Say Goodbye To Criminal Minds Season 19’s Best Character

As the newest installment of Criminal Minds approaches its finale, I fear one character’s true fate. From refreshing unsubs to confusing twists to heartfelt character-driven subplots, Criminal Minds season 19 has undoubtedly been the most confounding entry in the Evolution era thus far. Naturally, the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) team members remain the grounding force of the entire series, even while dealing with personal tragedies— like Luke Alvez (Adam Rodriguez) and Jennifer “JJ” Jareau (A.J. Cook), who are grappling with the residual grief of losing loved ones. While the BAU is in turmoil, however, Elias Voit (Zach Gilford) reigns supreme.

The Sicarius killer has had a questionable arc this season, as the crime drama seems equally inclined to redeem the notorious unsub and remind viewers that there is a killer instinct lurking in his subconscious. To exacerbate Voit’s brewing conflict, Criminal Minds has introduced The Fan (Justin Kirk), a deranged killer obsessed with surpassing Voit, his idol. The Fan’s storyline has been wildly entertaining, due in part to Connor Storrie’s role in Criminal Minds season 19. The Heated Rivalry breakout star portrays Lance Kingston, a man who allegedly escaped The Fan’s murderous clutches. Nevertheless, his survival is far from guaranteed.

Criminal Minds Season 19, Episode 8 Set Up Lance’s Return

After Criminal Minds season 19’s iconic villain abducted Lance, the Paramount+ drama left fans on numerous cliffhangers that suggested Lance Kingston would be killed by The Fan. Each time, the endings have been red herrings, and Lance has continually popped up as either a hostage, a proxy for The Fan to speak to Voit, or— as we last saw him— a groggy victim coming to in a hospital bed. Connor Storrie gave the performance of a lifetime every time he was on-screen, and his star power was precisely why so many viewers were hesitant to say goodbye to Lance’s character.

For a while, it truly seemed as though the audience had seen the last of Connor Storrie, given the BAU had already cleared him as a suspect and deduced they had nothing more to learn from him or his estranged ex, Laura Boyd (Jessi Case). Of course, the only consistency in The Fan’s behavior this season has been outsmarting the FBI and always being one step ahead.

As such, it came as no surprise when the BAU (and Voit, for the record) realized they were playing a losing game against the burgeoning mastermind. The end of Criminal Minds season 19, episode 8 (“Requiem”) reveals that Lance and Laura weren’t merely a distraction to throw the BAU off the trail; rather, they were one of The Fan’s true targets. The last thing the viewers see before the screen fades to black is Laura leaving work, only to find The Fan in her car’s backseat with his signature leather restraints.

Eagle-eyed viewers have known for weeks that Connor Storrie was confirmed to appear in four episodes, meaning Lance’s return was imminent. Thankfully, The Fan ostensibly kidnapping Laura is the perfect justification to bring Storrie back for one more enthralling performance. Unfortunately, based on The Fan’s track record, whatever Lance has planned will be his character’s swan song in Criminal Minds season 19.

Why Lance Kingston Will Probably Die In Criminal Minds Season 19

There’s a slim chance Criminal Minds will take pity on Lance Kingston and allow him to survive his scuffle with The Fan, but it’s far more likely that Storrie’s captivating side character will be a last-second kill. The better question is whether Lance will rescue Laura before he dies. It’s clear that Lance’s unnerving obsession with his ex knows no bounds, meaning The Fan could, in theory, compel him to do anything. Given Lance’s somewhat aggressive history, however, any attempt at cooperation will end in catastrophe.

Even if Lance is quick to draw a weapon, however, The Fan is much too intelligent to be caught off-guard by such an obvious ploy. If anything, the unsub will probably have multiple contingency plans at the ready, fully prepared to counteract whatever Lance has in store for him. Whether Laura is a mere bargaining chip who will be discarded or a teary-eyed survivor rescued by the BAU, it genuinely feels as though Lance’s destiny is to die by The Fan’s hands.

In that sense, the false cliffhangers peppered throughout Criminal Minds season 19 may have been a form of foreshadowing. For part of the season, Lance had a bit of plot armor, but all of that disappears the closer we get to the season finale. As the end of this year’s installment grows nigh, the more plausible it is that anyone could die, be it Lance Kingston, Brian Garrity (Paul F. Tompkins), or even Elias Voit himself. Out of the three, however, it’s clear Lance is the least important to the overall series.

Furthermore, it’s impossible to forget the circumstances in which we met the character. For one tense interrogation scene, Lance Kingston was a viable suspect. He stalked Laura, exhibited ample distrust of the government, and revealed his deep-seated mommy issues under the slightest pressure from Luke. All this to say, Lance isn’t necessarily the good guy. If The Fan kills him, it won’t be a tragic Criminal Minds death that the fandom will grieve for years to come. Still, there’s not much left for the character’s journey, even if he makes it out alive.

Could Connor Storrie Return In Criminal Minds Season 20?

Should Lance Kingston survive the last two episodes of season 19, there’s a slim possibility he could return in Criminal Minds season 20— but it’s a major long shot. Paramount+ would probably love for Lance to return, as Connor Storrie has quickly become one of the most popular actors of the decade. He’s in such high demand, in fact, it makes little sense for him to return to Criminal Minds.

Lance’s character was never written to be a recurring role, but Storrie’s compelling acting turned a cameo into a four-episode stint. That’s impressive enough on its own, but the young actor is already confirmed to return in Heated Rivalry season 2 and, if the sports romance is renewed again, a potential season 3. Coupled with his exponentially-growing stardom as a Gen Z celebrity, Connor Storrie simply wouldn’t have time to commit to Lance Kingston.

Similarly, very few Criminal Minds fans want Lance to return. The vast majority of the audience adore Connor Storrie and were understandably unnerved by his stellar performance, but Lance isn’t much of a redeemable character. Certainly, he’s no Tyler (Ryan-James Hatanaka), a side character who grew to become a bona fide BAU member. Conversely, Storrie’s short stay on Criminal Minds season 19 was exactly what the character needed, regardless of whether Lance Kingston’s story ends in flames.

Release Date

September 22, 2005

Showrunner

Erica Messer

Directors

Félix Enríquez Alcalá, Rob Bailey, Matthew Gray Gubler, Joe Mantegna, John Gallagher, Douglas Aarniokoski, Guy Norman Bee, Larry Teng, Nelson McCormick, Alec Smight, Charles S. Carroll, Rob Spera, Charles Haid, Diana Valentine, Rob Hardy, Tawnia McKiernan, Bethany Rooney, Karen Gaviola, Sharat Raju, Thomas Gibson, Aisha Tyler, Anna Foerster, Gloria Muzio, John Terlesky

Writers

Bruce Zimmerman, Virgil Williams, Edward Allen Bernero, Janine Sherman Barrois, Chris Mundy, Simon Mirren, Debra J. Fisher, Kimberly A. Harrison, Jay Beattie, Dan Dworkin, Karen Maser, Oanh Ly, Stephanie Sengupta, Aaron Zelman, Kirsten Vangsness, Erica Meredith, Andi Bushell, Holly Harold, Alicia Kirk, Jeff Davis, Randy Huggins, Edward Napier, Jayne A. Archer, Chikodili Agwuna

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  Kirsten Vangsness

  Penelope Garcia

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  Matthew Gray Gubler

  Dr. Spencer Reid