The first season of NCIS: Origins ended on a potentially sad note for young Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Austin Stowell), as he endured the shocking scene of watching his confidante, Lala Dominguez (Mariel Molino), bleeding out in an overturned car. The relationship between the two characters has been lovely to see all season, with the pair feeding off one another positively as the duty of upholding the law gets ever more complex. For those familiar with the NCIS franchise, Lala is a name that had not come up until the prequel series came about. With minds now turned to the coming season, and Lala’s death not officially confirmed, there are suggestions that the character might not be dead when the show returns for a second season.
“We have no idea. We’ve seen the franchises kill …” Molino responded to TV Insider when the question of Lala’s demise was put forward during an interview with Kyle Schmid, who plays Mark Franks, finishing Molino’s comments, adding, “… major characters. They got rid of Franks [Muse Watson] in the original. They’ll take big swings.” Adding, Molino responds, “Whether they do or not, I think that whatever happens, we know for sure that this event, whether it’s a death or not, has had an incredible impact on Gibbs as a character.”
Stowell is the actor who brings Gibbs’ younger version to life in the prequel series, and he also offers his take on Lala’s fate, and it suggests that her fate remains open-ended, saying:
“There’s obviously a world where [Lala dying] makes sense in that it would explain so much of why Gibbs is the way he is and why he will not talk about this with anyone. Selfishly, as an actor, I hope and pray that [Mariel] stays right where she is because she is so talented and, as talented as she is, she’s also a wonderful human being. We are incredibly blessed to have the family that we do here on set — all of these people here on the show have become so close to me. We have become friends, and I don’t want to lose anybody [even though] and I know that it makes great drama. But that’s how I feel.”
Lala’s Fate Will Become Apparent in ‘NCIS: Origins’ Season 2
NCIS: Origins was renewed for a second season in February while the first season was still running. David J. North and Gina Lucita Monreal both serve as co-showrunners for the show, with the flagship series’ Gibbs, Mark Harmon, offering narration duties in the prequel series. During an interview last month, both showrunnners were quizzed as to Lala’s fate as well.
“We need you to come back for season 2 and find out,” was all Monreal offered in response, with North adding, “I’ve been waiting on Gina to tell me.” Monreal goes on to add, “I’m not even going to tell David. Return for season 2, please, and find out the fate of Lala.”