Warning! Spoilers ahead for Criminal Minds: Evolution. The biggest victim of Criminal Minds: Evolution is one of BAU's own members. FBI's specialized agents are finally back in action on the small screen, this time on Paramount+. As the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) begins its new narrative on the Criminal Minds reboot show, the team's first case back sees them tracking down a network of UnSubs led by Elias Voit that was instituted during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. While they have countless victims across the country, their biggest one is a member of the BAU.

Undermanned and underfunded, the BAU is forced to track down Voit and his accomplices with barely any resources. Considering the complexity of the case, the team has no choice but to bring back Penelope Garcia in the Criminal Minds reboot. Despite her refusal, she eventually relented after getting personally tangled up in the mess. Garcia being forced back is difficult to watch. Her explanation about how she absorbed all the trauma in her body in the 15 years she worked at the FBI was heartbreaking. She understandably wants to put herself first this time, but she is left with no choice but to embrace the chaos once again.

Related: Criminal Minds: Evolution Cast & Character Guide

Why The BAU Struggles Solving Cases Without Garcia

Criminal Minds Penelope Garcia

There is a presumption that Matthew Gray Gubler's Spencer Reid is Criminal Minds' most important character. He's smart, with a photographic memory that makes it easier for the team to hunt down UnSubs. Despite that, he isn't nearly as important as the squad's tech specialist, making Penelope Garcia the most important BAU member. As seen on Criminal Minds: Evolution, the FBI has replaced her with multiple people, but they just don't operate on the same impressive level as she does. Amid the bureau's resources, Garcia remains the most thorough and efficient technical specialist among all of them. Simply put, she is irreplaceable despite not technically being a profiler.

Will Garcia Return To The FBI Full Time?

Adam Rodrguez and Kirsten Vangsness in Criminal Minds Evolution

Even when Dave Rossi personally persuaded her to come back, Penelope Garcia was adamant about not returning to the BAU. In fact, it wasn't until she personally got a tip about Elias Voit's case that she realized she needed to be involved. This means that the Criminal Minds reboot is effectively retconning its original CBS finale, but it's curious how long it will last. Given Garcia's hesitation to rejoin the BAU, it's possible that she will not choose to return to her old work once this current case gets solved at the end of season 1. She loves her teammates and may even be starting a romance with Luke Alvez, but it won't also be surprising if she prioritizes herself and leaves the FBI once Voit is apprehended.

As Garcia gets fully involved in the BAU's current case in Criminal Minds: Evolution, the mystery deepens about how she is personally linked to the case. Her life may even be in danger if the UnSubs find out that she has a connection with it. Hopefully, however, the team is able to take down Voit and his accomplices before they potentially start targeting her.

Criminal Minds: Evolution drops new episodes every Thursday on Paramount+.

Next: Criminal Minds Reboot Reveals What Happened To Matthew Gray Gubler’s Reid