"Gold Star" refers to who?
The enigmatic group "Gold Star" has been central focus of "Criminal Minds: Evolution" season 2. The initiative turns out to have trained killers for different missions, including the present threat presented by the unsub known "The Chemist." Investigating "Gold Star" across the season, the BAU team has found its extensive network and the people linked to it—including Damien and Jade.
In "Criminal Minds: Evolution" season 2 episode 9, what big turnabout happened?
The shocking discovery in Episode 9 revealed that a fresh unsub named Elias is the actual villain behind "Gold Star," not Damien. Originally appearing to be a naive character, Elias turns out to have been a silent partner in Damien's crimes, behind-the-scenes event manipulator. Additionally linked to the "The Chemist" and thought to be the brains behind the whole company is Elias. The episode also shows that Elias has been collaborating with an enigmatic person from his past, so adding still another level of mystery and complexity to the story.
Given Elias's reveal as the actual genius behind "Gold Star," what is the relevance?
Being the actual genius behind "Gold Star" gives the storyline of the season fresh perspective and questions the Bau team's conception of the company. Given his silence as a partner, "Gold Star" seems to have more complex layers of operations and control than first believed. It also implies that the program represents a real threat more significant and maybe more dangerous than what the BAU team first thought. His participation also challenges the team since they have to modify their plans and find his hidden agenda.
Whose enigmatic past is that of Elias?
A major cause of suspense and mystery in the episode, the identity of the enigmatic person from Elias's past is still hidden in secret. This person implies a deeper past for Elias's participation with "Gold Star" and his motivations. This person might be someone else completely with a close relationship to Elias, a former accomplice, or a former mentor. The nature of their relationship and how they affect Elias's intentions will probably be major subjects in the season finale.
What ramifications follow from the cliffhanger ending?
With the BAU team confronting an uncertain future against Elias and his unidentified partner, episode 9's cliffhanger ending set viewers on a tense note. The episode implies that as the team races to stop more anarchy and bring Elias and the surviving members of "Gold Star" to justice, the season finale will be action-packed and full of twists. The episode also sets up a possible conflict between the Bau team's internal divisions and its questioning of its policies and goals.
How will Elias's involvement affect the BAU team?
The BAU team would be much changed by Elias's participation. The team has to change its approach to fit the erratic behavior of Elias and the enigmatic person collaborating with him. The episode implies that as the team tries to comprehend Elias's motives and how he managed to operate undetectably for so long, they would experience internal conflicts. The events of episode 9 underline the team's fragility and the always changing character of the hazards they encounter. The season finale promises a difficult and maybe dangerous confrontation as the BAU team tries to destroy "Gold Star" and bring Elias to justice.
