S16E7- “What Doesn’t Kill Us”
We open “somewhere in West Virginia”. There’s a close-up prolonged shot of a young woman passed out in an enclosed space. Spoiler alert- it’s like an HVAC duct system. So basically a long winding set of human-sized galvanized steel tunnels. Like, a claustrophobic nightmare. The young woman, whose name we later learn is Ashley Limina, wakes up and finds a conspicuously placed flashlight nearby and as she gets up she starts panicking and screaming for help. But no one comes.
There’s no choice but to start climbing down the tunnel directly in front of her on her hands and knees, using her tiny flashlight to see. She can’t really see more than a few feet in front of her. As she’s crawling along, she starts hearing another woman screaming from somewhere nearby. She keeps crawling along, and she spots a blinking red light, a camera. She climbs in front of the camera and says “please help me”.
Unsubs be streaming. There is an unsub in a control room watching the girl crawl through the tunnel. And this is scary and all, but fam, we see a shot of the control room and a ton of computers. And these are like- the oldest computers I have ever seen in my life. These are full on the boxy old dial up computers. Like, what is this- the 1983 sci-fi thriller War Games with Matthew Broderick? This was a fucking choice. Like, we are canonically in 2022. These computers have no business being here.
Cut to- Quantico, VA. And we’re getting a quote from Doug Bailey. We cut to Prentis’ office, and Garcia comes in and they do this whole “hi” exchange. Garcia tells Prentis: “I need to discuss a development with you on the Tyler situation.” Prentis is like “what about him?” But then Doug shows up and tells Prentis that it’s time to leave. We remember that Doug and Prentis are about to make their case to the Attorney General that the Sicarius case should remain open. Remember, the DOJ wanted to make Benjamin Reeves Sicarius and tie the case up with a ribbon. So Prentis has to go, but she asks Garcia what’s going on with Tyler, and Garcia’s like “don’t worry, it’s nothing lol”.
Cut to- a meeting room. We’re looking at Deputy Doug’s beautiful long ass fingers. He’s got fingers for days. Prentis, who, again, is Doug’s subordinate, is like “are you gonna be able to handle this?” And Doug is like “yeah I’ve given presentations before, but never like this.” Then Doug says what I always say “I’m gonna throw up.” He asks Prentis why she’s not nervous and she’s like “After being assaulted, drugged, and killed in the line of duty, I figure what’s the worst that can happen.” The Attorney General shows up with her squad and tells the BAU that they’ve got five minutes to justify keeping the Sicarius case open.
Meanwhile, the rest of the BAU is trying to salvage evidence from the second Sicarius shipping container. Remember, the one from Whitfield County, GA? Where Luke and JJ were literally blown up but weren’t hurt at all? The only thing that is really salvageable is an RF ID tag that was recovered. Tara keeps checking her phone, looking for a text or call from Rebecca. Remember? How she was dumped? Over something stupid? Rossi tells her to look into the RF ID tag. Tara is like “I don’t wanna” and Rossi tells her “I know what it’s like to lose the love of your life”. And I’m like- bold of you to assume that Rebecca is the love of Tara’s life.
Back with the Attorney General. The Attorney General is playing hardball, and Prentis threatens to resign. Doug then backs her up. The Attorney General says that she will look into the Sicarius situation, but in return, the BAU has to look at some other cases. Which, is so valid and fair. The Attorney General hands Prentis a file regarding a case in West Virginia. We have this great cut where Doug goes “what’s in West Virginia?”
And we cut back to the- galvanized steel tunnel. Ashley is still climbing through with her flashlight, but she’s getting tired and worn out. As she crawls along she finds writing in blood on the wall that says “Help me”. Never a good sign. She continues to scream and crawl along.
Back at Quantico- Tara is on her special RF ID chip assignment, so the BAU is short-handed. Except, PSYCHE! Deputy Doug is gonna work the case with them. In the round table room, Doug thanks the team for welcoming him and Rossi goes “I didn’t”. Luke points out the irony that Doug’s job now depends on the BAU solving their case. And I’m like- Luke. Where have you been? We’re all on the same team. Doug says “okay because our fates are tied together on this case, I took the liberty of preparing the briefing” and Rossi goes “wow us”. I love a man who makes a presentation!
We learn about Terry O’Brien who is a VILF- Victim I’d Like to Fuck. He was a teacher’s assistant at Camdale College in West, VA. He went missing last week and was discovered on campus after an alumni event. The cause of death was exsanguination due to deep cuts and wounds all over his body. The BAU is being called in because now a second person has gone missing from Camdale College- Grace Ryleigh. Grace was a student in the class Terry TA’ed in. They’re taking the jet. Doug says “while the BAU is under review, you no longer have access to it”. And the BAU members all kind of roll their eyes. Doug then asks Prentis what his job should be and the team walks out. Doug is kind of standing there like a tall glass of milk, and Prentis tells him to keep tabs on other potential missing people. Also like, the BAU is all talking smack, but Doug is THEIR BOSS. Leave my boy alone!
Cut to, Seattle, WA. Daddy Voit’s home cooking eggs for his super hot wife Bridget AHEM Sydney and his two kids. Bridget AHEM Sydney and Daddy have some really bad small talk about eggs. Bridget’s like “What is that amazing smell” and he’s like “I’m just making eggs for the girls” and she’s like “you make eggs once a month and they think you’re a chef of the year. What’s wrong with my eggs?” And Voit goes “they’re kinda old”. Like??? Number 1- don’t call your wife’s eggs old. Like, what is this? An age joke? Also- they’re literally boring ass scrambled eggs. I don’t see any scallions in there. I don’t see any mushrooms or cheese. What is this show’s obsession with white men with brown hair making bland ass eggs? This is not the visibility I was looking for.
While he’s stirring around his overcooked-looking eggs, Daddy flashes back to when he lived with his uncle Cyrus Leburn. He’s so distracted that a kitchen towel accidentally catches on fire and the eggs are ruined! Sidget I mean Bridgney is like “are you okay”? And Daddy Voit fantasizes about slashing her throat and killing her. But in reality, he’s like “I’m tired” and walks off. So… I guess Sydney has to make the girl’s breakfast now??
Cut to- the Medical Examiner’s office. Rossi and Alvez meet with a medical examiner who shows them the body of our first victim, Terry. She believes that Terry’s lacerations are due to being whipped, but points out that some sort of special tool must have been used to inflict the wounds. She says that she’s never seen anything like it and Rossi takes out his phone and shows her a “cat of nine tails”. And she’s like “uh… that might be it. But not quite.” This is such a weird interaction. Also, 3.14 has been carved into the victim’s forehead. I mean, that’s something we should have learned from the getgo. Rossi suggests calling Reid for help but remember he wasn’t hired for this show, so Alvez has to chime in and say it’s Genesis. Alvez explains: “On your belly shall you crawl all the days of your life”. Alvez also points out that there are wounds on Terry’s hands and knees indicating that he was made crawl. And the ME chimes in like “YES! The unsub made Terry crawl for DAYS”. Way to chime in, Bestie.
Back at Quantico- Doug has found another missing girl. This, of course, is our girl Ashley Limina. We learn that Ashley went to school but wasn’t in class with either Terry or Grace. Garcia went digging, and she tells the BAU that Terry O’Brien and Grace didn’t have an apparent relationship that she could find evidence of, but Terry was arrested at some point recently, although the arrest has been scrubbed by the local police. Everyone leaves and Prentis corners Garcia and demands that she explain what is going on between Garcia and Tyler.
They go into Prentis’ office and Garcia admits to kissing Tyler. She says “I told you, the new back at the BAU meet was more impulsive and committed to pleasure”. Prentis is like- bestie he is a WITNESS in the BIGGEST INVESTIGATION IN THE HISTORY OF THE BAU! Prentis tells Garcia to break it off with him today. And Garcia is like- I can’t, he has my key and he spent the night in my apartment. And Prentis tells Garcia to tell Tyler to mail Garcia’s key back.
Terry O’Brien’s parents have arrived at Quantico. JJ runs point and Doug requests to sit in. Essentially- the BAU has a feeling that Terry’s scrubbed arrest will illuminate his victimology. So they need Terry’s parents to tell them off the record what happened. But Terry’s parents are polite but refuse to assist. They tell JJ that they do not believe the FBI is capable of solving Terry’s case and Mrs. O’Brien tells JJ that America does not trust the FBI. Doug opens the file and shows Terry’s mug shot. Terry was wearing a little conservative jewelry- a little Gasden snake “don’t tread on me” necklace. Doug tells the Obriens that his father “lives by that quote. That one and the one from Ronald Regan. Government isn’t the solution to the problem. Government is the problem.”
Dougy then gives this monologue about how taking this job was his “delayed teenage rebellion”. Doug stresses that although he’s a bureaucrat he’s also a man of the people. “The Behavioral analysis unit has one job- and it’s to stop killers. And it’s critical that we stop this one.” His candidness gets the O’Briens to open up. Mrs. O’Brien tells JJ and Doug that Terry sold Grace part of his OxyContin prescription. Doug also asks the O’Briens if he can call them and keep them updated on the case.
Afterward, Prentis congratulates Doug and asks if the story about his father is true. Doug says “oh, no, he’s an old hippie up in Woodstock. But you don’t get to be deputy director without knowing how to codeswitch politically.” So now the BAU is thinking that the unsub’s message is old testament- fire and brimstone. So the BAU knows the connection between Terry and Grace, but they don’t know Ashley’s connection.
Back with Ashley, she thinks she sees someone in the tunnels, and she tries to run away when she’s grabbed and pulled out by Grace. Grace brings Ashley into this small room right off one of the tunnels. Grace tells Ashley to shut up. Ashley asks “who is that?” and Grace says “I don’t know, but he’s judging us.”
Meanwhile, Garcia and Tara are working on the RFI ID chip. Garcia learns that the ID chip belongs to none other than- Moose! Remember Moose! Garcia finds Moose’s owner- Tawny Smith from Chattanooga, TN. Apparently, she’s been posting about Moose being missing since Thanksgiving. Tara is gonna coordinate with the Nashville office to interview Tawny. Tara leaves the room just as Garcia gets a phone call from Tyler, and she sends him to voicemail.
Back in the conference room- Luke tells the team that Ashley covered up a sorority sister’s overdose and labels her “an enabler”. The BAU prepares to give the profile to the local PD, but Doug also recommends that they give it to college administrators.
Profile
The unknown subject has abducted three unknown victims from the college community. The BAU believes he lives and or works on campus
The unsub is middle-aged and physically fit
What makes him stand out are his beliefs. He left a message based on a quote from the bible. This makes him a “moral absolutist”.
A lot of people believe in biblical principles, but this man’s belief system has become so rigid, he feels he can’t trust God to punish those who’ve sinned
The BAU has a term for this- injustice collector. Like LAPD cop turned cop-killer Christopher Dorner.
Injustice collectors have suffered some sort of severe moral injury in their past. To deal with this trauma, they hurt others in order to restore some sense of justice to their lives.
We believe this unsub’s trauma is connected to the loss of a loved one due to an opioid overdose. It’s why he externalizes his pain onto his victims, all of whom are tied to opioids in some way.
He’s someone who students and professors wouldn’t notice. Like a custodian or maintenance worker.
Someone who serves his victims by cleaning up after them.
That’s how he learns their secrets, in the garbage they throw away or the moments he eavesdrops on when they don’t even notice he’s there.
The Camdale College Administrator Guy is like “this is a liability nightmare, we can’t admit knowledge of a serial killer at our school”. Doug goes: “An FBI once told me that you can either protect the people you serve or protect your ass.”
Back with Ashley and Grace in the small offshoot room, both girls are looking a little worse for wear. It appears that they’re in some sort of abandoned building Ashley tries to open a nearby door and it’s locked. Grace eventually gives her a water bottle and tells her to finish it. Grace explains that the unsub comes down sometimes and leaves out food and water. Grace and Ashley try to retrace their steps, but the unsub is watching on his shitty old monitors. He drops a spray grenade in the room Ashley and Grace are in and knocks them out.
Now cut to Seattle, WA. Daddy Voit uses the secure search on his phone to search for Benjamin Reeves, Cyrus Leburn, and for Maria Jones. He panics when he sees that the Maria Jones investigation has been reopened and that police are questioning whether former death row inmate Silvio Herrara is innocent. This little google search is cut off when Daddy Voit is distracted by the sounds of his children fighting in the next room. He goes in and the girls are squabbling with super-hot wife Bridgney . Sydget wants the girls to be off their screens (meaning phone and computer) and Harlow tells Daddy Voit that if they have to be off their phones, then has to be off his phone, too!
And he goes “I’m the dad and there are different rules”. And Bridgney goes: “Haha, she is right. You are always on your phone!” Voit goes: “Jesus fucking Christ, I can’t take this family anymore!” and he fantasizes about shooting them all with a gun. For a moment we’re like ah, this is just a normal daddy fantasy. But, actually, Daddy said “Jesus fucking Christ, I can’t take this family anymore” with his whole chest and now he’s in trouble. Sydney immediately tells him off and the girls look horrified. He says he’s under pressure at work and just walks off.
Back in the abandoned building, Ashley wakes up in the small room and finds that Grace is now missing. When she turns back to the tunnel, she sees that someone has strung xmas lights all up and down them. Now, we see eventually meet this unsub. And I’m not saying that he’s old and decrepit, but he is not a spring chicken. Am I really supposed to believe that this man took the time to run feet of xmas lights down a galvanized steel tunnel. Like, how did he hang these lights? It’s such a creepy effect, but how did he have the time to do this and then also tie up Grace, which, is what he did.
Ashley climbs into another little room and finds Grace tied up and hanging from the ceiling. The unsub shows up behind her wearing a gas mask and with a whip and it’s very dom sub. He gives Ashley a choice- she can take one door and be free, or she can agree to take Grace’s place. Grace chooses to run out because she doesn’t know who the fuck Grace is. But when she turns to leave, the door is locked. And the unsub is like hahaha jk you’re not going anywhere. The unsub then starts whipping Grace with this metal cat of nine tails bullshit.
Cut to- Nashville! Tara meets with Tawny! Tara has to tell Tawny that Moose is dead. Tawny asks for a moment and starts praying and asks that Moose’s soul can find rest. It’s kind of played off as silly. Like, aw, this dumb little horny girl, she’s so quaint. Watch her pray! Tawny asks Tara: “So the FBI is taking on dead dog cases?” Tara asks Tawny about Sicarius. She asks Tanwy if she remembers anyone suspicious and Tawny is like “that was so long ago and I see so many suspicious people”. But, the store Tawny works at has camera footage! Tawny then wants to pray again, and Tara sneaks a peek at her phone and Tawny says “lord please let Agent Lewis be less distracted so that she can find that son of a bitch who killed my dog.”
Back at Quantico, Garcia finally calls Tyler. She’s at work, he’s jogging at night in a park. And, I gotta say- liked him better in his orange jumpsuit. Garcia and Tyler have this cute little moment and he is clearly OBSESSED with her. Garcia says she has to “rip the bandaid off” and she blames herself and reminds Tyler that he is a material witness to the BAU’s case. She says “What if the judge says ‘did you kiss Tyler green’ and I say “I object!’” She tells him that she needs her key back and that they have to cut off all contact. Tyler agrees to drop the key off tomorrow.
In Seattle- Mama Voit goes outside where Daddy is shooting some hoops. She says: “You promised me that you would never treat me the way my dad treated my mom!” She tells him to come clean and that she “knows the truth about everything”. We, the viewer, are like… aw shit. She KNOWS! She KNOWS he’s a killer! But really, she just knows that he was fired. But we get this great tense scene where he gets a kill kit out of the garage and points a gun at her. She can’t see the gun because of the angel, but he is ready to mcfreaking shoot her. She confronts him about being fired months ago and asks if he was gambling, addicted to drugs, or having an affair. And he tells her that he was interviewing for other jobs. She def doesn’t believe him. She says “I need to know what your plan is because this, this silent treatment and the random outbursts, this isn’t working.”
Cut to- the abandoned whatever with Ashley and Grace. The unsub unchains Grace and she’s still alive, but she kind of flops on the floor and is clearly bleeding to death. The unsub tells Ashley that she’s next. The unsub then walks off and leaves them alone. Grace tells Ashley that she made the same choice Ashley did- ie- Terry was tied up and Grace chose to leave. Grace tells Ashley all of this while having one of the metal spikes from the cat of nine tails stuck in her. But Grace is tough as shit and she makes Ashley put the metal spike out of her body. Grace then tells Ashley that the unsub will come to get her, and when the unsub comes back, Ashley is gonna jump out and attack him.
Back at Quantico- Doug and Garcia have found our unsub- Frank Scelsa. He was the superintendent at Camdale. He had a daughter named Kelly who died of an overdose. Everyone splits up to find Scelsa- and Prentis and Doug are gonna work together. Prentis then asks Doug if what he said to Terry’s parent’s parents were true- meaning that she’s asking if Doug’s father is really an alt-right conservative piece of shit. And Doug says “he’s a libertarian who owns so many guns for when the government comes to take them away. He’d disown me if he saw me right now.” I love this convo so much actually.
Cut to- the abandoned building thing. Grace is “dead” and Ashley is crying over her. The unsub comes into the room, and Ashley gets ready to fight him. So the unsub comes in and Ashley stabs him and grabs his keys and tries to get the door open.
So Prentis and Doug find this like… abandoned electrical building or something? I don’t get it. Because he was like the superintendent. Did I miss something? Because suddenly they’re bursting in they find Ashley. Doug gets Ashley outside and Prentis hurries down into the basement alone to confront the unsub. When she arrives he’s got his cat of nine tails on Grace. Prentis offers a deal to Frank Scelsa that if he lets Grace go, she’ll let him go. Frank goes “make a deal with the devil, and it’s a trap.” Prentis tells him to not be like Lot’s wife and puts her gun down and Frank releases Grace, only to have a gun pointed at him by Doug.
Doug stays with Grace as she’s bleeding on the floor. He tells her that Ashley made it. Grace goes “Doug… I’m really cold” and he takes off his vest and holds her hands IF ONLY IT COULD BE MEEE. He tells her “do you hear that? That’s the team that is coming to save your life because you did it Grace, you made it.” The paramedics arrive and carry Grace off. Grace and Ashley are gonna be alright!
Back in Seattle, Daddy tells Mommy that he has a plan. His plan is “I think I should go”. He tells her that when he comes back he will be “the husband she deserves”. She says “fuck you. You are not putting this on me. You made this decision. So before you go on your little walkabout, you’re gonna have to explain this to your daughters. Because the husband I deserve is the father they need.” The girls are hysterical, but Daddy Voit is like “help your mother out, I’m out of here” and Hollie is like ‘IS THIS OUR FAULT?” and Harlow goes: “IS THIS FOREVER?” I’m sorry this is so dumb.
Back at BAU headquarters- everyone is heading home. Tara tells Rossi about the breakthrough with Tawny and the security footage at the hardware store. Rossi is going to look at it tonight. Tara is also gonna turn her phone off for a few days. JJ heads to the elevators and Will is there to surprise her and take her out on an “adult night”. Prentis and Doug reconvene- The Attorney General denied their request and the Sicarius case is officially closed.
Cut to Garcia’s apartment. A clean-shaven and thoroughly unsexy Tyler shows up to return Garcia’s key. It’s super awkward. Tyler says “When I first reached out to you, I had this hate in my heart, and uh, it’s all I had.” He tells her that she has brightened up his life and changed it for the better. And the sentiment is nice but the hair is perfectly gelled in place and unsexy. I want him back in the orange jumpsuit. Garcia tells Tyler that he should go and he agrees, but he doesn’t go. Garcia says “I do not want to be responsible for what happens if you do not go” but he doesn’t go. Then they step forward and embrace and begin to kiss!!!
Cut to Rossi’s apartment? I guess? He’s looking through the Tawny footage and finds a grainy image of Sicarius. This scene is interspersed with Daddy Voit driving off and getting a shovel out of his car to dig out a kill kit. Good plan, bro. Rossi goes “there you are” and we fade out.
But… PSYCHE! There is an after-credits scene. But you have to wait only two seconds before we cut to it. We’re back at Garcia’s apartment. Her elderly neighbor Mrs. Leonte knocks on the door and asks if everything’s okay. “Is everything alright dear? I heard some crashing. I was a little concerned.” Garcia says she was doing a little redecorating and quickly closing the door. We notice that she’s wearing a robe. Mona’s cover of “Oops I Did It Again” plays. Garcia gets some milk out of her fridge and pours it into a bowl of cereal. As the camera pans out we see Tyler laying on her counter. He’s naked but has baking books covering his junk. He seems shocked and overwhelmed by Garcia. She goes “no one ever told you how good nerds are in bed, huh?”