Leroy Jethro Gibbs
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Supervisory Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs is a fictional Chief investigator from the NCIS television series by CBS Television, portrayed by Mark Harmon.
History
An experienced former US Marine recon sniper who served in Operation Just Cause and Operation Desert Storm and reached the rank of Gunnery Sergeant, Agent Gibbs is a highly skilled investigator and interrogator endowed with virtually infallible intuition. He uses these skills to his advantage while working on a case. He also tends to think out of the command structure if that helps him. In one third-season episode, when he couldn't make a solid case against a gang leader for murder, he allowed members of the gang to see the evidence that the leader had betrayed and murdered the former leader. After Gibbs released the gang leader, his own people killed him.At one point, Gibbs also served in the Military Police.
Throughout the first three seasons, much of Gibbs' personal history had been kept a mystery -- even from his NCIS colleagues. It was known that Gibbs had been married three times, that he once had a romantic relationship with the recently appointed director of NCIS, Jenny Shepherd, and that he spent his spare time building a boat in his basement. In the first season, he was also occasionally seen in the company of a mysterious (and never-identified) redheaded woman, suggesting an active personal life away from NCIS, even though his colleagues were never able to identify the woman.
In the two-part third season finale, "Hiatus," numerous secrets about Gibbs' past were revealed. It was learned that he had a child with his first wife, and that both were killed by a Mexican drug dealer while Gibbs was serving in Desert Storm in 1991 (prior to this it was never clearly stated that any of his past wives were dead). Upon his return, the NIS lead investigator at the time secretly provided Gibbs with information as to the Mexican's whereabouts; Gibbs subsequently tracked down the man and used his sniper skills to assassinate him. In 1992, he joined NIS. The episode also revealed that Jenny Shepherd was Gibbs' partner when she joined NCIS, before their romantic involvement.
During Desert Storm, Gibbs was caught in an explosion which left him in a coma for 19 days. In 2006, another explosion, caused by a terrorist's bomb, likewise left him in a coma, followed by a period of selective amnesia in which the trauma of his wife and child's death 15 years earlier caused Gibbs to forget much of his life after that point. With the aid of his former NCIS mentor, Jenny, Donald "Ducky" Mallard, and finally Ziva David, Gibbs is able to regain his memories. When his NCIS superiors are unwilling to prevent a terrorist bombing from destroying a freighter and a navy vessel, Gibbs resigns from NCIS and as the third season ends he has taken up residence in Baja California with his former mentor.
Colleagues
Gibbs tends to be reticent, and reluctant to reveal his feelings. Only Ducky (Dr. Mallard) gets to call him "Jethro" on a regular basis, which suggests they have worked/known each other for a considerable time and there is a heightened sense of trust on both sides.He is mostly called "Gibbs" by colleagues, "boss" by Tony and McGee. He is called "Gunny" by former USMC associates. He has been married four times to red haired women - all four marriages ended badly. The first wife was murdered, one ex-wife stalks him on the anniversary of their split, another attacked him with a golf club and the other attacked him with a baseball bat. The mysterious red-headed woman who appears briefly to drop him off or pick him up at the end of a case (mostly during season one) is never identified. Jenny Shepherd, another former love interest, is also a redhead. A couple of very early episodes suggested an attraction existed between Gibbs and Caitlin Todd, but any possibility of this going beyond flirting and jokes evaporated when he indicated to her that it was a bad idea for NCIS operatives to have a relationship (a possible reference to Jenny Shepherd).
During the first season, Gibbs develops a habit of smacking his subordinates on the head if they do or say something foolish. Tony is the most frequent target of this, though most of the others have all endured their share of smacking as well. Gibbs is not above giving himself the same treatment; in a third season episode he is seen smacking his own head (in private) when he chooses to tamper with evidence in order to protect a marine's career.
Personality
Gibbs can be extremely charming in an understated way and has a dry sense of humour. He is unforgiving of his or his colleagues mistakes and demands high standards of himself and his team.Gibbs is fond of Abby and regularly bribes her with her favourite "Caf-Pow" beverage. He is so fond of her, in fact, that when a former date of hers stalks her, Gibbs threatens him by saying "The only reason you are still standing is because I didn't know about you until today!" Abby is the only person to whom Gibbs regularly shows any affection, usually in the form of a hug or a kiss on the cheek, and she reciprocates just as much.
He is building a boat in his basement by hand; with no power tools. According to the series he did so after each time he has been divorced. It is also stated that he destroyed each one after it was done.
He has a coffee addiction and even has a personal rule about it: "Rule 23, never mess with a Marine's coffee if you want to live". He also appears to be farsighted, as early episodes of the series reveal that he has difficulty reading fine print, though he refuses to wear reading glasses.
Gibbs is usually portrayed as a complex man of mystery and intrigue. He likes to use his marine training to give him an advantage over other people, such as when he silently appears behind people.
Whenever he needs to have a private talk with someone, he takes them to his "Conference Room," which is basically just the elevator with the emergency brake pulled.
His taste in "pop culture" is rarely discussed; however, in the series pilot, he is revealed to love the movie Air Force One.
Technology
Gibbs has very little knowledge of technology and shows little patience when exposed to tech talk. He often can't or won't work a Palm Pilot, and regularly trashes his cell phone, which prompted his subordinates to keep a stock of replacement cell phones at NCIS HQ. He has trashed the computer on his desk six times, before the NCIS technicians realized that he was "smacking them to make them go faster."He needs correct lenses for long-sightenedness, but he is too stubborn to wear them. He has been known to communicate in American Sign Language with Abby Sciuto.
A recurring theme is how out of step Gibbs is with popular culture.
Family
Gibbs has been married four times. His first marriage was to Shannon Gibbs and they had a daughter named Kelly. The two were murdered by a Mexican drug dealer while Gibbs was serving in Iraq during the Persian Gulf War. Gibbs has also been married three more times and divorced three times. Coincidently all four women were redheads.Trivia
- Has photo of headstone on the cubicle wall behind his desk, presumeably his first wife's, or daughter's headstone.
- FBI Special Agent Tobias Fornell, Gibbs' friend, married one of Gibbs' ex-wives, he is now divorced from her as well.
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