The differences in character between Austin Stowell’s Gibbs in NCIS: Origins and Mark Harmon’s Gibbs in the flagship series tease a potential tragedy between the two shows. NCIS: Origins follows a young Gibbs and his team in the months following the loss of Gibbs’ wife and daughter in 1991. Stowell’s Gibbs is shy and reserved and struggles to deal with his emotions in a very similar way to Harmon’s Gibbs. However, there is also a key difference between the two.

While both characters may struggle emotionally, Stowell’s Gibbs is much softer. He struggles with his emotions because his feelings of grief and loss are new to him. In comparison, Harmon’s Gibbs is colder and seems to lack the capacity needed to deal with heavy emotions. The versions of the characters have many similarities but are noticeably different in the emotional aspect of their personalities. This major difference hints at a potential tragedy between the end of the NCIS spinoff and the start of NCIS.

NCIS: Origins Episode 13 Features A Vulnerable Enough Gibbs To Attend A Support Group
Gibbs Is Finally At A Place Where He Feels He Can Open Up

Months after debating whether to attend a veterans support group, Gibbs is seen joining one at the end of NCIS: Origins episode 13, “Monsoon.” The episode even features conversations between Gibbs and his colleagues as he looks for insight into whether the groups might be helpful. However, just as Gibbs might receive an answer, the conversations are cut off. As a result, Gibbs has to make the decision on his own, and it seems as though his decision turns out to be for the best as “Monsoon” shows him meeting fellow veterans in a relaxed group meeting.

Gibbs’ decision to attend a veterans’ support group speaks to his vulnerability. His struggles following the deaths of his wife and daughter have been center stage of several NCIS: Origins episodes. He has considered attending a group since the early part of NCIS: Origins season 1, and he has even voiced his curiosity about the group to Lala. Talking about his feelings used to be impossible, but “Monsoon” has shown that Gibbs is finally opening up and allowing himself to share his pain with others to lessen his burden.

Gibbs’ More Hardened Personality In The Original Show Hints At A Life-Changing Incident To Come
Gibbs’ Changed Personality In NCIS Implies Something Horrible Will Happen

NCIS’ Leroy Jethro Gibbs is notoriously reserved. He is a private person and avoids being vulnerable whenever possible. It even took years for him to reveal tragic stories of his past to his trusted MCRT team members. His hardened personality is especially contrasting to Stowell’s version in NCIS: Origins because Stowell’s Gibbs attends therapy in season 1, whereas Harmon’s Gibbs does not attend therapy until NCIS season 13. Stowell’s Gibbs is much more vulnerable than Harmon’s, even though he has faced so much tragedy and change in his life in such a short period.

Stowell’s Gibbs is much more vulnerable than Harmon’s…

Unfortunately, this change in character between the two most well-known versions of Gibbs likely means that something tragic happens between the two shows. The tragic incident could then affect Gibbs so deeply that it deters him from being vulnerable, and thus leads to his hardened emotional state in NCIS. Gibbs’ softer nature in NCIS: Origins is a fascinating change from Harmon’s iconic but emotionally reserved iteration, but it also implies a devastating explanation might come in NCIS: Origins season 2 or beyond.

What Could Have Happened To Gibbs Between Origins & NCIS That Would Explain The Change
Gibbs Could Lose The Most Important Person In His Life, Again

The biggest explanation could have something to do with Lala Dominguez, Gibbs’ partner and growing love interest in NCIS: Origins. As Lala was never mentioned in NCIS, there has been an air of mystery surrounding her character and what her future might look like in the NCIS universe. While Gibbs’ relationship with Lala grows, his vulnerability has grown too. He has learned to trust her and is slowly learning how to open up again after experiencing such a devastating loss. If something were to happen to her, Gibbs would feel her loss extremely deeply.

As Gibbs’ vulnerability is directly related to his growing relationship with Lala, the stark contrast between his personality in NCIS: Origins and NCIS could mean that something might happen to her in the prequel. This would change the direction of Gibbs’ life. The tragic incident would also explain Lala’s disappearance from the original series. If Gibbs loses Lala, the person with whom he is learning to be vulnerable again, it could act as a strong enough influence that makes Gibbs into the hardened, reserved man he becomes in NCIS.

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