Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2 Episode 9 Review: Stars & Stripes

Even though Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2 Episode 9, “Stars & Stripes,” introduces a new Gold Star, it seems Jade’s death is bringing Gold Star to an end. However, there’s still an original Gold Star missing.

With him missing and Frank Church’s appearance, can one truly say the program is over? Or will more assassins be coming after the BAU?

After all, the episode reveals Voit got the network to dig up information on every member of the BAU. Even though Jade doesn’t use that information on this episode, who’s to say it won’t be used later by other unsubs?

The moment Jill Gideon confessed she was the one to release the white paper, it became very clear that destroying the BAU was Gold Star’s end goal. However, this is further proved on “Stars & Stripes” when the director tells them to back away from Church.

Rebecca delivers the information. If they continue to pursue Church and reveal what he is doing, the BAU will be the one to blame because the original paper came from them. Nevertheless, that doesn’t stop the team from pursuing Church.

The BAU’s main purpose is to protect the general public from people like Church. That is exactly why Gideon and Rossi decided not to publish their paper.

However, when Sicarius’s bunker is revealed to have plenty of information on each member of the BAU, it seems as if he is leading Gold Star back towards them. Is this setting up Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 3 with more bad guys coming after them?

This theory becomes stronger when Church talks to the teenagers in the new facility about the enemy and the next phase. Is the next phase going against the government itself?

One of the biggest questions viewers have watching this episode is why Jade wants to go back home when those are the same people who tortured her until she became a killer.

When Church kills Dana after delivering Jade to him, we know he is still the bad guy. Watching him talk to the other teenagers, particularly Mila, proves he is still doing the same things he did with Gold Star.

However, the answer to this question becomes obvious when Mila talks to Jade. By bringing up a nightmare in which Church is the man who sexually assaults her, Mila makes Jade realize that all her dreams are actually memories.

Damien tried to tell her this, but it was hard for her to believe it. It isn’t hard for Church to get back to his old way and sexually assault Jade when she comes close to uncovering the truth.

But that is where Church makes a mistake. He attacks his best assassin, one who won’t back down and won’t go back into a cage. That pushes Jade to prepare herself for the worst.

Just like Rossi tells Jill, after killing Damien, Jade basically signed their suicide pact.

If Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2 Episode 9, “Stars & Stripes,” was a season finale, the final scene would have us questioning if any of our favorite characters had died.

After getting Mila to save the children, Jade decides to blow up the new facility. This accomplishes several goals.

First, she saves all the children who she believes are being tortured the same way she had been. She sets them free from following in her footsteps.

Second, she destroys the facility that caused Gold Star so much pain. She causes the explosion, hoping this will bring down Church.

Third, she gets rid of the FBI. Jade still believes the FBI is to blame for what was done to them, so blowing them up in an explosion fulfills the plan she and Damien had.

“Stars & Stripes” does a great job of keeping the audience engaged with the season beyond Voit’s case. However, the downside of the director going through with Voit’s deal is that he will be transferred to a different facility.

The BAU obviously wants to stop this, but they won’t be able to do so until Gold Star and Church are fully out of commission. By blowing up the facility, is Jade putting an end to it?

Or will the remaining Gold Star return to chase the BAU on Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 3?

Stray Thoughts

• The first scene in which Jade attacks the officer’s eyes is filmed from the officer’s perspective. This camera angle makes us feel as if we were the cop and she was taking out our eyes. JJ later says this attack is to make them feel the main. By filming from this perspective, the show is making the audience feel that same pain.
• Nothing compares to those Penelope scenes in which we see her nerdy side in its full glory. Watching her talk about the Penny algorithm and how it works is one of the season’s best moments.

—

What did you think of this episode of Criminal Minds: Evolution? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Critic Rating:

User Rating:

 

Criminal Minds: Evolution streams Thursdays on Paramount+.

Follow us on X and on Instagram!

Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!