The season finale of Criminal Minds revealed the identity of the Replicator, the sinister serial killer that plagued the BAU team for most of Season 8.
But his identity reveal also came at a cost, as the BAU lost one of their own in the process. So, who was the Replicator? Mark Hamill , or Agent John Curtis, as he is known on the show.
While Hamill may be known for his work in Star Wars as Luke Skywalker, in the season finale of Criminal Minds he plays an FBI agent who worked in the Department of Justice .
He targeted the BAU because Strauss (Jayne Atkinson) may have screwed him over 12 years before. While the pair took the fall for the Amerithrax case 12 years ago, Strauss still managed to work her way up the ladder to the head of the BAU. Meanwhile, Curtis was demoted.
And unfortunately, it was the BAU’s head who fell victim to the Replicator. He broke into her hotel room and forced the recovering alcoholic to drink. Finally, he drugged her with “Doctor Death.” The meth/ecstasy mix was the weapon at the center of the BAU case the team solved in the previous episode.
Curtis let Strauss go wander the streets of New York. The section chief then passed away on a bench in the arms of Agent Hotchner (Thomas Gibson). The Replicator killed Strauss in the Criminal Minds season finale after realizing she was onto him. She was investigating him and told the team in the 16th episode that the case was dormant. She then doctored the team’s case report from the previous episode to list a fake M.O. That M.O was used on her.
As for Agent Curtis, the BAU team realized who was behind the Replicator persona. He was apparently done in by his own booby-trapped explosive chair . Mark Hamill live-tweeted the whole episode. Along with the final scene of the episode and his tweets, Criminal Minds fans are likely wishing Season 9 started next week.
Hamill wrote at the end, “I’m unconvinced! Where’s the body? You got it see you next season!!” So, Criminal Minds fans, do you think the Replicator is gone for good? Or did he somehow manage to escape death in the Season 8 finale?
