NCIS Officially Confirms Gibbs’ Replacement

NCIS: Origins officially confirms that it will replace the role Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Austin Stowell) plays in the prequel series, as Lala Dominguez (Mariel Molino) takes on a personal case in Season 2, Episode 15. Lala has been dating Manny Santiago (Miguel Gomez) this season, and “Johnny B. Goode” reveals the extent of her affection.

The series is the first prequel in the NCIS franchise, which began with the original series in 2003, led by Mark Harmon as Gibbs after JAG’s backdoor pilot. The 1990s spinoff has recast the younger version of Harmon’s character with Stowell, who has a complicated dynamic with fellow NIS officer Lala Dominguez. However, “Johnny B. Goode” has changed it forever.

NCIS: Origins Season 2 Replaces Gibbs With Manny In Episode 15

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NCIS: Origins raises the stakes of Lala and Manny’s romantic relationship, as Agent Dominguez makes it her personal mission to free her boyfriend from his role in a local gang called the 63rd Street Chacales. Manny drives for Flaco Navarro (Scotty Tovar), and due to his dense knowledge of the gang’s activities, he can’t leave the group alive.

Lala tells Manny that by putting Flaco away, she can free him to live a different life. Harmon’s narration as the older Gibbs explains that Manny distinguishes himself from the rest of the group, establishing that he’s never killed anyone. That said, he finally accepts a way out in “Johnny B. Goode,” telling Lala about Rico Luna’s (Jaycob Maya) murder.

Finally uncovering a crime to put Flaco away, Lala leads the charge at NIS, leading Mike Franks’ (Kyle Schmid) team to Luna’s body. However, Gibbs quickly sniffs out the discrepancies in Lala’s story, putting together that she’s in a romantic relationship with Flaco’s driver, confirming that Lala is in love and willing to risk her life to save Manny.

While Gibbs ultimately saves Manny, convincing FBI Agent Josephine Swanson (Hannah Barefoot) to put him into witness protection, his curiosity hinders Lala’s carefully laid plans. That said, with NCIS: Origins confirming that Lala is in love with Manny and can’t be with him due to his WITSEC assignment, the prequel officially replaces the role that Gibbs has filled thus far.

Lala and Gibbs’ unfulfilled romantic connection has been a key thread in the story of the female NIS agent. Now that the FBI has sent Manny away, Santiago and Lala can’t be together anymore, giving her something more substantial to grieve over, replacing her unfulfilled romance with Gibbs and the place Gibbs previously held in her heart and mind.

What Manny’s Story Means For Lala In NCIS: Origins Season 2

As NCIS: Origins Season 2 barrels towards the season finale, the NIS team’s latest case will significantly impact Lala’s story. As audiences have already witnessed in Episode 15, Lala’s romance with Manny raises the emotional stakes of her story, revealing a different side of Dominguez as she leads the charge and showcases the best part of Molino’s character.

Lala leads with her heart, trying to help Gibbs get Pedro Hernandez (George Paez) for killing his wife and daughter in NCIS: Origins Season 1. Her passion for the case and Gibbs’ tragedy almost leads to her death, as Lala gets in a car accident in NCIS: Origins Season 1’s finale as she drives to Gibbs’ house.

Lala shows the same passion for helping Manny, and while it could have put her in grave danger, what Agent Dominguez now has to contend with is a broken heart. Perhaps with some emotional distance from Gibbs, the NCIS agents can have more of a proper friendship, and Leroy can support Lala more, as he did in “Johnny B. Goode.”

The episode also showcases Lala’s evolution. Where the NIS agent would have turned inward before, she reaches out to her CI, “Twitchy Tony” (Travis Hammer), during the incident, leaning on someone when she needs it most. It also marks the first time Lala has driven a car since her accident, setting Dominguez up for success in NCIS: Origins Season 3.