The premiere of NCIS Season 23—the dramatic “Prodigal Son (Part I)”—threw fans immediately into the deeply personal fallout of Alden Parker’s father’s murder. Consumed by grief and a thirst for vengeance against mob boss Carla Marino, Parker went rogue, pushing the boundaries of his job and his team’s loyalty. The episode ended on a monumental cliffhanger: Parker sneaked onto the cargo ship, the Quentin, to confront Marino, while his estranged sister, Navy Vice Admiral Harriet Parker, was put in charge of the official operation, which included a chilling mandate: blow up the ship before it crossed into international waters.
NCIS Season 23, Episode 2, “Prodigal Son (Part II),” is poised to conclude this high-stakes, two-part saga. It’s a direct confrontation between Parker’s life and Harriet’s duty, a battle that promises to redefine Agent Parker and irrevocably change his relationship with his family, his team, and Director Vance.
Parker’s Life: The Dark Road to Vengeance
Special Agent Alden Parker (Gary Cole) has spent most of his tenure as the calm, cerebral counterpoint to Gibbs’s volatile temperament. However, the murder of his father, Roman Parker, by his long-time nemesis, Carla Marino (Rebecca De Mornay), has activated a “Gibbs-like” man-on-fire mentality.
Crossing the Line
In Part I, Parker was already exhibiting a reckless disregard for protocol. He ignored Director Vance’s direct orders, called in a series of fake bomb threats to shut down the Eastern Seaboard (a criminal offense in itself), and roughed up a suspect to get information. His actions forced Vance to reluctantly bench him and task the MCRT (McGee, Torres, and Knight) with keeping him in line—a task they immediately failed, choosing instead to covertly help their leader.
By the end of Part I, Parker is discovered to have secretly boarded the Quentin after learning Marino intends to use it to escape. This is a solo, unsanctioned mission of vengeance, placing him in direct physical danger and exposing him to the full legal consequences of his actions.
The Team’s Dilemma
The core of the NCIS team—McGee, Torres, Knight, and Kasie—have repeatedly demonstrated their unwavering loyalty to Parker, putting their own careers on the line to support his rogue investigation.
- McGee (Sean Murray) and the others are shown actively deceiving Vance and going against official orders.
- Director Vance (Rocky Carroll), a father figure to the team, is in an impossible position. Spoilers suggest he considers arresting Parker as the only way to save him from himself and prevent a full-blown international incident. Furthermore, he faces a difficult choice: must he arrest the entire team for complicity? It’s highly unlikely the MCRT would face severe punishment, but Vance’s threat underscores the gravity of their insubordination.
Part II will see the MCRT scrambling to find a way onto the Quentin to save Parker and bring Marino in before the Navy’s strike forces them to stand down.
Harriet’s Choice: Duty vs. Family
The most compelling drama of “Prodigal Son (Part II)” rests on the shoulders of Vice Admiral Harriet Parker (Nancy Travis), Alden’s sister, who makes her full debut in this episode.
The Estranged Sibling
Flashbacks in Part I revealed the fractured nature of their relationship. Harriet, the “good kid,” followed in their Navy father’s footsteps, while Alden was the rebellious “prodigal son” with stints in juvie. Despite a recent shared tragedy, their professional conflict immediately overrides their personal grief.
Harriet’s professional obligation is to follow the “shoot-to-sink” order against the Quentin. The vessel, believed to be carrying weapons and personnel tied to active threat networks (and potentially having the capability to threaten national security), must be neutralized before it leaves U.S. jurisdictional waters.
The Impossible Decision
Harriet, as the commanding officer, must make an impossible choice:
- Option A (Duty): Follow the order, protect national security, and risk the death of her estranged brother, Alden Parker. This would solidify her position as a woman of command and principle but would destroy the last remnant of her immediate family.
- Option B (Family): Hold fire, jeopardize the mission and her own decorated career, but give her brother and the MCRT a window to take down Marino and save Alden’s life.
Speculation and Likely Conclusion: While the suspense is designed to be excruciating, it is overwhelmingly probable that Harriet will find a way to delay or modify the strike order. A main character like Parker will not be killed off in the second episode of a new season. The conclusion will likely involve a last-minute communication or a tactical maneuver from the MCRT, allowing Alden to either apprehend Marino or escape the vessel just as it is neutralized, thus saving him while allowing Harriet to save face and national security. The true cost, however, will be the personal reckoning the siblings are forced to have after their near-tragedy.
How ‘Prodigal Son’ Ends: A Turning Point for Parker
The conclusion of “Prodigal Son (Part II)” will not just wrap up the Carla Marino storyline; it will serve as the foundational event for Parker’s Season 23 arc.
The Fate of Carla Marino
Marino, who murdered Roman Parker with Alden’s own stolen weapon, is likely to be apprehended—either by Alden himself in a visceral confrontation or by the MCRT as they storm the ship. While NCIS rarely kills its major villains off-screen, a capture is necessary to give Parker his measure of justice, however reckless the pursuit was.
Consequences and Catharsis
Parker will face immediate, severe consequences from Director Vance for his actions, potentially leading to a temporary suspension, demotion, or a mandated disciplinary period. However, the emotional payoff will be the catharsis of bringing his father’s killer to justice, followed by the inevitable and painful conversation with Harriet about their past, their father, and the path forward.
This two-part premiere, with its intense focus on Parker’s inner turmoil, family history, and moral ambiguity, is a bold statement from NCIS—signaling that Season 23 will be a character-driven season exploring the dark side of a man who lost everything and is now determined to live life on his own terms. Alden Parker is no longer the “new guy”; he is a deeply damaged man seeking redemption, and his journey will be the season’s central tension.
