NCIS: Origin Season 2 episode 1: Is Lala Dominguez alive? Explained

NCIS: Origins Season 1 ended on a major cliffhanger, leaving viewers with just one question in their minds: Did Lala Dominguez survive the tragic jeep-rolling accident? Well, to answer the titular question, she did survive and has even joined the squad in NCIS: Origins season 2 episode 1, which premiered on October 14, 2025.

The official synopsis of NCIS: Origins episode 1 reads:

“Gibbs and Franks investigate the disappearance of a young Marine connected to a mysterious compound with a charismatic leader, and Lala’s fate is revealed.” 

The finale episode ended with Lola hanging upside down when her jeep flipped multiple times to save a little girl who ran across the road out of nowhere. With an attempt not to hurt her, Lala changed her jeep’s direction. 

She was on her way to meet Gibbs to share the news with him that Lara Macy is convinced, and now she will not arrest him. To brush off what happened with Gibbs and how he landed as a culprit in Season 1 is because Gibbs lost his family when Pablo Hernandez killed his wife and daughter. In order to seek revenge, he went behind him and knocked him down on his own, leading him to now face legal charges.

But before Lala could share the good news with him, she was left in a life-and-death situation. With the debut episode of NCIS: Origins being released, Lala’s fate, played by Mariel Molino, is out and clear: She is alive. 

Before the premiere episode of NCIS: Origins Season 2, Aausti Stowell, who plays Leroy Jethro Gibbs, shared about Lala’s fate and gave hints that the character would probably be alive. He spoke to TVLine, 

‘’Lala will be back in some capacity. She went through a terrible accident and anybody who would go through something like that, there are going to be adjustments and baby steps coming back into the workplace.”

Lala is back on duty in NCIS: Origins Season 2

After months of recovery, Lala heads back to work, but everyone around her seems to care too much for her, which eventually bothers her a bit. Things have now changed. Lala and Gibbs, who left fans rooting for them in season 1 with their ‘’swimming-pool,’’ romance, have now turned the tables for two as Gibbs is now in another relationship.

He is dating Diane, who will become his second wife later in life. Because of that, Lala decides to move on from her feelings for Gibbs, telling her friend Mary Jo that Gibbs is “too complicated.”

Gibbs is clearly in love with her, and seeing her return from medical leave fills him with inner regret for not being with her. Although he keeps his distance, it becomes evident throughout the episode that he can’t truly stay away from Lala.

With complicated feelings among them, they still stand together as co-workers, whereas Lala even congratulates Gibbs on her new girlfriend. 

What lies ahead for the two, and how their complicated relationship evolves, will be revealed in the upcoming episodes.

Where to watch NCIS: Origins Season 2

The show airs live on CBS on Tuesdays in the United States at 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET. The first episode, ‘’The Funky Bunch,’’ aired on October 14, 2025.

The show will drop a new episode weekly on every Tuesday, and for those who want to stream its episodes, it will be available to watch on Paramount+, the very next day.