Voit’s Most Genius Twist In Criminal Minds Ended Up Making Season 3 Worse
Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3 gave Elias Voit a finale twist, but the crime drama failed to stick the landing. Zach Gilford’s prolific serial killer has terrorized the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit since Criminal Minds: Evolution’s 2022 premiere. Though he left a lasting impression on the BAU agents, Voit’s role in the rebooted procedural went far beyond an ordinary unsub.
The Disciple Should Have Been The Best Twist Villain In Criminal Minds (But It Failed)
The Reboot Failed To Lay The Groundwork
Yet, Voit was never supposed to be the villain of Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3. To an extent, he even became an anti-hero in the face of the true antagonist: The Disciple. Behind the Yase-Otoko mask was Constance “Tessa” Merrick (Jordana Spiro), a prolific killer who allegedly existed in the shadows since the very beginning of Criminal Minds: Evolution.
The Disciple could have been one of the most terrifying unsubs in Criminal Minds, but the reboot’s shortened season diluted her until Tessa was nothing more than a footnote in Voit’s three-season story. She was meant to be the fearsome successor of Sicarius, but Criminal Minds: Evolution weakened Tessa’s plot until she felt like an anomaly that simply failed upwards.
What made matters worse was how the BAU tracked her down. Rossi sent Tara Lewis (Aisha Tyler) off to look into what he believed to be a baseless hunch— instead of focusing on men, he asked her to investigate women who could be the masked ringleader. Almost immediately thereafter, Tara presents “Tessa Lebrun” to the team as her first lead.
…The Disciple’s entire character changed from deranged puppet master to surprise pawn in a heartbeat.
There was no build-up and foreshadowing — nothing to make Tessa’s introduction feel earned or even necessary. Criminal Minds: Evolution gave away Tessa’s identity with no resistance, revealing who she was to the audience before justifying why she was there. As a result, The Disciple’s entire character changed from deranged puppet master to surprise pawn in a heartbeat.
Tessa & Voit’s Connection Was Under-Developed In Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 3
She Didn’t Even Exist Until Season 3’s Penultimate Episode
Tessa’s story in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3 had real promise, but it was doomed to fail from the start. Beyond her true identity, Tessa’s killer persona— The Disciple— wasn’t introduced until halfway through the season. Criminal Minds: Evolution could have peppered in clues regarding her identity or traumatic past, but they instead suggested The Disciple was a random sycophant.
When the Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3 finale revealed how Cyrus (Silas Weir Mitchell) abducted Tessa, it was an incredibly disturbing sequence. Watching Tessa lose herself until she trauma-bonded to Cyrus was heartbreaking, and clinging to Voit— never knowing him, only his mythos— made Tessa’s devotion devastating. Unfortunately, Criminal Minds: Evolution failed Tessa by sidelining her for the entire season.
Cyrus took Tessa captive the same night Voit left home, hoping to replace one groomed killer with another.
Her obsession would have worked had they been strangers and Tessa simply grew entranced with the Sicarius case. By introducing such a personal, almost fated, connection between them, Criminal Minds: Evolution demanded the audience fill in its gaps. We see Tessa being taken by Cyrus, we see her mention Voit once, and then we see her magically convinced they’re family.
In a way, it equally felt as though Criminal Minds: Evolution wasted Voit’s character in the final showdown. His momentary struggle with his violent urges was compelling, but he so quickly got the upper hand on Tessa that the entire kidnapping felt inconsequential. What could have been an emotionally-charged finale reveal instead felt like a bare-bones hint of a twist.
How Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 3 Could Have Made Tessa’s Character More Formidable
The Disciple Could Have Been Foreshadowed Long Ago
If Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3 wasn’t so focused on shocking the audience, Tessa could have been set up as a full-fledged character with a satisfying storyline. The Disciple should have been introduced much earlier on, but the series could have foreshadowed Tessa as well. A throwaway line mentioning a woman’s voice could have been enough to set the stage.
Furthermore, Voit’s amnesia in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3 could have been used as clever foreshadowing. During his memory recovery, Voit could have remembered an anonymous stalker watching him during his Criminal Minds: Evolution season 1 investigation. Their connection would have been established early on, but Tessa’s true identity could have remained Criminal Minds: Evolution’s big twist.
Even small details, like a BAU member mentioning a famous female serial killer or a scene with a feminine body double, could have built up to a feeling of epiphany when Rossi theorizes The Disciple is a woman. Rather than a random hunch in the eleventh hour, Rossi could have realized the truth that was hiding in plain sight.
All episodes of Criminal Minds: Evolution are streaming on Paramount+.
The ending of Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3 could have been something explosive and exciting, but also perfectly believable within the overarching narrative. Voit could have realized his crazed fan was also Cyrus’ victim, making his dilemma in the finale more nuanced and unpredictable. Unfortunately, Tessa’s character will instead be remembered as one of Criminal Minds: Evolution’s biggest fumbles.
