'Criminal Minds' season 12 release date, spoilers news: BAU agent gets killed; Emily Prentiss back?

"Criminal Minds" season 12 could prove hazardous to the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) team members when it's time for the series to be back. The upcoming season is said to be dealing with the hunt for the criminals who made a daring escape in the last season of the show. Besides having to deal with Derek Morgan's (Shemar Moore) absence this time around, bringing those convicts back behind bars is their top priority.

The escape of the 12 dangerous criminals will take a toll on the reputation of the department, and the team of profilers will need to do work double-time to get a handle on the situation. If they don't, they would risk the public trust placed in them. With a new man on the team, played by Adam Rodriguez, and Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler) still getting over losing Morgan, the BAU may have a great challenge on their hands.

The new man will need to prove himself and win over the confidence of his teammates. Reid must focus on his job. The team must keep their act together in the face of the revenge the criminals will be throwing at them.

In the past, the BAU have always made it through the toughest of assignments because of their commitment and the members' abilities to work together. This time, though, without Morgan, will they be cohesive enough to move through the challenges that are coming up?

A dark possibility has also been suggested by speculations regarding "Criminal Minds" season 12. It is said that a member of the team may get killed if the next installment going to be as dangerous as it seems to be.

However, others have it that it would be unlikely that the show would be offing a major character when the last time someone on the show needed to be out of it, the showrunners chose not to kill him, speaking of Moore's Morgan.

In lighter but related news, Emily Prentiss (portrayed by Paget Brewster) is expected to reprise her role on the series. Prentiss, a fan favorite, is set to rejoin the crew at the BAU and add her much needed expertise to the big hunt that will occur come "Criminal Minds" season 12.

Season 12 of "Criminal Minds" shall return to CBS on September 28.