The BAU Prepares For A Final Showdown As Tara’s Attack Takes Its Toll

Warning: SPOILERS for Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3, episode 8.Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3, episode 8 set the scene for a big break in the Sicarius case, but all answers come with a cost. Although the crime drama has followed prolific serial killer Elias Voit (Zach Gilford) since the reboot premiered in 2022, the character’s overall storyline has taken years to develop. Voit’s amnesia in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3 threw a sudden wrench into the plot, with Voit’s psychopathy essentially canceled out by activating the empathy center of his brain. The remaining criminals on his network, however, have banded together in an effort to reawaken the real Sicarius.

In order to get to Voit and unearth his “real” self, the killers— led by one criminal calling himself Voit’s “Disciple”— have targeted the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit. Many team members have already suffered great losses during the investigation, from Jennifer “JJ” Jareau (A.J. Cook) losing her husband to Tyler Green (Ryan-James Hatanaka) initially infiltrating Voit’s network on behalf of his deceased sister. Yet, Voit’s Disciple and his foot soldiers have orchestrated direct and convoluted attacks on the BAU in an effort to remain one step ahead of the authorities.

The Aftermath Of Tara, Evan, & Rebecca’s Attack, Explained

The Masked Gunman Took His Toll

In the dramatic cliffhanger ending of Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3, episode 7, Rebecca Wilson (Nicole Pacent), Tara Lewis (Aisha Tyler), and Evan Delray (Geoff Stults) were intercepted in a parking garage by an armed assailant wearing a Yase-Otoko mask. “Tara” aptly begins with the eponymous character as she slowly realizes she was shot two times in the abdomen and is experiencing a surreal, near-death dream. Ever the forensic psychologist, Tara tells herself her “brain is misfiring,” only for her to spend the bulk of the episode talking to a vision of her deceased mother.

Conversely, Evan is discharged with a mere sling. While Tara was shot in potentially fatal areas, Evan was clipped in the shoulder, and Rebecca was left physically unharmed but emotionally scarred. With Tara in an almost comatose state for the majority of the episode, Rebecca is understandably distraught, too overwhelmed to even answer the questions Emily Prentiss (Paget Brewster) and Penelope Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness) have for her when they visit. Of course, Evan— who was initially introduced as Rebecca’s old friend from law school— is more than happy to lend a shoulder to cry on.

Tyler’s Inexperience Leads The BAU On The Hunt For The Disciple’s Red Herring

An Unlikely Suspect Emerges According To The Real Killer’s Plan

Evan is so supportive of Rebecca, in fact, it errs on the side of suspicious— especially in the eyes of Tyler, who is still navigating his place as the BAU’s rookie. After reviewing the security footage, JJ finds it odd how the shooter seemed to not only recognize Evan but deliberately aim for a non-lethal area to hit. After Voit connects the heart-engraved bullets from the crime scene to a former member of the network named “Mr. Lonely Heart,” Tyler discovers that Evan was the DA to put him away.

Related

Criminal Minds Brings Back Tyler’s Forgotten Trait In Evolution Season 3, Episode 7

Criminal Minds: Evolution brings back Tyler Green’s forgotten trait that could have a huge impact on Voit and the BAU in the rest of season 3.

Though Emily and David Rossi (Joe Mantegna) are reluctant to believe that Evan was behind the shooting, Tyler matches the attorney’s DNA to a Yase-Otoko mask placed on a newly-discovered body: Jeff Darcy (Derek Basco), Voit’s new lawyer who called for the late-night meeting between Tara, Rebecca, and Evan in the first place. Tyler’s role in Criminal Minds: Evolution has grown with his FBI training, but he shows his inexperience as the clues start to reveal themselves. Rather than a twist villain, Evan was a red herring set up by the Disciple to distract the BAU.

Rossi’s Hunch About Insider Information Leaves Few Options For The Disciple’s Big Reveal

Voit’s Storyline Is Approaching Its Final Climax

That doesn’t mean there are no twists on the horizon, however. Frankly, the brief conversation between Prentiss and Rossi practically demands a climactic reveal within the final episodes. Rossi begins to give his thoughts regarding the Disciple’s profile, claiming that the Disciple’s in-depth knowledge of Voit, his past, and his medical condition is too detailed to not be an inside job. The sheer fact that the Disciple knew Voit needed to see Cyrus’ (Silas Weir Mitchell) face to unlock his memories suggests that whoever is leading the rebooted network has been hiding in plain sight the entire time.

While the scene was brief, the implications are far too important to write it off. Given how small the cast of Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3 is, there are very few named characters the Disciple could be. Dr. Ochoa (Aimee Garcia) has been a key figure with a clear affinity for Voit, but nothing explicit about her character has been suspicious or cause for concern. If the Disciple is truly part of Voit’s medical staff, it’s likely that Criminal Minds: Evolution will need to introduce a new character entirely or at least make Dr. Ochoa a more believable villain.

A Hidden Connection Between Voit & Rebecca Could Explain Everything

The BAU Is Searching For The Missing Link

Surprisingly, Darcy’s murder was more than a set-up to make Evan the network’s fall guy. Though Darcy’s cryptic message to Tara, Rebecca, and Evan at first seemed like a ruse, the lawyer’s dead body and ransacked office imply he was onto something big that could unravel an entire conspiracy. All Criminal Minds: Evolution revealed is that something connects Voit to Rebecca and, in turn, Voit to Tara. Nothing immediately sprung to mind for the involved parties, but Voit eventually pinpoints a forgotten case from Criminal Minds: Evolution season 1.

The murder of Maria Jones seemed like yet another brutal death in Criminal Minds, but the BAU became involved due to the wrongful prosecution of Silvio Herrera (Jonathan Del Arco). Though Jones was murdered by Cyrus, Silvio falsely confessed due to blackmail and threats, which coincidentally led to the conviction that launched Rebecca’s career. During Criminal Minds: Evolution season 1, the team gets Silvio’s sentence overturned, but the case seems to be the only thing connecting Rebecca and Voit. If Jeff Darcy truly found new evidence, it could be the final piece of the puzzle that the BAU needs.

Tara’s New Lease On Life Makes Her Reconsider Her Future

The Profiler Makes A Big Decision In The Episode’s Closing Moments

After confronting her mother’s ghost and her own insecurities, Tara awakes to find Rebecca waiting by her hospital bed. Following a two-week time-jump, Tara returns to the office, still frail but on the mend from her gunshot wounds. Surrounded by her team (who she calls her “chosen family”), Tara proposes to Rebecca at her welcome-back party, and the BAU exuberantly celebrate their engagement. According to Tara, her near-death experience put things into perspective, and she realized her commitment issues were holding her back from finding true happiness: a life with Rebecca.

Related

Criminal Minds: Evolution Made The Same Mistake As Game Of Thrones Season 8 & It’s Just As Maddening

Criminal Minds: Evolution made a specific visual choice to match its new narrative tone, but it’s one that has drawn lots of criticism from viewers.

The ending is sweet if not expected, since Tara and Rebecca’s relationship in Criminal Minds: Evolution has been at the forefront of season 3. Nevertheless, the BAU’s new central couple are awarded a moment of peace before the final act begins. Neither Tara nor Rebecca are out of the woods yet, and it’s possible that their engagement could be cut short by a tragic ending, but Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3, episode 8 ends on an uncharacteristically optimistic note. Regardless of what happens with the Disciple and the rebooted network, at least there is love.

Enjoy ScreenRant’s primetime coverage? Click below to sign up for our weekly Network TV newsletter (make sure to check “Network TV” in your preferences) and get the inside scoop from actors and showrunners on your favorite series.

SIGN UP NOW!

Criminal Minds

8/10

Release Date

September 22, 2005

Showrunner

Erica Messer

• 

  Kirsten Vangsness

  Penelope Garcia

• 

  Matthew Gray Gubler

  Dr. Spencer Reid