In NCIS Season 22, Episode 8 called “Out of Control” the team takes on a new case, but Agent Alden Parker (Gary Cole) has to deal with a personal mystery that has been bothering him since Season 21. The name “Lily” echoes through his mind, tied to a series of eerie and unexplained sightings. Who is she, and what does she mean to Parker? Fans are left with more questions than answers after this episode, which shows more of his past.
The Ghostly Sightings Begin
The episode opens with Parker arriving late to a crime scene. His reason? Too much sleep. But it’s clear right away that he’s having a deeper problem. Parker sees a young girl named Lily walking down the hall while he is investigating at a hospital. It’s scary because she doesn’t belong there. Parker seems uneasy, so Knight (Katrina Law) checks on him. He brushes it off, saying it’s because he hasn’t slept enough and still doesn’t like hospitals after almost dying in one. Still, Lily shows up again, and this time she waves at him like she knows him.
A Creepy Mystery
The visions get worse. Parker starts to zone out again during a briefing in the bullpen, which makes Knight confront him in the elevator. She thinks he’s dealing with trauma or even PTSD from the time he almost died. Lily tells Parker it’s all in his head, but when he sees her standing by the side of the road while he’s driving, things get dangerous. His mind is elsewhere when he runs through a stop sign. Knight tells him to face whatever is going on.
Parker doesn’t want to call his therapist, Grace (Laura San Giacomo), but he does. We find out that Parker first saw Lily when he was very sick on the ship and almost passed out from a fever. He thought at the time that she was a hallucination, but she has kept showing up for no apparent reason. Grace asks, “Who is she to you?” “That’s the trouble.” Parker says, “I have no idea.”
When Parker thinks back, he remembers his mother, who also showed up in his fever dream. She left quickly one day to get pastries and never came back, which was a big part of his childhood. Grace brings up the idea of repressed memories and warns against forcing answers because it could lead to False ones. For now, she advises Parker to track the circumstances around Lily’s appearances.
When Grace says that Parker might see his mother as an angel—their sessions get more emotional. Parker flatly rejects this idea. “She wasn’t an angel,” he snaps, ending the talk. But the fact that he doesn’t want to face his mother’s memory only makes things more mysterious.
A Secret Message
In its last few minutes, the episode builds up to a peak. Lee sees Lily again after the case is over. This time she is sitting at a table in the NCIS building. She runs away when he gets close and leaves a note that says, “Don’t tell anyone.” Parker is left with the piece of paper in his hand and staring into space as the mystery of Lily grows.
What will happen next with Parker and Lily?
Parker and Lily still have a long way to go. Her vague message makes us wonder why she is showing up to him. What does she want to hide? What does this have to do with Parker’s past and the way he still feels about his mother? As the season goes on, NCIS fans can expect more twists and turns as Parker continues to think about these issues.
Network: CBS
Available on: Prime Video | Paramount Plus | Netflix
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