Austin Stowell, star of NCIS: Origins, seems to have inadvertently revealed the fate of a beloved character ahead of the upcoming season.

The popular prequel to NCIS, which airs on CBS and Paramount+, is set to return for its second season tonight (Tuesday, October 14).

As anticipation builds for the new season, Stowell, who plays a younger version of team leader Leroy Gibbs, joined forces with main series star Wilmer Valderrama to hint at what’s next in the franchise.

For those needing a recap, the first season of Origins concluded with a heart-wrenching cliffhanger where Gibbs’ partner Cecilia ‘Lala’ Dominguez (portrayed by Mariel Molino) tried to reconnect with him to share some positive news.

She had successfully persuaded investigator Lara Macy (Claire Berger) not to arrest Gibbs for the murder of Pedro Hernandez (George Paez), the man responsible for his wife and child’s death, reports <a href=”https://www.themirror.com/entertainment/tv/ncis-origins-lala-survive-premiere-1444378″ rel=”Follow” target=”_self”>the Mirror US</a>.

NCIS: Origins is back for its second season this week (Image: CBS)

However, before she could reach him, a young pedestrian darted in front of Lala’s Jeep. She managed to swerve just in time to avoid hitting the child, but her vehicle flipped over multiple times, leaving her life in jeopardy.

In a recent conversation with TVLine, Stowell may have unintentionally hinted that Lala survived the horrific accident and will be returning in some form in the second season.

“Lala will be back in some capacity,” he disclosed.

Will Lala make a recovery next season? (Image: CBS)

“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.”

While fans were anxiously waiting to see if Lala would be written off in the upcoming season, there’s a high probability she survived, albeit with significant injuries.

It’s possible that viewers will see actress Molino in a recurring role this season, appearing sporadically as her character recovers.

Mariel Molino has already confirmed she was on set for season two (Image: CBS)
 

However, when probed further, Stowell seemed to realize he may have revealed too much, while Valderrama clarified they were speaking “hypothetically”.

“Technically, until an episode airs, we haven’t really confirmed whether she made it or not,” he added.

Despite the vague remarks, fans should remain hopeful as Stowell also insisted that the narrative between Gibbs and Lala is far from concluded.

Austin Stowell may have let slip that Lala survives (Image: CBS)

“I don’t think that Lala and Gibbs’ story is done,” he hinted. “I think we need to see that through, not just leave it with an accident.”

What are your expectations for the eagerly awaited season two premiere of NCIS: Origins this Tuesday?