When an old pal of Torres' comes to him - dishevelled and bloodied - for guidance amidst an undercover FBI operation and then disappears, NCIS helps track him down; McGee prepares to be a contestant on a popular game show.
Tropes:
- A Day in the Limelight: NCIS Special Agent Dale Sawyer, who first appeared in Season 18's "Gut Punch" and reappeared in Season 19's "Fight or Flight".
- Dark and Troubled Past / It's Personal: Sawyer revealed to Torres that his little sister Kara had died of GHB
overdose years before, which is why he is determined to bust up the drug-smuggling ring. - Heroic BSoD: According to his mother, Sawyer went through this when his sister Kara died of GHB overdose. As Sawyer later revealed to Torres, the six months when Kara was in a coma before passing away were traumatic for him.Sawyer: [Sadly] "You know, she held on for six months... Those were the longest months of my life."
- The Infiltration: Sawyer, and later Torres, go undercover to infiltrate a robbery crew that is heisting trucks and smuggling GHB.
- Took a Level in Kindness: Sawyer first appeared in Season 18's "Gut Punch" as an antagonistic Jerkass towards Torres and the team. After saving each other's life and taking down the drug-smuggling ring together, Sawyer and Torres eventually buried most of the hatchet between them and settled for a Friendly Rivalry. At the episode's end, Sawyer is warmly welcomed by Torres and the NCIS family to participate in Game Night at Parker's apartment.
- True Companions: At the episode's end, Sawyer is warmly welcomed by Torres and the NCIS family to participate in Game Night at Parker's apartment.
- You Are Not Alone: Seeing that Sawyer has become stressed out from the challenges of undercover work, Torres reassures him that he could always lean on the NCIS team for help. After successfully taking down the drug-smuggling ring together, Torres says this to Sawyer in the end.
