: Special Agent Devin Rountree continues his arc regarding the LAPD's racial profiling incident . He struggles with whether to fight for accountability when the officer involved is likely to only receive paid leave, eventually finding support in Admiral Kilbride and Fatima.
: Regulars Kensi Blye and Marty Deeks are notably absent from this episode. This allowed for more focus on Sam's family and gave characters like Shyla Dahr a chance to step into field operations. Thematic Significance "NCIS: Los Angeles" Dead Stick(2022)
"Dead Stick" emphasizes the theme of family loyalty against rigid institutional systems. It highlights how personal bias can cloud investigation but also how a team's collective trust can overcome corporate deception. Critics at Fangirlish noted that while it effectively grounded Sam’s character, the absence of "Densi" (Deeks and Kensi) shifted the show's usual dynamic significantly. "NCIS: Los Angeles" Dead Stick (TV Episode 2022) - IMDb : Special Agent Devin Rountree continues his arc
: The episode explores the evolving relationship between Sam and his father, Raymond. Raymond offers rare insight into his own past mistakes in raising Sam, urging him not to overprotect Aiden. This allowed for more focus on Sam's family
The NCIS team, driven by Sam’s relentless defense of his son, uncovers a corporate conspiracy. They discover that the aircraft's autopilot system, manufactured by Starling Aeronautics, had a known flaw that was intentionally reintroduced for sabotage by Master Chief Frazier. Frazier was acting on behalf of a rival company seeking to acquire the program for itself. Key Subplots and Character Development