Who is NCIS' port-to-port killer? Here's what we know

CBS's military police procedural series NCIS is currently set to release its twenty-third season this fall. Created by Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill, this series delves into the team of MCRT of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, who investigate criminal cases involving marine and navy personnel.

Throughout its run, NCIS has delivered its fair share of complex antagonists, but only a few have left a mark like the Port-to-Port killer. Introduced in season 8, this mysterious figure turned from a faceless threat into one of the most psychologically layered adversaries ever faced by Gibbs and his team. So, who is NCIS' port-to-port killer?

The Port-to-Port killer, formerly known as Lt. Jonas Cobb (portrayed by Kerr Smith), didn't start as a dangerous criminal. He began his career as a Navy officer. After waiting for his promotion for years, he became a part of a secret CIA experiment called Frankenstein.

Their goal was to train soldiers to be emotionless killers- men who could carry out dangerous missions without hesitation. Cobb passed the training, but the success came with a lofty price. His missions took a heavy toll on his mental state, as he vanished and resurfaced as a deadly serial killer.

He started murdering service members in various ports around the world-from Spain to Japan, leaving subtle evidence to show he was steps ahead of everybody. By the time Gibbs and his team were on the case, Cobb had killed several victims.

Things turned personal when Cobb came to Washington and killed Mike Franks, Gibbs' mentor. Frank's murder proved that Cobb's next target was the NCIS team. He even sent a severed eye to Tony DiNozzo as a warning message.

Despite being hunted by both Gibbs' team and Agent Barrett's team from the West Coast, Cobb kept slipping away. He played mind games, set traps, and kept them trapped in a cat-and-mouse chase.

Who killed the Port-to-Port killer in NCIS?

In NCIS Season 8, Cobb gave himself up-not because he was done. He used the arrest as a distraction and kidnapped several NCIS agents, including Barrett and Jimmy Plamer. He took them to an abandoned building and tied them to the original Frankenstein project. There, he recreated the difficult training procedures that the trainees went through, and what turned them into emotionless monsters.

Eventually, Gibbs, Director Leon Vance, and the Secretary of the Navy tracked him down. However, Cobb refused to surrender. He held Barrett at gunpoint and threatened to shoot him. When he raised his weapon, both Gibbs and Vance fired at the same time, and Cobb was hit and fell through a window, dying on the spot.

Cobb's body was found with a strange smile, possibly suggesting he saw his death as a release from his traumatic life. Cobb had a traumatic childhood as well, he saw how mercilessly his father, who lacked empathy, killed an ailing horse instead of putting it down with medicines or a vet.

The chaos that Cobb caused left a lasting impact on the NCIS team, especially Gibbs, who not only lost Frank but also had come face to face who fell victim to the government's orders.

Cobb wasn't a simple villain, he was a soldier shaped, used, and discarded as a secret government project. His transformation from trained assassin to serial killer raised questions about the cost of secret operations- and the damage they leave behind.

Even though Cobb's story ended in NCIS Season 8, it remains one of the series' darkest and most chilling storylines.

Also read: NCIS Season 22 finale leaves these five questions unattended

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