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CBS fans are excited about the NCIS Season 20 premiere. The new season picks up where season 19 left off with Special Agent Alden Parker on the run with ex-wife Vivian Kolchak — and “The Raven” is still at large. So, who is “The Raven”? Here’s what the showrunner had to say about the villain.

The ‘NCIS’ Season 20 premiere will feature more of ‘The Raven’

Gary Cole in 'NCIS' Season 20
Gary Cole in ‘NCIS’ Season 20 | Robert Voets/CBS

NCIS Season 20 will bring “The Raven” back into play. In season 19, Special Agent Alden Parker and his ex-wife, Vivian Kolchak, decided to run from the law together. Parker was being framed for the murder of Frank Ressler, causing him to want to escape. Unfortunately, his ex-wife, who was previously kidnapped, doesn’t seem to have good intentions. “It’s done. I have him,” she texted a mystery person during the season 19 cliffhanger.

It looks like fans can anticipate more of “The Raven” in season 20. The mysterious villain is known for bringing harm to others with biotoxins, Distractify notes. Palmer and Kasie almost died due to these toxins from the character. Now, in the season 20 premiere, the NCIS crew will have the help of the NCIS: Hawai’i special agents to track down the villain.

“Enlisting the help of NCIS: Hawai’i’s Special Agent Jane Tennant (Vanessa Lachey) and Computer Specialist Ernie Malick (Jason Antoon), who are in town meeting with Director Leon Vance (Rocky Carroll) in preparation for a global military exercise, the group tracks down their prime suspect, The Raven,” the episode description reads.

Who is ‘The Raven’? The showrunner says fans ‘think’ they know

So, who is “The Raven”? According to showrunner Steven D. Binder, “The Raven” might not even be one singular person. In fact, the villain could be a group of people posing as one person.

“We don’t exactly know who or what ‘The Raven’ is,” the showrunner told TVLine. “We think we know, but I can tell you that we don’t know.”

Fans on Reddit have a few interesting theories about the character. “My theory is that it’s a mole inside NCIS,” a Reddit user wrote. “My guess would be Piper (the redhead tech troll). There are only two reasons they have introduced that character more than once this season. Either she really will be a love interest for Kasie, or it will be a plot twist and reveal that she was behind the whole biochemical terrorist plot.”

It’s more than likely that Vivian is in cahoots with “The Raven.” Given her suspicious text at the end of the season 19 finale, it would make sense that she’s at least in on the terror, if not leading it. But given how obvious this would be, we imagine the NCIS showrunners want to give fans something trickier to figure out. Vivian likely knows “The Raven,” but the idea of the villain being more of a side character on the inside seems much more possible.

Fans will also see Vivian Kolchak start to unravel

Wilmer Valderrama, Teri Polo, Sean Murray, and Katrina Law in 'NCIS'
Wilmer Valderrama, Teri Polo, Sean Murray, and Katrina Law | Robert Voets/CBS
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With the NCIS Season 20 premiere focus on Special Agent Alden Parker and his, ex-wife, Vivian Kolchak, fans will see more of their dynamic play out. And they’ll also find out what Vivian’s really up to.

“Vivian isn’t going to be able to hide her shenanigans very long,” Binder told TV Insider.

Nick Torres and Jane Tennant will lead the hunt for “The Raven” in the NCIS/NCIS: Hawai’i’ crossover event, and fans might find out the identity of the villain by the end of the season premiere. We’ll have to wait and find out.

NCIS Season 20 premieres Monday, Sept. 19, 2022, at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.

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