack of stability. This suggests that Ella has special psychological needs because of the loss of her mother. The loss of a parent in childhood often triggers fears of abandonment, and that would be especially true in Ella’s case because Jessica was a single mother, and Ella has only met both Kevin and Maggie recently.

Thus, if Maggie were to decide to send Ella to live with Kevin full-time, Ella might feel doubly abandoned and become even more afraid to trust adults will be there for her. Therefore, Maggie giving up Ella could cause Ella’s negative behavior to get worse despite her therapist’s best efforts to support her. Additionally, Kevin likely has a job that will require him to be away from Ella at some point, and forcing her to stay with a babysitter with her trust and behavior issues may make things worse for her.

FBI Season 7 Is Better Off With Maggie & Ella Together

Continuing This Relationship Opens More Storyline Possibilities

Maggie sending Ella away would not be any better for FBI season 7 than it would be for Ella. Although Maggie could have a strong storyline related to her feelings of guilt and disappointment about not being able to take care of Ella the way Jessica wanted her to, there are better story options if Maggie chooses to keep Ella. It would not be easy for her to balance work with giving Ella the kind of attention she needs because of her traumatic loss, but this challenge would be good for Maggie’s character.

Maggie has had several traumas of her own in her life. Both her husband and her best friend are now dead, and she almost lost her own life when she was exposed to sarin. These traumas have left her feeling uncomfortable with allowing others to help her instead of always being the one who is there for them. Keeping Ella in the FBI season 7 cast would lead to a strong arc for Maggie in which she needs to learn to accept help from OA or others close to her, making this a better direction to go in.