The NCIS: Origins season 1 finale had a lot of shocking moments, but the worst was Mark Harmon’s confession in the final moments of the episode. NCIS: Origins’ first season finale was the result of months of built-up personal arcs and dramatic storylines. It could have been the perfect ending to the first NCIS spinoff that is a prequel, but it ended on a strange note.
Most of the NCIS: Origins characters are played by new actors, even the ones that originally appeared in NCIS. The major exception to this is Mark Harmon’s Gibbs, who appears as old Gibbs and narrates throughout each episode of the prequel. Of all the narrations, old Gibbs’ most shocking ones were in the premiere, which set up the premise for the series, and in the finale, which revealed a surprising confession.
Old Gibbs Reveals That He Has Always Loved Lala In NCIS: Origins Season 1 Finale
Gibbs’ Confession Was The Season’s Final Moment
Even though the ending scene of NCIS: Origins season 1, episode 18 reveals that Lala was in a possibly fatal car crash, there is a significant moment that happens directly after. As the moments leading up to the final credit roll, Harmon’s Gibbs speaks directly to the audience to announce, “I loved her all along. I still do.” Old Gibbs speaks about Lala in the past tense but also reveals he has never stopped loving her, in what should be a sweet sentiment, but actually reveals something strange.
Gibbs’ confession comes after a long, slow-burn romance between young Gibbs and Lala that began in the NCIS: Origins’ premiere. The first season’s finale was meant to be the culmination of their relationship, and while nothing came of their romance, Gibbs’ confession does add a certain weight to their partnership. His confession also came at the perfect time, since it meant that NCIS: Origins season 1 began and ended with a reference to Lala.
Gibbs Carrying A Torch For Lala Throughout His NCIS Arc Cheapens It
NCIS Established That Shannon Was Gibbs’ Biggest Loss
While Gibbs’ love for Lala may be sweet, it completely rewrites Gibbs’ emotional arc in NCIS. For one thing, it reframes Gibbs’ relationship with women. For years, Gibbs struggled with achieving long-term romantic relationships because he could never allow himself to open up and commit after the traumatic deaths of Shannon and Kelly. However, now NCIS: Origins has revealed that Lala was part of the mix too, which cheapens his struggles in the flagship.
While Gibbs’ love for Lala may be sweet, it completely rewrites Gibbs’ emotional arc in NCIS.
Gibbs’ love for Lala gets even more complicated because he supposedly struggled with romantic relationships and ignored his grief for years, but he fell in love with Lala less than a year after his loss. It seems unrealistic and opposes the years of character that Gibbs had built up in the flagship. Not to mention, this development is insulting to Gibbs’ other romantic colleagues, like Jenny, Holly, and even Jack. His relationships with them would have clearly reminded him of Lala if what NCIS: Origins is saying is true.
Will Gibbs & Lala Ever Have A Proper Romance In NCIS: Origins?
It All Depends On How Season 2 Opens
With Lala’s accident and Gibbs’ introduction to Diane, it seems less and less likely that a Gibbs and Lala romance will actually happen in NCIS: Origins. If Lala survived the accident, she is sure to have severe injuries from the crash, maybe even lifelong ones, which would prevent her from returning to NIS. The fact that she was on her way to Gibbs’ house when the crash happened would also make Gibbs feel incredibly guilty. As a result, it does not seem like a Gibbs and Lala romance is even possible anymore.
If it does happen, it would be filled with a weird guilty dynamic that it would be better off to just leave the couple separate, despite the tension that has been built up between them. However, the direction of Gibbs and Lala’s relationship has to do with how NCIS: Origins season 2 will open. If Lala survives, there might be some hope for closure for the couple. However, if she does not, the small moments Gibbs and Lala shared in season 1 may have been their last.