Evolution Season 2 Episode 6 Ending Explained

Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, episode 6.

Summary

• Rossi’s storyline in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2 has focused on his struggles with Voit and PTSD, and a traumatic nightmare in episode 6 may foreshadow a major death.
• Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, episode 6 highlighted the importance of JJ and Emily’s relationship, as JJ convinced Emily to stay with the BAU when she considered quitting.
• Personal issues and romantic complications arise for various team members, including Penelope, Tyler, and Luke with the introduction of Tyler’s ex-girlfriend, Teresa.

Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, episode 6 was one of the season’s creepier episodes thus far, with Rossi’s trauma-induced visions leading to some eerie scenes and a major “Gold Star” discovery. The episode’s events took place shortly after the end of Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, episode 5, and dealt with the fallout of Emily being put on restricted duty and the BAU’s near encounter with Damien and Jade. Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2 has marked a period of upheaval for the BAU team, and episode 6 was no exception.

Ahead of its release, Criminal Minds: Evolution dropped a hilarious clip of a high Emily Prentiss that may have tricked viewers into thinking episode 6 would be lighter. However, Criminal Minds has proven that even the lighter episodes can get dark. While Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, episode 6 had comedic moments with Emily and JJ getting high and the odd tension between Luke, Penelope, Tyler, and Teresa, Rossi’s storyline stood out. With only four episodes left in the season and Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3 on the way, the BAU’s pursuit of “Gold Star” is ramping up.

The North Star Conspiracy Theory Explained

North Star Is The BAU

Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, episode 5 was when Voit first brought up the “North Star” conspiracy theory. Though he claimed it didn’t mean anything, it clearly meant something to Damien, Jade, and everyone else in the “Gold Star Program.” Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, episode 6 still didn’t reveal what Voit and Damien talked about in episode 5, and the BAU team doesn’t know they secretly met. Yet, Voit was surprisingly helpful during Rossi’s prison visit, even though he spent most of their time together antagonizing the seasoned profiler.

When explaining the “North Star” conspiracy theory, Voit compared conspiracy theories to quest video games, where players look for clues, defeat a big bad boss, and the cycle repeats. For Damien, Jade, and others, the big bad boss is the BAU. Those who were part of the “Gold Star Program” at Stuart House want to find someone to blame for the abuse they experienced growing up. Though Voit didn’t know who, Rossi realized the BAU was the “North Star” thanks to an old unpublished paper he and Gideon had written 30 years ago.

The paper was inspired by someone asking Rossi and Gideon to create a hypothetical scenario about what would “generate a serial killer.” They ended up not publishing it because they felt it sounded too much like a “recipe” for making serial killers out of children with psychopathic traits. Rossi believes whoever got their hands on the paper created the “Gold Star Program,” and Damien, Jade, and the others could soon figure this out. Criminal Minds has previously explored how Rossi’s books have inspired unsubs, and making the BAU “North Star” takes this concept to another level.

How JJ Stopped Emily From Quitting From The BAU In Criminal Minds: Evolution

JJ Reminded Emily Of Their Criminal Minds History

Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2 has been rough on all the characters, and Emily specifically has had a hard time lately. With Criminal Minds: Evolution surprisingly bringing back Brian Garrity, Emily has been tested and pushed to her limits emotionally and mentally. After years of working with different government agencies and almost dying on more than one occasion, Emily seemed finally ready to give up and quit; at least that’s what she told JJ.

This wasn’t the first time Emily tried to quit, as Emily almost did in Criminal Minds season 13 when Linda Barnes went after her and the BAU. Spencer stopped her by reminding her of how much the BAU needed her, and in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, it was JJ’s turn to stop her. She took a similar approach to Spencer, but instead of focusing on how much the BAU needed her, JJ reminded Emily of the importance of their relationship over the years.

Emily and JJ have been through a lot in Criminal Minds, and they’ve always been there for each other. JJ was the one who stepped in when Doyle went after Emily in Criminal Minds season 7, helping her fake her death. Emily was the one who saved JJ when she was kidnapped and tortured by Askari in Criminal Minds season 9. JJ brings up these moments and tells Emily that, unlike Hotch and Gideon, they never quit. What truly made Emily decide to come back to the BAU were these lines from JJ:

“
This job takes a lot, but you know what it gives? It gives me you. And you know what, after all of this, if you still want to go, you know, I’ll still support you. I will. Always.”

Tyler Finally Did The Right Thing In Criminal Minds: Evolution

Tyler Worked With The BAU Instead Of Going Behind Their Back

Tyler has been a controversial character in Criminal Minds: Evolution due to his strange on-and-off relationship with Penelope and his tendency to disobey orders and go off the grid. Tyler did this once again in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, episode 3 when he went after his old colleague and the man behind the strike team’s escrow account, Sebastian Gaspar. Though Tyler only threatened him, he did clone his phone, confessing what he’d done to get Penelope to help him with it.

This came back to haunt him when he realized Sebastian was targeting his ex-girlfriend, Teresa. Towards the end of Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, episode 5, Brian revealed to Emily that “Gold Star” had given him one phrase to use to get out of trouble with the FBI: “Teresa is in trouble.” This mysterious phrase worried Tyler, and he later took her to the BAU, hoping Luke would help protect her and find out who was targeting her and him.

After Sebastian was interrogated and let go, he privately called Tyler and told him if he bought him back his work phone, he’d leave them alone. Fortunately, Tyler realizes this was a setup and calls the BAU for backup, showing his growth. In the past, Tyler might have gone alone and put himself and others in danger, but he now knows that the BAU has his back and, in turn, he needs to have theirs.

Criminal Minds: Evolution Is Teasing An Even Messier Romance

Luke Could Have A New Love Interest In Criminal Minds: Evolution

As aforementioned, part of the controversy around Tyler’s character has been his strange relationship with Penelope. Though they’ve claimed their relationship is over in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2–with Penelope ending things at the end of last season–episode 6 suggested otherwise. After episodes of trying to push Tyler away, Penelope becomes jealous when she finds out he has an ex-girlfriend he didn’t tell her about.

Additionally, Penelope and Tyler occasionally speak about their relationship as if they’re still together. If so, this would be a big mistake in Criminal Minds: Evolution, as Penelope’s romance with Tyler has brought out the worst parts of her character. It would also be a strange, unwelcomed move, as Criminal Minds just hinted at fixing a huge complaint by bringing Luke and Penelope back together.

This made the possibility of Luke having a new love interest even more puzzling. This was then further complicated by that potential love interest being Teresa, Tyler’s ex-girlfriend. Tyler, Penelope, and Luke already have a love triangle going on, they don’t need to make it a love square. The only way this storyline could work and make sense is if it makes Penelope jealous, like she was with Tyler, and she realizes she’s not over Luke the way she believes she is.

Rossi’s Dream In Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2, Episode 6 Could Be Foreshadowing

An Important Character Could Die In Criminal Minds: Evolution

Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, episode 6 started with Rossi having a creepy, traumatic nightmare involving Voit, Tara, Luke, Emily, and himself. In the dream, Voit had somehow escaped his cell, supposedly with Damien’s help, and was coming after the BAU. He had already shot Luke and had Emily captive with a gun to her head. One of the strangest parts of Rossi’s dream in Criminal Minds: Evolution was Voit forcing Emily to tearfully and heartbreakingly sing “When You’re Smiling” by Frank Sinatra.

At the end of the dream, Voit shoots Emily in the head, killing her. Rossi wakes up just as Voit points his gun at him and fires. This nightmare was shown to emphasize how affected Rossi is by Voit, having to work with him, and the possibility of him being let out of prison. It’s concerning enough that Tara, the BAU’s resident forensic psychologist, tries to make Rossi go to therapy. When he turns down the idea, she works with him herself.

Yet, Rossi’s dream in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, episode 6 can also be seen as foreshadowing. While it’s unlikely Luke, Emily, Rossi, or one of the other BAU team members will die this season, especially given the show’s history, there’s a chance someone else could. Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2 has already set up a major death, and the dream could both be foreshadowing and a red herring as to who the victim will be. Criminal Minds: Evolution has already taken big swings by killing Deputy Director Doug Bailey, and the series could continue to do so in season 2.

Criminal Minds: Evolution
season 2 is available for streaming on Paramount+ with new episodes released every Thursday through August 1, 2024.