Luke Alvez
Luke Alvez is a fictional character on the CBS crime drama Criminal Minds, portrayed by Adam Rodríguez.[1][2]
Luke Alvez | |
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Criminal Minds character | |
Adam Rodriguez as Luke Alvez | |
First appearance | "The Crimson King" 12x01, September 28, 2016 |
Last appearance | "And in the End" 15x10, February 19, 2020 |
Created by | Erica Messer |
Portrayed by | Adam Rodriguez |
In-universe information | |
Nickname | Álvez, Newbie (by García) |
Title | FBI BAU Supervisory Special Agent Former FBI Fugitive Task Force Agent U.S. Army Ranger (discharged) |
Occupation | FBI Special Agent |
Family |
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Background and characterization
Alvez was born in the Bronx, New York.[3] Inspired by his father's military service, he joined the U.S. Army and served as a part of the 75th Rangers Regiment in Iraq, as he told Emily Prentiss (Paget Brewster).[4] After he was discharged, Alvez joined the FBI and worked in several different divisions before being assigned to its Fugitive Task Force, where he became responsible for capturing fugitives on the run. While training with the Task Force, he studied Calvin Shaw (Harold Perrineau), a disgraced former FBI agent convicted of murdering his confidential informant.[5] Later, one of Alvez's targets is a man named Daniel Cullen (Kraig Dane), a.k.a. "The Crimson King". During the manhunt, the Fugitive Task Force team can't get a positive identification on Cullen during his crimes, so Alvez's partner Phil Brooks (Corey Reynolds) goes undercover to lure him out. The operation is a success, and Cullen is recaptured, but not before he tortures Brooks. The incident had traumatized Alvez ever since.[6]
Alvez has a dog named Roxy. Because of the affectionate way he talks about her in the office, Penelope Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness) thinks at first she is his human girlfriend.[4]
Character arc
In the Season 12 premiere he works with the BAU to catch the "Crimson King", one of the escapees who attacked his old partner. The team discovers that the real killer is Peter Lewis (Bodhi Elfman), aka "Mr. Scratch", who taunts the team by turning over the real "Crimson King", whom Lewis tortured to the point he no longer remembered who he is. After that Alvez decides to join the BAU full-time.[6]
Following the tragic events of Season's 12 finale titled "Red Light",[7] in the Season 13 premiere titled "Wheels Up",[8] Alvez appears to be the only team member who is unharmed after a car crash Lewis caused. He is also the one who comforts Garcia, as she was the one who discovers that Supervisory Special Agent Stephen Walker (Damon Gupton). When the team discovers where Lewis is hiding, Alvez, Prentiss, Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler) and Matt Simmons (Daniel Henney) get to the location first. Alvez chases Lewis to the rooftop of the building, but Lewis falls to his death.
In the sixth episode of Season 14, title "Luke",[9] four people living in various cities along the East Coast are tortured and murdered over a three-day span, and the BAU is called in to connect the spree to a DEA-Federal Police manhunt for an infamous Mexican cartel hit man. Alvez becomes emotionally involved in the investigation of the case, because of his time spend as an undercover agent on the DEA a few years before. The case becomes personal when the killer, Jeremy Grant (Johnny Messner), murders Brooks and goes after his girlfriend Lisa Douglas (Daniella Alonso). For that reason, Prentiss takes him out of the case and tells him to go home. Alvez ignores Prentiss' orders, however, and helps the BAU team catch Grant. After This Lisa threatens to break up with him, but because he shows no toxic masculinity he tells her how he feels and she stays. In the 5th episode of season 15 "Ghost". Criminal Minds. Season 15. Episode 6. January 29, 2020. CBS. Alvez and Simmons are kidnapped. They outsmart their kidnappers and are saved by the team. In season 15 episode 10 "And in the end". Criminal Minds. Season 15. Episode 6. February 19, 2020. CBS. Alvez asks Penelope if she would like to go to dinner with him.
References
- Eng, Joyce (June 8, 2016). "Criminal Minds Adds Adam Rodriguez as Series Regular". TV Guide. Retrieved March 26, 2019.
- Mitovich, Matt Webb (August 15, 2016). "Criminal Minds Recruit Adam Rodriguez Swings Into Action". TVLine. Retrieved March 26, 2019.
- Eng, Joyce (September 28, 2016). "Criminal Minds: Meet Luke Alvez". TV Guide. Retrieved March 26, 2019.
- "Taboo". Criminal Minds. Season 12. Episode 3. October 12, 2016. CBS.
- "In The Dark". Criminal Minds. Season 12. Episode 17. March 22, 2017. CBS.
- "The Crimson King". Criminal Minds. Season 12. Episode 1. September 28, 2016. CBS.
- "Red Light". Criminal Minds. Season 12. Episode 22. May 10, 2017. CBS.
- "Wheels Up". Criminal Minds. Season 13. Episode 1. September 27, 2017. CBS.
- "Luke". Criminal Minds. Season 14. Episode 6. November 7, 2018. CBS.