‘NCIS: Origins’ Premiere Twist Completely Changes the Series

Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for the premiere of 'NCIS: Origins'.Since the backdoor pilot in JAG, Mark Harmon has played a huge part throughout the history of the NCIS universe. As Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, he led NCIS' Major Crimes Response Team in Washington D.C. as they investigated crimes involving the Navy and Marine Corps. After 18 full seasons of NCIS, Harmon said farewell to the character in Season 19, Episode 4, but would remain an executive producer on the flagship series. It was a major turning point for the show as many people were worried if the series could last long without its biggest character. We never thought we'd see Gibbs again, until the announcement of NCIS: Origins. The series follows a young Gibbs (Austin Stowell) when he first joins the federal organization, back when it was called NIS. With its timeline, it wouldn't have made sense for Harmon to be featured on the show. However, not only is Harmon attached as an executive producer, but he's also the narrator and reprises the role in the present day.

The promotional material for NCIS: Origins also teased that viewers would see Gibbs' journey following the death of his wife, Shannon (Dani J. Scott), and daughter, Kelly (Adele Abinante). This traumatic part of his past was revealed at the end of NCIS Season 3 and has been sprinkled throughout the series in flashbacks. Along with this discovery, Gibbs' former boss, Mike Franks (Muse Watson), was introduced and became a recurring character even after his demise in Season 8. With Kyle Schmid playing the younger Franks in NCIS: Origins, the series will also show the beginning of his friendship with Gibbs. The series premiere establishes that the story present-day Gibbs is telling in NCIS: Origins is one he doesn't talk about. In a major twist, he reveals the story is about a completely different person in his life.

'NCIS: Origins' Tells the Story of Lala Dominguez

Lala Dominguez (Mariel Molino) standing in front of a sheriff tent on the beach in NCIS: Origins

Austin Stowell as a young Gibbs in NCIS_ Origins sifting through wreckage

Present-day Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon) sitting in the dark by a campfire as he writes in his journal in NCIS: Origins

Lala Dominguez (Mariel Molino) kneeling down in the middle of a burnt house in NCIS: Origins

Lala Dominguez (Mariel Molino) and Vera Strickland (Diany Rodriguez) sitting on a bench in the NIS locker room, seen in NCIS: Origins

In his narration at the end of NCIS: Origins Episode 1, "Enter Sandman Part 1," Gibbs remarks "This is the story…of her." as the camera cuts to a shot of Lala Dominguez (Mariel Molino) in the 1991 timeline. Gibbs doesn't add more to this, but it's a shocking revelation that was staring into the audience's faces. Considering that NCIS: Tony and Ziva has Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo's characters' names in the title, it's strange that NCIS: Origins, seemingly focused on the franchise's biggest character, didn't market itself with Gibbs' name in the title. But in hindsight, it's an intentional misdirect, since the show will be following the mystery of Dominguez through the eyes of Gibbs.

In the NCIS: Origins two-part premiere, Dominguez has some hostility toward Gibbs because she doesn't think he's ready to be out in the field so soon after his wife and daughter's death. She knows that he failed his psychological evaluation, but is confused as to why Franks would still hire him to join the NIS team. Believing that she was the top agent on Franks' team, Dominguez worries that he's favoring Gibbs over her since he's a man. As Dominguez voices this concern to Vera Strickland (Diany Rodriguez), she asks Dominguez if she thinks Gibbs is going to get her killed. With present-day Gibbs haunted by this story, viewers can only assume that Strickland's question might foreshadow Dominguez's fate in NCIS: Origins.

Did Lala Dominguez Ever Appear On 'NCIS'?

The only characters from NCIS that are featured in NCIS: Origins so far are Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Mike Franks, Vera Strickland, and Jackson Gibbs (Robert Taylor). Lala Dominguez has never been seen or even mentioned in the flagship series. This further leads to the theory that Dominguez won't make it out of this show alive and gives the writing team a lot of freedom to develop her character since there's no pre-existing info about her.

At the end of the NCIS: Origins series premiere, Franks doesn't shy away from acknowledging that Gibbs and Dominguez have sexual tension despite their rivalry. A romantic connection could be developed, but it'd have to happen further along in the series as Gibbs is still dealing with the trauma of Shannon and Kelly's death. Until then, the mystery of Dominguez's connection to Gibbs is an interesting mystery to look out for in the upcoming episodes. With Harmon continuing to do more narration for the rest of the series, be sure to listen carefully to see if he drops any more hints about Dominguez's fate.

NCIS: Origins airs Monday nights on CBS in the U.S., with new episodes available the next day on Paramount+.

Watch on Paramount+

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