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Many fans of Criminal Minds: Evolution fear the worst for Adam Rodriguez’s Luke Alvez. The revival returns from its midseason break this week after episode 5’s cliffhanger left Luke’s and Jennifer “JJ” Jareau’s (A.J. Cook) lives hanging in the balance. Now, a sneak peek for episode 6 reveals that JJ is alive and well, but Luke is nowhere to be seen. Check out the preview below.

Criminal Minds: Evolution stars Adam Rodriguez as Luke Alvez and A.J. Cook as JJ wearing FBI vests in a dark forest.
‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’ stars Adam Rodriguez as Luke Alvez and A.J. Cook as JJ | Michael Yarish/Paramount+

‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’ had an explosive midseason finale

In Criminal Minds: Evolution Episode 5, the BAU tracked down a serial killer named Benjamin Reeves (Luke Benward), the son of Senator Martha Reeves (Beth Broderick). He used custom teeth made of razors to attack women after turning them into his mother.

Benjamin was one of many serial killers involved in Elias Volt’s (Zach Gilford) serial killer network, and he paid a lot of money to jump to the top of Elias’s list. The BAU caught Benjamin, but Deputy Director Bailey (Nicholas D’Agosto) ordered the agents to release him because of his political connections. He gave the OK for an arrest only after Benjamin killed his mom and escaped with Elias.

While searching for the criminals, JJ and Luke found one of Elias’s shipping containers. They decided to move in without backup as the other BAU agents watched their body cam footage from the office. However, JJ and Luke found a bomb inside the container. It detonated before they could escape, and their body cams lost connection.

‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’ sneak peek puts Luke’s fate in the air, and fans are worried

The story continues in a first look at Criminal Minds: Evolution’s midseason premiere. The sneak peek (seen above) picks up with the explosion, revealing the reactions of Penelope Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness), Emily Prentiss (Paget Brewster), Tara Lewis (Aisha Tyler), and David Rossi (Joe Mantegna).

Penelope manages to reestablish a connection to JJ’s body cam. She and David watch a disoriented JJ get up, but Luke’s camera still won’t connect. In a heartbreaking moment, Penelope takes back “every mean thing” she ever said to Luke.

Meanwhile, Emily says they need to get to Georgia right away. She heads to the elevator with Tara and David and utters two of the most famous words in Criminal Minds: “Wheels up.”

While many fans are thrilled to see the BAU back in action on the jet, they’re also worried for Luke.

“If anything happens REALLY BAD happens to Luke Alvez [then] you all better go into hiding…” one fan tweeted in response to the video.

“LUKE MY BABY PLEASE BE OKAY,” another fan wrote.

“If you TOUCH LUKE ALVEZ I WILL RIOT,” a third user tweeted.

Some viewers are even concerned that JJ isn’t completely out of the woods yet.

“Hopefully Luke is Okay, he probably will be though. I wouldn’t be surprised if JJ gets kidnapped or something while she’s searching for Luke…” one person wrote.

Is Adam Rodriguez leaving ‘Criminal Minds’?

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‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’: Is [Spoiler] Going to Die? Fans Predict Where JJ and Will’s Story Is Headed

Fans will have to tune into episode 6 to find out what happens to Luke. However, it seems highly unlikely that Adam Rodriguez is leaving the show, at least not right now. In a December interview with Looper, showrunner Erica Messer revealed that they wrapped up season 1 with a scene between Rodriguez and Mantegna. That could be enough to reassure fans that Rodriguez’s character is alive after the explosion.

Criminal Minds: Evolution returns on Jan. 12 on Paramount+. New episodes drop every Thursday until Feb. 9.

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