NCIS: Sydney season 2 episode 10 recap: Did Mackey stop the attack in time?
NCIS: Sydney season 2 finale, Sting in the Tail, provided an edge-of-the-seat conclusion to a season full of hidden threats, emotional crises, and global intrigue. Since the beginning, fans wondered if the team would find a lost Stinger missile before disaster hit a significant World War II anniversary celebration. While the team did manage to find the Stinger missile, it cost them dearly as trust was broken, loyalties were tested, and some secrets were revealed.
Though Mackey and her team thwarted a mass terrorist attack and rescued the Foreign Minister, the last few seconds unveiled a sinister betrayal close to home. A trusted ally was a co-conspirator, and the team discovered that their real adversary had been standing right in front of them all along.
When the dust finally settled, it became apparent that the success of the mission came at a lasting price, one that laid the groundwork for an anxious and volatile future.
NCIS: Sydney: A missile gone missing
The NCIS: Sydney season 2 finale began with the revelation that an American-made Stinger missile had been pilfered. It was revealed to be an inside operation staged by an American serviceman with assistance from an Australian acquaintance.
Their scheme fell apart when the Australian is discovered murdered and double-crossed by an arms merchant who disappeared with the weapon and money. As the World War II anniversary looms only days away, the stakes reach astronomical levels.
NCIS is concerned that the missile is being used for a high-profile attack during the ceremony. The ceremony saw several international dignitaries, including the highest military and political officials. The pressure heightened when the team discovered that the stolen weapon was designed to shoot down an airplane, potentially leading to a global crisis.
NCIS: Sydney: Pressure on all fronts
Mackey was under tremendous pressure, not only to head the investigation but also to guard Rear Admiral Olsen on his visit. JD became suspicious of Etienne, a character from their past who continued popping up on the fringes of their investigation. While Etienne looked clean on paper, JD trusted his gut and insisted on a more thorough investigation.
That intuition paid off as Etienne was discovered on the freighter Petre, severely hurt from torture. The assault didn't make sense as he was alive but someone went out of their way to make an example of him. This caused JD to piece together the connection between Etienne, the location of the ship, and a comatose Colonel Rankin, who was given a secretly bugged pacemaker when he visited Timor-Leste.
NCIS: Sydney: A deadly conspiracy unfolds
At his peril, JD revived Rankin briefly to obtain information. Rankin named a South African weapons trader named Hansie Dekker as the mastermind behind the missing guns. Dekker, as it happens, wasn't doing it for the money, as the man fed on chaos. He was playing rebel groups in Timor-Leste like pawned in a scheme to disrupt the commemoration ceremony.
However, the true twist was when the team discovered the missile was not intended for Admiral Olsen, but it was a diversion. The actual target was the Australian Foreign Minister, who was abducted along with Evie, a member of the team who attempted to defend her. The kidnappers, driven by political grievances, desired justice for their nation but were swiftly disposed of by Dekker, who never viewed them as anything other than expendable.
NCIS: Sydney: Victory but not without sacrifice
Dekker's end intention was to employ the Foreign Minister to cause more instability and line his own pockets—he's already made $1.7 billion by causing unrest. Luckily, NCIS acted just in the nick of time. In a thrilling finale, Dekker was dispatched (a bit aided by some crocodiles), and the Foreign Minister was saved.
Just as the team exhaled in relief, JD served up a gut-punch twist - the man Mackey once trusted, Etienne, was Dekker's partner the entire time. While Dekker wreaked havoc, Etienne benefited from rebuilding, hiding greed behind humanitarian efforts. Now having dinner with Etienne, Mackey got JD's warning just in time and eliminated the threat, defusing his explosive and arresting him.
Mission accomplished technically but at an emotional cost. Trust was lost, and the discovery of Etienne's true loyalties unsettled Mackey. In a closing eerie shot, it was hinted that Bluebird, a fugitive attempting to keep a low profile, will not be safe for much longer. She appeared in the background of a viral shot, and danger was most certainly coming her way.
Sting in the Tail gave season 2 of NCIS: Sydney a blockbuster finale. With masterful pacing, emotional resonance, and a bone-chilling final twist, the episode raised the bar for what can be expected from the rest of the series. Mackey might have foiled the attack, but the war was just getting underway.
Catch the latest episodes of NCIS: Sydney season 2 streaming on Paramount+.
