Spoiler alert for NCIS season 22, episode 5, ‘In From the Cold’
NCIS Season 22, Episode 5 features a case that forces the MCRT to deal with an alleged Cold War spy. THE NCIS The Season 22 cast brought back all of the prominent Season 21 cast members, although the year began with everyone seemingly busy with their individual endeavors. Jessica Knight was the Director of Training for REACT at California Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Nick Torres was undercover, and Tim McGee was vying for a promotion. Eventually, they all returned to the Navy Yard.
The premiere features NCIS season 22’s new villain, Gabriel LaRoche, a new character played by Seamus Dever. LaRoche poses an enormous threat to NCIS and national security. Later, director Leon Vance (Rocky Carroll) and crew deal with the unexpected death of a diplomatic envoy. NCIS Season 22, Episode 4 follows the most significant blow to the MCRT yet, when Alden Parker and his team attempt to diffuse World War III after an algorithm written by Curtis intercepts communication from Belarus. Episode 5 introduces another threat to national security with a heartfelt, emotional twist.
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Nick Torres joined MateQuest on Jimmy’s recommendation
Nick and Jimmy are looking for love
At the opening of NCIS season 22, episode 5, ‘In From the Cold’, Nick Torres (Wilmer Valderrama) questions Agent McGee (Sean Murray) about having to be excited about applying for the position of Deputy Director of NCISwhich ultimately went to Gabriel LaRoche. McGee agrees that he had to look the part for the job application and asks if Nick is also looking for a new position. Nick explains that he doesn’t want to get excited for a new job, but for a new relationship. Jess eagerly joins the discussion, excited for her teammate.
In NCIS Season 22, Episode 3, Nick reveals to Jess that he wants to put himself out there again. Initially, Nick was just at MateQuest to play wingman to Dr. Jimmy PalmerJess’ ex, but he reveals he has his own profile in episode 5. The revelation leads to some humorous discussions about Nick’s profile, including the possibility that Nick took professional photos with someone else’s dog to appear more likable. Nick initially thinks his profile doesn’t need words, as his appearance sells him well.
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Captain Thomas Butler has a hostage at the Navy Hospital (and the team searching him turns off the power)
There’s more to Captain Thomas Butler than meets the eye
The team is called to Naval Liberty Hospital after a report comes in that there is an active hostage situation. Despite enjoying Parker’s box of delicious scones, the team rushes to investigate. The team finds Thomas Butler, a retired Navy captain who speaks strangely Finnish, in the hospital, although he claims to know no other language. The hospital explains that Butler is “change of time” in old memories and provides a series of numbers translated from the Finnish that Butler spoke while experiencing temporary confusion.
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When McGee enters Butler’s name and the numbers he has listed into a database, his phone is disconnected. McGee uses the hospital’s computers to perform the search, which shuts down the hospital’s electricity. and cuts power to the entire city block. Karen devises a countermeasure for the wire, which stops it from shutting down another system and sends the bug back to the CIA, who go to NCIS for answers.
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MCRT alerts the CIA and discovers the truth about Butler
CIA officer Conrad provides confidential information to MCRT
When NCIS tries to access more information about Butler, their search is reported by the CIA, and CIA officer Conrad arrives at the Naval Shipyard to do damage control. Conrad demands that NCIS stop the investigation, but when Vance refuses, Conrad begins to cooperate with the agency, or so it seems. Conrad informs Parker and director Leon Vance that Butler was an intelligence agent for the Soviet Union. during the Cold War and that the CIA became aware of the operation in the 1970s, allowing him to live out his American cover and retire under supervision after the fall of his country.
Conrad’s explanation confuses Parker and Vance, including why the CIA allegedly let a Russian spy work at the Pentagon. However, the CIA agent insists that intelligence demands playing the role “long game”, claiming that the CIA was manipulating the leak to control the flow of information. Despite Conrad insisting that Butler was not a threat, Agent Knight calls moments later to inform Parker that Butler killed a hospital attendant and is on the run. The development involves Conrad in Parker’s investigation, and their story changes to accommodate the fact that they didn’t know Butler was their secret agent.
5
Torres and McGee bond over their absent parents
Nick and Tim have a shared experience
In investigating Thomas Butler’s case, the team works closely with Thomas’ son Danny, who tells the team about his father’s absence during his childhood due to his time in the Navy. When MCRT obtains Butler’s files from his and his son’s home, McGee comments how it reminds him of his father’s old office, which was full of “Navy Things” but a single family photo was missing. Torres comments that it looks like Captain Butler was at a club with his parents. Danny’s experience brings to light some emotions shared by Nick Torres and Timothy McGee.
The case causes Nick to open up, which is unusual for the Special Agent but in line with his mission to expose himself.
Nick’s comment refers to his father, a CIA agent whose career led him to abandon Nick and his family, and McGee’s father, an admiral in the United States Navy. Tim tries to comfort Nicksaying that at least his parents worked for the good guys, since Danny’s father was a Russian spy. Nick disagrees, saying that sometimes he would prefer his father to be a bad guy so he could feel more direct resentment. The case causes Nick to open up, which is unusual for the Special Agent but in line with his mission to expose himself.
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Captain Butler steals a confidential file from the Navy archives called Project Laurel
Butler uses his old access card to infiltrate Navy archives
The MCRT receives a call that Captain Butler is using his access card to enter the Navy Archivesand Parker and Knight go to investigate. Parker and Knight inform each other. The conversation explains how Butler uses his card at an unsecured gate to avoid detection, using the building’s machine room to access a secure safe filled with confidential documents, where he steals an old file. They think Butler may be at the top of his game, still secretly operating for Russia.
Parker and Vance inform Conrad of the situation, who is devastated when they report that Captain Butler stole a confidential file called Project Laurel. Conrad hesitates to discuss the file, but when Vance refuses that he should cooperate, Conrad reveals that Project Laurel could cause people to die if it is disclosed and that it is a matter of national security. Conrad implies that NCIS should kill Butler and eliminate him by any means necessary, but NCIS remains skeptical.
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Thomas Butler thinks it’s the 1970s and wants to talk to Sparrow
Butler is operating using his old covert tactics
When trying to track down Thomas Butler, the team is impressed by his vintage skill from his days as an undercover, and they observe that Butler executes with great precision. Butler contacts his son, leaving him a cryptic voicemail about getting something special, and this leads NCIS to momentarily believe that Butler’s son Danny is involved in their undercover operation. However, Danny convinces them that his dad wants to meet for ice creamand the team sets up a father-son meeting to stop Butler and bring him back to NCIS.
Back at NCIS, Parker interrogates Butler and they discover that the ex-agent thinks it’s the 1970s. Thomas is going through a time shift where his brain uses his oldest memories to fill his short-term memory. While it is unclear at this point whether Thomas is in his right mind or not, his son and medical records suggest he is experiencing cognitive impairment/dementia. When they interrogate Butler, he explains that the file is his insurance that is keeping him alive and that he wants to speak to a former CIA agent named “Sparrow,” who Conrad explains is dead.
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McGee dresses up as a sparrow for MCRT’s Operation Sting
McGee dons a 1970s costume
Parker and the team devise a plan with Conrad to make Butler realize it’s the present day. Karen briefs Agent Parker on how to replace the old reality Butler is operating in with hard facts. about the present. Karen explains that she does the memory exercise with her aunt Nora. Parker tells Butler that Sparrow is dead and that he went to the funeral. He says the Soviet Union has collapsed and its government has disappeared. He shows Butler a cell phone, but the ex-spy believes Parker is just joking “Man of the Future” a spy tactic.
As he progresses, Parker shows Butler photos of his son, Danny, to bring back his memory. However, Parker reports to Conrad that Butler didn’t buy it and that they will try something else. Since McGee looks like Sparrow, he dresses like the former CIA agent. He arranges a meeting with Butler. Everything is going well until McGee, who is trying to access Project Laurel, doesn’t know where the drop-off location is. When Butler becomes suspicious and things unravel, he shoots McGee, apparently realizing he is not who he claims to be.
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Conrad is a criminal CIA agent who tries to eliminate Butler
NCIS catches Conrad in a sting operation
When the police raid in the park goes wrong, Conrad chases Butler and threatens to shoot him. He explains that he doesn’t need the file, he just needs to kill him, as Butler is the last person who can decode the file and read it. As Conrad raises his gun to kill Butler, NCIS is waiting and arrests Conrad for his crimes. Back at NCIS headquarters, Parker and Vance discuss how Conrad was a dirty CIA agent and that Project Laurel was a “CIA crime list” with Conrad’s name all over it.
Parker reveals that the “costume party” it was trying to get Conrad to incriminate himself and Butler to be involved in it. The supervising agent explained that Captain Butler received the memo at NCIS and helped them stage the fake meeting with Sparrow to see if Conrad would incriminate himself. To top it off, Vance reveals that Captain Butler worked for the United States the entire time in NCIS season 22, episode 5, selling disinformation to the Russians, and was instrumental during the Cold War. The revelation allows Danny to reconcile with his father, who was not actually a traitor.