10 biggest moments and revelations

Spoiler alert for NCIS season 22, episode 9, Humbug.”

Parker's Major Case Response Team (MCRT) faces a series of obstacles in the holiday-themed mid-season finale, which provided some great set-up moments NCIS when he returns after the new year. It has been an exciting match for the team so far, announcing NCIS season 22 with a full set of episodes after a shorter period NCIS season 21 due to writers' strikes. Observing the team dynamics since Jessica Knight's return in NCIS The season 22 premiere opened up some complex dynamics and storylines at launch.

Knight is one of the only people who knows firsthand Parker's Lily mystery, which began in NCIS season 21 finale. Parker's mystery girl reappears in the previous outing, with the agent feeling better in episode 9. When NCIS returns after the new year, will likely revisit some of the show's developing storylines, including that of NCIS Deputy Director Gabrielle LaRoche, who resurfaces in the holiday edition. McGee is still suspicious of the supervisor after he failed to get his job.

10

NCIS Season 22 Episode 9 Case Explained

NCIS Investigates Darkness at Dawn by Marley Jaggers

In NCIS In Season 22, Episode 9, the team investigates leaked excerpts from a military tell-all book that threatens to jeopardize a veteran's bill status. A commanding officer named Hastings is the face of the veteran's bill, and the damning story claims that the lieutenant's negligence is responsible for the deaths of three of his Marines during the 2010 Taliban invasion of Afghanistan. With great risks in the outcome, the Department of Defense and SECNAV are involved in the case, wanting to save the account.

As the episode progresses, the team investigates the book's claims, looking for Hastings at the motorcycle shop he owns and uses to hire injured veterans. Hastings is a Marine highly praised for his heroic actions on the night of the attack in Afghanistan, throwing away an enemy grenade to protect his unit. Yet the book claims otherwise. Although he says he doesn't need their help, the team investigates the allegations surrounding Hastings' handling of the night the Taliban attacked his men.

9

The heat is over at NCIS headquarters

Parker's MCRT Dons Jackets on Holiday Outing

The team deals with infuriating circumstances as they investigate the eye-opening case. The heat is out at NCIS headquarters just in time for the holidays, forcing the team to wear their winter gear in the bullpen. Jess, McGee, Torres and Parker wear coats, scarves and gloves to stay warm, but they have an ever-growing trick up their sleeves. While discussing the case, the team gathers around the photocopier, making copies of their hands to feel the heat.

While not ideal, the team in their winter coats made it feel like a holiday, with the Christmas tree in the bullpen and strings of Christmas lights hanging from the ceiling. Sometimes it is warmer for Parker's MCRT to discuss the case at the autopsy or in the outdoor cafe, which is warmer than the usual meeting area. Chilling cold affects all of NCIS headquarters except Vance's officewhich maintains a mild temperature contrasting with the rest of the building's problems.

8

NCIS Deputy Director Gabrielle LoRoche Joins Parker's Case

NCIS season 22 villain character reappears

Just when it seems like things can't get any more uncomfortable for MCRT, a feared character returns. NCIS season 22 introduced Gabrielle LaRoche as the new deputy director of NCIS in the season premiere. LaRoche beat out NCIS' own McGee for the positionwho sought to advance his career by obtaining more regular hours to improve his position and appease his wife, Delilah. LaRoche reappears in episode 9, working alongside Parker's team despite his reservations about their new leader.

Although LaRoche has a villainous nature in the debut, the director is mostly sympathetic and charming in “Humbug.” Although MCRT remains suspicious of LaRoche, he helps them and even takes responsibility for them. Thus, LaRoche's appearance in episode 9 confuses his position, confusing his villainous status. Although it seemed like Parker and the team were ignoring NCIS The most dangerous case of season 22, there may be another explanation for the information leak, which pointed to LaRoche being a mole.

7

Nick Torres lies about his Christmas plans

Nick has a baby

The team shares their Christmas plans as they prepare for the holidays. In the bullpen, McGee mentions that he will spend Christmas with Delilah and her twins, which he thinks is ideal. Knight comments that he will hear his father complain about his retirement, calling Feng Zhao back from NCIS season 21. When Knight and McGee press Nick about his holiday plans, he says he will spend Christmas with the Palmers, with his classmates noting that he has a night of carols ahead of him.

However, when McGee mentions the plans to Jimmy, the doctor comments that Nick told him he was going to spend Christmas with McGee's family. The inconsistency reveals that Nick is hiding his vacation planswhich leads Jess to confront him. Nick says he intends to take the day to relax, but the episode's conclusion proves that Nick is lying, with the Torreses receiving a message from a mysterious sender to confirm their vacation plans. Torres confirms by calling the sender “honey.”

6

Karen ties the tell-all book to Evan Cross's brother, Samuel Cross

Karen is vital to the case in episode 9

When Kasie Hines investigates the forums surrounding the publication of the tell-all book, she finds an unprotected IP address and links the book's author to Samuel Cross. Karen discovers that Samuel Cross is writing the tell-all book under a pseudonym and that his brother, Evan, is one of the Marines who died in the attack he blames on Hastings. When Parker and Nick visit Cross, he is unwilling to discuss the book openly, despite accidentally letting NCIS into his apartment.

Still, even though the excerpts were leaked, NCIS is looking for the full manuscript of the book to investigate Cross's claims. Excerpts from the book contain no evidence that Hastings is guilty of what Cross claims, but Samuel stands by his accusations. When a Marine from Hastings' platoon arrives at NCIS to send letters of support to Hastings, he sees Samuel Cross's photo on the screen. He explains how Samuel was part of the Hastings unit but ended the tour quietly after his brother's death.

5

MCRT revives McGee's author persona for the case

Thom E. Gemcity makes his return to NCIS

NCIS is determined to obtain a copy of the revealing manuscript to uncover and thoroughly investigate Samuel Cross's claim. Thinking outside the lines, Jessica Knight suggests that Timothy McGee could potentially gain access to the full manuscript as he has connections in the publishing world. After a significant hiatus from his crime thriller writing, McGee returns to his writing career as Thom E. Gemcity, going nearly undercover with Jess to advance his case.

McGee and Jess meet with the hard-hitting novel's editor at the restaurant, where Agent Knight says they need proof that he can handle their delicate manuscript and suggests they show him a copy of his new short story so they can have trust. . The publisher cites the security risk of releasing the manuscript, but says we'll consider it if they sweeten the pot. Jess gets the publisher to agree after promising a copy of Thom E. Gemcity's new book in return.

4

Parker and LaRoche confront Hastings about the radio broadcast

Hastings Confesses He Saved His Marines

After gaining access to the full manuscript, the team takes turns combing it for useful information to investigate Samuel Cross's claim. McGee eventually discovers a part of the manuscript that talks about a failure in the radio transmission that warned of the attack that killed three Marines.but it was never reported. The team concludes that Samuel Cross blames Hastings for the miscommunication, and he takes responsibility when Parker and LaRoche confront him.

Parker and LaRoche return to Hastings' store, and the commander admits that he did not report the radio transmission. The confession gives SECNAV someone to throw under the bus, saving the veteran the bill. However, Parker believes there is more to this story and that Hastings is lying to protect his Marine platoon. As the team tries to figure out who hid the radio transmission glitch, LaRoche tells the team to close the investigation, citing that SECNAV has the necessary confession to pursue the case.

3

NCIS works behind LaRoche and SECNAV to solve the case

MCRT finally uses Ducky's old office

An explosion erupts in Samuel Cross's apartment, with former members of the Hastings unit arriving and demanding that he remove his book as a crowd of journalists looks on. When a photo of McGee's involvement in the altercation makes the front page of a Washington publication, SECNAV and LaRoche tell Parker and his team to stand down. Still, Parker and his team are confident that something is missing and are working behind SECNAV and LaRoche for answers.

Parker's team makes excellent use of the Doctor Donald Mallard Memorial's new Multipurpose Room, NCIS the new Ducky homage from season 22. After Nick Torres discussed the move, the team transformed Ducky's former NCIS historian office into a multi-purpose room with something for everyone. We haven't seen much use of Ducky since NCIS season 22, episode 3. Hopefully the team will utilize their metaphorical water cooler when the show returns after the new year.

2

Kasie discovers that the failed radio transmission is a technical error and no one is to blame

Karen Discovers Some Holiday Joy

While the team works secretly, Kasie also continues digging and makes a considerable discovery based on a video the Hastings Marine gives to NCIS to prove how compact his unit is. In the short video, the team noticed a glitch, which the forensic scientist attributed to faulty equipment operating in extreme environments. However, Karen goes further and discovers that the radio had an almost undetectable error that caused it to malfunction.

The team confirmed that there was a record of the transmission reported by Samuel Cross, suggesting that a radio operator was to blame for the miscommunication. However, Karen's Discoveries Show How Radio Malfunctioned Independentlyabsolving all parties of blame. The development proves that Hastings lied about his role in the story to protect his fellow Marines, with NCIS rescuing his confession. Still, Samuel Cross doesn't want to withdraw the book because, as Nick and others note, he's in a difficult situation.

1

Nick works with Evan's widow and other veterans

Evan Cross is not alone in his struggle

After the team's discovery, Nick takes the lead to convince Samuel Cross to withdraw his book. The team previously spoke with Evan Cross' widow, who proved that the late Marine was a qualified technician and was likely not to blame for the radio failure. Nick and Evan's widow meets Samuel at the restaurant. While he initially heads for the exit, upon realizing it is a setup, Nick convinces him to stay and confronts him about something he found in his file.

Nick reveals that Samuel Cross, a radio operator, had an injury that he hid before deployment. However, Samuel reveals that as his injury worsened, he had to step down from his position, which caused his younger brother, Evan, to step in and take his place. Therefore, Nick discovers that Samuel Cross's motivation for publishing the tell-all book is deep pain and the guilt he feels over the cause of his brother's death.

Still, hope is not lost for Samuel. Nick rallies Marines from the Hastings platoon and elsewhere to support Samuel, stating that he is not alone and that they understand him. Samuel even reconciles with Hastings, arriving at his motorcycle repair shop to apologize. However, in a moving and sincere way NCIS Conclusion, Hastings wants to know how Samuel is doing, and the despondent Marine admits that he misses his brother, letting go of the pain and anger he was feeling.