“I was on high alert” — Jeremy Sisto breaks down FBI season 8 fall finale and what’s next for Jubal

The two-part fall finale of FBI season 8 places Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jubal Valentine at the center of a personal crisis when his son, Tyler, is critically injured in a citywide terrorist attack. New York reels from coordinated explosions and infrastructure failures linked to an accelerationist group.

Meanwhile, Jubal’s role shifts from that of an officer to a father, operating under extreme emotional strain. In episodes 9 and 10, Jubal makes a series of controversial decisions, including interrogating a suspect outside protocol, testing the boundaries of his moral and professional code.

In multiple post-finale interviews, Jeremy Sisto reflected on Jubal’s mindset, the fine line between vengeance and duty and how the character ultimately pulls himself back from going too far. He told Us Weekly (December 15, 2025),

"I was on high alert when I read it to be like, ‘Alright, how do we figure out how to tell this story without Jubal losing who he is? How far can he go for the sake of the episode with still holding that character in place?’"

Sisto also addressed whether Jubal will face consequences for his actions, Tyler’s recovery, the state of Jubal’s family life and teased upcoming episodes that will push the character into unfamiliar territory when the series returns.

Jeremy Sisto on Jubal’s breaking point and the fallout from the fall finale

The FBI Season 8 fall finale pushes Jubal into unfamiliar emotional territory after his son, Tyler, is seriously injured in a terrorist attack that cripples New York City. With communication systems down and multiple threats unfolding, Jubal struggles to balance his role as Assistant Special Agent in Charge with his fear as a parent.

Jeremy Sisto explains that this internal conflict drives Jubal’s most controversial actions, including interrogating a suspect alone and using excessive force to extract information. While these choices clearly violate protocol, Sisto emphasizes that Jubal is aware he is crossing a line and does not take those actions lightly.

He told TV Insider (December 15, 2025),

 "Jubal allows himself to, spurned on or encouraged by his wife [Mara Davi], put his feelings of uncertainty and sadness and fear about the well-being of Tyler into making these guys pay."

He added,

"He is still Jubal. He’s not somebody who allows himself to become somebody different, and maybe he’s unable to do that. Perhaps that’s part of his addictive personality is that alcohol allowed him to be somebody different in some way. But he is a very self-aware person. So he definitely goes out of his comfort zone in this situation."

Importantly, the finale also shows Jubal pulling back before losing himself completely. He hands the suspect over to his team and later saves the life of the primary villain, rather than letting him die. Sisto suggests this course correction reinforces Jubal’s belief in the system and explains why serious professional consequences are unlikely, especially given the lives saved and Tyler’s recovery.

Inside Jubal’s most personal case yet, and what comes next on FBI

Beyond the immediate crisis, the fall finale reshapes Jubal’s personal and professional outlook heading into the back half of season 8. Sisto noted that Tyler’s injury forces Jubal to confront fears he usually keeps buried, particularly as his son increasingly expresses a desire to follow in his father’s footsteps.

While Tyler ultimately recovers, the experience raises ongoing questions about parenting, responsibility, and how Jubal’s career choices affect his family. The episodes also subtly reinforce the complex nature of Jubal’s relationship with his wife, with visual cues suggesting reconciliation even as unresolved issues remain beneath the surface.

Looking ahead, Sisto teased that upcoming episodes will place Jubal and the rest of the team in situations where danger hits close to home in unexpected ways. One storyline will take Jubal out of the JOC and into the field for a kidnapping case that feels structurally different from a typical FBI episode. Sisto told Us Weekly,

"There’s one [episode] that was really cool, where the danger hits pretty close to home for all the agents, in a pretty unique way that we have not seen. So that was a really fun episode to shoot."

While the fall finale closes without major disciplinary fallout, Sisto hinted that emotional consequences and new challenges will continue to shape Jubal’s arc as the season resumes.

Catch FBI season 8 on CBS.