Criminal Minds: Evolution – Save the Children (SEASON FINALE)

If you haven’t watched the new episode of Criminal Minds: Evolution yet, you may want to do that and circle back here. I wouldn’t want to spoil this one for you. Now, let’s get into Save the Children. 

Talk about starting an episode with a BANG! In last week’s episode, we saw Jade set up explosives to go off and then the episode ends – the start of this episode proves that those explosives did some major damage. Aida, one of the training institutions where Gold Star was created, is now up in flames. 

Back at the office, Penelope and Rebecca are anxiously trying to get a connection back with the team (they were all at the Aida building when the explosion happened). A text from Rebecca’s mom prompts them to turn on the news and they see that the Aida building is completely engulfed in flames. Screw being anxious, they are beyond terrified for the fate of their team members. If seeing that scene wasn’t enough, multiple explosions are caught live leaving both Penelope and Rebecca with a look of terror. 

“Save the Children” – CRIMINAL MINDS: EVOLUTION. Pictured: Zach Gilford as Elias Voit and Joe Mantegna as David Rossiin Photo Credit: Michael Yarish /Paramount+ © 2024. All Rights Reserved.

We’re at the scene at Aida (post explosion) and David is having a chat with subconscious Elias again (not this man still living rent free in David’s mind). We don’t get into that too much though because thankfully Tara finds David, but brings bad news: everyone is accounted for except for Jade, Frank, and Emily. 

Now, if we’re thinking back to last week’s episode still (I certainly am), I thought Jade was a goner. Imagine my shock when I saw her alive. Of course the games don’t stop with this one; she has Frank and Emily tied to wheelchairs. Why? Oh, to put them on trial for their wrongdoings of course. Starting with Frank (you nasty human), who took advantage of, tortured, and manipulated her while at Stuart House. When he tried to talk his way out of it, she didn’t bother to entertain it and hit him with one to the head. Right in front of Emily too –yikes! Jade then takes Frank away to this room and I mean what else could she do to this man? He’s already dead, but then I understood what she was doing here and this is where my thoughts on Jade took a turn (I wasn’t expecting to feel anything towards her at all). We get a flashback of her time at Stuart House and…yeah, it was a rough time for her. What we’re also seeing is how much of an anchor Damien was for her. Without her anchor, now, she truly is lost. 

“Save the Children” – CRIMINAL MINDS: EVOLUTION. Pictured: Paget Brewster as Emily Prentiss, Tuc Watkins as Frank Church, and Liana Liberato as Jade Waters Photo Credit: Michael Yarish /Paramount+ © 2024. All Rights Reserved.

Now it’s Emily’s turn – and man, this was a twist I DID NOT see coming. All this time the team has been looking for the identity of the last two Gold Star members; they figured out Jade was now working with one of them named Dana, but the last one was tricky. Jade points a gun at Emily and asks how she pleads, but she was never told what she was being charged with. When she asked, Jade told her it was a conspiracy to commit murder. She assumed it was Damien, but nope, that wasn’t it. Emily convinces Jade to let her confront the person accusing her and said person agrees. Boy is Emily in for a surprise. 

At the office, the team tries to identify the last Gold Star member (they only know his name is Pete B) thinking it would give them some kind of idea as to where Emily could be. In trying to identify him, they come to the conclusion that this particular Gold Star member has had Emily on his radar the entire time. Everything that has happened to Emily this season was no coincidence; Pete blames Emily for…something, but we have no idea what just yet. Then subconscious Elias is back and tells David if he thought any of this would have happened if he never mentioned Gold Star and everything, EVERYTHING starts coming together (and I start to freak out because I realize we’re getting more answers). 

“Save the Children” – CRIMINAL MINDS: EVOLUTION. Pictured: A.J. Cook as Jennifer “JJ” Jareau and Zach Gilford as Elias Voit Photo Credit: Michael Yarish /Paramount+ © 2024. All Rights Reserved.

David goes to visit Elias in his new correctional institute and he’s hoping his conversation with him would lead to a definitive answer to who this last Gold Star member is. Elias of course is playing games, but David tells him what he knows. That this all started when he first mentioned Gold Star, but more importantly who he first mentioned Gold Star to: Douglas Bailey. David starts breaking down how he figured out that Pete B is none other than Pete Bailey, Doug’s younger brother (MIND BLOWN). We get it now, Pete; you blame Emily for Doug’s death. Elias is brought back to the office to help once again and the BAU team is NOT thrilled. He tells them how he created an app for Pete to help him decipher real and deep fake videos of his brother and how when the app is used and a fake video is found, a GPS mark is attached to it with location. If Pete has used the app recently then they’d be able to find him. The team and Elias head over to Aida to try and find Pete’s location, and surprisingly, Elias was helpful. 

After Emily pleads her case, Pete is not convinced and Jade holds a gun to her head again, telling her she’s found guilty. I thought Emily was about to meet Frank’s fate as well, before Jade puts the gun away. She tells Emily that her sentence is delayed and there’s another plan about to happen. She then learns that everything Voit gave Jade about her team allowed her to know their tactics and she knew that they were on the way to save Emily, and that both Pete and Jade were ready for them; explosives were set at the door ready to meet them (and they were almost goners). Assuming that this could be a trap, David has another one set up: play the recording of Elias admitting to killing Doug Bailey. Pete finally sees the truth, confirmed with Elias’ app, and knows that Emily isn’t the enemy. 

“Save the Children” – CRIMINAL MINDS: EVOLUTION. Pictured: Alex Saxon as Pete Bailey, Paget Brewster as Emily Prentiss, and Liana Liberato as Jade Waters Photo Credit: Michael Yarish /Paramount+ © 2024. All Rights Reserved.

Man, I was really not trying to feel anything for Jade, but that ending was something. When Pete and Jade surrender, Pete is being taken away but Jade takes out a gun and puts it to her head (the fact that death is better than dealing with the repercussions is so telling). Emily does what Emily does best and talks her out of it. Jade just wants someone to listen to her and Emily promises to do just that. Jade surrenders. 

Everyone is at Penelope’s place celebrating the fact that they’re all safe (I loved that – especially the cake!) But, major jumpscare when Tyler was talking about Elias Voit and Emily walks in and we see subconscious Elias in the hall behind her. He doesn’t walk in with her, so does this mean he’s no longer on David’s mind? Also, to what Tyler said, why did Elias want to be transferred to gen-pop? 

The final scene of the episode shows us Elias in the laundry room and he’s not alone for long. Two men walk in, one going directly to him (shank in hand) asking him to confirm who he believes he is: Elias Voit. He tried to deny it but the man wasn’t buying it and a fight broke out. The second man joins in on the attack and then — episode done. Two on one didn’t look like it was working out in Elias’ favor at the end there. Do we believe this could be the end of Elias Voit? 

I have some ideas, but I want to hear from you – what’d you think of the season finale of Criminal Minds: Evolution? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, or connect with me on X/Twitter @chenfordhugs

Valerie LaRoche

Hello! I’m Val. I’m a writer, actress, photographer, and producer from New York. I enjoy going to the bookstore, the gym, and for walks in the park. If I’m not doing any of those things, I’m home studying film and television.