Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, episode 5 picks up where the previous episode left off, with Voit joining the BAU team at Quantico, which leads to larger problems for the team and their mission to stop “Gold Star.” Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, episode 4 had a controversial ending, with BAU Unit Chief Emily Prentiss agreeing to allow Voit to work with the team like a profiler. The BAU has been forced to concede to FBI Director Madison’s demands in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, including working with Voit.
Voit wasn’t supposed to return in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, but his compelling character arc led to him playing a major role in this season. While this can be interesting to watch as viewers, it hasn’t led to anything good for the BAU. He is a master at mind games, and while Criminal Minds has had memorable unsubs, Voit might be the most dangerous because of this and the BAU’s fragile mind states. There’s a lot to worry about for the BAU team in the five remaining episodes and Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3.
Who Is Teresa In Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2?
Why Is Gold Star Working Through Tyler?
In Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, episode 5, Emily is the only BAU profiler who doesn’t accompany Voit to Iowa to confront Damian. Brian gets Emily arrested in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, episode 3 on false claims that she assaulted him, which has spelled more trouble for Emily than anticipated. Her arrest details were leaked, creating another image problem for the FBI.
To try and see if she could save her reputation and position, she held Brian for 24 hours for interrogation. Emily hopes to get something from him that could keep her from being benched by Director Madison, but she fails, as he no longer trusts her. However, he does reveal something that means something to Tyler.
‘Gold Star’ is likely targeting Tyler, and whoever Teresa is, because they know Tyler’s history of secrecy and want to create more division within the team.
Brian tells Emily that “Gold Star” gave him four words that would immediately get him out of government custody, “Teresa is in trouble.” Though Emily doesn’t know who Teresa is, Tyler hurriedly calls and warns the unknown woman. Teresa’s identity isn’t revealed in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, episode 5, but it’s telling that “Gold Star” sent a message to Tyler specifically, not one of the BAU profilers.
Tyler’s trustworthiness has been a concern since he was first introduced in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 1, episode 3. His history with Voit and those affiliated with the “Gold Star Program” has helped the BAU as a consultant, but Tyler’s secrecy has also hurt them. “Gold Star” is likely targeting Tyler, and whoever Teresa is, because they know Tyler’s history of secrecy and want to create more division within the team.
Why Didn’t Rossi Kill Voit In Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2 Episode 5?
Emily Ordered Rossi To Kill Voit In The Field
Emily leaves Rossi in charge when she takes herself out of the field. Rossi has led the BAU before, but this was a somewhat curious choice, as she previously talked about how concerned she was for him. Rossi’s hallucinations of Voit in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2 didn’t go unnoticed, with Emily calling Rossi out for talking to himself. She acknowledges everyone is mentally affected by the “Sicarius” and “Gold Star” cases, but Rossi was the only one who couldn’t bring himself to greet Voit.
It becomes clear later in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, episode 5 that Emily chose Rossi because she believed he was the only one who would actually take Voit out. Emily orders Rossi to kill Voit in the field if he runs, and wants him to do so regardless. Yet, when given the chance, Rossi decides to go against Emily’s orders.
When Voit apologizes to Rossi, likely as another one of his mind games, Rossi suggests he’s planning on killing him. Rossi also tells Voit he’ll reveal if he accepts his apology on the way home. Voit surrenders himself, and Rossi can’t bring himself to make the order to shoot, but he does punch Voit in the face. Rossi likely made the right choice, as Emily wasn’t in the right state of mind when she made the order to Rossi, but their involvement with Voit can only bring bad news.
Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2 Episode 5’s Title Explained
Emily Isn’t Fit To Run The BAU Anymore
Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, episode 5 is titled “Conspiracy vs. Theory.” Conspiracy theories have been a major theme throughout Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2 thus far, and episode 5 sees Voit ask Tara to explain the difference between a conspiracy and a conspiracy theory. She uses the famous 2016 Pizzagate conspiracy theory as an example, explaining that “conspiracies are proveable, conspiracy theories are not.”
Voit points out that it’s harder to tell the difference these days, which has bred a lot of anti-government-fueled hatred that’s led to killings. The BAU is a constant target, and Emily is no exception. Brian and “Gold Star” try to take Emily down by arresting her, but ultimately, Emily’s mental state is what really hurts her in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, episode 5. At the end of the episode, Emily reveals to Rossi that the Director put her on restricted duty and then breaks down, saying,
“ Ever since I was arrested, I have sold out every value I’ve held dear. And when you do that, it gets harder and harder to tell the difference between a conspiracy and a conspiracy theory.”
Emily doesn’t know what to trust, and she doesn’t trust herself anymore. Voit had warned JJ and Luke their team was already infected by “social contagion,” and Emily could be proof of this. Unfortunately, Emily is no longer fit to run the BAU; at least not until she gets some help. She recognizes this and, fortunately, confesses to Rossi, but the entire team needs to be more open with each other to avoid more situations like this.
What’s North Star? Gold Star’s Conspiracy Theory In Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2 Explained
Was Voit Lying When He Said North Star Didn’t Mean Anything?
As aforementioned, Voit secretly meets with Damian in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, episode 5. When Voit contacts Damian, he sends him a secret message in Morse code: “North Star.” When caught by the team, Voit claims it’s a conspiracy theory that doesn’t mean anything, but he knew it would make Damian show up at their meeting point in Iowa. That turns out to be a trap, as he and Jade tape bombs to a man’s chest and threaten to detonate. This was reminiscent of when Will was held hostage in Criminal Minds season 7, episode 24, and Emily saved him.
While on the phone with Jade, Voit brings up her tattoos and why they’re part of her signature, hoping to get inside her head. He partially succeeds, as Voit tells Jade, “You know, deep down, you are your own protector,” dividing her and Damian. Still, all she wants to hear about is “North Star.” Unfortunately, Voit can’t say anything more, as their phone call is cut out to save the man’s life. Yet, when he gets into the prisoner transfer van to be taken back to the BAU jet, Damian had hijacked it to ask him about “North Star.”
Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, episode 5 doesn’t show their conversation, leaving viewers in the dark. However, the expression on Voit’s face when he was put back in his cell suggests he outsmarted the BAU once again. Voit likely lied about “North Star” being a false conspiracy. Since Damian brought him back to FBI custody, he and Voit could begin secretly working together while Voit continues working with the BAU. Whatever “North Star” is, the BAU will have to find out soon, and they can’t trust Voit with what they discover.
Voit’s Frankenstein Scene Sets Up How The BAU Can Stop Gold Star
Voit Made Damian Read Frankenstein By Mary Shelley
When the BAU uses Voit to connect with Damian in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, episode 5, he reaches him through a reference to Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. The coded message reads: “Searching for the Modern Prometheus. Please Respond.” As Luke points out, Modern Prometheus is Frankenstein’s subtitle. Voit confesses he had Damian read the famous science fiction novel when they first started talking to help him “better understand himself.”
Voit further explains that Damian isn’t a monster, and in the book, Frankenstein’s Monster is hyper-intelligent. It’s Frankenstein, the doctor who created him, who’s the monster. Voit claims he and Damian don’t know who created him, and Tara initially blames Stuart House. Then, Luke realizes the government may be at fault. Damian was selected by a private military company that sent him on missions that mirrored his trauma, which was at least a 10-year psychological experiment.
If the government is Frankenstein, that poses issues for the BAU when trying to get close to Damian. However, the “Gold Star Program” killers are desperate to know who their Frankenstein is. The BAU can help them understand what created them and remind them that they don’t have to be pawns in their conspiracy theory. If they accomplish this, they can potentially stop them from killing more people in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2.