Vera’s success in NCIS: Origins only adds more mystery to her character in NCIS. Vera was introduced very briefly following Ziva’s departure in NCIS season 11 as Mike Franks’ last partner. Her limited appearances in the NCIS universe allowed the writers of NCIS: Origins to treat her character as a blank slate for the prequel, and so far, her career is moving in an incredible direction. However, her minor role in NCIS also questions how long her success will last in the NCIS spinoff.
Vera is one of a few NCIS: Origins characters that were already introduced in NCIS, which makes her character so much more intriguing. However, her limited role in the franchise prior to appearing in NCIS: Origins also acts as a hindrance. Vera’s career as a profiler is a success in NCIS: Origins but was never mentioned in NCIS, which makes me worry about her future after the prequel ends and how her career might have shifted.
Vera’s Profiling Project Helps NIS Solve Tish’s Case In NCIS: Origins Episode 15
Vera’s Work Helps NIS Find The Evidence They Need
In NCIS: Origins, Diany Rodriguez’s Vera Strickland is more focused on her work propagating profiling in their work instead of being part of Franks’ team. While she is still an NIS Special Agent, she has been focused on paperwork and psychological profiling rather than fieldwork like the other agents. This has made her an incredible ally to the team and her work has even helped solve one of NCIS: Origins’ most heartbreaking mysteries: Tish’s case.
Because of Vera, Tish was finally able to put this experience behind her and live freely again.
Previously, Franks had given Vera a redacted file of Tish’s case to try and use her profiling skills to catch the perpetrator. However, it was not until NCIS: Origins episode 15 that Vera was given full access to the file, which allowed her to fill in the missing pieces. Using her skills in profiling and psychological evaluation, Vera was able to get into the head of the perpetrator, and the team could find enough evidence to justify his arrest. Because of Vera, Tish was finally able to put this experience behind her and live freely again.
NCIS Revealed That Nothing Came Out Of Vera’s Profiling Endeavor
Vera Went Back To Being A Regular Special Agent In NCIS
Following Ziva’s departure in NCIS season 11, episode 2, Vera made her brief appearance. She showed up, much to the dismay of McGee and Tony, who did not want to think of Vera as Ziva’s replacement so soon after she had left. However, Vera’s arrival was necessary as the NCIS team was short on personelle and she still needed to complete some paperwork before she could retire. Her arrival was helpful although somewhat limiting after the news of her career in NCIS: Origins.
Since Vera and Franks used to be partners, her appearance also helped act as a reminder for Muse Watson’s character, who had died several seasons ago. As a result, all in all, Vera coming to NCIS was good for the flagship. However, this poses a challenge for the prequel. Her brief time under Gibbs’ team seemed to dismiss the fact that Vera was supposedly a successful profiler. Her work in NCIS: Origins is successful, but the fact that it is not mentioned at all in NCIS leads me to believe that it will not go anywhere beyond NIS.
How NCIS Can Still Give Vera The Future She Deserves
Vera’s Profiling Project Could Have Succeeded In The Background
Just because Vera’s profiling project was not mentioned in NCIS does not mean it never continued after the prequel. Vera only appeared for one episode in season 11, which did not give her much room to expand on her character and work history. As a result, she could very well have continued growing and expanding her profiling project for NIS and beyond. When she returned to NCIS, it was to help out her former colleague, Gibbs. Her brief comeback as a regular NCIS Special Agent and her past as a profiler are not necessarily mutually exclusive.
NCIS and NCIS: Origins air back-to-back on Monday nights on CBS.
NCIS season 22 or beyond could deal with a case that requires a profiler as a way to retroactively fix this, as it would encourage the MCRT to reach out to Vera as a trusted ally and former NCIS Special Agent to help them. Gibbs may no longer be there, but it’s still a great way to tap into the agency’s legacy. She could even redirect them to a colleague of hers who also helped run her profiling project, thus implying that her profiling endeavor ended up taking off and expanding to include multiple employees after NCIS: Origins.
