‘NCIS: Origins’ Season 3 Episode 2 Recap and Ending Explained Gibbs Calls In an Old Favor

Avatar photoRobert Milaković
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Some of the most compelling stories in ‘NCIS’ revolve around the debts individuals owe one another. For decades, Gibbs has been amassing loyalty without ever demanding it, and those he has assisted remember his kindness. The latest episode of ‘NCIS: Origins’ illustrates what transpires when a favor from 1992 comes back to demand attention in the present.

The episode, titled ‘My Own Worst Enemy’, aired on Tuesday, October 13, on CBS. In the current timeline, Gibbs, portrayed by Mark Harmon, leaves Alaska to seek assistance from an old friend, while the 1992 flashback features Austin Stowell as the younger Gibbs and focuses on Woody, played by Bobby Moynihan in the present. Spoilers follow for the entire episode and its conclusion.

The premiere concluded with Gibbs being shot at his cabin in Alaska by two assailants, one of whom ominously stated, ‘one down, one to go’ before leaving him for dead. Utilizing a Marine breathing technique that slowed his heart rate, Gibbs managed to survive with a pulse that was nearly undetectable. He then stitched himself up and employed the same method Franks used in the 1990s to lift a fingerprint from his neck where one of the attackers had checked for a pulse.

This week, Gibbs traveled to identify that fingerprint. The person who could assist him was Woody, who welcomed him with a light-hearted joke about still being stunning. Their reunion was warm but quickly became complex.

Woody lacked the clearance to access a file once it was concealed in AFIS, the fingerprint database, so he couldn’t simply run the print. This is where their shared history comes into play. Back in 1992, the team rallied to support Woody when he faced accusations of murdering a rival bowler.

The victim, Sheila, bowled in the same league as Woody and had a motive against him. NCIS had to detain him since he was a federal agent, making him immune from investigation by his own team. Gibbs returned when he learned of the situation and ultimately solved the case.

Just as Woody was about to be charged, Gibbs figured out how the real culprit had broken into his home, revealing that the evidence against Woody had been fabricated. Gibbs helped exonerate him from what amounted to a false charge. This also aligns with the show’s flashbacks, which have crafted backstories for team members like Wheeler, Mary Jo, and Gary Callahan.

The case allowed the ensemble to unite. Caleb Foote’s Randy, Kyle Schmid’s Franks, and the rest of the team pushed back against Woody’s reluctance to accept their support. Ultimately, it was the very people he doubted he could depend on who came to his rescue.

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In the present, the old favor is precisely why Gibbs sought out Woody. Although Woody couldn’t unlock the file, the episode emphasizes the authenticity of their bond, culminating in Gibbs leaving his dog with Woody as a gesture of gratitude for the past favor. Gibbs then heads to Washington, D.C., to meet Tony DiNozzo.

This final move sets the stage for the upcoming episode, ‘Return of the Mack’, airing on October 20, which marks the first on-screen reunion of Harmon and Michael Weatherly in a decade. As the new NCIS director, Tony can access information that Woody could not. The episode is designed to lead Gibbs to that crucial meeting.

Critics have pointed out that this season is structured for Gibbs to investigate everyone who might be the other target, ultimately arriving at the obvious suspect: Lala. If the series revolves around Gibbs and Lala, she must be alive in the present. The show has yet to confirm this, leaving the question of why no one has heard of her still unanswered.

The overarching theme of the episode is family. As one review noted, the show has consistently recognized that a team operates like a pack, and a pack does not abandon one of its own. This idea connects the 1992 case to the present-day investigation, as Gibbs is uncertain which member of his pack is in jeopardy, only that it is someone he deeply cares about.

‘NCIS: Origins’ airs Tuesdays at 10/9c on CBS. With the unknown shooters still on the loose, a fingerprint requiring a higher authority to analyze, and an overdue meeting between Gibbs and Tony, the season is brimming with momentum. The mystery surrounding the second target is expected to unfold soon.

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