NCIS: Origins delves into the backstory of Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, who served as the protagonist of the original NCIS series for 19 seasons. While the audience was prepared to watch the origin story of the agent, what they did not expect was the sheer number of tragedies he had to endure.
In the original show, it was already revealed that Gibbs joined the NCIS after his wife and little daughter were brutally murdered. However, NCIS: Origins adds another heartbreak to the agent’s life.
In episode 10 of the police procedural drama, Gibbs, played by Austin Stowell, deals with the loss of his close friend and landlord, Ruth, played by London Garcia.
So why does Gibbs have to face so many tragedies in his life? Showrunner David J. North has explained that these hardships were central to Gibbs becoming an NCIS agent.
NCIS: Origins showrunner explains why Gibbs had to face numerous tragedies
Following the release of NCIS: Origins episode 10, fans were left disappointed with the death of Ruth. The landlord is the one who brings hope and positivity to Gibbs’ life after his family’s murder. The two form a mother-son kind of bond as they spend time together playing jigsaw and drinking beer.
With her death, Gibbs loses another one of his close relationships, after his wife and daughter, within a span of months. In an interview with TV Insider, David J. North elaborated on why life was so cruel to the Special Agent:
North explained that the original show, NCIS, only depicted Gibbs joining the NIS after his family’s death and did not explore what happened in the months after he killed his wife’s murderer, Pedro Hernandez. The showrunner said:
“As someone that loves NCIS so much, and it’s been such a huge part of my life, I’ve always thought there’s this big missing chunk of what we know about Gibbs, a huge, important part, which is what really happened after he killed Pedro Hernandez.”
“In NCIS canon, Franks shows him that folder, that file, he killed Pedro, and suddenly, he’s an agent. There’s a little more there, but it’s just kind of danced around.”
North added that Ruth’s character and her death were some of the reasons why Gibbs was able to make it to the NCIS. She had a remarkable influence on his life and prompted him to become an agent. North said:
“He came back and he was in a horrible place and he left the Marines. He couldn’t even face his father to tell him that. People come into our lives at different times and sometimes it’s some of the people you least expect who become the most remarkable and influential to us.”
Hence, the death of Gibbs’ family and a close friend eventually leads him to leave the Marines and join the NIS in NCIS: Origins. He stays on the job until his retirement in NCIS season 19.
The multiple tragedies faced by Gibbs in NCIS: Origins
Gibbs’ troubles begin when his wife, Shannon, witnesses drug dealer Pedro Hernandez murder a Marine and decides to testify against him. While being protected by an NIS agent, her car is attacked, and that leads to a crash. Shannon is killed in the accident along with her daughter, Kelly.
Gibbs eventually avenges their deaths by killing Hernandez in Mexico with a sniper rifle. As he deals with the pain of losing his family and struggles with guilt, grief, and self-destruction, his landlord, Ruth, becomes a mother figure.
Ruth forces him to get a job and start rebuilding his life. But soon, it is revealed that Ruth is dying of cancer, which breaks Gibbs' heart once again. He fails his psych evaluation for NCIS while dealing with sorrow.
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However, Ruth does not give up on him and asks NCIS agent Mike Franks to give him a chance. Despite his problematic behavior, Franks agrees to hire Gibbs at Ruth’s request, which finally changes his life.
NCIS: Origins will return on CBS after a mid-season break on January 27, 2025.
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