Review
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Criminal Minds: Evolution continues to break new ground, and remains one of the most provocative and immersive shows on television. The show is entering its third season since the 2022 revival, and is currently in the middle of one of its most shocking and nail-biting storylines. The end of Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2 saw serial killer unsub Elias Voit suffer a brain injury, which meant he was placed in a medically induced coma in the Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3 premiere. But the big twist has been that the prolific serial killer appears to be suffering from retrograde amnesia.
This is causing all kinds of issues for BAU because they believe Voit sent a signal to his online acolytes prior to his injury, triggering them to start killing. Due to his memory loss, Voit does not appear to remember what he’d done, and that he was a serial killer, and even at one point believed Rossi to be his father. However, there has been some skepticism among the BAU (and the fanbase) surrounding the veracity of Voit’s condition, despite doctors confirming the amnesia to be real.
While things are up in the air right now, and it is unclear what Voit’s future holds, I believe that Criminal Minds: Evolution has already thrown in a couple of spoilers about Voit’s ultimate fate, and possibly what viewers can expect from Criminal Minds: Evolution season 4 as well. As one of the most nefarious and chilling unsubs in all of Criminal Minds, Voit is someone who will leave an indelible mark when he finally exits the show, and there is plenty more to come from the character.
Voit's Brain Injury Makes Him Sympathetic In Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 3
The Show Has Managed The Near-Impossible Feat Of Humanizing Voit
The show has done a great job of painting Voit as one of the biggest threats that BAU has ever faced, and now Criminal Minds: Evolution has flipped the script on Voit’s storyline, in a move that is bold yet genius. Voit’s brain injury achieves an almost impossible feat — it makes him a more sympathetic character. As his memories return, he seems horrified by what he is discovering about himself, and has displayed seemingly genuine horror and remorse over what he has done.
Voit is a completely broken man, crushed by what he has done, and even considers suicide as an option before agreeing to help the BAU with The Brutal Man case. By showing Voit’s tortured mental state as he slowly comes to understand the person he was before his accident, it provides a paradox in how audiences view the character, and manages to make him sympathetic in ways that would never have been possible otherwise.
Of course, it is important to note that while it is confirmed that Voit has a brain injury, there is no test to definitively prove he has amnesia. Having said this, doctors seem confident that his retrograde amnesia is genuine, and it certainly seems like Voit’s memory loss is genuine, and, as such, his arc has become even more interesting.
Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 3 Trailer Reveals Voit's Nefarious Return
It Seems Like The Old Voit Will Be Back This Season
There is fan speculation that Voit has not actually lost his memories, and that he is still the person he has always been. In fact, the TV Promos season trailer for Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3 reveals that Voit might actually remember everything, and things could be set to take a dramatic turn for the BAU. There’s a scene on the prison bus where Voit seemingly slips back to his old, nefarious self, attacking a prisoner. He also issues a chilling warning to Rossi, «No matter how good you are, no matter how good your team is… you’re not good enough.«
These scenes, as well as the way the season has played out so far, suggest that either Voit has regained his memories and reverted to his former self, or he was always Voit, and the whole thing was a ruse. If Voit has indeed been faking it, it would be a remarkable performance from the serial killer, but it would also fit with his sadistic manipulation and love of playing deranged games.
While it feels like the old Voit has always been lurking in the background, ready to return at any point, these elements feel like they are all pointing definitively to classic Voit coming back. If Voit’s amnesia has been a ruse all along, then this would mean he has been playing BAU the entire time, and that his endgame is very much still on the cards, throwing their whole case into turmoil, and endangering the whole team in the process.
Can Voit Still Be Redeemed In Criminal Minds: Evolution?
Just Because A Character Can Be Redeemed It Doesn't Mean They Should Be
It is important to remember that Voit is a sadistic and brutal mass murderer and cop killer, and no amount of amnesia is going to change that fact. Regardless of how bad Voit might feel about the things he has done, and how much he may want to change and make amends, at his heart he is still evil. To date, Voit has murdered dozens of people, and even if his memory loss was genuine, and he wanted to make changes and help BAU to make up for what he’s done, it doesn’t change who he is.
It is a complicated situation with Voit, and one that makes his Criminal Minds: Evolution character arc this season such an interesting one. Assuming Voit has actually lost his memories, it would suggest the show might be setting him up for a redemption arc that I’m not sure he deserves. Criminal Minds: Evolution has had many dark characters throughout its run, but setting one as prominent as Voit up for a possible redemption arc is new ground for the show.
I’m hoping that the trailer’s reveal means that Voit will return as normal, and can face the justice his character is ultimately due…
Voit has committed so many evil acts in Criminal Minds: Evolution, not to mention proxy kills, and commands a legion of demented serial killers via the dark web, and giving him an antihero redemption arc would not feel right at this point. I’m hoping that the trailer’s reveal means that Voit will return as normal, and can face the justice his character is ultimately due, with an arc potentially continuing into Criminal Minds: Evolution season 4.
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Criminal Minds s an elite team of FBI profilers from the Behavioral Analysis Unit as they analyze the nation's most complex criminal minds, led by experienced agent David Rossi. The team works to anticipate and prevent crimes by understanding the behavior of these dangerous individuals.
