NCIS: Origins Revealed Why Mike Franks And His Brother Were Estranged, But There Were Also Two Big Twists I Didn’t See Coming

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Warning: SPOILERS for the NCIS: Origins episode “No Man Left Behind” are ahead!

Last season on NCIS: Origins, we were introduced to Mason Franks, the older brother of Mike Franks, in an episode featuring flashbacks to their time serving in the Vietnam War. Tonight’s episode, “No Man Left Behind,” finally showed us Philip Winchester as the older Mason, a character who was hinted at in the Season 1 finale. While it was great to learn the reason behind the strained relationship between the two brothers, there were two particularly surprising reveals in this episode that I want to discuss.

Mike And Mason’s Post-Vietnam War Past Was Revealed

The flashbacks in “No Man Left Behind” revealed that Mike began using drugs during the Vietnam War to deal with the traumatic experiences he witnessed. This addiction followed him home, straining his relationship with Mason so much that Mason asked him to leave their family ranch in Texas, as Mike’s struggles were deeply affecting their mother. This explains his condition during the “Monsoon” flashbacks. Adding to his difficulties, Mike was unaware his mother was ill and didn’t discover she had passed away until after their 13-year separation, leaving him with regret.

Currently, in the story of “No Man Left Behind,” Mason Franks unexpectedly shows up at Mike’s home needing help with the family ranch. Their mother had to sell the ranch while Mason and Mike were serving in Vietnam, but they had an agreement with the new owners to rent it back and eventually buy it again. However, Mason ended up borrowing money from questionable people just to keep the ranch afloat. Now that the ranch is about to be sold to a developer, Mason is hoping Mike knows someone who can help them save it.

The person who handled the ranch situation turned out to be Diane Sterling, who later married Gibbs. She’s an expert in both real estate and accounting. Ultimately, Mason had to move out, but there was a silver lining: after 13 years of not speaking, he and his brother Mike have reconciled and will now live closer to each other. Mike helped Mason get settled at The Range – a place viewers first saw in the Season 2 premiere of Origins – which will allow him to continue his outdoor work.

NCIS: Origins Brought Back A Familiar Face From The Season 2 Premiere

In the season 2 premiere of NCIS: Origins, a surprising connection was revealed: one of the Navy bank robbers from the episode “No Man Left Behind” was actually Corporal Wade, who also appeared in that same episode. The season began with Wade being questioned at NIS headquarters about the death of PFC Myers, which happened near The Range. It turned out Wade had abandoned Myers and told him to stay lost until he could find a hidden marker. This ultimately led to Myers being killed for his valuable sneakers.

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During questioning, Mike Franks confronted Wade about abandoning the military’s principle of leaving no one behind. This caused Wade to become overwhelmed and participate in a bank robbery, hoping to send some of the money to Myers’ family. The situation quickly worsened when Wade’s partner was shot and died despite Wade’s efforts to help. Consumed by guilt, Wade secretly contacted Mike multiple times, and Kyle Schmid’s character eventually figured out it was him, leading to his arrest. It’s possible Wade could reappear in Season 2 of NCIS: Origins if a new case requires Mike to visit him in prison.

Mary Jo Knows About Wheeler’s Relationship With Oakley

In the first season of NCIS: Origins, it was revealed that Cliff Wheeler and Noah Oakley had a past romantic relationship, in addition to their history as colleagues. Wheeler has kept this secret due to being married with a son, and because being openly gay was difficult in the early 1990s. Now, Mary Jo Hayes is also aware of this past relationship, though she found out accidentally.

Okay, so I just found out something really interesting! Apparently, both Wheeler and Oakley separately told the same story about this awful date they both had with the same person. The kicker? An 8-track of Elton John’s “Daniel” was stuck on repeat during a fight! It was a dead giveaway, and it’s only a matter of time before Mary Jo figures it out. But honestly, I’m not worried about her reaction at all. She’s such a warm, motherly figure that I think she’ll be incredibly supportive of Wheeler, and maybe even become someone he can confide in about everything.

Next week, the show NCIS: Origins will connect with the original NCIS in a story that takes place over three decades. If you plan to watch live on CBS, remember to watch Origins at 8 p.m. Eastern Time instead of its regular 9 p.m. slot – NCIS will be shown at 9 p.m. instead, just for this week.

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2025-11-05 06:11