Mr. Scratch (Bodhi Elfman) continues his sinister plans when "Criminal Minds" returns for season 13.
Wednesday's season 12 finale saw the return of Shemar Moore, who left the show in season 11. The actor reprised his role as Derek in the last moments of the episode as a civilian instead of a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent. After receiving a text message from Mr. Scratch, the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) went to his location, which turned out to be a trap. The vehicle with Luke (Adam Rodriguez), JJ (A.J. Cook), and Stephen (Damon Gupton) got swiped, while the car consisting of David (Joe Mantegna), Emily (Paget Brewster), and Tara (Aisha Tyler) took most of the impact.
Speaking with TV Guide, showrunner Erica Messer did not reveal anything about the cliffhanger, but she did say that there might be a connection between Mr. Scratch, Lindsey (Gia Mantegna), and Cat's (Aubrey Plaza) stories. After all, Lindsey was the one who helped Cat get Spencer back.
"I feel like there has to be a connection there. It wasn't just like Cat chose Scratch out of the blue [to emulate], but that is still to be decided," the showrunner said.
Although many fans were happy with Moore's comeback, his stint was a one-off since he is already signed up for CBS' "S.W.A.T." reboot. The network has yet to announce what will be picked up for the fall TV season, but Entertainment Weekly reports the revival is likely to get a series order soon.
Messer and her staff will not be returning to the writer's room until the first week of June. However, she expects the story to pick up right after the accident. She also hints that Mr. Scratch will have more exposure next season.
"We kept open the possibility of catching him by the end of the year, but we got a season 13 pickup that would take us to 299 episodes," Messer told the publication. "He would be a great enemy to have in the 300th episodes, so I'm more inclined to keep him alive throughout season 13."
The 13th season of "Criminal Minds" is expected to premiere this fall on CBS.
