[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 17 Episode 9 “Stars & Stripes.”]
Uh-oh, the status of multiple members of the BAU is unknown after the team’s move against the Gold Stars, and that can only mean one thing: We should be very worried heading into the Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 17 finale.
In the aftermath of Jade (Liana Liberato) killing Damien, she meets up with another Gold Star, Dana (Nikko Austen Smith), and leaves an officer without his eyes to give the BAU a message. The two then go down to one of Voit’s (Zach Gilford) bunker, where a board all about the BAU is set up. Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness), meanwhile, finds a connection between the Stuart House doctors and the sheriff deputies who have been murdered: All were paid through an account linked to Aida Limited, a private security company; there have been accusations of criminal misconduct against the CEO, Frank Church (Tuc Watkins), but he has friends in high places.
The message that the officer was given for the BAU is that Jade never meant to hurt anyone and had no choice; she just wants to go home and find peace, and if they go after her, she’ll take them down. Home, the team figures out, is the original training ground. Knowing that Aida will try to erase every trace of Gold Star, Garcia pulls up the alternate sites for Stuart House.
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As for Voit, he’s looking ahead to his move to Collymore, a minimum security prison; his sentence is for seven years, but he says he’ll be out in five. The BAU knows that’s not enough to hold him and he’ll find his way out. And after discovering Voit’s bunker with that board (blown up, via a booby trap), Rossi (Joe Mantegna) confronts him about giving Jade a target list (the agents). Voit, of course, plays like he has no idea what he’s talking about, continuing to deny he’s Sicarius. And while Rossi points out that he’ll be killed in gen pop, Voit reveals he’s not going in as rumored serial killer Elias Voit; he’s been prosecuted and sentenced under his birth name, Lee Duval.
Tyler (Ryan-James Hatanaka) tracks down Frank, who gives them nothing but a series of textbook non-denial denials. Frank, in turn, accuses Prentiss (Paget Brewster) of intimidation and says he’s concerned about the future of federal law enforcement; he’s not surprised because when good men like Bailey are cut down and women like her championed… Rebecca (Nicole Pacent) cuts the interrogation short, on Director Madison’s order. But Madison isn’t compromised like they think, she tells Prentiss. Rather, he’s trying to protect the BAU: Any investigation into Gold Star would reveal the existence of the paper (by Rossi and Gideon) that led to the program’s creation, and it would look like the unit was responsible. If they miss when taking a swing at Frank, it’ll lead to the entire bureau being brought down.
In watching back the video of his interrogation, Jill (Felicity Huffman) is reminded of a cult leader; it wouldn’t be a problem for him to beat kids into submission, then turn around and present himself as their savior. The team knows he’ll start over with a new group of troubled teens, so it’s just a matter of finding his new training ground.
While the BAU tries to figure out where that is, Jade and Dana arrive at the new location, gaining access at the security gate with the code Gold Star. Frank welcomes them home with a hug and has Jade taken to the dormitory. After Dana tells him what she knows (about Damien’s friend in federal custody, the secret bunker), Frank kills her. Jade, meanwhile, gets a look at the new teens training, focusing on Mila, whom Frank tells her reminds him of her. She and the other Gold Stars made this possible and helped to free these young people and give them lives back and the opportunity to teach them the skills needed to defend themselves, he says. The Gold Stars struck at the heart of the conspiracy. And once Dana brings Peter home, they can move on to the next phase, he says. As he shows her around (including some padded cells), she remembers when she was locked up. And it’s in those cells that Jade realizes Mila is being put through the same abuse she was, after the other girl shares about her nightmares in which Frank attacks her. She later finds Mila in that same position, only to be tasered.
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Simultaneously, the BAU identifies Mila as a potential victim of Frank’s; she’s been missing nearly eight months but two weeks ago was caught on a security camera talking to a deputy. That officer gives up the location of the youth training center. The judge approves a warrant to search it for Mila. Tyler warns them that mercenaries like this will be combat-ready.
Before the BAU heads out, however, Rossi tries to convince Jill to go with them. She can’t, because of the responsibility she feels from her role in creating Stuart House. And while she said she kissed him previously to distract him, she kisses him again and tells him to be safe before he leaves.
Jade manages to escape, killing one of Frank’s men, and get to the armory, then Mila, as the BAU arrives on scene. But the men at the gate refuse to let them in, not caring that they have a warrant. Jade sends Mila along with the other teens (to save the children) to the access road at the south end of the property, while she sets up explosives around the center. Frank learns that the teens are all gone just as Prentiss decides to ignore Frank’s men’s orders and head to the dorms. She and Rossi have just entered the building when Jade arms the explosives, and ….
Uh-oh.
Criminal Minds: Evolution, Thursdays, Paramount+
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