Basement Lurrrrve.
This post may contain SPOILERS for the Season 13 finale.
D'awwwww. Nostalgia.
I decided to watch the S13 finale again. Not the whole thing. Just two of my favorite parts: 1) Tony's blow-up in the bullpen. (Seriously. One of my fan loves is emotional-and/or-mental-breakdown!Tony. Guess I got my wish? Analyze that later.) and 2) The Final Basement Scene. (In May I was far too fragile to fully appreciate what happened down there.) The NCIS oath voiceover was nice, as well.
If you're going to rewatch the Final Basement Scene, it helps not to watch any other part of the episode. It also helps to stay very open-minded about some of the dialogue. Forget about the horror of the rest of the episode and about whether you like cute little kids or not or whether you're into the-pairing-that-shall-not-be-named, and just fast forward to Gibbs sanding a rib (that's not a euphemism) and enjoy. You'll thank me later. Or you might not. (Yes, there's Tiva bleeding all over this scene, too. But Tibbs cannot exist in a vacuum. Remember that some relationships can grow alongside another... The relationship between Gibbs and Tony, whether you think of them as friends or more, is very complex. There's some interesting stuff at play here between these two guys. A lot more than just grunted one-liners, deflection, boat sanding (again, not a euphemism) and bourbon drinking.)
I've been wanting pretty badly to write a story in which Tony realizes that traveling with a two-year-old (who barely knows him yet) is no walk in the park, and desperate for some kind of respite (because -- haha -- really... Senior?), he ends up bunking with Gibbs. Of course Gibbs fits swimmingly well into the whole surrogate father role, while Tony flails a bit, seemingly inadequate, but he's learning. Because one does not simply wake up one morning with the skillset needed to be a good father. Not to mention, if he plans on doing this alone, Tony's going to need to be both mom and dad, and that's a tall order for a guy whose one true fear was small children. Together, the two of them plus Tali live in some kind of weirdly symbiotic relationship. But the question at the end of the day is... Who is Tony to Gibbs? And who is Gibbs to Tony? Do we need to define it in terms that are so black and white?
Someday, I will write this story. But for now, I will spin around in circles and dream.
I'll admit, it's an interesting, and somewhat punishing, spot they put Tony in during that last episode. But as Gibbs said, "You showed up."
Yes, he did, Gibbs, yes he did.
D'awwwww. Nostalgia.
I decided to watch the S13 finale again. Not the whole thing. Just two of my favorite parts: 1) Tony's blow-up in the bullpen. (Seriously. One of my fan loves is emotional-and/or-mental-breakdown!Tony. Guess I got my wish? Analyze that later.) and 2) The Final Basement Scene. (In May I was far too fragile to fully appreciate what happened down there.) The NCIS oath voiceover was nice, as well.
If you're going to rewatch the Final Basement Scene, it helps not to watch any other part of the episode. It also helps to stay very open-minded about some of the dialogue. Forget about the horror of the rest of the episode and about whether you like cute little kids or not or whether you're into the-pairing-that-shall-not-be-named, and just fast forward to Gibbs sanding a rib (that's not a euphemism) and enjoy. You'll thank me later. Or you might not. (Yes, there's Tiva bleeding all over this scene, too. But Tibbs cannot exist in a vacuum. Remember that some relationships can grow alongside another... The relationship between Gibbs and Tony, whether you think of them as friends or more, is very complex. There's some interesting stuff at play here between these two guys. A lot more than just grunted one-liners, deflection, boat sanding (again, not a euphemism) and bourbon drinking.)
Transcript of the Final Basement Scene
Transcribed by K9Lasko -- please let me know of any corrections!
Gibbs: Look who stopped by. [Grabs bourbon] Got something on your mind?
Tony: Wanna tell you why I was late today.
Gibbs: Well, you got there, DiNozzo. I don't need an explanation.
Tony: I have one. A few months ago you asked me what I really wanted. If I wanted to be an agent anymore. Catch bad guys. Now I know the answer.
Gibbs: Had a feeling.
Tony: The Gibbs gut?
Gibbs: No. You. Seems to me you've known for a while. Only now you've got a daughter to think of. You can't only think about yourself anymore.
Tony: Evidently we have a daughter. Me and Ziva. Maybe she knew me better than I thought. When McGee called, something hit me. I had this feeling. Something I've never felt before. And in that moment I didn't want Trent Kort dead. All I wanted to do was take care of Tali. Everything that she had in her life was gone.
Gibbs: Except you.
Tony: Except me. I'm it. I'm everything to that little girl now. And I've never been anybody's everything before.
Gibbs: But you showed up.
Tony: Yes, I did. In all kinds of ways. But that's it. I'm done now. I'm going to take Tali to Israel, look for some answers. And I'm going to take her to Paris. Ziva loves Paris.
[Interjecting here to say that's a monumentally stupid idea.]
Gibbs: You gotta do what you gotta do.
Tony: And you gotta believe what you gotta believe. I'd say thank you, but it doesn't quite cover it, Boss.
[They hug. And yes, Gibbs gives him a shoulder rub and a hair ruffle.]
Gibbs: You take care of yourself and your family, DiNozzo.
Tony: Copy that, Boss.
And now for some SCREENSHOTS.
Transcribed by K9Lasko -- please let me know of any corrections!
Gibbs: Look who stopped by. [Grabs bourbon] Got something on your mind?
Tony: Wanna tell you why I was late today.
Gibbs: Well, you got there, DiNozzo. I don't need an explanation.
Tony: I have one. A few months ago you asked me what I really wanted. If I wanted to be an agent anymore. Catch bad guys. Now I know the answer.
Gibbs: Had a feeling.
Tony: The Gibbs gut?
Gibbs: No. You. Seems to me you've known for a while. Only now you've got a daughter to think of. You can't only think about yourself anymore.
Tony: Evidently we have a daughter. Me and Ziva. Maybe she knew me better than I thought. When McGee called, something hit me. I had this feeling. Something I've never felt before. And in that moment I didn't want Trent Kort dead. All I wanted to do was take care of Tali. Everything that she had in her life was gone.
Gibbs: Except you.
Tony: Except me. I'm it. I'm everything to that little girl now. And I've never been anybody's everything before.
Gibbs: But you showed up.
Tony: Yes, I did. In all kinds of ways. But that's it. I'm done now. I'm going to take Tali to Israel, look for some answers. And I'm going to take her to Paris. Ziva loves Paris.
[Interjecting here to say that's a monumentally stupid idea.]
Gibbs: You gotta do what you gotta do.
Tony: And you gotta believe what you gotta believe. I'd say thank you, but it doesn't quite cover it, Boss.
[They hug. And yes, Gibbs gives him a shoulder rub and a hair ruffle.]
Gibbs: You take care of yourself and your family, DiNozzo.
Tony: Copy that, Boss.
And now for some SCREENSHOTS.
I've been wanting pretty badly to write a story in which Tony realizes that traveling with a two-year-old (who barely knows him yet) is no walk in the park, and desperate for some kind of respite (because -- haha -- really... Senior?), he ends up bunking with Gibbs. Of course Gibbs fits swimmingly well into the whole surrogate father role, while Tony flails a bit, seemingly inadequate, but he's learning. Because one does not simply wake up one morning with the skillset needed to be a good father. Not to mention, if he plans on doing this alone, Tony's going to need to be both mom and dad, and that's a tall order for a guy whose one true fear was small children. Together, the two of them plus Tali live in some kind of weirdly symbiotic relationship. But the question at the end of the day is... Who is Tony to Gibbs? And who is Gibbs to Tony? Do we need to define it in terms that are so black and white?
Someday, I will write this story. But for now, I will spin around in circles and dream.
I'll admit, it's an interesting, and somewhat punishing, spot they put Tony in during that last episode. But as Gibbs said, "You showed up."
Yes, he did, Gibbs, yes he did.