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Warning: Spoilers ahead for “NCIS: Origins” Season 2, Episode 13 — “Homeward Bound”
Fans of the prequel series “NCIS: Origins” are already aware that the marriage between Gibbs (played by Austin Stowell) and Diane (Kathleen Kenny) is doomed. Gibbs has two more marriages to navigate before finding himself alone in Alaska. The impending end of their marriage begins to unfold in the “Homeward Bound” episode of Season 2, where Gibbs dedicates hours to crafting a boat in his workshop, rather than awaiting a call from Diane, who is currently in Los Angeles. The metaphor is clear: as the boat takes form, their relationship drifts apart.
Gibbs admits to Ducky Mallard (Adam Campbell) that he isn’t sure why he’s investing so much time in the boat. However, those familiar with Gibbs’ story know that he builds boats for people who matter deeply to him. This particular vessel, seemingly destined to be named after Diane, is entwined with the fate of their relationship. In the iconic “NCIS” episode “Kill Ari – Part 1,” Gibbs (Mark Harmon) has a conversation with Jenny Shepard (Lauren Holly) where this boat makes a reappearance.
During their chat in his basement, with the framework of a new boat looming behind, Jenny inquires if it’s the same boat he was constructing six years ago. Gibbs reveals that he burned that boat because it reminded him of Diane whenever he sailed. When Jenny questions why he didn’t just sell it, Gibbs responds with disbelief, “And watch some other guy sail off on her?” Jenny astutely observes that Gibbs wasn’t concerned about who the actual Diane chose to leave with.
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Is Origins playing around with Gibbs’ NCIS timeline?
Greg Gayne/CBS
While the show doesn’t explicitly confirm that Gibbs is building the boat he’ll one day burn in “Homeward Bound,” it seems implied, and if that’s the case, then the episode has opened up a possible plot hole, especially as this boat appears almost finished. In the “NCIS: Origins” world, it’s currently mid-to-late 1992, and the “Kill Ari” saga takes place in 2005. In “Kill Ari – Part 1,” Jenny asks Gibbs if it’s the same boat that he was building six years before, which would mean Gibbs was still working on Diane in 1999. This doesn’t really add up. We know that Gibbs’ marriage to Diane ends up being his longest, but they get divorced in the mid-90s.
Is “Origins” taking liberties with the “NCIS” timeline? Whether or not the boat shown in “Homeward Bound” is the one he eventually burns, it’s serving a purpose for Gibbs, and his colleagues are well aware of this. Ducky suggests that Gibbs should show it to Lala Dominguez (Mariel Molino), and when she lays eyes on it, Lala simply elbows him and says, “It’s nice to have one thing that isn’t going anywhere.” It’s an ironic statement when one considers how far he’s travelled to escape his past, but Gibbs still considers this to be an important building block toward creating a true home — whether or not his domicile includes a significant other.
