Waring: This article contains spoilers for NCIS: Origins season 1, episode 4, “All’s Not Lost"A secret connection inNCIS: Originsepisode 4 makes a missed opportunity in the originalNCISseries all the more intriguing.NCIS: Originsfollows Leroy Jethro Gibbs starting out at NIS and has many connections to the original series as a prequel for the franchise’s most prominent character. While Austin Stowell took over for Mark Harmon as Gibbs, all his past connections are the same, including Special Agent Mike Franks (Kyle Schmid), played by Muse Watson in theNCIScast. Additionally, Special Agent Vera Strickland (Diany Rodriguez) is anotherNCISfigure from Gibbs' past amongNCIS: Origins’characters.
First introduced inNCISseason 11, Strickland (played by Roma Maffia) was formerly Franks' partner. However, the pair never interact in the original series.Franks and Strickland have a mysterious dynamic inNCIS: Origins,where Strickland is not technically part of Franks' team but works for him covertly.NCISneglecting to feature Franks and Strickland side-by-side in the original series makes the rapport between the agents in the prequel compelling yet confusing. Even dedicatedNCISviewers have no context for their coded communications.
NCIS: Origins Episode 4 Highlights Franks & Vera’s Mysterious Dynamic
Vera Stickland’s Role In NCIS: Origins Is Unclear
NCIS: Origins’Stricklandand Franks have a mysterious understanding. According toNCISlore,Mike and Vera are supposed to be partners, butNCIS: Originsdoesn’t deliver their dynamic as expected. Rather than working on his team, Strickland works covertly for Franks, attaining files and intel for an obscure investigation. Their interactions have some comedic aspects, as Strickland tries to maintain the covert arrangement, and Franks doesn’t always realize she’s trying to be discreet. Still, the agents are working on a top-secret project for which viewers have no context, which subverts expectations of a traditional partnership.
Roma Maffia portrayed Special Agent Vera Strickland inNCISseason 11, episode 3, “Under the Radar.”
NCIS: Originsseason 1, episode 4, continues Franks and Strickland’s coded communications. While the team is investigating the case of a missing little girl,Vera pulls Mike aside and tells him: “Blue folder.” Franks asks Vera: “The hell you talking about?“Stickland reminds Franks that he asked her to gather information, and she is exercising discretion. While the interaction preserves the mystery of what they are working on, it reveals a slight hint: Strickland has a profile that Franks requested, but she urgently needs the pictures back, suggesting the information is sensitive.
Franks & Vera’s Origins Mystery Could Have Been Solved If They Met In NCIS
Franks & Strickland Never Crossed Paths On NCIS
Franks and Strickland’s mystery case inNCIS: Originswould have context if they met inNCIS.While both agents appear in the show respectively, they never share a scene. Therefore, how they overlap in Gibbs' past is unclear, including whatever case they work on. If viewers had been exposed to the agents' interactions before, they would at least have a baseline for Mike and Vera’s communication style, butNCISmissed the opportunity. As such,NCIS: Originsalone unravels the story of Mike and Vera’s partnership, building on theNCISlore that she was his final partner in his career.
NCIS: Origins
Cast
NCIS: Origins is set in 1991, preceding the events of the original series. The series introduces Leroy Jethro Gibbs as a new special agent at NCIS Camp Pendleton. Under the leadership of NCIS legend Mike Franks, Gibbs navigates his role within a tenacious, unconventional team.
NCIS
NCIS is a television series that follows a team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Premiering in 2003, the show explores various cases involving Navy and Marine Corps personnel, ranging from murder and espionage to terrorism and stolen submarines.
