Spoiler alert for NCIS season 22, episode 4, ‘Sticks & Stones’
NCIS Season 22 was tremendous, and episode 4 doesn’t compromise on the big moments and reveals what the series has delivered so far. In the fourth installment of NCIS In Season 22, the Major Case Response Team (MCRT) defuses what could have been World War III, with Parker (Gary Cole) and his team relying on some unconventional tactics. The episode is a classic example of NCIS’ type of justice, which sometimes means defying a direct order from a neighboring agency to do what is right.
The episode therefore takes a page directly from the original poster’s book NCIS character, Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon), who defined this approach for nearly two decades. The episode continues Gibbs’ legacy, maintaining the franchise’s presence without him, operating under the leadership of Alden Parker. Timothy McGee (Sean Murray), Nick Torres (Wilmer Valderrama), Kasie Hines (Diona Reasonover) and Parker work together at NCIS headquarters. Knight (Katrina Law) and Palmer (Brian Dietzen), the rest of the NCIS Season 22 Cast, Consider Your Relationship.
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Parker is awakened by the threat of World War III
There is no murder in NCIS Season 22 Episode 4
After waking up in the middle of the night, Parker is alerted that the US may be on the brink of World War III. His first call is to McGee, whom Parker instructs to call everyone into the office and warns of the imminent threat. McGee informs the team that NCIS Naples has intercepted an encrypted message from Belarus, planning a surprise attack on targets across Europe using mobile ballistic missile launchers. NCIS is called in to neutralize the danger since Naples picked up the transmission from Belarus using an algorithm created by NCIS Technical Operator Curtis Hubley (J. Claude Deering).
Parker works with FBI Deputy Director Wayne Sweeney and Commander Floyd Brancato to neutralize the threat. They inform him that the NSA believes the location of the missile launchers is embedded in the transmission and want to use the coordinates to eliminate the launchers with a carrier strike group. Parker wants to communicate with Belarus and NCIS Naples, but his counterparts warn Parker that Belarus may respond badly to any activity. Parker and his team are vital to the investigation as they can decode the message to plan a counterattack.
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Palmer picks up Knight at camp for unexpected work
Knight is on a solo camping trip
In Shenandoah National Park at 3:37 am, Jimmy Palmer wakes Jessica Knight up for unexpected work. It initially appears that someone is trying to strangle Knight while she sleeps, although Jimmy quickly explains that he was just trying to take her pulse to see if she was still alive. When Jess asks Jimmy why he is in his trailer, he explains that there is a case and that the team needs her.
It was a fascinating time for the former couple, who haven’t spent much time alone since their split in NCIS season 21 finale. Knight and Palmer broke up after she was offered a promotion to Director of REACT Training at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in California. Seeing Jimmy in Jess’s trailer is surprising, since McGee didn’t specify who he sent to warn Jess.
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Parker and McGee refuse to follow attack orders and are arrested for doing so.
Parker and McGee go down together
While people assume that the disruption in Air Force One communications is a Russian cyber attack to degrade US communications, Parker’s MTAC feed is interrupted by Senator Judd Larmont, who urges his colleagues not to have time to wait for the NCIS read the broadcast. Instead of waiting for NCIS or sending MOAB missiles and ground troops, Senator Larmont suggests they use tactical nuclear weapons. Since NORAD is unable to contact the president and the vice president has a medical procedure, Larmont is president pro tempore and responsible for making the call.
Parker warns his colleagues that if they use tactical nuclear weapons they could start World War III. Karen and McGee attempt to decrypt the rest of the transmission while the situation is at stake, hoping to find the location of the missile launchers. As NCIS struggles with risk management between MOAB missiles and tactical nuclear weapons, the General reconnects with MTAC and requests the position of Belarusian missiles. Just as Curtis is about to reveal the location, Parker tells him to stop. as they have a second message to decode, which may be a hanging order.
Parker refuses to send the coordinates, which causes the Commander to tell McGee to arrest Parker for defying a direct order.
Although the Commander agrees with Parker that NCIS needs time to decode the message, they have to follow President Pro Tempore Larmont’s orders to move forward with the tactical nuclear strike instead of waiting for the second message. Yet, Parker refuses to send the coordinates, which causes the Commander to tell McGee to arrest Parker. for defying a direct order. When McGee also refuses, the FBI storms the building and arrests them both. The group is led by FBI Deputy Director Sweeney (Erik Passoja), who was waiting in the parking lot.
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Torres escapes from the FBI and warns Knight and Palmer about the NCIS situation
Nick Torres outwits the FBI
As the FBI arrests NCIS agents, telling them they will be arrested if they interfere with the investigation, Nick is confronted by one of their agents in the elevator. After being referred to as “small,” Nick ties up the FBI agent who tries to stop him and locks him in a drawer designed for corpses in the NCIS autopsy. Once free, Nick contacts Jimmy and Knight using the Mate Quest app, alerting them to the FBI’s siege of the building and telling them not to return to NCIS until the coast is clear.
The notification has caused tension between Knight and Palmer since Jimmy needs to resolve that he is using a dating app when the notification plays a ringtone on your phone that both parties can hear. The ringing interrupts an uncomfortable conversation between Jess and Jimmy. The coroner confronts Jess, saying they haven’t spoken since she returned to NCIS. Although the Mate Quest connection ends up being Torres’, it initially makes the moment between the former partners even more awkward.
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Torres and Parker accidentally turned off all the power at NCIS headquarters
McGee plays rock music on NCIS to mask the sound
While the FBI tries to send the coordinates, NCIS continues to fight. Curtis stops the FBI upload and buy MCRT time. During the temporary interruption, Parker and McGee create a diversion in the elevator while they are being detained and successfully knock out the FBI agent holding them. Parker and McGee go through the elevator shaft and air ducts to get to Karen’s lab. Karen is watching the security cameras and still working to access the second message while the FBI’s systems are down.
Parker and McGee come up with another plan to keep the FBI offline after Curtis’ temporary lockdown ends. They want to cut power to the MTAC system to keep the FBI in the dark, thus preventing them from uploading the missile coordinates. Since Kasie has access to the security cameras, Parker and McGee can secretly sneak past NCIS to cut power to MTAC manually. When they find the hotspot, McGee plays loud rock music while Parker and Torres hit the wall with sledgehammers. They cut the FBI’s power, but they cut Karen’s power too.
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FBI Deputy Director Wayne Sweeney Postpones Nuclear Attack
FBI director listens to Alden Parker
After Parker and McGee turn off the power to the entire building, FBI Deputy Director Sweeney discovers that Parker is still at the Naval Shipyard. When Sweeney comes to arrest Parker and McGee, Alden tries to convince Sweeney of the seriousness of the situation. Parker warns Sweeney that if they reveal the coordinates, they will launch a nuclear strike, and McGee begs the vice principal to give Karen more time to decrypt the second message since the power was turned back on.
Still, Parker urges his opponent to know the seriousness of launching a nuclear attack, especially if it is not justified.
Karen comments that she is close to decrypting the message. With much hesitation, Sweeney agrees to give NCIS three more minutes, delaying the nuclear strike for a moment longer, pausing the upload of the missile’s coordinates. Sweeney tells Parker the situation is serious if he is wrong. Still, Parker urges his opponent to know the seriousness of launching a nuclear attack, especially if it is not justified.
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Karen decodes the mysterious code
NCIS forensic expert saves the day
As soon as the three minute mark ends, Karen breaks into the NCIS garage with the decoded message. She breathlessly hands it to Parker, clearly having run there, who reads it gravely and then passes it on to the deputy director of the FBI. The message says that Ukraine withdrew the missile attack on Belarus, allowing the United States to withdraw. It’s a huge revelation, as the second message would potentially neutralize the need for an attack, and that’s what happened.
In this moment and many others, Karen takes heroic actions to help her team. She doesn’t waver under pressure, but works behind the scenes to keep her team on track. The forensic expert is one of the most helpful team members in the episode, despite not having any forensic analysis to analyze. Karen’s heroic role contrasts with Jimmy’s inability to contribute to the case.. The coroner is also prevented from carrying out his conventional role.
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Knight and Palmer admit they’re still in love (but decide not to get back together)
Jess and Jimmy agree to work alone
When they’re still in Jess’s trailer, Agent Knight returns to the former couple’s uncomfortable conversation about their relationship. Jess admits that she still loves Jimmy, and Jimmy reveals that he shares the same feelings for her. Even so, the couple commits to the separation, noting that they have things to resolve. The conversation didn’t close the door on Knight and Palmer’s relationship forever. Howeverseemed to shut it down for now.
Jimmy told Jess she deserved one “Indiana Jones” the kind of boyfriend who would follow her across the country looking for work, and Jess told Jimmy she hoped he would find someone who could give him the stability he needed.
Jess and Jimmy’s decision to remain apart makes sense, as the separation revealed serious differences between the two halves. Jimmy told Jess she deserved one “Indiana Jones” the kind of boyfriend who would follow her across the country looking for work, and Jess told Jimmy she hoped he would find someone who could give him the stability he needed. The couple’s ability to discuss their issues is refreshing, especially since their Season 21 finale split desperately demanded a resolution.
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Air Force One confusion is a remnant of Leonard Riche’s daughter’s failed attack on NCIS
NCIS Season 22 Calls Back to 1,000th NCIS Episode
After NCIS successfully neutralizes the attack, Director Leon Vance (Rocky Carroll) calls Parker and Sweeney into his office to discuss the situation. The scene was a classic NCIS rip-off. It seemed like the pair would be reprimanded for their mistakes, which included defying direct orders and destroying the building, but they were praised for their instincts to ditch the books and take matters into their own hands. Vance recalls a situation in 1956 where a series of untimely coincidences almost started World War III.
Vance recalls how, that year, the US was moments away from launching a nuclear attack on Moscow, but was stopped due to individuals making common-sense decisions. Vance talks about how the communications failure aboard Air Force One was a similar coincidence. He reveals that the communication breakdown is a remnant of the failed attack in the 1,000th episode of NCIS, in which Leonard Riche’s daughter tried to bring down the plane with a virus instead of a Russian attack.
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Director Vance awards Parker and Sweeney the Public Service Medal for preventing World War III
Parker and Sweeney are unlikely allies
Although he initially appears unhappy that the agents have defied direct orders, Vance reveals to Parker and Sweeney that he and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are recommending to the President that they both receive the Public Service Medal for their exceptional efforts in protecting of your country and NATO Allies. Vance compares Parker and Sweeney’s actions to those of 1956attributing the neutralization of another massive global conflict to the two agents who stood before him. It’s a huge compliment to the agents, with a warning not to do it again.
Vance reveals that Ukrainian forces had already destroyed the missile launchers when NCIS received the transmission detailing the attack from Belarus, comparing their actions in the present to those in command during the Cold War. This moment formed a bond between Parker and Sweeney, an unlikely alliance between the FBI’s deputy director and a former FBI agent. Parker previously worked with the agency before being fired for helping Gibbs in NCIS season 19, which was yet another moment where the FBI agent defied a direct order to do what he believed was right.