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'NCIS: Los Angeles' Season 12: Where is Eric Beale? Nell's return sees her ex missing, here's why

This is probably the first time NCIS: LA has decided to open a new season without the character paid by Barrett Foa at the center of the action

Spoilers for Season 12 Episode 1 'The Bear'

'NCIS: Los Angeles' just premiered with Season 12, and first things first, Deeks and Kensi are back. Now that that's out of the way, the next biggest comeback this season had to be that of Nell, who was asked to hop on to the team after her sudden break at the end of Season 11. Luckily Nell decided to return to the field, while Hetty takes some time off. Oddly enough the one person we can't wait to see her reunited with – Eric Beale is missing. Coincidence? Or is it all a part of the genius Hetty's plan?

According to the official synopsis of Episode 1 'The Bear', "When a Russian bomber goes missing while flying over U.S. soil, Callen and Sam must track it down in the desert and secure its weapons and intel before the Russians on board destroy the plane; Hetty gives Nell a cryptic assignment."

This is probably the first time NCIS: LA has decided to open a new season without the character paid by Barrett Foa at the center of the action. Beale is missing from the opening first few minutes of the show and goes pretty much unaddressed. Even when Hetty speaks to Nell about running point on a mission, Beale is nowhere around. The only time his person is addressed is with implications that the man is MIA. His signature task of briefing Sam and Callen about their upcoming mission was also taken over by Fatima, leaving us all swirling in further doubts about where the man was now that Nell's back too.

Nell's return was a shocker as she hasn't quite worked in the office for a year and immediately resumed. We remember how lost and sad Beale was, like a hurt puppy, after Nell's exit so him being MIA is especially worrying now. But the worry doesn't last long. Beale's absence is soon addressed in the first half of the show when it is revealed that the undercover mission he had gone on in the last season still has him occupied. Finding some success with it has turned him eccentric, thus leaving him still around for a return but currently super occupied in this new mission. This also revealed that Nell and Beale haven't really been communicating much so for those shippers eagerly awaiting a reunion, rest easy knowing Foa's name is still very much a part of the credits, so he is expected to return.

'NCIS: Los Angeles' Season 12 premiered on November 8 and will air every Sunday at 8:30 pm only on CBS.