Season 22 Episode 4: Recap
Episode Title: Sticks & Stones
Tonight on CBS’s NCIS, the team was in a dangerous situation where they were racing against time to stop something that could easily turn into World War III. In Episode 4, “Sticks and Stones,” the agents were put on high alert when they learned of deadly threats aimed at several places around the world. There was a clear threat, a lot was at stake, and everyone was wondering a simple but scary thing: Could they stop disaster?
NCIS Season 22 Episode 4 Recap
The NCIS team wakes up in the middle of the night to an important call: possible attacks on Western Europe by groups backed by Russia could be coming soon. The intelligence is very scary. NATO allies, including the US, would have to fight back if Russia or its agents attacked. It’s clear that Parker’s (Gary Cole) mission isn’t like any other as his team is put together—what they do in the next few hours could determine the future of peace in the world.
As the episode goes on, Parker’s team learns that the US got information from its NCIS base in Naples, Italy. According to the report, Russia may be getting ready for a direct attack by sending troops through Belarus. This has caused fears of a new global conflict. Given how dangerous the threat is, Parker is in touch with all of the agents who are available except Knight, who went camping over the weekend and can’t be reached. During a rush, Jimmy is sent to get her.
As top officials and generals talk about a possible attack on Belarus before it happens, a new development comes to light. The President and the Speaker of the House can’t be reached right now because they are both on Air Force One and having technical problems. The Vice President is also not available because he or she is having a private medical procedure. In a strange and unsettling turn of events, Senator Judd Larmont is the only one who can make a decision about this crisis. He is a rude and angry man who thinks NCIS Naples is in Florida and wants to authorize a military strike on Belarus.
As Parker fights back against Senator Larmont’s rash orders to go after Belarus, tensions rise. The senator won’t listen to common sense or strategic advice and insists that NCIS tell him where Belarus’s key strategic points are for a first strike. Parker and McGee refuse, standing their ground against the chaos that is getting worse. It doesn’t take long for the standoff to get even tense when FBI agents show up ready to arrest any NCIS team members who don’t follow the senator’s orders. Parker and McGee are arrested, but Torres gets away because he doesn’t want to give up without a fight.
Torres warning Knight and Palmer to stay away from NCIS HQ. Meanwhile, Knight is camping alone when Palmer unexpectedly arrives to pick her up. This sparks an awkward moment, as it’s the first time they’ve been alone since their breakup. They both admit they still have feelings for each other but decide they need time apart to focus on their own lives.
As the team tries to figure out what’s going on, Kasie Hines (Diona Reasonover) finds a second message from NCIS Naples. Even though it is encrypted, it contains important data that might make clear what Belarus’s real intentions are. Kasie is working quickly to decrypt the message because he doesn’t have much time or money, while the senator keeps pushing for a strike on Belarus without caring about protocol or safety.
Parker, Timothy McGee (Sean Murray), and Torres get back together and make a risky plan in an exciting scene. They take over the NCIS communications room and stop the FBI from getting to important systems. The agents turn off the power to the building so that their enemies can’t find them and so that Kasie has time to figure out what the message means. Now that Vance knows what’s going on, he calls his team, feeling mixed about their choice to go against the group but also realizing that their actions may be needed to avoid disaster.
At the last second, Kasie figures out what the message means: Ukraine has already taken out the Belarusian launchers, so Belarus is no longer a threat. Now that they have this new information, the NCIS team makes a strong case against the senator’s plan to attack, which effectively prevents a possible global conflict. As the FBI agents arrest them one last time, it’s clear that they did what they had to do, even if it meant getting in trouble.
Director Leon Vance (Rocky Carroll) is thankful, but he now has to look at the damage and accept that the crisis was solved without the public being aware of it. Even though the episode ends with a victory, it’s still unclear how close they were to destroying the whole world.
Actors Discuss the Uncertain Future of Knight and Palmer’s Relationship
As a more personal side story, Palmer and Knight have a big talk that fans have been thinking about all season. As they are stuck together in the chaos, they talk about their breakup. Brian Dietzen (as Palmer) and Katrina Law (as Knight) talk about how natural and raw it felt to film the scene. They say that even though Palmer has moved on (he’s now on a dating app), Palmer and the other character still love and respect each other. Law thinks about Knight’s struggle to be stable, and Dietzen suggests a “what-if” situation that leaves room for what might happen in the future.
They’ve chosen to stay friends for now because they both know they can’t give the other what they need. Fans are wondering if Palmer and Knight’s paths could cross again in the future because of how well they get along and how much they still care for each other.
As NCIS faces problems on a personal and global level, Season 22 shows that it’s still at the top of its game by combining high-stakes action with stories that focus on the characters. The world was saved for another day, and now fans can’t wait to see what this dedicated team does next.
NCIS
Season 22 Episode 4: Recap
Episode Title: Sticks & Stones
Network: CBS
Available on: Prime Video | Paramount Plus | Netflix
For more detailed recaps and TV insights, visit otavo.tv.
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