NCIS: Origins Season 1 Episode 16 recap: What did Bugs reveal about 'Operation Sundown' 

In NCIS: Origins Season 1 Episode 16, titled Bugs, the team investigates a sniper who has been targeting random victims during the night, earning the nickname "The Sleepy Shooter." The case becomes personal for Gibbs as he uncovers a connection to his late wife and daughter. The investigators trace a pattern that the shooter shoots from the hotel room. Moreover, one of the victims was a target and not as random as it seems.

Their investigation leads them to Jamison "Bugs" Boyd, a drug dealer with ties to one of the victims. The episode continued the rollercoaster action-packed ride for its fans. With only three episodes left for the season finale, the show has already been renewed for season 2. Read on to learn more about what happens in Season 1 Episode 16 of NCIS: Origins.

What happened in NCIS: Origins Season 1 Episode 16?

Episode 16 dropped on April 14, 2025, at 10 PM ET on Paramount + and again surprised its fans with yet another incredible twist.

The official synopsis as per the Rotten Tomatoes of episode 16 of NCIS: Origins reads,

"A gun-toting man emerges from a body bag in the autopsy lab to take Ducky, Gerald and Kate hostage. Rudolf Martin guest stars"

In the episode Vera receives a call from someone called Bugs who claims hismelf as the sniper the departemnt is behind. He agrees to cooperate and answer their questions and introduce him as Sandman. But it's only later that Vera realises that Bugs is only playing with them when he tells them to stop another killing from happening.

Vera lives in a small apartment with two washrooms. In one of them, she has set up a small office where she studies serial killers. She gets to know about Jamison "Bugs" Boyd. She not only studies him but also befriends him, and he agrees to talk to her from prison. But for the interview, the only thing Vera needed was her superior's approval.

On the other hand, Frank has been emotionally unstable since his wife left him. He doesn't consider other than death cases important enough for his attention. Marine Reservist Wyatt Morten has his apartment broken into. The only thing he cares about being stolen is a photo — a picture of his father in a WWII uniform that had immense sentimental value.

Vera visits Bugs in prison, hoping he’ll talk — but he shuts her down and tells her to leave, giving no explanation for his change in behaviour. On investigating further, she gets to know someone else called him in the prison named John Smith. Clearly, he plays some role that has led to the changed behaviour of Bugs.

What does Bugs reveal about Operation Sundown in NCIS: Origins?

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A major twist occurs when Vera discovers that she is being spied on and discovers three listening devices in her office. Franks and Wheeler thought it was Roger, a former NCIS agent with a suspicious history. Bugs, on the other hand, mentions “Operation Sundown” in the prison just before his death — a mysterious military operation with classified or buried roots.

Gibbs recalls seeing some shredded documents suggesting that someone was trying to destroy the evidence. Before Bugs could say anything he was assassinated inside the prison. Therefore pointing towards a deeper conspiracy involving an unknown mastermind in NCIS: Origins.

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