Why The Dark NCIS Prequel Might Destroy Fans Of Mark Harmon's Gibbs

Just why is Leroy Jethro Gibbs’ backstory so dark? For starters, the future “NCIS” mainstay is in Kuwait during Operation Desert Storm in 1991. There, he receives word that his family has died, before he gets wounded and falls into a coma. That level of tragedy sounds like the beginning of either a superhero or a supervillain origin story … and indeed, after Gibbs wakes up, he starts straddling the line by tracking down Pedro Hernandez — whom his wife was supposed to testify against — and making an uncharacteristic kill to take the kingpin down. He gets away with this thanks to some sympathetic allies, but the murder continues to be the darkest thing Gibbs ever did in the “NCIS” universe.  

On the original “NCIS,” Gibbs is an icon of his profession, and the assorted allusions to these past events serve to wedge a few all-too-human cracks in his shell. “NCIS: Origins,” however, takes things to a time when the character is still learning to live with the situation … and could potentially even cover the events as they unfold. Yes, the prequel nature of the show means that every single “NCIS” fan knows what eventually happens to him, but witnessing the poor guy going through the absolute worst time in his life will undoubtedly be a difficult ride for young Gibbs and the viewers alike.