The NCIS Franchise's 1000th Episode Trailer Brought Back Two Dead Characters

The 1000th episode of "NCIS" promises some exciting guest stars, with fan-favorite characters from yesteryear expected to appear in some capacity. That doesn't just count for alums who are still alive and kicking either, as the trailer for "A Thousand Yards" features shots of Special Agent Caitlin Todd (Sasha Alexander) and former NCIS director Thomas Morrow (Alan Dale).

Todd and Morrow are two of the most notable characters that "NCIS" killed off. The former is assassinated by a double agent in Season 2, and the "NCIS" team went to extreme lengths to keep her death a secret. Meanwhile, Morrow is taken out by a sniper in Season 13. Both agents suffer similar fates, but how are they connected to the team's latest case?

The trailer shows Timothy McGee (Sean Murray) revealing that the enemy knows all about the squad's entire history, which is the exact moment the photos of the dead agents make an appearance. It remains to be seen how these deceased characters factor into the proceedings, but the episode promises to be an exciting affair.

The trailer depicts a terrorist plot in Washington, D.C., but it seems to go deeper than that. The mysterious enemy has a personal agenda against the NCIS team, as evidenced by a scene where Nicholas Torres (Wilmer Valderrama) finds a note telling the agents to "enjoy the show" before an explosion rocks the city. Moreover, the trailer's synopsis reveals that the villain is someone — or people — from the team's past.

The franchise's 1000th episode is shrouded in mystery, but that's the point of procedural crime dramas. However, the show's creators have dropped some clues about what viewers can expect. "One of our own beloved characters is going to end up in grave danger, and you're [going] to see all of the different franchises brought into this in a little bit of a different way," co-showrunner David North said in an interview with TV Line. These nuggets of information aren't much to go by, but an outing that unites characters from across the NCIS universe and pits them against a menacing threat is still an exciting prospect.

To learn more about the show's history, check out the untold truth of "NCIS."