NCIS: Sydney Season 3 Episode 5 recap- A deadly spy case, Blue's comeback and Mackey's risky secret

NCIS: Sydney Season 3 Episode 5, titled "Black is White," follows the investigation of a case where a USB is found in a dead US Navy attachee's throat. Interestingly, the culprit seems to have ties to an international chess tournament. The episode also tests the team's loyalty and shows how far JD will go to save them.

The episode's plot is crisp and built around a spy-tinged mystery that keeps the viewers hooked till the end. It also deepens Mackey's struggles and, for a fresh change, lets DeShawn shine throughout the episode (all thanks to his interest in chess).

NCIS: Sydney Season 3 Episode 5 recap: The case of the week

The episode opens with the mysterious death of Lieutenant Felix Ebrahimi, a US Navy attachee whose life ends in almost a theatrical fashion, a pawn-shaped USB lodged in his throat. At first, the crime feels random, but as the NCIS digs deeper, it becomes clear that this was no ordinary murder.

Turns out, Felix had been targeted before. Months earlier, a fake drug photo nearly destroyed his career, suggesting someone wanted him out. When Mackey's team discovers encrypted files hidden on the USB, they realize the truth could expose something serious.

With Blue unofficially back in the fold, the team's dynamics sharpen. They uncover the ties between Felix's death and a foreign spy network. The trail leads them to Ali Azad, a visiting coach whose daughter is competing in an international chess championship. When Ali vanishes, the pieces start moving faster than expected.

NCIS: Sydney Season 3 Episode 5 recap: A father, a code, and more about Felix's death

Ali Azad's story reframes the entire case. Once seen as a suspect, he becomes a victim of his own government's cruelty. His wife's death, which was ruled as an accident, was actually a state-sanctioned killing. The files on Felix's USB reveal that Ali was planning to deflect, offering evidence of a spy ring posing as dissidents to infiltrate the foreign government. All he wanted was security for himself and his daughter.

The revelation put his daughter Rana in immediate danger. The same people who killed his wife wanted to silence him permanently. DeShawn's empathy drives the investigation deeper.

The episode's tension spikes when NCIS discovers Ali being tortured by Hassan Saberi, another supposed refugee, in truth a loyal operative of the regime. Hassan's role in Felix's murder and Ali's kidnapping captures a chilling truth: that espionage doesn't happen in shadows but thrives in plain sight.

In a desperate gambit, DeShawn orchestrates a trade: Hassan's life for Rana's freedom. It's a risky move that pays off, saving both father and daughter. The Azads are granted asylum.

NCIS: Sydney Season 3 Episode 5 recap: Blue returns, Mackey's growing distrust, and the team tightens

While the case centers on global stakes, the emotional pulse of the episode lies closer to home. Blue's unofficial return shows her hunger for purpose and how much the team missed her precision. JD tried his best to bring Blue back to the team.

Mackey, meanwhile, faces her own internal war. She's still holding the Ghost file, a dangerous piece of leverage she threatens to release if anything happens to her. The moment signals the long game the show is setting up, one where Mackey's instincts to protect could backfire. Her talk with Rankin at the end is a subtle warning that the circumstances may change soon.

Elsewhere, Trigger's dedication pays off, and JD grants him a space for his gear. The details feel small but human, another sign that NCIS: Sydney is not always about crimes and investigation, it's also about emotions.

NCIS: Sydney Season 3 airs Tuesdays at 10/9c on CBS and streams on Paramount+.

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Also read: NCIS: Sydney Season 3 finally reveals Blue’s backstory: Here’s how she transformed from a cult member to a special agent

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