NCIS: Origins Reveals Lala's Secret Main NCIS Impact That Changes Gibbs' Story (Despite Not Appearing)

Warning! Spoilers ahead for the NCIS: Origins pilot.NCIS: Origins introduces a brand new character in Lala Dominguez, but while she never appeared in the main NCIS series, the prequel reveals that she has a lasting impact on it. Mark Harmon has successfully returned to the CBS hit procedural franchise, although this time, he has a much smaller role, narrating and occasionally appearing as the older version of Leroy Jethro Gibbs. NCIS: Origins recast young Gibbs with Austin Stowell, as he navigates his earliest years with the NIS under Mike Franks' tutelage.

This also means that NCIS: Origins debuts an entirely new team around Gibbs and Franks. One of the fresh characters in the franchise is Mariel Molino's Lala — a capable member of the squad and is technically the deputy of Kyle Schmid's cigarette-smoking leader. Unlike Gibbs, Franks, and even Vera Strickland, Lala was never mentioned in the flagship NCIS, let alone appear, allowing some creative room when crafting her character. Despite that, the NCIS: Origins premiere reveals she has a secret impact on the mothership that changes how Harmon's 19-season story is perceived.

Lala Introduces Gibbs To Bourbon In NCIS: Origins

The NCIS: Origins Premiere Reveals How Bourbon Becomes His Drink Of Choice

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While older Gibbs liked to keep to himself, he had some signature traits. That included his love of building boats and drinking coffee. While caffeine was his choice of drinking while working on a case, he had a different favored beverage during his downtime — bourbon. He usually had a bottle in his stash in the basement and was something he reached for while he worked on his next project. In the NCIS: Origins episode, "Enter Sandman Part 1," it is revealed that Stowell's young Gibbs has never had the barrel-aged American whiskey until Lala buys him a glass.

Stowell's character is still very green on the job and is almost drowning in grief over the death of his first wife and daughter.

The scene is rather short, as it takes place in the very first hang-out that Gibbs participates in as part of Franks' team. At this point, the character is very different from Harmon's calm and steady iteration. Stowell's character is still very green on the job and is almost drowning in grief over the death of his first wife and daughter. Lala coming over to offer him a drink isn't viewed as friendly, however. As seen throughout the NCIS: Origins premiere, she has complicated feelings towards Gibbs, viewing him as a competition while also feeling sympathy towards his loss.

How Lala's Impact Changes Gibbs' Story In NCIS

Lala Will Play An Important Role In Gibbs' Origins

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Throughout Gibbs' story in the main NCIS show, his personal story was tackled in multiple episodes. Not mentioning Lala poses intrigue about the kind of role that she will play in his origins in the prequel. As hinted in the NCIS: Origins premiere, the pair has an interesting dynamic that can lead to something romantic moving forward. It's worth noting that when Molino's casting was first announced, the report teased that she could be a love interest for Stowell's character.

Related Mark Harmon Breaks Gibbs' Final Rule In NCIS: Origins' Latest Update Leroy Jethro Gibbs lived by a set of rules in the flagship NCIS series, and Mark Harmon is about to break his last one in NCIS: Origins.

Lala introducing Gibbs to bourbon and that becoming his nightly drink could be his way of reminiscing about her and their time together. Currently, it's unclear what happens to her in the future, but NCIS: Origins is clearly setting her up to be an important part of Gibbs' history. Harmon's Gibbs even says so at the end of "Enter Sandman Part 1."