“NCIS: Los Angeles” fans who are eager for Kensi and Deeks to get together have been dismayed at the revelation of a deleted flashback scene from “Spoils of War” that not only details some of Kensi’s torture but also shows the two beloved characters in an intimate situation. Shortly after the scene emerged, viewers headed to social media, YouTube and fan websites to express their disappointment. Of course, it’s not the scene itself that most of the fans hated. It was the fact it was created and then deleted.
The scene that’s available on the “NCIS: Los Angeles” Season 5 DVD shows Kensi and Deeks about to make love (clearly intended to be after they left the restaurant together in “Recovery”) but Kensi is hesitant about the decision and questioning whether it’s the right thing to do. Yes, it appears the did-they-or-didn’t-they-make-love question that fans have debated all season is gaining more and more evidence of a “yes” answer. Then again, the scene ends without a final say on what happened. But technically that’s a moot point, anyway, since the scene never aired. And that’s part of the rub. Viewers get to see an intimate kiss between the two partners and, better yet, Deeks finally admits his feelings – just what Densi fans have been waiting for. But then we are quickly reminded it’s all an illusion. Since the scene never aired, it officially never happened. It was created and then wiped from existence – and then served on a platter to taunt Densi fans as a surreal dream that’s nothing more than a DVD extra.
The deleted “Spoils of War” scene, running just over a minute and a half, begins with Kensi lying on the ground of a cave in Afghanistan where she’s obviously been tortured. Barely able to move, she glances around and sees a campfire and two of her captors and then spies Jack lying on the ground struggling to open his eyes. That is the moment she flashes back to a memory of her and Deeks together. The closely-shot black and white scene features Deeks above her as she lies in bed. Their conversation is quiet, though important.
Kensi whispers her answer softly: “You know if we do this, this changes everything.”
The “this” in the sentence doesn’t need any qualifications. Kensi is contemplating if they should sleep together and change the dynamics of their relationship.
“So what do you want to do?” Deeks asks her.
Kensi seems tortured with the inner conflict. “I don’t want to have to choose,” she says with the dilemma weighing heavy in her voice.
“Don’t. Then don’t choose. We don’t choose,” Deeks pleads with her.
But Kensi is more level-headed than that. “You know that’s not how it works,” she answers. And then she whispers even quieter, “What do you think is gonna happen?”
“I don’t know,” Deeks says honestly. After a pause, he continues, “I don’t care.”
At that Kensi shakes her head, upset and conflicted. Then she starts to cry as she says, “What are you doing to me, Deeks?” But she doesn’t pull away. Instead, she grabs his shirt and kisses him.
As his lips touch hers, Deeks answers in a muffled voice: “Falling in love with you.”
Kensi then grabs him a little tighter and they continue to kiss before she’s brought back to reality in the cave.
While the scene leaves questions about how Kensi escaped the sword (maybe she was saved just in time), one thing it did do was clarify beyond a doubt that the writers and powers-that-be initially did intend to show Deeks and Kensi becoming more than friends. The kiss and the intimacy shown in the deleted scene was a new step for the characters. But the writers backtracked on that decision by cutting the scene and at the same time leaving fans to lament the tortoise pace at which the potential couple moved the rest of the season.
What happened between the two that night of the restaurant was never expanded on and every time they would take a step forward, they would take two steps back. First Kensi was scared to move forward, then Deeks and back and forth. By the time “Three Hearts” rolled around, it was clear the writers didn’t want them together yet. They had teased the audience in “Recovery” and then opted to play out the characters’ fears instead of having them act on their feelings. And the audience did not like being teased.
The deleted scene was the biggest tease of all. While some viewers didn’t like that the scene seemed to show the pair moving forward while Kensi was unsure about what she wanted, most Densi fans were upset that what they’d tormented over and waited for all season was in front of their eyes – but not actually real. After enjoying the scene initially, they quickly realized it never happened in the characters’ worlds, which nullified much of the joy they got from watching it.
The good news is, nothing is ever final in TV Land. I believe they’ve tabled this issue for later. They’ve flirted with it too many times to abandon a relationship for good. (If it doesn’t eventually happen, viewers will revolt for being teased for so long.) So now it’s just a waiting game. And on the bright side for fans, at least we know now that the writers can write a Deeks who expresses his feelings and admits when he is falling in love. So when they finally decide to take the characters in that direction, Densi fans will be ready. And at that time, we won’t have to watch the intimacy we’ve craved seeing hit the cutting room floor. We’ll have the pleasure of seeing it air for real.
Deleted scene:
What do you think of the deleted scene? How did you feel after watching it? Do you believe Kensi and Deeks will eventually end up together? Tell us what you think in the comments below.
