Is ‘FBI’ About to Suffer Its First Major Casualty?
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[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Season 2, Episode 10 of FBI, “Ties That Bind.”]
The team’s supervisor, Dana (Sela Ward), retired at the end of FBI Season 1, but we have yet to see them lose a key member in the line of duty. Is that about to change after the fall finale?
In “Ties That Bind,” Kristen (Ebonée Noel), who has successfully transitioned to special agent in Season 2, questions her abilities in the field and her partner’s reaction to a mishap during a training exercise. Range Master Orstad stops the exercise to call her out for leaving her partner uncovered, a mistake she can’t make in the field, he stresses. But when she apologizes to Scola (John Boyd), he tells her not to worry about it.
Maggie (Missy Peregrym) later suggests it’s not a big deal, but Kristen worries he’s going too easy on her because she’s a woman. Though Maggie can’t speak to Scola’s attitude, she knows there are men who can be patronizing in the beginning. Over the years, she’s found that some advice can be great, while there’s some she didn’t take on. “When you’re out in the thick of it, you’re going to be relying on your instincts,” Maggie tells Kristen but advises her to stay closer to Scola in the field. “Not reading off your partner can be very dangerous.”
Scola reiterates to Maggie what he’d said earlier; Kristen being a split second behind wasn’t a big deal. Rather, Orstad overreacted like he does with all newbies, which is part of his teaching process. Still, Maggie stresses the importance of telling his partner if she’s making mistakes, regardless of the politics. Once he realizes what she means, he assures her, “If Kristen screws up, I’m going to let her know. The truth is, there’s really not much to critique.”
Kristen’s instincts play a huge role in the end of the episode. After the team tracks down the man responsible for a series of murders, including NYPD Detective Harry Bloom’s daughter, the confrontation goes south. Harry doesn’t stay back as he was supposed to, and when Maggie tries to make the arrest, Jordan fights back. The two struggle with his knife, and when Kristen pushes Maggie out of the way, she’s stabbed in the neck.
(Michael Parmelee/CBS)
OA (Zeeko Zaki) and Scola quickly take down Jordan, but the damage has been done, and Maggie yells to her partner to call an ambulance for the bleeding Kristen. “You’re going to be fine,” Maggie assures her. But is FBI about to say goodbye to one of its own?
It could go either way. The CBS drama has yet to suffer a major loss like one of its team dying in the line of duty and Kristen was stabbed in the neck. However, she just became a special agent and there’s still so much for her to learn and do. That said, in their line of work, a life can be cut short in an instant just like that, when a person’s story is not yet done.
Following the episode, Noel tweeted her gratitude to the fans. “No matter what happens though I just want you guys to know, it’s been the thrill of my social media existence live-tweeting these episodes with you all,” she wrote. “Thanks for loving Kristen like I do.”
It was crazy to read & nerve-wracking to shoot to say the very least. No matter what happens though I just want you guys to know, it’s been the thrill of my social media existence live-tweeting these episodes with you all. Thanks for loving Kristen like I do💛🖤 #FBICBS #FBIFam https://t.co/DGiRmKoPuu
— Ebonée Reigne Noel (@EboneeReigne) December 18, 2019
And her costar Alana De La Garza’s post could be a farewell to the actress but also simply a response to the cliffhanger. “I don’t even know what to write @EboneeReigne,” she wrote. “She’s such a great actress!!!”
I don’t even know what to write @EboneeReigne 😭😭😭 she’s such a great actress!!! #HardToWatch @FBICBS #FBICBS
— Alana De La Garza (@Alana_DeLaGarza) December 18, 2019
We’ll have to wait until the January 7 episode to find out Kristen’s fate.
FBI, Tuesdays, 9/8c, CBS
