Lala’s NCIS Fate Is Sealed As Origins Begins Gibbs’ Love Affair

Published Sep 25, 2026, 10:30 AM EDT

Alexandria is a British-Canadian writer with a passion for network TV. 
She has a bachelor's degree in computer science from Aston University, Birmingham. After initially working as a software tester, she rekindled a passion for writing and has written for blogs and publications like Hidden Remote, Make a Living Writing, and The Daily Voice. She has interviewed various actors and showrunners, with her most memorably being Tony Shalhoub and Mark-Paul Gosselaar.

From the very beginning of NCIS: Origins, there have been questions about Lala's (Mariel Molino) fate. Many have presumed that she will die by the end of the series, explaining the impossibility of Gibbs (Mark Harmon) and Lala being together in NCIS, and why the later is never mentioned in the original show.

Showrunner David North sat down with Diona Reasonover and Brian Dietzen for their podcast NCIS: Partners & Probies to chat about the prequel series, and the topic of Lala came up. While North wouldn't share whether Lala will live or die, he did point out that he knows how her story ends. Reasonover suggested that he write it down and slip it to her, so that she has the spoilers, but that was where the conversation stopped.

NCIS: Origins does tell the story of how Gibbs became the man that everyone knows him as in the mothership, but it is also a story of his and Lala's love story. That love story has just gotten started, with their kiss at the end of season 2. The trailer for NCIS: Origins season 3 makes it clear that this love story will continue, but Lala's fate is sealed. As disappointing as this could be for those who want to see some sort of canon change, there's a sense of hope.

The story will eventually be closed. Now, everyone gets to sit back and enjoy the ride. The way North spoke about how much people know Gibbs, there's a hint that Lala won't die, and now it's time to keep an eye out for clues about what could happen to her.

Lala's NCIS Fate Has Already Been Decided By Origins Showrunner

Everett

When NCIS: Origins showrunner North sat down with Reasonover and Dietzen, the topic of why Lala hasn't even been mentioned in the mothership series was brought up. It was only natural that this would arise, and North quickly pointed out that he knows Lala's fate. He refused to share what that fate was, but he made it clear that it has been decided. While something could happen that changes this outcome, it's highly unlikely.

Now, the big question is whether the end of Lala's story is going to be the series, and it would make sense for that to be the case. When NCIS: Origins season 1 ended with Lala's fate on the line, everyone immediately made it clear that there is no show without her. It didn't make sense to kill Lala off so early, as the series premiere made it clear that Gibbs wasn't telling the story about his own career. NCIS: Origins was the story about "Her," and "Her" turned out to be Lala.

Why Lala's Fate Being Sealed Is Great For NCIS: Origins

CBS

There is nothing worse than a TV series going in without a plan. Many shows start off with a wonderful premise, and then the plot is lost somewhere along the way. Supernatural had a clear five-year plan, but then the show continued, and many of the elements that made it great were lost. Instead of an overarching plot, the story turned to just season-by-season big bads and revisiting arcs from the past as a way to remain relevant.

Suits started off with a wonderful idea, but as the seasons went on, it was clear that there wasn't a real ending in sight. That should probably have been with Mike Ross getting caught, but then that would mean wrapping up the story, and not everyone would have been ready for that. Instead, as Patrick J. Adams left, the show was left floundering.

NCIS: Origins has made it clear there is an endpoint. The story has been set, and this is the one thing all the writers are working toward. It doesn't matter how long that takes, as long as that ending remains in focus.

Knowing that there is an ending offers hope that a good series won't drag on. North knows exactly what he wants to do with the characters, and it prevents the decision to take action just for shock value, such as what happened on 9-1-1. Closure is coming, and there is nobody writing with the hint of one ending only to change their mind later on and have all the clues no longer fit.

What May Have Happened To Lala In The Future

CBS

There is still a chance that Lala won't be alive by the end of NCIS: Origins. Dietzen pointed out that Shannon and Kelly weren't mentioned on NCIS until the fourth season. Even Ducky (David McCallum) had no idea that Gibbs was once married and had a daughter. Gibbs is a man who keeps his pain close to his chest, believing that it shows strength while protecting himself from being hurt again. So, since he hasn't mentioned Lala, it suggests that she also died.

However, North points out that those who believe Lala is dead only because Gibbs hasn't mentioned her don't know Gibbs very well. There are other theories, and one of those is that she has had to go into witness protection. Throughout NCIS: Origins, Lala had to deal with Flaco's gang, and there are many more gangs and cartels out there. With so many dangerous people in the world, Lala's life could be in danger, leading to witness protection being the only option.

Even Gibbs wouldn't be allowed to know where she is, and that's if he even knows what has happened to her, creating ​​​​​​​a haunting story in NCIS: Origins season 3. Gibbs could hear that she has been killed, and so he keeps that pain close to his chest. Even if he isn't told that, just knowing she is in grave danger would mean he'd do whatever is needed to keep her safe.

Considering it is the '90s and Lala is in a job that, for the longest time, was only for men, she could decide that she needs to put her career first. A relationship with Gibbs could threaten her chance to move up the career ladder, leading to a feeling of betrayal. Gibbs has often cut people off when he's felt betrayed and hurt, such as when he and FBI Agent Fornell didn't talk for the longest time due to personal reasons.

Gibbs' Rule 12 is "never date a coworker," and since he hasn't reached that point just yet, it would make sense for Lala to be the reason for that rule. Something is likely to happen in NCIS: Origins that breaks Gibbs' heart, and makes him never want to speak of the pain again.

• 

  Austin Stowell

  Leroy Jethro Gibbs

• 

  Kyle Schmid

  Special Agent Mike Franks

NCIS: Origins is set in 1991, preceding the events of the original series. The series introduces Leroy Jethro Gibbs as a new special agent at NCIS Camp Pendleton. Under the leadership of NCIS legend Mike Franks, Gibbs navigates his role within a tenacious, unconventional team.