Demonology
Directed by Edward Allen Bernero
Written by Chris Mundy
An old friend of Emily's dies, and everyone assumes it's due to a drug overdose. She digs a little and finds a connection to a deadly exorcism, and finds that at least two other men died the same way.Written by Chris Mundy
Prentiss: Leonardo da Vinci said, "He who does not punish evil commands it to be done."
Provides examples of:
- Ambiguous Situation: Almost everything about the case is left eerily vague, from the potential assassination of a priest to the question of whether or not the exorcisms were sincere or intentional efforts at murder.
- Diplomatic Impunity: The priest who admits to having been present at all these victims' deaths cannot be prosecuted because of diplomatic immunity. Discussed, with Emily pointing out that the intent behind diplomatic immunity was never to cover up homicide. They manage to get the Vatican to annul it by revealing that the Unsub was twisting their faith to accomplish his goals.
- Good Girls Avoid Abortion: Zigzagged. Prentiss as a teenager had an abortion, and the priest tries to condemn her for it, but Matt isn't having it. Rossi, who has Catholic roots, passes no judgment on Emily either.
- Hollywood Exorcism: Father Silvano has been performing lethal exorcisms. However, it's left ambiguous as to whether he was using poisoned Holy Water (the team's working theory) or if the victims were all actually possessed by "taking you with me" demons.
- Lyrical Dissonance: Subverted as it's spoken, but when the priest tells Emily, in Latin, "may God be with you", she practically spits back the completion of the prayer, in Latin: "And with you, the Holy Spirit".
- Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane: This episode is up there with "Lucky" in giving few clear answers regarding the supernatural elements of the case.
- Shout-Out:
- Rossi references The Exorcist and the real murder case it was based on.
- At the end Emily and Rossi quote James Joyce.
- Sinister Minister: Father Silvano kills people using drug-laced holy water in his exorcisms, specifically targeting four people who he believes to have murdered a fellow priest while on pilgrimage.
- Rossi: James Joyce also said, "There is no heresy or philosophy so abhorrent to the church as a human being."
