Warning: This article contained spoilers for NCIS: Origins season 1, episodes 1-2.

Mark Harmon's NCIS: Origins story will tell a serialized narrative, meaning viewers can expect plotlines to carry between episodes.

The original NCIS series.

10 Mark Harmon Returns To NCIS With An Appearance In Origins Premiere

Leroy Jethro Gibbs Returned To NCIS From Alaska

Mark Harmon returned to the NCIS franchise in the NCIS: Origins opening. Mark Harmon's older Gibbs was in the series' opening scene in Alaska. Mark Harmon's narration played over the cinematic videography, which showed Gibbs building a fire. The character has not returned since Mark Harmon's NCIS exit in season 19. Harmon's role as the NCIS: Origins narrator, telling the story of his past, is similar to how Jim Parsons narrated Young Sheldon as his The Big Bang Theory character.

Gibbs described a story he doesn't tell in the opening narration, setting up a tale fit for the series' serialized storyline. Later, Harmon's Gibbs appeared again, writing down his thoughts on a small notepad. It's unclear if Gibbs is writing a book corresponding to his beginning as an NCIS agent or if he can finally process the events after his retirement.

9 Gibbs Is Still Grieving Over The Death Of Kelly & Shannon

A Drug Dealer Killed Shannon And Kelly

In the NCIS: Origins premiere, Gibbs is still grieving over NCIS. In the "Hiatus" double episode in NCIS season 3, the series revealed that Gibbs had a wife and daughter but that they were murdered by a drug dealer named Pedro Hernandez. The Origins premiere showed Gibbs driving away from his wife and daughter, waving goodbye to them for the last time.

Austin Stowell plays Leroy Jethro Gibbs in NCIS: Origins.

In the Origins narration, Gibbs described what that moment was like for him. Harmon explained in the narration that he had his famous gut feeling about leaving home that day and that if he drove away, he would never see his wife and daughter again. It was rare to get the older Gibbs' perspective on the tragedy, which he did not openly discuss in the flagship series.

8 Young Mike Franks Recruits Gibbs To Be Part Of His Team

Franks Had To Fight For Gibbs

The NCIS: Origins prequel explained how Mike Franks recruited Gibbs to his team at the NIS office in Camp Pendleton. Muse Watson played Franks in the original series, introduced as Gibbs' former partner and mentor. In the Origins prequel, Kyle Schmid plays Franks, and the actor's character debut closely resembles Watson's demeanor as Franks.

The NCIS season 3 "Hiatus" double episode initially introduced Watson's character.

NCIS: Origins revealed that Franks recruited Gibbs to his team at Camp Pendleton because he believed the former Marine had everything it took to be a special agent. Franks was the special agent assigned to Shannon and Kelly's NCIS case, so he was familiar with the Marine and knew his abilities. In Origins, Franks had to fight for Gibbs, as others in the agency don't believe he's mentally ready for the job.

7 Gibbs Gets A Brand New Team At Camp Pendleton

NCIS: Origins Has New NCIS Characters

Gibbs gets a new team in NCIS: Origins. It's a significant milestone for the franchise to put Gibbs on a new team, especially since he used to be in charge. In the prequel series, Gibbs established connections with Special Agent Lala Dominguez (Mariel Molino) and Special Agent Benjamin "Randy" Randolf (Caleb Martin), who Gibbs investigated within the field.

Watch Roma Maffia introduce Special Agent Vera Strickland in NCIS season 11, episode 3, "Under the Radar" on Paramount+.

The prequel also introduced Mary Jo (Tyla Abercrumbie), the Field Operation Office and self-dubbed "Head Secretary in Charge" of the Camp Pendleton office. The series will also revive the Vera Strickland character, played by Diany Rodriguez. The flagship series introduced Strickland in NCIS season 11 as a former partner of Mike Franks.

6 Gibbs Fails His Psych Evaluation To Become An NIS Agent

NCIS Is Cautious About Gibbs

NCIS: Origins revealed that Gibbs failed the psych evaluation he needed to take to become an NIS agent. Franks recruited Gibbs to his team despite this, seeing all the traits Gibbs had that otherwise qualified him for the job. Origins showed Franks vouching for him to the Special Agent-in-Charge, Patrick Fischler's Cliff Wheeler.

Agent Dominguez's reservations about the newly minted Agent Gibbs are warranted since she has to trust him with her life when they are in the field together.

Despite her own struggles, which Franks alluded to, Special Agent Lala Dominguez revealed the test results to Gibbs. She cited Gibbs' poor performance in his psych evaluation as the reason she didn't think he was ready for the job. Agent Dominguez's reservations about the newly minted Agent Gibbs are warranted since she has to trust him with her life when they are in the field together.

5 Gibbs & Lala Have A Contentious Relationship

Gibbs And Lala Aren't Romantically Involved

The NCIS: Origins premiere established that Gibbs and Lala have a contentious relationship in the prequel series. When Origins initially cast the character of Special Agent Lala Dominguez, it was unclear whether she would be a romantic interest for Gibbs or simply a member of his team. So far, there's nothing romantic happening between the agents. Instead, Lala doesn't initially like Gibbs.

Lala and Gibbs first met at the scene of Gibbs' first crime scene, and Lala told him a story from her childhood about snakes. After that, Lala clarified that she didn't think Gibbs was ready, telling him that he failed his psych eval to prove her point. Franks was upset with Lala for revealing the information to Gibbs, introducing a lot of tension between Gibbs and Lala and Lala.

4 Harmon’s Gibbs Reveals That NCIS: Origins Is About Lala

Origins Revealed A New Plot

During a segment of Harmon's narration in the NCIS: Origins opening episode, he revealed that NCIS: Origins is the story of Lala Dominguez. While it's unclear what happens between Stowell and Molino's characters, Harmon's narration suggests that the story haunts Gibbs. He classified the story as the one he didn't tell.

There could be a foreshadowing of what happens to Agent Dominguez in the Origins story. When Lala was telling Strickland about her reservations with the new agent, Strickland asked if Lala thought that Gibbs was going to get her killed. While it's unclear how the story will end, the reveal that NCIS: Origins is about Lala gave the prequel story a focus that wasn't previously expected.

3 Gibbs’ First NIS Case Involves A Sniper Suspect

Gibbs Is A Former Gunnery Sergeant

Gibbs was on his first-ever NCIS case in the NCIS: Origins opener, which involved a sniper suspect. Since Gibbs is a former sniper, the case had a meaningful connection to his Marines background. Gibbs' sniper skills played a huge role in solving the Origins case, which is the first of many times that Gibbs' sniper skills will be helpful in an investigation.

Gibbs memorably used his sniper skills to save Ziva David (Cote de Pablo) in NCIS season 7.

Gibbs' sniper skills allowed him to identify how and from where their victim was killed, and it was a significant moment for Gibbs. Jethro is beginning to show himself as a capable field agent. Still, plenty of people doubt him, and his ability to apply his Marine Corps skills to the job will be essential in NCIS: Origins when proving himself. His sniper skills and the eye for detail they give him will set the agent up to help his team with future sniper cases.

2 Jackson Gibbs Visits His Son In California After Kelly & Shannon’s Death

Gibbs And His Father Were Estranged

The timeline for Jethro and Jackson Gibbs' relationship isn't explicitly clear in NCIS, but the NCIS: Origins premiere has clarified some details. Origins revealed that Jackson visited his son in California after Shannon and Kelly died. Jackson Gibbs was introduced in NCIS season 6, episode 4, "Heartland," with the legendary Ralph Waite portraying the character, making it one of the NCIS.

Robert Taylor was cast as Jackson Gibbs in NCIS: Origins. Taylor's role in the prequel revealed that Jackson was present in his son's life after Shannon and Kelly's death, despite their estrangement that followed, which lasted over a decade. In "Heartland," Gibbs revealed he hadn't seen his dad since his wife and daughter's funeral. Origins revealed that Jethro and Jackson spent some time together before that, with Harmon's Gibbs noting he delayed having a funeral after their death.

1 Franks Is Working On A Mysterious Case

Franks And Vera Are Hiding Something

NCIS: Origins revealed that Franks is working on a mysterious case. In the opening episode, he asks Wheeler for help with something, alluding to a critical mission. Later, he hands Stickland some papers which also pertain to the mission. And when Lala asked Strickland about the case, she changed the subject. The case could have a connection to the murder of Gibbs' wife and daughter since NCIS revealed that Gibbs eventually avenged their deaths after Franks gave him their murder's whereabouts.

When introduced in NCIS season 3, Mike Franks (Muse Watson) had retired and lived on the beach in Mexico.

While Franks didn't reveal what he was working on, the covert mission introduces something that Origins can explore in later episodes. The case ties into the series' serialized narrative, giving viewers a more connected story. The story choice fits NCIS: Origins and diverges from the NCIS franchise's procedural format while still taking on a case-of-the-week.