The third episode of FBI Season 9, titled "White Rock," delivered a long-awaited payoff: the takedown of Anna Vorpe (Claire Coffee) and her strike team. After weeks of undercover work, Special Agent Omar Adom "OA" Zidan (Zeeko Zaki) finally exposed the network protecting the rogue operative, ending her reign of self-serving chaos. But with the mission complete, OA must now face the emotional fallout of the choices he made while deep undercover—and reacclimate to life at the bureau alongside his partner.
We caught up with Jeremy Sisto, who plays Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jubal Valentine, to unpack the episode's explosive conclusion, Jubal's complicated feelings about OA's secret mission, and what Season 9 has in store for the team. Sisto, who has been with the show since its debut, reflected on the rare privilege of playing a character for nine seasons. "Acting is such a strange gig," he said. "You never know when your last job will be. To have a character that feels complex, has a pretty eclectic history and backstory, and has some deep flaws but also a high sense of personal values is great."
One of the episode's most emotionally charged moments came when Jubal confronted Special Agent in Charge Isobel Castille (Alana De La Garza) about keeping OA's mission a secret. Initially frustrated, Jubal's instinct drove him to follow Isobel and uncover the truth—a decision that left him feeling guilty. "He usually really respects Isobel's calls," Sisto explained. "But his mind got away from him. He started wondering, 'Maybe she's not telling me because she's trying to protect me, or maybe she's in real trouble.'"
When Jubal finally learned the full scope of the operation, he understood why Isobel had kept him in the dark. "He gets it," Sisto said. "He doesn't know if he would have wanted to be where she was, making this decision. It's a sketchy thing, and for someone like Jubal, it's a mind bender." The guilt stems not from distrust but from the realization that Isobel's silence was a protective measure—both for the mission and for him. "She knew if she had to say it a bunch, she might talk herself out of it," Sisto added.
Jubal's decision to follow Isobel was a rare breach of protocol, but it ultimately proved necessary. "It turned into the right choice," Sisto noted. "To do so helped her, but he did feel bad about it. He went over her head in a way, and that's not something he likes to do." The apology Jubal offered was a crucial beat, showing that even seasoned agents struggle with moral gray areas. "The writer's first instinct was that Jubal was going to be really hurt," Sisto said. "But I'm always looking for ways to play more than one thing because that's how I operate in the world myself."
As for Anna Vorpe, Jubal has little sympathy for someone who repeatedly put her own agenda above the bureau's mission. "She's a rule-breaker," Sisto said, "and that's something Jubal can't abide, even if he sometimes bends rules himself." The episode's resolution leaves OA to reckon with the ethical compromises he made, a theme that will likely echo through the rest of the season.
Looking ahead, Season 9 is leaning into more topical, realistic threats that force the team into messy situations. "We're constantly trying to explore different elements," Sisto said. "We're playing the same characters our whole lives and looking for different ways in." The show's longevity, he added, is a testament to its ability to evolve while staying true to its core. "It's family," he said of the cast and crew. "I was excited to get back to FBI after doing a film with Paul Rudd, called Rain Reign, which I'm going to see at the Woodstock Film Festival."
With Anna Vorpe's story closed, the team faces new challenges that will test their loyalties and push them into uncharted territory. As Sisto teased, "The threats are bigger, and the choices are harder." Fans can expect more high-stakes cases and deeper character exploration as the season unfolds.
