'FBI' Star John Boyd Previews Even More Darkness After Intense Winter Premiere (Exclusive)

It was an emotional week on FBI for Agent Scola (John Boyd), who was confronted with his brother's tragic ending in more ways than one. The case itself was a heck of a way to jump into the back half of the season, as terrorists took control of planes all over the country. As they worked to take down the terrorists, everyone in the New York field office couldn't help but be reminded of 9/11 and feel a certain sense of deja vu.

🤩 📺 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter & get the scoop on the latest TV news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🤩🎥

At the same time, there was a letter on Scola's desk waiting to be opened. Despite encouragement from the visiting Nina (Shantel Van Santen), he was having trouble getting himself to face what was in the letter. It was only at the end of the episode, after the terrorists were stopped and the planes were in the right hands again, when he felt ready, though he still made Nina do the actual opening. The letter confirmed that Scola's brother Doug, who had been presumed dead during the 9/11 attacks, had been officially identified among the remains. Scola had always assumed what happened, but now he finally has closure.

In an interview with Parade, Boyd explained why he was so excited by this episode as an important character moment for Scola.

"It's a fun nod to the thing that we love about Scola, which is that he's avoidant and closed off, but he's down to get to the truth and open up," he said. "I think anyone who's got Scola as their spirit animal relates to that part of him. He's avoidant of this letter because he knows it's going to bring up everything. And then sure enough, he's on a case that brings up everything because they're thwarting terrorists that are hijacking planes. I think it's cool that by the end of it, he's a different guy. He's ready after what he's gone through."

Boyd pointed to one moment in the episode where Scola faced off against one of the terrorists and found a way to connect to her.

Related: Everything to Know About FBI Season 7

"He sees that her own suffering is the same as his. Loss is loss," he remarked. "He's able to connect to his own grief through the case that enables him to show up at home and ask his partner for help, to find the vulnerability to ask for her to open it and read it to him."

This episode was even more, as Boyd put it, "high octane" than FBI usually is. And he says there's more of that to come. There's also a lot more darkness ahead.

"There's a really dark Scola episode that's coming up about his past and military school," Boyd teased. "You find out that he went to this military school upstate that his parents sent him to as punishment. There's some intense stuff."

Maggie will also be dealing with some "intense" stuff from her past in an upcoming episode. Overall, Boyd described the back half of the season as dark, crazy, and really intense.

"I think this show is in Season 7, so we're exploring different ways to tell stories," he explained. "What are the rules and conventions that we've used, and how can we break them? What does it mean to try other things? It's fun for us to have to kind of rediscover ourselves and the show and our characters. All this change has really forced me to find Scola again as a character."

Fans can also expect to see more "domestic adventures in a dysfunctional family" as Scola visits Nina on Most Wanted later in the season. As for his work partner, S.W.A.T. star Emily Alabi was reportedly cast in the role, but she won't join the team for a while. For now, Scola's riding solo. Read on for what Boyd had to say about his evolving partnerships at home and at work.

Related: FBI Star Zeeko Zaki Talks OA's Big Betrayal and Traumatic Shooting (Exclusive)

Does this letter bring Scola and Nina closer? What does it mean for them that he opened up to her?
It's an interesting question. I wonder what she would say. I would think that Nina knows that he'll open up when he's ready. I mean, she must be able to accept that part of him, that he's avoidant, that he hides parts of himself. You know he can pour himself into a job or a case. The sacrifice of that means so much that we can avoid parts of ourselves. I think she knows that about him. But I think it's a huge weight off of both of their backs. I think she carries that tragedy as well. Doug is the name of their son, so every time they say his name, every time they look at the skyline of the city they're in, that's what they think about. So I think it's interesting to have a shift in that way that's not necessarily closure, because there's really no such thing, but a shift in moving forward and being able to hold that tragedy in a new place for them.

So do they look at their son or the skyline differently now?
I think it's different, because they don't have to wonder. They have a piece of him.

Scola is without a partner once again, now that Syd has been moved to a different department. How's he handling being a lone agent?
Look, in the end, Scola has got to have a partner. But I think he's kind of discovering himself as this solo agent. He's getting more time with OA and Maggie, which is cool. He's learning a little more about himself. But yeah, of course, Scola needs someone. He needs a match, and I think, eventually, the right person will come along. You never know.

So are you having fun being solo?
Yeah. I was like, "Am I gonna be riding in the back of Maggie and OA's Tahoe?" They haven't done that kind of stuff, but it's cool. It's been great. I mean, getting to do a buddy episode with OA was really fun. That probably wouldn't have happened [if I had a partner]. But of course Scola needs a partner. It'll happen.

FBI airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on CBS.

Next, check out our interview with new FBI: International star Jay Hayden.