  |
This article's content is marked as Mature The page contains mature content that may include coarse language, sexual references, strong drug use, extremely traumatic themes, and/or graphic violent images which may be disturbing to some. Mature pages are recommended for those who are 18 years of age and older. If you are 18 years or older or are comfortable with graphic material, you are free to view this page. Otherwise, you should close this page and view another page. |
The Believers are the main antagonistic organization in the Criminal Minds Season Thirteen finale "Believer" and the Season Fourteen premiere "300". They're a ritualistic cult of killers who cross the FBI and infiltrate its ranks in the interest of conducting its operation, which poses dangers to the BAU agents.
Members and Portrayals[]
- Benjamin Merva, portrayed by Michael Hogan.
- Mary Meadows, portrayed by Karen David.
- Jerry Holston, portrayed by J.T. Sherwood.
- Donna Holston, portrayed by Blaire Chandler.
- Numerous unnamed members, portrayed by multiple credited and uncredited actors.
Biography[]
Background[]
The Believers were an offshoot of the Separatarian Sect cult led by Benjamin Cyrus. The survivors of the raid of the cult in Witness Protection formed their own offshoot cult and planned a revenge scheme against the FBI for the massacres resulting from the raids. They had a psychotic belief also that they needed to fulfill an unspecified prophecy by killing 300 people, murders conducted by Benjamin Merva. Jerry and Donna Holston found victims all over the country, who were held captive and delivered to Merva to have their hyoid bones cut out while they were still alive, then strangled ritualistically. Mary Meadows became an agent for the FBI to infiltrate its databases, burying all the killings the cult was responsible for, which reached as high as 299 murders. Agent Owen Quinn found seven murders fitting the same pattern, nicknaming Merva "The Strangler" and conducting his own investigations. The Holstons abducted him and held him captive for years to interrogate him for information on what he knew, until their son Theo, whose trust he maintained, released him when Theo was ordered to kill Quinn.
On Believer[]
Quinn went to the BAU with his reports, but they were originally skeptical, until Theo was tracked and was revealed to have killed his parents. He then shot two other cultists as well who tried to kidnap him and take him back to Merva. Meadows was told to keep tabs on the investigation and see if the agents recognized her, which they didn't. Theo went on the run with his girlfriend April Pearson, and because he took Dr. Spencer Reid's classes, they appealed to him through Reid and eventually found him at a a cabin he and April were hiding in. Once Merva was identified, he was arrested at his hideout, which is when Meadows revealed herself as the mole for the cult. She shot and severely wounded Quinn, the took Penelope Garcia hostage with her accomplices she let in. As the cult planned to kill Reid as their final sacrifice, she threatened to kill Garcia if he refused to come along and release Merva back to his followers. Despite Garcia's protests, Reid surrendered and was taken as well.
On 300[]
Reid is shown letting Meadows in and releasing Merva on camera. He signs "Ben's Believers" to the camera so the team realizes the cult are followers of Cyrus. They do so, as well as find all the murders the cult was guilty of. Meadows has Garcia make their weapons tricks untraceable, and after Garcia is released and their warehouses are cleared, Theo is killed and left behind as well. The compound where the cult resided was raided by the FBI, and they tried to discreetly detain one guard after the next. However, they shot one, which alerted all the members right when Reid was about to be killed. In a shootout, two more guards and Merva were killed. Reid was rescued, and the surviving cultists were arrested.
Trivia[]
Agent Quinn's involvement in the case appears to be inspired by the Smiley face murder theory, a series of drownings of college-age men across the connected U.S. police detectives believed to be the work of a serial killer, to much skepticism.
