[Read the recap for Criminal Minds Season 9 Finale Part 1 here.]

After a torturous week of waiting with no way of telling who will be leaving, Criminal Minds Season 9 Finale Part 2 has debuted--and the cast and crew weren't kidding when they said that it was going to be one heck of a thrill ride.

It takes viewers back to where the last episode takes off, Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler) and Derek Morgan (Shemar Moore) were both shot in the crossfire. Reid was seen to first regain consciousness, although barely since he was shot in the neck, while Morgan was able to spring back into the chase as he and J.J. Jareau (A.J. Cook) went after Preacher Mills, the framed unsub. With the tension broken on whether or not one of the show's pretty boys was going to die on-site, it was as if the fans were able to heave a collective sigh, at least for the meantime.

Criminal Minds Season 9 Finale Part 2 teaser (via YouTube/tvmania)

With Preacher Mills down, the BAU team takes Reid to the hospital, and he's still not looking good. Everyone is visibly shaken up, starting with Alex Blake (Jeanne Tripplehorn) who ends up calling Reid "Ethan!" in the middle of the panic.

Now that Preacher Mills was killed during the shootout and the BAU team has already been assured of the framing, they started back on the hunt as to who is the real unsub.

Owen McGregor, the unsub who had set up Preacher Mills, turns out to be a policeman, and has already framed another person, a close associate of the preacher, to take the blame.

As little more digging thanks to resident tech genius Penelope Garcia (Kristin Vangsness) reveals that beyond McGregor's devious schemes, the root of the frame-up goes deeper within the law enforcements in Texas. And sure enough, as news of Reid's recovery reach even the police, McGregor is seen talking to an invisible man on the phone, who asks if he needs help in finishing off Reid.

Treading in Enemy Territory

The BAU team are now aware that the corruption taking place in the law enforcements that they are dealing with are more rooted than they had anticipated, and it becomes a dance of who gives away his cards first.

It seems that the only trusted source that the BAU team had was the sheriff himself, who was killed first during the crossfire. Apparently, the sheriff, who was a noted close acquaintance of the BAU section chief Matt Cruz (Esai Morales) has just been in the position for a year, after replacing the sheriff who had died via allergic reaction to medicine.

Conversations in the Car

On the other side of the team, things get personal as David Rossi (Joe Mantegna) and Blake head to protect the son of a potential witness and the newly framed victim. By this time, many people may be wondering what may be going on in Blake's mind, especially with feelings of guilt and relief rolled into one.

Talking to Rossi, viewers also learn that the veteran profiler has had his share of the best and worst days in his career, before things start to get dangerous even quickly as Rossi realizes that they were being tailed by the corrupt police officer who had found out their plans.

Close Calls and Another Shootout

Between figuring out the case and saving Reid from getting shot yet again by one of the corrupt policemen, the team is definitely getting closer to the root of evil.

Segue to the abandoned junkyard, where unsub McGregor seems to be calling the shots-and firing them, as the BAU team get into another shootout, this time in direct conflict with the group that McGregor is dealing with at the moment.

After exchanging shots with some of the policemen that they've been working with, Aaron Hotchner (Thomas Gibson) finally deals the killing blow to McGregor.

So Who's the Profiler that Bids Farewell?

Up until this point, fans have been at the edge of their seats trying to figure out who they will have to say goodbye to. The promo did tease that there will be an emotional goodbye "forever" but it doesn't seem like anyone was killed in action as the Criminal Minds BAU team already board their jet home.

And then things start to make sense. Blake has been acting a little off in some parts of the Criminal Minds Season 9 Finale Part 2 episode--first calling Reid "Ethan," then getting all emotional with feelings of guilt over Reid's gunshot.

As the BAU team is in plane, Hotch receives a message around the same time that Blake is tinkering with her phone. Blake helps Reid with his stuff in his apartment, where she reveals that Ethan was her son, who had died of an illness. As Blake says goodbye to Reid, it becomes apparent to viewers even before they see her badge in Reid's bag: it's the emotional goodbye.

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