Leroy Jethro Gibbs, portrayed by Austin Stowell, manages to make it to his wedding on time in the episode “End of the Road,” with a little help from co-showrunner David J. North. North steps into the role of the preacher, officiating the ceremony where Gibbs ties the knot with Diane Sterling, played by Kathleen Kenny. In a light-hearted moment, North asked TVLine, “Did you notice it was me who married them?” He humorously compared himself to famed actor Daniel Day-Lewis and quipped that he was so convincing, the crew addressed him as “reverend” on set.

Fans of “NCIS” have been eagerly anticipating the development of Gibbs’ relationship with Diane in the “Origins” timeline. They are well aware that despite the couple’s enduring bond, their relationship eventually ends in divorce, as previously depicted on “NCIS.” Nonetheless, the emotional connection between the two remains evident throughout the series.

Despite knowing the couple’s future, viewers are taken aback when a joyous and slightly inebriated Gibbs and Diane decide to elope to Las Vegas for an impromptu wedding. North acknowledges the surprise factor, while also hinting that Gibbs harbors feelings for another potential love interest, Lala Dominguez, played by Mariel Molino. “Gibbs has been through a lot,” North noted. “He has unresolved feelings for a colleague, Lala,” he added, teasing that the romantic dilemmas for Gibbs and Diane are far from over.

One pivotal reason Gibbs decides to marry Diane—marking his second marriage after the tragic death of his first wife, Shannon Fielding, portrayed by Darby Stanchfield—is due to Lala’s candid advice. She urges him to stop fleeing from commitment, prompting him to reconsider his relationship with Diane. When Lala discovers the news of their wedding, North hints that her reaction will be anything but subdued, promising an intense emotional response for viewers.

It’s worth noting that one of the reasons Gibbs marries Diane — his second trip to the altar following the tragic murder of his first wife, Shannon Fielding (Darby Stanchfield) — is because Lala tells him frankly that he needs to stop running away from commitment. He’s on the verge of leaving the relationship before she speaks up. But when Lala learns about the wedding, David J. North says that viewers can expect her to have a strong reaction.

“It’s hard because they work together and it’s professional,” North told TVLine. “But obviously, she has deep feelings and a reaction to it, and we’ll feel that for sure.” Added co-showrunner Gina Lucita Monreal, “It definitely has an effect in both his personal and professional life, and we’ll see that in the following episode.” Monreal notes that the rest of the team will have equally extreme reactions to the news as well, and that Gibbs definitely loves Diane, albeit in a different way than he loves Lala.

Fans shouldn’t expect to see Gibbs and Diane get divorced right away; they break up sometime in 1995, after they move together to Washington D.C., and it’s 1992 in the “Origins” section of the “NCIS” timeline right now. That means there’s plenty of time for tension to percolate between Gibbs and Lala — and Gibbs and Diane — over the next few seasons.