Is This 'BATB' Dude Friend or Foe?

Things are finally kicking into high gear during the latter half of the CW’s Beauty and the Beast’s second season. It’s almost like we are reverting back to the beginning. Vincent is in danger of returning to a life in the shadows. Various government agencies and shady men in suits are both asking for his help and endangering Cat’s life on a daily basis.

The biggest danger to date has been a member of the team: Gabe. From the outset, his motives have been cloudy at best, even with a backstory more fleshed out than most of the other characters. He was experimented on by Muirfield as a child and, like Vincent, has (or at least had) an inner beast. He came into Cat and Tess’ precinct looking for answers and eventually developed feeling for our leading lady, and appeared to come around to helping Vincent’s cause. And yet, it seems every chance he gets, he impedes the team or is conspiring to cause Vincent’s end. What is it all about? Will we finally see if there are people behind the scenes pulling his strings or are we supposed to believe he’s an extremely conflicted villain?

During an interview with TVLine in late May, actress Kristen Kreuk revealed that the big bad (or at least his circle) would be uncovered toward the end of the season and the discovery would help fuel the (miracle) third season. Who else besides Gabe appears to be working for someone or some unknown end? Exactly. With him as our only real suspect, here is every possible readon Gabe is doing what he's doing:

He’s Working With the Alphabet Boys

The FBI recently popped up in “Cat and Mouse” to ask for Catherine’s help in getting Vincent to help find one of their agents. But the way they went about it, you know, kidnapping her and all, was all wrong. It isn’t too hard to believe that Gabe is secretly working with one of the alphabet teams. CIA maybe? A lot falls under the umbrella of national security and there are obvious reasons why Vincent and his mutation could be considered a danger. Plus, Gabe seems like their type: suave and slightly psychopathic.

Adding to the theory that Gabe is working for some group are recent promo pics that have popped up for the forthcoming episode “Cold Case.” In one image, Gabe is seen confronting some new character named Jack (played by Michael Rhodes) and then tossing him over his shoulder.

He’s After Catherine

His past with Muirfield somewhat prevents this from entirely being about Catherine. But while she may not have been what led him down this path, she sure seems to be the reason behind his recent actions. Tess saw him falling in love with her from the start, and he recently admitted to being the one who snitched on Vincent. Could this be one final test from his nefarious team working in the background to test his loyalty? Or is it really all about a girl? Gabe may have seen this as a way to get rid of VinCat once and for all since presenting himself as the anti-Vincent clearly didn’t work.

Gabe is the Male Tori

If this is really all about getting in VinCat’s way, then is Gabe nothing more than a male version of Tori, the female beastie who nearly ran away with Vincent’s heart? He’s clearly lost but refuses to take the several hints that have been hurled in his direction. Has he become more of a plot device than anything else to move the story forward? Since Beauty and the Beast will have a third season, showrunners may want to take this opportunity to allow Gabe’s evil plot to succeed just so we can pine even longer for the couple’s happy ending. If they take this route however, expect his reason(s) to be explained in some easily missed one-liners, like they have done so many times before.

Because Reasons

There is a very real chance that Gabe’s reasons will make absolutely no sense at all. Being wishy washy and flitting between hero and villain in episodes doesn’t make him a complicated character. All good villains have one main characteristic in common: consistency. Since he has none, this could all be about something that happened several years ago. Something no one remembers or cares out.

There isn’t a good reason to put VinCat at risk, but the least the showrunners can do is give us a good reason why. Let’s hope we get at least a small glimpse of the big bad’s motive by the season’s end. The finale will premiere on July 7.

Images: The CW; Ben Mark Holzberg/The CW; WriterFreak001/Tumblr; InnerBeautyandBeast /Tumblr (2)