“One Flew Over,” tonight’s episode 7 of NCIS: Origins Season 1, was a scary mix of murder, loss, and broken justice. As the show continues to look at the early days of the agency, this week gave characters we thought we knew more depth. At the center of the story is an investigation into a murder. Flashbacks show Leroy Jethro Gibbs’ painful past and his early relationship with Mike Franks.
NCIS: Origins Season 1 Episode 7 Recap: Gibbs And Mike Franks Met..
At the beginning of the story, NCIS gets a report from a Marine corporal about a purse that was found on the side of the near Camp Pendleton road that was bloody. As the team follows the trail, they find the dead body of an old woman in a nightgown, sitting in the middle of nowhere. The victim was first named Jane Doe. The case is interesting not only because it is brutal, but also because the victim was defenseless was a grandmother.
This sad discovery is linked to flashbacks that show Gibbs’ first meeting with Mike Franks (Kyle Schmid). Gibbs (Austin Stowell) doesn’t want to get involved with life again because he is still upset about the deaths of his wife and daughter. Franks sees a man who is deeply sad and guilty and decides to help. He encourages Gibbs to join NCIS. Gibbs has no idea that this choice will affect him for the rest of his life.
The Investigation Unfolds
The old victim is quickly identified as Alice Glenn, who lives on base with her son’s family and has dementia. Her son, who is in the Marine Corps, let her move in when she could no longer live on her own. Alice often got lost, but this time her family didn’t report her missing because she was living on base, which was against the rules. Alice’s purse, which usually has her ID in it, was found empty, which suggests that she may have been robbed.
The medical examiner confirms that Alice died from a blow to the head. The investigation moves to a nearby drug den, where NCIS learns about a man known as “Lefty” who was seen with blood on his clothes around the time Alice died. Lefty is the main suspect, but he says he didn’t kill Alice and that he saw a blonde woman at the scene. His bloody look was caused by a nosebleed, not by the victim, which makes the case more difficult. Gibbs, Franks, Lala Dominguez, and Randy Randolf discovered that her death stemmed from an argument with her daughter-in-law.
A shocking truth
The breakthrough comes when it is found out that the blonde woman is Alice’s daughter-in-law. As NCIS looks into it more, they find a sad story. Alice, who had advanced dementia, had become violent and her family had no idea who she was. Alice hit her daughter-in-law during a fight, and her daughter-in-law pushed Alice to protect herself. Alice tripped and hit her head, killing herself. In a panic, her son-in-law set up a theft and threw away Alice’s body.
Even though the daughter-in-law didn’t mean to kill Alice, her actions led to attempts to hide the truth. She is arrested by NCIS, and the law will decide what to do with her. For Gibbs and Franks, the case shows how fear and desperation can make people do horrible things.
A Glimpse into Gibbs’ Tormented Past: Explained!
This investigation is intertwined with touching memories of Gibbs’ early days at NCIS. At a turning point, Franks goes to see Gibbs in his new, small, empty apartment, which shows how emotionally empty he is. Franks forces Gibbs to deal with the deaths of his wife Shannon and daughter Kelly, who were killed in a car accident after seeing a murder.
In a powerful scene, Franks takes Gibbs to see the wrecked car where his family died. Gibbs wants answers, and Franks tells him what happened that led to their deaths, including how deputies failed to protect them from Pedro Hernandez, a cartel killer. When Gibbs’s anger gets too high, he says Franks has let his family down. Things get physical, and Gibbs finally breaks down in tears and says he doesn’t want to live without his family anymore.
Franks knows that Gibbs is sad and gives him the file on Hernandez because he thinks that going after justice might be the only way for Gibbs to get better. This act makes their bond stronger and sets Gibbs on the path to becoming the tough detective fans know and love.
Present Day
In the present, Gibbs finds comfort in a place he didn’t expect. A bird hurts itself when it hits the wall of his apartment building. Gibbs feeds it and builds it a small house to help it get better until it is ready to fly again. This touching side story is a metaphor for Gibbs’ own healing—he is broken but can be fixed.
As the episode ends, there is a flashback to eight months ago, when Gibbs, who is still using crutches because of injuries he got in Kuwait, decides to find Hernandez. Franks tells him everything he knows about the cartel killer because he knows that Gibbs is the only one who can decide what to do. People are curious about how long it will be before Gibbs gets his revenge as he talks about his inner turmoil.
Will Gibbs’s search for Hernandez consume him, or will it give him the peace of mind he so desperately needs? We’re left wondering how these events will affect Gibbs’ future and his relationship with Franks.
“One Flew Over” does a great job of combining an exciting case with an emotional look at Gibbs’ childhood. People are very weak, and the murder of Alice Glenn is a stark reminder of that. The flashbacks show how one of NCIS‘s most famous characters was shaped by trauma. When the episode is over, we can’t wait for the next part of Gibbs’ story.
New episodes air Mondays at 10 PM ET on CBS and are available for streaming on Paramount+.
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