NCIS’ Most Impotrant Gibbs Rule Isn’t What You Think

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Over nearly twenty years on NCIS, Mark Harmon’s portrayal of Gibbs led to a famous set of rules that became central to the show. Even after Harmon left in Season 19 – with his character retiring to Alaska – the story continued with a new prequel series, NCIS: Origins. This show delves into Gibbs’ early career, showing how he first built his team and met characters who would later appear on the original NCIS, such as Mike Franks and Vera Strickland.

While no one can truly replace Mark Harmon’s portrayal of the character, NCIS: Origins deepens his story by exploring his early life. The 2024 spinoff series reveals how some of Gibbs’ defining moments and traits from the original NCIS came to be. It also provides backstories for other important characters, like Dick Kowalski (Michael Harney) and Mary Jo (Tyla Abercrumbie). But Gibbs remains the central figure as the story unfolds.

How Mark Harmon And Austin Stowell’s Character Established Gibbs’ Rules, Explained

Leroy Jethro Gibbs’s rules have been a core part of the show since the very beginning. He first presented his code of conduct in the 2003 premiere episode, “Yankee White,” which followed a backdoor pilot on the show JAG. During that first episode, while introducing Kate Todd to the NCIS team, Gibbs outlined three key rules: never allow suspects to be left unsupervised, always wear gloves while investigating a crime scene, and always verify information – don’t take anything at face value.

Later in the series, during Seasons 3 and 4, Gibbs changed his first and third rules. He explained that rule number one was about loyalty – “never betray your partner” – and redefined rule three in Season 3 as “always be reachable,” telling Ziva David this. This led fans to wonder if Gibbs had originally learned these rules from his mentor, Mike Franks. However, in Season 8, Episode 11, McGee revealed that Gibbs actually had multiple core principles, not just a fixed set of rules.

The show NCIS explored the origins of Gibbs’ personal code through flashbacks. These glimpses into the past revealed that a young woman named Shannon, portrayed by Aviva Baumann and later Sean Harmon, inspired him to develop these guidelines. She famously told him that “everyone needs a code they can live by,” sharing her own rule of “never date a lumberjack.” This conversation prompted Gibbs to begin writing his rules on whatever he could find – things like napkins and envelopes – which eventually became the code he shared with his team.

In Season 1, Episode 3 of NCIS, titled “Bend, Don’t Break,” Gibbs struggles with painful memories while revisiting the house he once shared with his family. He initially throws away a box containing his personal rules, feeling they didn’t prevent his loss. He reflects on why he’d abandoned them in the first place. However, the prequel series NCIS: Origins shows that Gibbs’ father, Jackson, actually retrieved the rules from the trash, recognizing how important they were for his son to have, even if they hadn’t saved his family.

Gibbs’ Most Important Rule Is Rule #9: Never Go Anywhere Without A Knife

As a big fan of NCIS, I’ve always been fascinated by Gibbs’ rules. He’s shared around 40 of them throughout the show, but it’s hinted that he actually has well over 90, maybe even 100! While they’re all memorable, rule number nine – “never go anywhere without a knife” – really stands out to me. It’s first shown in an episode that really digs into Leroy’s past as a Gunnery Sergeant in the Marines. He even puts his uniform back on to catch a dangerous sniper, Kyle Hendricks, and it feels like a glimpse into the man he was before the team.

While a knife is genuinely essential for survival in the wilderness for someone with the right skills, the idea of ‘always having a knife’ represents a broader principle: being prepared for anything. This concept is so important that it’s highlighted multiple times in the TV show NCIS, specifically in Season 17’s ‘In the Wind’ and Season 6’s ‘Life Before His Eyes,’ an episode where Gibbs reflects on key moments in his life.

NCIS Season 23 Episode 4 Emphasizes The Importance Of Gibbs’ Rule #9

The scene subtly referenced Gibbs’ ninth rule. Though the team doesn’t speak of their former leader, a book club member – part of a network helping abused women escape – reveals that Molly Delgado (Denise G. Sanchez) is incredibly resourceful and can survive for months in the wilderness with only a knife and her intelligence. Given that Molly leads women to safety from abusive situations, her ability to protect herself and others – and her reliance on a knife as a key survival tool – is particularly important.

Molly’s ability to think on her feet, honed from her time as a Marine Raider, is crucial to the mission – and no one would appreciate that more than Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Although the show “Gone Girls” didn’t mention Gibbs by name, it clearly referenced his famous rules. For example, Alden Parker (Gary Cole) left his team the number 51, a nod to Gibbs’ rule: “Sometimes — you’re wrong.” This was a critical message letting them know he was still alive, and it demonstrated that both the character of Gibbs and his guiding principles continue to be important in the series.

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2025-11-11 02:09