Tobias C. Fornell

Tobias Fornell

Senior FBI Special Agent Tobias C. Fornell (Joe Spano), later a private investigator, first appears in the series premiere episode "Yankee White". He is often involved in "inter-agency turf wars" with Gibbs' NCIS team. The two frequently pretend to be furiously angry at each other in front of their agents, while privately they are on friendly terms. When their teams have to share jurisdiction on a case, Gibbs usually asks for operational control; in exchange, credit for successes is claimed by Fornell's team. Their friendship is close enough for Gibbs to delay his retirement in the episode "Escaped" to assist Fornell in recapturing a fugitive. In the episode "The Bone Yard", Fornell comes to Gibbs for help when he is accused of being a mole for the mafia. In the same episode, he reveals that Gibbs is likely his only friend. Gibbs seems to feel similarly about Fornell, going so far as to fake Fornell's death to further the investigation to clear him of guilt. It is revealed in the episode "Twilight", that Fornell was married to Gibbs' second wife (Diane) after she and Gibbs divorced, something that Gibbs warned him against. Fornell often refers to Diane as "our ex-wife" to Gibbs. Fornell and Diane have a daughter, Emily. After a period of estrangement, the two reunite and agree to marry. Diane is later murdered, and Fornell turns to alcoholism for a short time.