A favorite but somewhat forgotten NCIS character is set to have a big return in NCIS: Origins season 2. The NCIS spinoff has stayed true to NCIS canon so far, which hints that big changes are coming for the sophomore season of the Gibbs prequel. NCIS: Origins season 2 will likely continue where season 1 left off.
The NCIS universe has numerous characters that could appear in NCIS: Origins, but the best characters have already been featured in season 1. However, season 2 would allow for bigger and better storylines. It could also expand the current NCIS canon by digging deeper into characters that are close to Gibbs, and one character in particular has the best chances of this happening.
Young Tobias Fornell Could Return In NCIS: Origins Season 2
Fornell Has A Rich History With NCIS
A young Fornell appeared in NCIS: Origins season 1, and it is likely he will also appear in season 2. Tobias briefly turned up in NCIS: Origins season 1, episode 6, where he was seen enjoying tacos while working with FBI agent Noah Oakley, Wheeler, and Franks. However, he holds big potential for season 2 given his relationship with Gibbs in NCIS.
Related
5 NCIS: Origins Character First Introduced In NCIS
Before these characters were someone in NCIS: Origins season 1, the flagship Navy procedural already established how they fit in Gibbs’ story.
NCIS: Origins co-showrunner, David J. North revealed to TV Insiderthat he “would love to see Young Fornell come back. And stay tuned. That might be happening sooner rather than later.” North was quoted after NCIS: Origins part 1 ended. As Fornell did not appear in part 2, it suggests he might return in season 2 if the “sooner” part of North’s prediction holds true.
Tobias Fornell returning in NCIS: Origins would also align with the natural progression of his career. He is currently an FBI agent, but not yet a high-ranking one. Besides being an interesting plot development, Fornell appearing in NCIS: Origins season 2 to work more closely with the NIS team would also match his job responsibilities, so it’s a match both for the character and the narrative.
How Fornell’s Bigger Role In NCIS: Origins Season 2 Addresses A Major Question About Gibbs’ Story
Fornell Is Tied Closely To Gibbs
While Fornell’s NCIS: Origins appearance was a welcome surprise, it missed a key element. As of NCIS: Origins season 1, Fornell and Gibbs still have not met. In the original NCIS, however, Fornell is one of Gibbs’ best friends. Their origin story still needs to be addressed in NCIS: Origins, and the spinoff can’t wait too long to establish that bond for it to be believable.
NCIS: Origins season 2 can finally reveal how Fornell and Gibbs became friends. They clearly work in the same circles, as their bosses know each other. However, Gibbs and Fornell’s friendship is more than a work relationship. No matter how they meet, NCIS: Origins season 2 needs to show how their friendship blossomed, too.
Their origin story still needs to be addressed in NCIS: Origins…
To demonstrate all of this, Fornell needs a more prominent role in NCIS: Origins. His minor appearance in season 1 acted more as an Easter egg for those familiar with NCIS. However, his presence didn’t add much to the storyline, partly because it was so brief. That will have to change as he evolves to become a more important person in Gibbs’ life, both personally and professionally.
What NCIS Has Revealed About Fornell’s Future
Fornell Is A Successful FBI Agent
While Gibbs and Fornell have not met yet in NCIS: Origins, the NCIS: Origins finale set up one of the more interesting storylines between the two characters. The finale introduced Gibbs’ second wife, Diane Sterling, who would later divorce him and remarry Fornell prior to the original series. Their marriage occurred despite Gibbs’ well-meaning advice, and it became an important part of all their backstories.
Fornell and Sterling also later had an expensive divorce, just like Gibbs’ divorce with Sterling. However, their marriage would also lead to the birth of Fornell and Sterling’s daughter, Emily. Emily would remain an important character in Fornell’s life until her death. Even now, she is still one of the more tragic NCIS characters.
Tobias Fornell is the only recurring character in NCIS to appear more than some main characters in the show.
Besides his personal life, NCIS has also revealed a lot of information about Fornell’s career. While he started as a lower-ranking FBI agent, he eventually became promoted before retiring to become a private investigator. Throughout his time on NCIS, he has worked closely with the MCRT. This tradition could easily blend into NCIS: Origins, but next season needs to start the process.
Source: TV Insider
Enjoy ScreenRant’s primetime coverage? Click below to sign up for our weekly Network TV newsletter (make sure to check “Network TV” in your preferences) and get the inside scoop from actors and showrunners on your favorite series.
- Release Date
-
October 14, 2024
- Directors
-
Niels Arden Oplev, John Terlesky, Diana Valentine, Edward Ornelas, Hanelle M. Culpepper, Lionel Coleman, Loren Yaconelli, Pete Chatmon, Pamela Romanowsky, Ruben Garcia, Jessica Lowrey
- Writers
-
Brendan Fehily
-
Austin Stowell
Leroy Jethro Gibbs
-
Kyle Schmid
Special Agent Mike Franks
