Warning: SPOILERS for the NCIS: Origins episode “Vivo o Muerto” are forward!
One of the crucial vital items of backstory regarding Leroy Jethro Gibbs in NCIS lore is that his first spouse, Shannon, and their daughter, Kelly, had been murdered by a drug vendor named Pedro Hernandez in 1991. Over the course of NCIS: Origins’ run on the 2024 TV schedule, this facet of the character’s historical past has been fleshed out, from Austin Stowell’s tackle the character intentionally strolling into enemy fireplace after listening to the tragic information, to the reveal that Randy was initially presupposed to be the agent defending Shannon and Kelly.
Nonetheless, tonight’s episode, “Vivo o Muerto”, delivered arguably the largest second but on this storyline: Gibbs killing Pedro Hernandez. It’s a second that longtime NCIS followers have recognized was coming, and whereas the killing was proven in flashes on the flagship sequence, Origins totally again the curtain on how Gibbs was capable of pull that off. In an interview with CinemaBlend, Origins government producer David J. North about what this this newest twist means for his relationships with Lala Dominguez and Mike Franks, in addition to confirmed that this storyline isn’t over but.
What Occurred In The Newest NCIS: Origins Episode
“Vivo o Muerto” noticed Gibbs and Lala touring to Tijuana to analyze the disappearance of a Navy girl named Dana Rogers, who was later revealed to have been kidnapped when she and her buddy had been taken to a membership by a lady named Amelia. Amelia was a scout for human traffickers, and the membership was a entrance for the Reynosa drug cartel. That’s the identical cartel that Pedro Hernandez was working for; the truth is, it seems that him and a person named Saul Ortega had been now operating the cartel collectively. Nonetheless, when Gibbs and Lala discovered about Hernandez’s connection to their case, Gibbs barely reacted.
However, Lala understandably turned involved that Gibbs’ judgement would grow to be clouded now that the potential for discovering Hernandez was on the desk, particularly as soon as they found out the place the ladies had been being held. Issues bought particularly bushy when Gibbs and Lala had been almost gunned down of their resort room shortly earlier than Mike Franks got here to assist out. Fortuitously, ultimately, the workforce was capable of rescue Dana and the opposite girls who had been being held captive. Sadly, not solely was Hernandez not there, however they discovered from one of many surviving gunmen who was guarding the ladies that he was killed by a sniper six months earlier, which the cartel coated up in order to not look weak.
At that time, we discovered that half a 12 months earlier, Leroy Jethro Gibbs was capable of monitor down Pedro Hernandez’s location utilizing data from the file that Mike Franks let him unofficially have a look at. Noticing {that a} automotive with a partial plate tied to Hernandez matched a automotive parked close to a church being restored in Baja in a newspaper image, Gibbs went south of the border, staked out the church and sniped Hernandez as he was driving away.
How Gibbs’ Relationships With Lala And Mike Franks Are Affected By The Pedro Hernandez Reveal
It wasn’t exhausting for Lala Dominguez and Mike Franks to place two and two collectively and work out that Leroy Jethro Gibbs killed Pedro Hernandez, though not one of the three characters outright mentioned this by the point “Vivo o Muerto” completed. Nonetheless, this revelation adjustments issues on NCIS: Origins in a giant method, and once I had the pleasure of talking with David J. North, who served because the prequel’s showrunner alongside fellow co-creator Gina Lucita Monreal, I requested what this meant for Gibbs and Lala’s already sophisticated relationship going ahead. He answered:
It means it’s much more sophisticated. Lala’s a personality that actually would not have a look at him for doing this and cross judgment. In any case, Pedro did kill his whole household, so for her, she understands that a part of it. But in addition being on a workforce, a very powerful factor is belief, and when she poured her coronary heart out to Gibbs and [he] actually noticed the character of Lala get emotional for the primary time and saying, ‘Franks will pull you off this case, however I am gonna get him, I am gonna get Pedro for you.’ And Gibbs did not inform her the reality, did not say that he had already bought him. In order that’s actually a wrinkle to their relationship, for positive.
On the finish of NCIS: Origins’ first episode, Mark Harmon’s older Gibbs described this chapter of his life he’s trying again on as a narrative he doesn’t like inform that’s about “her,” referring to Lala Dominguez. Though North didn’t shed any mild on that particular thriller throughout my interview with him, his assertion above does make it appear to be Lala figuring out the reality abou Hernandez’s dying may play a job. As for if the Pedro Hernandez killing will shake issues up between Gibbs and Mike Franks, North instructed me:
No, I believe for Gibbs and Franks, this was the key that they each thought they had been going to take to their graves. Actually Lala discovering out impacts it, however for Franks, he confirmed Gibbs that file for a purpose, and I believe that purpose is that if Franks was in Gibbs’ sneakers, that is what he would need somebody to do for him.
We already knew from the unique NCIS that Mike Franks (performed in that present by Muse Watson) was conscious what Leroy Jethro Gibbs had achieved, however as David North laid out, he’s not remotely bothered by what his “probie” did. So whereas there are new avenues to discover of their relationship, this may not be one among them.
There’s Extra To Come From The Pedro Hernandez Storyline
Since NCIS explored Gibbs’ homicide of Pedro Hernandez being uncovered to his cohorts by the late drug vendor’s grownup youngsters in Season 7 and the start of Season 8, NCIS: Origins may have simply put this specific storyline to mattress. Nonetheless, the point out of Saul Ortega operating the Reynosa cartel with Hernandez had me questioning about if this was a tease for one thing developing, or if Ortega was only a random identify thrown in. Right here’s what David North instructed me:
No, nothing was random. I am going to say that what occurred, what Gibbs did is actually not buttoned up and achieved with, it’ll come again to hang-out him.
There’s solely so many individuals who will be capable of find out about Gibbs killing Pedro Hernandez given the occasions that can later unfold in NCIS. That being mentioned, clearly this mess hasn’t been as much as wager but among the many core Origins characters, and I’ll have an interest to see how the present handles this whereas staying true to the canon. Additionally, if we’re going to fulfill Saul Ortega, is he simply as ruthless as Hernandez was and even worse?
The NCIS: Origins midseason finale airs subsequent Monday at 10 pm ET on CBS. Don’t neglect you should use a Paramount+ subscription to compensate for older episodes, and the remainder of their NCIS franchise, in the course of the holidays.