Warning! Spoilers ahead for Season 4, Episode 9 of Criminal Minds: Evolution, “Badder Blood,” streaming now with a Paramount+ subscription.The penultimate episode of Criminal Minds: Evolution’s fourth season on the 2026 TV schedule was intense, and that's putting it lightly. Already, this season has been a roller coaster of emotions that kicked off with the death of a beloved character. Then, in the second-to-last episode, another character was killed, keeping the action going all the way until the end. Now, the showrunner has opened up about how saving a different person played into this death. In Thursday’s episode, “Badder Blood,” Paul F. Tompkins’ Brian Garrity made yet another appearance, and nearly met his demise at the hands of this season’s unsub, The Fan/James Crowley (Justin Kirk). While he made it out alive, the same cannot be said for Heated Rivalry's Connor Storrie, who has been recurring as one of The Fan’s victims, Lance. Speaking about these two outcomes, showrunner Erica Messer told TV Insider why Lance was killed off in place of Brian, and it makes sense:We did. We did, and we just decided we couldn’t. And I think that is one of the reasons that Lance got sacrificed instead, because the idea of losing Brian Garrity from the future of our storytelling was just too much for us. We can’t do it. But I mean, what a fun arc for him.Tompkins first appeared as Brian, a conspiracy theorist, came in Season 15 of Criminal Minds’ original run. He popped up again in three episodes of Evolution's second season, and he had a bigger arc during Season 4 thanks to his podcast and occasionally helping the BAU and even the villainous Elias Voit (Zach Gilford).The penultimate episode saw this season’s unsub, The Fan (Justin Kirk), luring Brian to a warehouse where his ex-wife was being held hostage. At one point, Brian is strapped to a device that would strangle him if his ex-wife left, and he ultimately told her to run when she had the chance. Luckily, the BAU got to him in time and revived him. Just like the BAU, I have a love-hate relationship with Brian. He definitely makes things interesting, and you never know what you’re going to get with him. It's been fun seeing his return for Season 4, and I’m relieved knowing that he’s okay. I just wonder if this means we'll be seeing him more for Season 5.(Image credit: Michael Yarish/Paramount+)As for Lance, he had helped The Fan in exchange for his ex, who was also being held hostage. Unfortunately, after trying to take the team off of The Fan’s scent and doing what he wanted, Lance went to find his ex before dying in an explosive and gruesome way. And as much as I have loved seeing Connor Storrie on Criminal Minds, I will definitely take Brian over Lance, mostly because Brian has grown on me.(Image credit: Michael Yarish /Paramount+)With all that being said and the penultimate episode ending the way it did, I am curious to see what they have planned for the Season 4 finale. Also, based on the choices made about Brian and Lance, I'll be curious to see how the overarching story is impacted by Brian's survival and Lance's death. If this last episode tells us anything, there will be a lot to look forward to in this upcoming finale, and fans won’t want to miss it. So, make sure to tune into the Season 4 finale of Criminal Minds: Evolution when it drops on Thursday on Paramount+.