Warning: spoilers are ahead for the seventh episode of FBI Season 8 on CBS, called "Fadeaway" and available streaming with a Paramount+ subscription.
Weeks after FBI introduced the idea of Isobel being promoted from her longtime role as SAC at 26 Fed, she was on the verge of moving on up in the latest episode of the 2025 TV schedule. She was in no rush to break the news to Jubal that he wouldn't be her successor, and the case of the week had the field team in so much danger that there was little time to focus on the changing of the guard until a game-changer in the final minutes. Alana de la Garza opened up to CinemaBlend about Isobel's ultimate decision, the potential "fallout," and more.
What Happened In "Fadeaway"
The episode started with AD Ropac telling Isobel that her promotion to ADIC would happen shortly, and she just needed to break the news to Jubal that he'd be staying ASAC instead of getting her old job. Ropac went ahead and did it before she could, and while Jubal was clearly disappointed, he covered well and went back to his usual job in the bullpen. Isobel had one last case as Special Agent in Charge before becoming Assistant Director in Charge.
And the last case started with a building explosion, which was somehow one of the least harrowing parts of the episode. The investigation took Scola and Eva, and then Maggie and OA, into a prison on the verge of a riot. The simmering fury boiled over, with Scola and Eva trapped in an infirmary with no real weapons, behind a door with an easily-breakable glass window, and just a matter of time before a violent mob of murderers would get in.
After Jubal and Co. back at 26 Fed saw a prisoner stab a guard on surveillance, there was every reason to fear for Scola and Eva's lives. The infirmary was quickly swamped, with the unarmed agents only able to try and fend off the prisoners with blunt objects and bare fists. In a desperate attempt to stop the leader from murdering their suspect, Eva deliberately provoked him, and he pinned her against the wall with an obvious intent. (Juliana Aidén Martinez certainly wasn't kidding about jumping into the "deep end" when she joined FBI after Law & Order: SVU.)
Scola freed himself long enough to stab the leader and turn that fury on himself, and they managed to last long enough for Maggie and OA to come to their rescue. Eva quietly thanked Scola, and he thanked her right back. Meanwhile, back at HQ, Isobel and Jubal could breathe a sigh of relief after the agents were saved and they caught a break in the case that started it all.
Jubal seized the moment to say that he was "thrilled" for Isobel to get her much-deserved promotion, but he didn't know how the team was going to "do it without" her. This prompted Isobel to drop some great news:
You're not gonna have to. I decided to turn down the ADIC position. Listen, Ropac was right about you. You are exactly where you need to be, and so am I. But I don't know, the way he talked to you today – he might have been a good agent back in the day, but I don't want to end up like him. I don't need the pay bump. I don't need the fancy title. What I need is this place, this team, you know? Breaking cases, making things right, with you.
Talk about a best-case scenario for fans when it comes to Isobel's future on FBI! Jubal was clearly relieved to hear it, and it seems like a safe bet that he's happier keeping his current job working under Isobel than he would have been if he'd been promoted to work with somebody new. Isobel's decision fits with her choice back in Season 7 not to retire, which Alana de la Garza later said that her character didn't regret. Read on for what the actress shared about Isobel's latest move!
Alana de la Garza Broke "Fadeaway" Down
While this episode was definitely a big one for Isobel charting her own course and playing to her strengths and passions, it was also one that showcased why Jubal is an excellent second-in-command. So, I posed the question to Alana de la Garza: how much did he factor into her decision to stay hands-on as the SAC? The actress shared:
While I do think Jubal did factor into the decision, I think it was everyone who came into play. In the beginning of the episode AD Ropac makes a comment about Jubal being 'exactly where you need to be' – and that stays with her throughout the episode. This case in particular and her involvement with the team reminded Isobel that she may also be exactly where she needs to be.
Ropac's words stuck with her for reasons beyond the disrespectful way he addressed Jubal, and Isobel's dedication to her job even after her very near-death experience is impressive. Add on the sudden death of Agent Dani Rhodes, and a lesser agent might have been tempted to take the ADIC job just to be safer. That said, the actress weighed in on how close Isobel came to accepting the promotion:
Given the events earlier in the season, I think she was very ready to dive into something new.
It remains to be seen if Isobel will have any regrets about staying on as SAC, although her decision was certainly a good twist for viewers who wouldn't want to lose her from day-to-day operations. But will she face any repercussions from higher-ups at the Bureau for deciding that she didn't want to take the promotion after all? Alana de la Garza said:
I think there is always potential for fallout but Isobel tends to stay focused on the task at hand and not what others are thinking about her choices.
Only a few episodes of FBI are left with Isobel secure in her SAC position before winter hiatus keeps the drama off the air until February in the 2026 TV schedule, so be sure to keep tuning in. On the plus side, the winter finale will be a two-part event on one night, so the show is ending 2025 in a big way.
Throw in the premiere of CIA in the new year to replace Watson after FBI on Monday nights, and CBS will have a pair of Wolf Entertainment shows airing back-to-back for the first time since FBI: Most Wanted and FBI: International were cancelled. For now, look forward to the next episode of FBI on Monday, January 8 at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.
