After a behind-the-scenes photo from NCIS: Origins appeared to spoil season 1’s major Lala cliffhanger, a showrunner has stepped in to add clarification regarding Lala’s fate. Although her horrific car crash at the end of season 1 seemingly left the NCIS: Origins cast one member short, it’s only been recently that confirmation of Lala’s survival status appeared to have surfaced.
In an installment of TVLine’s Women to Watch, co-showrunner Gina Lucita Monreal addressed Mariel Molino’s behind-the-scenes NCIS: Origins photo, which seemingly spoiled Lala’s survival by revealing Molino’s return to set. But, while confirming Molino’s appearance in NCIS: Origins season 2, Monreal hints that Lala may not be returning in precisely the manner that fans expect. Check out her comments below:
“I can confirm that Mariel has been on set with us. I think it’s fair to say you will see her in the show, but how you will see her remains a mystery. And what her fate actually is remains a mystery.”
What Monreal’s Comments Mean For Lala In NCIS: Origins Season 2
The natural assumption that Lala wouldn’t survive the crash in light of Gibbs’ heavy narration framing the scene fueled a lot of speculation, including the fact that it could set up Mark Harmon’s NCIS return. However, the apparent spoiler that Lala survivs cheapens the cliffhanger while rendering Gibbs’ narration less meaningful.
Monreal’s comments provide a sense of cautiously optimistic relief, as she and TVLine discuss numerous other reasons Molino could be called to set. Lala could easily appear in the hospital while the other characters wait for her fate to be determined, or she could even appear briefly at a funeral with her fate having been very much decided.
And these are only the alternative possibilities that involve Lala appearing in corporeal form. If Lala truly does perish after the NCIS: Origins season 1 finale, visions of her ghost could haunt Gibbs in much the same way Lily haunts Parker in NCIS season 22. She could also appear in flashbacks, exploring her history with colleagues like Franks and Randy.
Our Take On Monreal’s NCIS: Origins Season 2 Lala Comments
Each of these possibilities would require Molino to appear on set, and her photo of a dog cocking its ear on an otherwise empty backlot leaves the door wide open for speculation in all manner of directions. That said, spoiling that Lala shows up in NCIS: Origins season 2 at all takes the suspense out of waiting for her appearance.
Fans who wanted to see her survive would not only have been doubly pleased to see it happen were Molino’s appearance unconfirmed, but even those who feel her death is right for the story could have been pleasantly surprised by seeing her in other ways. Now, NCIS: Origins season 2’s Lala reveal can’t pay off as satisfyingly in either direction.
Thankfully, there’s ample room to drive interest through the surrounding storylines. How other characters respond to the crash will undoubtedly play a sizable role in NCIS: Origins season 2’s storylines, and this would always have been the case whether Lala lived or died. Monreal’s comments merely act as a reminder that the biggest surprises could still be right around the corner.
