Ignition is the eleventh episode in NCIS Season 7 and the 149th episode of the entire NCIS series.
Synopsis
While investigating a bizarre murder of a Navy pilot which McGee has the lead on, the NCIS team butts heads with a mysterious attorney who has a grudge against Gibbs.
Prologue
Two Park Rangers are staring at a scene before them with Mina remarking, "Wow".
"Really something, isn't it?", her colleague, Jake wonders.
Mina remarks that it's absolutely horrible.
It then shows that the two are staring at a forest that has been completely left burnt beyond recognition, presumably by a fire.
Jake states that it's not, though and that the fire is a miracle.
As he walks down to a lower area, he explains that the fire naturally clears the forest, recycles nutrients into the soil and stimulates new plant growth.
Mina just scoffs, stating that is a load of hippie, tree-hugging nonsense.
Jake laughs, wondering how Mina became a forest ranger if she doesn't even like the outdoors?
"Because I hate the indoors", Mina says.
She then stops Jake and states that she's got nothing against nature but that it can be argued that it was a good thing a meteor hit the Earth and wiped out all the dinosaurs so they weren't there to eat the humans when they came along.
But she thinks that they would agree it'd be a bad thing, however natural, if a meteor were to hit them now.
Jake looks away and then stops upon seeing someone lying on the ground, causing him to go "Huh?" while Mina calls his name but Jake doesn't respond.
"What the Hell?", Jake remarks.
The two then approach the body with Jake going, "Oh my God. He's all burned up".
Mina remarks that the man must have gotten caught up in the blaze.
Jake wonders what the man is doing up here.
"Don't touch him", Mina orders.
Ignoring her, Jake then turns the body and realizes that the man is only burnt on one side before wondering how could that possibly happen.
"Miracle of fire?", Mina says.
It then cuts to an overshot showing both Mina and Jake staring at the body.
Act One
Act Two
Gibbs after learning from Palmer and Ducky that not only did a squirrel die after eating the organs of Navy Lieutenant Brad Sayers but that someone was trying to kill Sayers.
In the bullpen, Tony hits a button and a photo of the victim pops up on the monitor with Tony revealing that the victim is Lieutenant Commander Brad Sayers and that he graduated from the Naval Academy.
Act Three
Act Four
Act Five
Cast
Series Regulars
| Name | Portrayed by | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Leroy Jethro Gibbs | Mark Harmon | Special Agent in charge of the NCIS Major Case Response Team. |
| Anthony DiNozzo Junior | Michael Weatherly | Senior Agent and second-in-command of the NCIS Major Case Response Team. |
| Ziva David | Cote de Pablo | NCIS Probationary Agent and also a member of the NCIS Major Case Response Team. |
| Timothy McGee | Sean Murray (actor) | Junior Special Agent of the NCIS Major Case Response Team. |
| Abigail Sciuto | Pauley Perrette | Chief Forensic Specialist of the NCIS Major Case Response Team. |
| Leon Vance | Rocky Carroll | Director of NCIS. |
| Donald Mallard | David McCallum | Chief Medical Examiner of the NCIS Major Case Response Team. |
Recurring Cast
| Name | Portrayed by | Role |
|---|---|---|
| James Palmer | Brian Dietzen | Assistant Medical Examiner, NCIS. |
| Merton Bell | Robert Patrick | Chief Operating Officer, First Defense Incorporated, the largest private military contract firm. |
Guest Cast
| Name | Portrayed by | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Margaret Allison Hart | Rena Sofer | Attorney with ties to Merton Bell, who comes to the aid of Victor Tillman. |
| Victor Tillman | Marcus Giamatti | Co-founder of Tillman Aerospace along with his ex-wife Vanessa Tillman. |
| Vanessa Tillman | Melinda Page Hamilton | Co-founder of Tillman Aerospace along with her ex-husband Victor Tillman. |
| James Powell | Chris Bruno | Captain in the United States Navy, a test pilot called Sandman and also the killer. |
| Peter Sheridan | Jeff Hephner | Commander in the United States Navy and a test pilot called Banshee. |
| Mina Kaufman | Rachel Grate | Forest Ranger. |
| Jake | Brandon P Bell | Forest Ranger. |
| Brad Sayers | Nicholas Patitucci | Lieutenant in the United States Navy and the main murder victim. Uncredited role. |