Agent Prentiss Returns from the Dead in Season 7 Opener of 'Criminal Minds'

"It Takes a Village" is Episode 1 in Season 7 of "Criminal Minds." The episode aired on September, 21, 2011 at 9 pm ET on CBS.

The episode opens with JJ giving a statement to members of the senate, in regards to a case that occurred two weeks previous. The case involves Ian Doyle- the man from season 6 that 'killed' Prentiss.

SPOILERS!

"The past cannot be cured." - Queen Elizabeth I

We learn through flashbacks that the BAU was tracking Ian Doyle on the side, both as retribution for Prentiss' 'death' and as a safety measure for Doyle's son, Declan. Although Prentiss wasn't the child's real mother, she was a mother-figure to the boy, putting him in protective housing where Doyle couldn't find him. Now that Doyle knows Declan is alive, the BAU suspect he'll try to kidnap him.

The team splits up to investigate Declan's home and Doyle's supposed residence. Rossi and Reid find three dead bodies at the house, including two FBI agents, while Morgan tracks down Doyle. Instead of shooting Doyle, however, Morgan takes him into custody. Meanwhile, two unseen faces are seen walking with the boy.

Rossi and Reid determine that the murders at the home were professional yet personal. From evidence at the scene, they conclude that the killings were a two-person job, and that one of the partners was female. A shot on camera reveals the blurry image of a man, who agents think is Richard Gerace- an enemy of Prentiss and Doyle.

A bearded Hodge returns and decides that the only way to break Doyle and save Declan is for Prentiss to return. He breaks the news to the team that Agent Prentiss is still alive.

Prentiss returns and reveals that the female partner may have been one of the many women who had a reason to hate Doyle. Once it's discovered that Declan's real mother Chloe is not dead, the team find her on a school video camera- bringing poisoned cupcakes to school (her trick at abducting Declan on school grounds). Doyle reveals that Chloe did not want to have the baby, but Doyle inevitably forced her to. Now, she was getting her revenge.

Doyle thinks Chloe just wants a tradeoff- money in exchange for Declan. The team tracks down a warehouse in Baltimore owned by McDermott- a former enemy of Doyle- thinking that's where Declan was taken. They find Gerace dead, with Chloe and Declan most likely on their way out of the country. The team decides to use Doyle as bait.

Somehow the team tracks down Chloe and McDermott's plane within minutes. They offer Doyle to McDermott, only for Chloe to come out of the plane shooting. McDermott and Doyle are shot, while Declan reaches out to his father before he passes.

In conclusion, the senate is most angry with Prentiss due to her involvement with Doyle, but it's decided she'll rejoin the team.

So, it looks like the old BAU is back…for now.

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