Critic’s Rating: 3.2 / 5.0
3.2
So much information was revealed during Criminal Minds Evolution Season 2 Episode 9 that it was kind of tough to keep up with it.
If you need a recap, you can visit the link above, but to be honest, it was even hard jotting down all of the pertinent details.
When a BAU agent has an idea or theory, nothing can stop them from spinning a good yarn in support of it!
(Michael Yarish /Paramount+)
The Puppet Master Is Unmasked
Just like the BAU, we were blindsided by the reveal of the puppet master behind Gold Star. If his motives were supposed to be transparent, I may need a little help grasping his intent.
In ways only TV and movies allow, Penelope produced an algorithm that connected about two dozen disparate individuals with a mercenary group run by a limited corporation called Aida.
Related: Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2 Episode 8 Review: North star
How or why are they using kids to do their bidding?
You can imagine the benefits of using youthful, unrecognizable faces to conduct atrocities based solely on how easily they can be manipulated.
(Michael Yarish /Paramount+)
Indoctrinating Kids While They’re the Most Vulnerable
Look at it like this. The brains of adolescents between the ages of 13 and 19 undergo significant changes, particularly in the prefrontal cortex.
That’s the area that is involved in decision-making, impulse control, and complex thought. This time in their lives is marked by increased risk-taking and emotional variability.
Brain development continues into your 20s, with the prefrontal cortex being one of the last areas to mature. This part of the brain is essential for planning, prioritizing, and understanding the consequences of actions.
Criminal Minds may not have meant to do it, but they’ve tapped into an ongoing discussion about such issues that is going on in America daily.
It would seem that indoctrinating people would be much easier if you could catch them during their developmental phase. How you influence someone during that phase of growth is sure to have long-lasting consequences.
When you think of the number of children who witness and experience painful events during those formative years, it’s enough to break your heart right in half.
(Michael Yarish /Paramount+)
How Jade and Damien’s Love Conquers All
Jade and Damien, at least, were pawns in adult games. What nobody in charge counted on was what might happen if two or more subjects forged an even greater bond than the one they forced upon them.
Frank Church is a grating man. Nothing about him is even remotely charming, despite Penelope calling him out as a man heavy on the rizz. We can agree to disagree on that, Garcia. You need charm to be charismatic, and Church doesn’t fill that bill.
Related: Evil Season 4 Episode 10 Review: The Unthinkable
The guy is a cold-hearted psychopath with no redeeming qualities. He assaults children to foster his cause, believing he’s got all the answers.
Jade and Damien died, but they did it on their terms and due to the love that drove them. In light of their suffering and crimes, they would have never gotten a traditional happy ending. But dying knowing that you found profound love ain’t so bad in the end.
By ignoring how greatly a positive impact between two subjects could alter their trajectory, Frank Church screwed himself.
(Michael Yarish /Paramount+)
Gold Star Falls Apart
We don’t know what’s ahead, but Jade set in motion events on Criminal Minds: Evolution that Church may not be able to rectify.
With the help of a 16-year-old runaway named Neela (I think), to whom she showed compassion, Jade helped the others escape.
As it turns out, if you mind-frak a bunch of kids, you have to count on them not talking amongst themselves. That Church managed that for so long is a real shocker. Once Jade and Neela compared notes, Jade realized that her nightmares were of the living variety.
She had an escape plan for herself that did great damage to Church’s control of the situation. With the BAU on hand, it’s unlikely he can corral the kids and carry on with his plans.
But there is an outlier named Peter who is still in the wind. Church will undoubtedly reach out to him to help close the gap. If Neela trusted Jade, then Peter might be able to swoop in and undo that. Or, he can just kill Neela, so she takes her nightmares to the grave with her.
I expect this story will end this season, opening a new chapter of investigation for Criminal Minds Season 18, should one be in our future.
(Michael Yarish /Paramount+)
Elias Voit Prepares to Serve His Sentence
Elias Voit is on the precipice of prison time. Unfortunately for us, he’s going to Club Fed, a minimum-security prison that will be easy for someone like him to escape.
He’s now working almost hand in hand with his attorney, Vincent, and I need to know if there are any rules about attorneys in that regard. Is it that easy to turn an attorney into your lackey without consequence?
Related: 23 Characters Who Prove The Mind is the Best Weapon
Rossi hopes Voit will be killed in prison, but the likelihood of that happening in minimum security, where everyone has it easy if they just go with the flow, is unlikely.
Vincent even arranged for Voit to spend his time under his given name, Lee Duval, minimizing potential threats. If the media didn’t release his birth name while covering the story, they didn’t dig far enough.
But will Criminal Minds: Evolution be able to let go of Elias Voit so easily? He’s been a part of this new story since the beginning.
Is his addition what sets Evolution apart, or is it the longer arcs that make the difference?
(Michael Yarish /Paramount+)
Setting Up Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 3?
Voit being behind bars will make little difference to his participation in the story.
What’s clear after “Stars & Stripes” is that he’s still got a vast network working with Sicarius. Vincent could be running it for all we know.
With as many potential outliers as Jill introduced with the multiple Stuart Houses that were explored and the details found in the bunker that pointed to the BAU being the hottest targets in town, there is plenty for Voit to do.
Can the BAU just drop what they saw in that bunker? We don’t even know if JJ’s safe after being exploited with deep fake sexploitation videos.
With only one episode remaining, there is still much to discuss as viewers and agents. Where does it all end? Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2 Episode 10 may provide answers, or it could just lead us straight into the next adventure.