Episode 13 of NCIS: Origins leaves Tish and Mike Franks in a pretty rough spot, but any potential they have for staying together might ultimately come down to Gibbs’ influence. Given Tish’s reaction when she learned that Franks was looking into the case file on her assault, it was a bit predictable that his refusal to drop his search might lead to Tish exiting NCIS: Origins’ cast of characters. Now that he’s violated her wishes even further by snooping into parts of her statement she’d never shared with him, the trust issues between them seem nearly insurmountable.
At the same time, Mike’s apparent empathy with a killer prone to Vietnam flashbacks suggests that Franks’ inability to let things go is rooted deeply in his own war trauma. This was already hinted at when episode 11 shifted focus to Mike Franks’ backstory, but episode 13 only drives it home further. Considering how well Mike’s probie can relate after recently completing his own revenge story, it’s clear that any chance of keeping Tish around for a possible NCIS: Origins season 2 will rely heavily on Gibbs’ involvement. Episode 13, “Monsoon,” provides the perfect setup for just such a scenario.
Gibbs’ Veteran Support Group Can Help Franks Deal With His Inability To Let Go
Mike Needs Help From Someone Who’s Already Learned Revenge Isn’t Healthy
After the deaths of Gibbs’ wife and daughter, he went into a raging grief spiral from which Franks desperately tried to help him recover. It seemed after Gibbs found a flier for a veteran support group in episode 11 that he might consider seeking outside support, but nothing came of it at the time. After facing other struggling veterans in “Monsoon” and questioning if Franks would ever seek similar support, Gibbs finally bit the bullet and started attending. Given where Franks’ head is right now, he could probably benefit from whatever wisdom Gibbs stands to acquire from these groups.
Franks especially needs to learn from the fact that Gibbs’ rage spiral didn’t end for months after getting retribution, a relevant detail since it’s not yet clear if Mike intends to stop looking for Tish’s attacker. Showrunner David J. North already confirmed that Mike’s revenge quest would be a major plot point toward the end of the season, so it’s hard to believe he’ll set it aside just because Tish moved out. But if he stands any chance of getting her back, he likely has no other option than to find a way to move on.
Should Franks & Tish Still Get Back Together In NCIS: Origins Despite Their Long-Term Future?
Knowing They’ll Break Up Anyway Makes It Harder To Root For Them
Veteran franchise fans who have seen Mike Franks’ episodes of NCIS are already well aware that Mike and Tish won’t stand the test of time whether they get back together in Origins or not. This raises the question of whether it’s worthwhile for the show to even bother having them reconcile their relationship or simply leave things as they are. Tonantzin Carmelo’s performance more than merits keeping her around in some capacity, so getting them back together couldn’t hurt. Franks also isn’t known for having the most stable relationship history, so an on-again, off-again romance wouldn’t be out of character.
On the other hand, having NCIS: Origins rekindle their relationship after establishing such a deeply emotional reason for their breakup would put the show in a difficult position. Tish and Mike getting back together would mean the writers either have to break them up again before the series ends or else leave room for the anticlimactic assumption that they later simply got tired of each other. Their breakup in “Monsoon” is tragic, but perhaps the biggest tragedy is that there’s now no way to preserve Franks’ established history without letting this truly be how things end for them.
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