Well, thank goodness the show has been renewed because Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 1 Episode 10 opened more questions than it answered.

The most shocking thing about that is how little there was to go on once the elephant in the room surfaced.

Gold Star has been Elias Voit's, well, Lee Duval's, big secret, and it led to one death and a whole lot of extra security when the case was said and done.

Coming into Criminal Minds: Evolution, I imagined that each season would feature an unsub.

Now it looks like Zach Gilford will be around for a while.

If you read much from me, you know how difficult I find naming conventions. If I get hung up on whether to use first or last names (here, I use a combination of the two), you can imagine that deciding what to call Sicarius/Elias Voit/Lee Duval now that his real name has been unearthed is quite the conundrum.

Sicarius was nicknamed by the BAU for an unnamed unsub. We can scrap it. Elias Voit was a stolen name to hide Lee Duval's identity. Now that he'll be prosecuted under his own name, we can probably scrap that, too.

We know very little at the moment, but the Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 1 finale assured us that whatever he's called, he's got a rich history that only came to light when he said Gold Star.

But before going down that dark alley, let's talk about what was wrapped up first.

Let Dave Rossi's miraculous feat be a lesson not to count out the septuagenarians too quickly.

Filming a scene that is supposed to take place in an entirely black location is hard to do. Sometimes, directors use that darkness literally, using sound to help viewers understand what's happening.

In the old days of filmmaking, day and night were practically nonexistent, with long shadows at night or a cave brightly lit. We had to suspend belief or use our imagination for the details to make sense.

"Dead End" chose to dimly light the underground container while Rossi felt along the walls for familiarity. That worked pretty well. We could see what was happening, and the hand gestures allowed us to imagine what Rossi was experiencing.

Once the light went on, Rossi quickly got to work because Lee had left a boatload of useful stuff in that bunker.

Given what he had said to Rossi at the house -- that he's younger and therefore didn't find Rossi to be much of a threat -- it's no wonder he didn't clean up after himself.

Lee was using Rossi as leverage to escape, but that only drove the team harder to find Lee. And once Rossi got the upper hand, he cut the video feed, which gave the team hope he had a plan for a way out and niggled at the back of Lee's brain just enough for him to make mistakes.

Of course, Rossi struggled a bit and had grave moments of doubt, even determining it was his time well before he needed to make that decision.

Whether a spiritual manifestation or a figment of Rossi's imagination, only his beloved and dearly departed wife Krystall urged him on.

Rossi: It's my time.
Krystall: Yes, David. It's your time to live.

• Permalink: Yes, David. It's your time to live.

Rossi had been holding onto Krystall's death and how he let her down at the end for too long. This experience, although scary AF, set him free.

On the other hand, Sydney Voit had to set herself free of the man she married lest she and her children become his next victims.

As the team closed in on the family, Lee started to snap, waving the gun around and forcing Sydney and the girls into a locked room. While it could have been his way of protecting them, Sydney had seen and heard enough by that time to know he couldn't be trusted anymore.

By that point, things were falling down around his feet, but we were also on tenterhooks as to why in the world Bailey would want to speak with Lee face-to-face without backup.

All Lee had to do was mention Gold Star for the Attorney General and Baily to drop to their knees. They were prepared to kill him and let Rossi die to protect whatever secret it was he was holding onto.

Whatever Gold Star is, it is so dear that collateral damage would be washed over and lives lost to keep it tucked away.

Bailey was wrong to think that his knowledge of Gold Star gave him a leg up negotiating with the madman. He went in with almost a smile on his face. What was he hoping to accomplish?

Bailey: The Attorney General has granted me full authority in this matter.
Elias: Of course. Because by math, there's only two people who know about it.
Bailey: Only you and me. [he gets a bullet between the eyes]

• Permalink: Only you and me.

I doubt he realized that he, too, would be collateral damage that could be written away with the sweep of a pen.

But where all of this falls apart for me is that the Attorney General didn't just make the kill order the moment Rossi was free, or hell, the moment Duval put a bullet in Bailey's head. Why is Lee Duval still breathing? Why does anybody need to talk to him at this point?

Just hours before, lies were ready to be concocted, and Rebecca was set as the fall guy for the deaths at the AG's request.

Instead of just getting rid of him in some kind of fake skirmish that left him dead, he's got protection out the wazoo and someone entering the room to talk with him.

The person entering the room was kept a secret for Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2. They're either someone we know or a new addition who will make an impact.

There will have to be a darn good story about why a serial killer is being kept alive. It's not because we want to put an end to the Sicarius network, although it should be a consideration.

There are still followers out there that Sicarius has been developing. They aren't going to disappear just because their leader did. Maybe that will be addressed.

The mystery of Gold Star was more prevalent and holds the most promise for the next season.

Garcia and Tyler said goodbye. Garcia and Luke's friendship was on display. Tara held out hope that she and Rebecca might reconcile. JJ and Will partnered in the field. There were plenty of interpersonal things at play, but none of it stood out.

Overall, this season was an incredible success and proof that the team behind the show can deliver in the new format.

After 15 seasons of writing mostly standalone episodes, they took on a new challenge and showed that well-established characters could easily transition into new ways of storytelling.

What are your thoughts now that the season is over? Were there any clues along the way leading to the Gold Star reveal? Let me know in the comments below!

Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.