Criminal Minds: Evolutionseason 3 has taken its overarching narrative into new territory for the series. While the series deals with cases of the week as the Behavioral Analysis Unit tracks down serial killers, the show has placed its larger focus since the revival premiered on the killer known as Sicarius, or Elias Voit (Zach Gilford). His severe injuries in theCriminal Minds: Evolutionseason 2 finalehave led to brain trauma.
Voit’s traumatic brain injuries mean that he was initially in a coma and has had to relearn his motor and verbal skills. Alongside that, he has complete amnesia of his life before the coma, not even remembering his own name. That means he also does not remember his life as a serial killer or the leader of a network of killers on the dark web, creating a compelling story to explore inCriminal Minds: Evolutionseason 3.
Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 3’s Flipped Dynamic With Voit Has Been Fascinating
The BAU Has To Handle Voit Differently Than Any Other Unsub
Typically, when the BAU has an unknown subject they believe is a serial killer, they create a profile, do the investigation, interrogate a suspect, and make an arrest. They do not necessarily need to get a confession out of someone, but if a serial killer has no memory of their past at all, there is no chance of getting a confession.
The attempts to jog Voit’s memory have been one of the most fascinating aspects of the season. The show has largely placed that responsibility on Agents Rossi (Joe Mantegna) and Lewis (Aisha Tyler), thoughCriminal Minds: Evolutionseason 3’s third episodedid bring back Voit’s only surviving victim for a walk down memory lane as well.
While Lewis has a background in psychology first and criminology second, Rossi’s involvement is more at the insistence of Voit, who initially is confused and believes Rossi is his father.It’s a startling dynamic to watch unfold as Rossi is forced to treat Voit with kid glovesinstead of being able to angrily interrogate him like he wants to.
It makes for an unusual story for the season as the agents are forced to help the very person they most want to put in prison, and it makes for both fun and emotional scenes for Mantegna, especially, to play. The entire team knows that Voit is responsible for a network of killers who are active, but there is nothing they can do to make him pay for his crimes until he works out his memories for himself.
It Was Only A Matter Of Time Before Voit Regained His Memories In Criminal Minds
Dr. Lewis Speaks For The Writers
There is only so far the story could go with a character who remembers none of the previous events of the show.
When Lewis is told Voit might never get his memory back, she is adamant that he will. She knows that he can if given the right triggers. That sounds like the writers giving the fans a moment of foreshadowing. Considering the amazing progress Voit makes from episode to episode at the start of season 3, though, it’s clear that Voit regaining his memories is inevitable, even to the audience. There is only so far the story could go with a character who remembers none of the previous events of the show.
The trick here is that the writers (and the agents within the show) cannot have all of Voit’s memories suddenly come back at once. Pieces of the story, even pieces that the BAU might not yet know, have to come back one at a time. It’s a way togradually show how horrific Voit’s actions have been while still moving the story forward. For every piece of information he says he remembers out loud, too, there is the question of whether that is the only thing he has remembered, giving the season another mystery to handle.
Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 3 Has A Unique Storytelling Opportunity With Voit Now
Can A Serial Killer Have A Clean Slate?
Beyond the mystery itself, the season also offers up a unique story with Voit. Voit, as the season has demonstrated so far, has his empathy intact. With his psychopathy gone as the result of a traumatic brain injury,Voit is not the same person he was before. He is visibly confused and distressed inCriminal Minds: Evolutionseason 3’s episode 4when he remembers enjoying drilling into a man’s skull to kill him.
They have to continue working with him to recover their case, but they could just wake up the sleeping killer as a result.
This new development can move the story in a whole new direction:how does the BAU handle a serial killer who is no longer a serial killer? It’s impossible for someone like Voit to have a completely clean slate in the eyes of the law. Voit is responsible for numerous deaths and for leading other people to commit various criminal activities. He had no remorse before his injury. It’s a question of how the legal system would handle him after it.
Of course, this new development could also lead Voit right back down the path to being Sicarius. He could easily have his psychopathy return as he slowly regains his memories of his past experiences. The narrative options put the BAU in a difficult position either way. They have to continue working with him to recover their case, but they could just wake up the sleeping killer as a result.
It does beg the question of whether Sicarius and Voit’s place in the story will be over by the end of the season. If it is, will one of his proteges rise up to take his place in a new arc for the show, or willCriminal Minds: Evolutionmove on to a new arc and an unrelated unsub? There is still so much ground to cover in Voit’s story before we know for sure.
