What did NCIS: Origins just tell us about Kowalski’s past? The latest reveal explored

The latest episode of NCIS: Origins, named 'Touchstones,' gave us an insightful look into the history of Dick Kowalski, the guy in charge of the NIS evidence. This episode didn't just go back to some loose ends from 'All's Not Lost,' it also told a sad story about Kowalski's life during the Korean War.

And if that wasn't enough, someone broke into the place where he works, the evidence room, and that was the last straw for him, so he decided to quit his job for a bit. But hold on, the plot gets even thicker with the surprise of someone working for the enemy right under everyone's nose at the agency.

This NCIS: Origins episode also had some big moments for Gibbs and Lala. So now we are all wondering what is going to happen between them. It is clear that the show is going in some deep directions with Kowalski's past, and keeps changing how we see the stories NCIS: Origins tells.

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Kowalski’s Korean War trauma on NCIS: Origins 'Touchstones' episode and its impact

Kowalski’s reaction to the break-in at the evidence room went much deeper than a simple work-related annoyance—it stirred up feelings from a very personal and traumatic part of his life. Kowalski used to be a chaplain in the Korean War, but he ended up being a prisoner of war for two years, as NCIS: Origins revealed.

Those years were so hard on him that he lost his faith, feeling like he was in a never-ending dark tunnel with no light at the end. Now, in 1991, Kowalski had made the NIS evidence room his special place, a sort of haven. When someone broke in and trashed it, it hit him hard—like someone had invaded his personal space and messed with his memories all over again.

It reminded him of when he was in that prison camp, and how everything was taken from him, leaving him feeling weak and helpless. The pain was so intense that he thought about giving up his job entirely. But then, his assistant, a young guy named Dawson, did something amazing. He worked hard to put the evidence room back together, making it look like it did before the break-in.

This act of kindness and respect meant a lot to Kowalski. It was like a gentle push, making him remember why he started working there in the first place—because he believed in justice and order. In a heartwarming moment, Kowalski gave that special stone to his assistant, the one he had held onto since his prison days.

This small gesture, as seen on NCIS: Origins, showed that he had a newfound reason to keep going, and it meant that he had faith in the future, even though his past was still a tough pill to swallow. And with that, he decided to stay on the job.

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NIS' betrayal is connected to Mildred on NCIS: Origins

The break-in at the evidence storage room was first thought to be connected to a group dealing in cocaine because $41,000 was stolen. But the story took a surprising twist when it came out that the person behind it was Roger Murphy, an agent from the NIS. Murphy took the money because he had a bad gambling problem and someone was threatening his mom.

This was already a big deal, but it turned out that Murphy had also told a hitman where to find Mildred, a young girl who saw a murder happen earlier in NCIS: Origins, for $25,000. Without knowing it, he had put her life in a dangerous situation because the hitman had been sent to kill her.

There was a scene on NCIS: Origins when Mary Jo Hayes, who had been looking after Mildred, wanted to talk to Murphy alone to show him how mad she was at what he did. His guilt and fear made him tell the truth.

By the end, Kowalski, who had wanted to quit earlier, now knew that he had someone by his side who cared about the same things he did.

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Watch NCIS: Origins on CBS, and the next day on Paramount+.