Jane Tennant is an NCIS Special Agent in Charge of the NCIS Hawai'i Field Office and the Pacific Rim at Naval Base Pearl Harbor in Oahu, Hawaii, the leader of the NCIS Hawaii Team as well as the ex-wife of Daniel Tennant and also the mother of Alex Tennant and Julie Tennant.
Biography
Pre-Series
Born in Hawaii, Jane regularly moved around a lot due to her father being in the military.
It's currently unknown if her parents are still alive or dead and if she is an only child or if she has any siblings.
When Jane was twelve years old, her father was stationed in Tama Hills, Japan and while there, young Jane took riding lessons.
At the age of sixteen, Jane experienced racism as people began questioning where she came from as she didn't look like anyone. She informed them she was American but not everyone believed her with Jane later informing she didn't know where her mother really came from.
Jane later attended the University of Virginia, graduating with a double major in psychology and global studies.
Following her graduation, she was headhunted by various government agencies who sought to recruit her with the State Department having a strong interest in her. Jane chose to apply to the Central Intelligence Agency where she met operative Maggie Shaw, who became her boss and mentor as well as her best friend, Jane unaware Maggie was in fact a traitor and a spy for the Chinese.
The undercover assignments Jane had with the CIA often had her overseas for long periods of time.
At some point, she married Daniel Tennant, taking on his surname and had two children, Alex and Julie six years apart.
During an operation in Kabul, Afghanistan, she met NCIS Supervisory Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs and Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo Junior with Gibbs being impressed by Maggie's skillset and he wanted her to join with Gibbs leaving a business card for Jane with Rule 72, "Always be open to new ideas" written out on the back with Jane receiving it some time later.
In 2011, when Maggie put in for a desk job at the CIA's Headquarters in Langley, Virginia, she advised Jane to leave the CIA and join the Naval Criminal Investigative Service so she could be closer to her then-husband and children.
Upon officially joining NCIS, Jane began attending classes at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), one of her instructors being Greta Ford with Jane also graduating at the top of her class.
At some point, during her career, she received the Medal of Merit three times, becoming the only NCIS agent to do so.
Upon joining NCIS, Jane served in numerous other areas before transferring to Hawaii.
After some time as an agent working out of Hawaii, she was promoted to Special Agent in Charge of the NCIS Hawai'i Team.
For unknown reasons, Jane and Daniel divorced in 2018 with Jane presumably gaining primary custody of their children.
They originally tried counselling to save their marriage but it failed. Jane and Daniel remain friends to this day although things can be strained between them at times.
A year prior to the events of the Pilot, the NCIS: Hawaii team consisted of Jane, her second-in-command, Jesse Boone and a man named Jim Carter but at some point, according to Jesse, Jane fired Carter for putting himself above the team with Carter's replacement being NCIS Special Agent Lucy Tara.
At some point, another position on her team became vacant or was presumably created, Jane interviewed fifty highly-qualified candidates for the position including NCIS agent Kai Holman with Kai joining the team two weeks prior to the Pilot.
NCIS: Hawai'i Season 1
Jane in the NCIS: Hawaii Season 1 premiere episode, "Pilot".
Jane made her debut appearance in the NCIS: Hawaii Season 1 premiere episode, Pilot (NCIS: Hawaii episode) where she was first seen coaching a girl's football team called the Kahala Warriors that included her daughter, Julie as they played against another unnamed team while Jane's teenage son, Alex sat on the sidelines, looking at his phone but the game itself was interrupted when a group of Navy security forces who were also a part of the Joint Base Police arrived, ordering everyone on the field to clear it with the members of the public also heading to the sidelines and as everyone scattered, Jane received a text on her phone, one presumably informing her of the crash that had occurred on O'ahu. She then told the Warriors to bring it in with the team gathering on the sidelines as Jane handed the clipboard to Alex who revealed he didn't know anything about soccer with Jane informing Alex they didn't care and to just have fun before telling Julie to go be with her team and that she loved her as they shared a quick hug as Jane then advised both her children to get off the field.
A few minutes later, a helicopter arrived, landing on the field and in between the two goal posts with Jane then racing to it and getting on board. Once she had strapped herself in, Jane gave the thumbs-up to another officer who had disembarked from the helicopter with Alex and Julie waving goodbye to her as the helicopter prepared to take off, everyone on board and as the helicopter left once again, Jane blew a kiss to her children.
A while later, the helicopter flew to O'ahu, the open windows giving Jane her first glimpse of the scene where an experimental jet had crashed.
Upon the helicopter landing, Jane got off and approached Captain Joseph Milius, introducing herself to him and revealing she was the Special Agent in Charge of NCIS Hawaii while informing him he couldn't remove anything from the crime scene.
The two then stepped away to have a private conversation, Jane revealing that the pilot, Navy Lieutenant Commander David Walters had reached out to her office twelve hours ago and that he wanted to file a report with the two later waiting to inform the other personnel at the scene including FBI agents and NTSB personnel that it was his idea, Milius telling her to give it a beat before they told the others.
A few hours later, Jane emerged from her office at the NCIS Hawaii Field Office at Naval Base Pearl Harbor or Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam where she met NCIS Hawaii Junior Special Agent Lucy Tara who had arrived at the office with a file and some coffee for her teammates.
Commenting on Jane's clothing, Lucy wondered if it was a pyjama day with Jane stating she wished and that it was youth soccer at zero dark thirty.
As they headed upstairs, Jane informed she needed the rundown on Lieutenant Commander Walters, background, fitreps with Lucy adding current assignment, friends and family, recent activity, Lucy agreeing to do that before they both arrived in the War Room to further discuss the case, Jane also revealing she had AFMES- Armed Forces Medical Examiner System fast-tracking Walters's autopsy as NCIS Senior Agent Jesse Boone arrived in, talking about the F-35, the experimental jet Walters had been piloting. Upon getting information, Jane gave the team their assignments: Lucy would go to AFMES to get the autopsy report and Jesse would work with NCIS Hawaii Computer Specialist Ernie Malik on Commander Walters's life. As Jesse headed off to do that, Jane then received a text, presumably informing her that the team's newest member, NCIS Special Agent Kai Holman had been arrested. After reading the message, Jane informed Lucy she had to go handle something before she left.
A while later, at Kapolei Station, a police station belonging to the Honolulu Police Department, Jane and Kai briefly spoke, Kai wondering how Jane knew where he was with Jane revealing that the HPD deputy sergeant presumably on duty in the station texted her once he saw Kai's credentials with the two having a conversation about Kai being arrested two weeks into his job as an NCIS agent while Jane informed that anything happened in the future, she was to be his first call and if he didn't understand that, then this wasn't going to work out, implying she would fire him if he continued acting this way although Kai took it heart, stating, "Understood".
At NCIS Hawaii HQ, Jane reunited with Lucy who informed her that Walters's autopsy report showed that he had a massive amount of dextroamphetamine in his system: 100 to 120 milligrams along with signs of classic psychosis and probable cardiac arrest which had Jane believing they were looking at an overdose: intentional or otherwise. Upon arriving into the bullpen, Jane learnt from Jesse and Kai they had found a bunch of supplements at Walters's place along with signs he'd been hitting every other dive bar on the island while Ernie arrived in seconds later, informing his colleagues he had found evidence of Walters having a girlfriend: a woman named Noelani Illihau whose car he'd also found thanks to the original owner said installing LoJack onto it which presumably saw Jane sending Jesse and Lucy to go look for the car.
A few hours later, Jane received a phone call from both Jesse and Lucy, presumably informing her that Noelani had been found dead in her car which had gone off the ravine, the Medical Examiner on scene informing the two she'd been there for a few days along with evidence that Noelani's neck was broken. Jane advised the two of them to keep on working the scene before she hung up to talk to Captain Milius who informed her about the sensitivity of the case while stating that one wrong move wouldn't see her and Milius taking the fall as her team would suffer as well before he walked off, leaving Jane staring after him.
Upon returning from the field, Jesse and Lucy informed Jane what they had found at the scene where Noelani Illihau's body had been discovered with the medical examiner's report confirming Noelani had been dead before she hit the ravine along with the discovery of material underneath her fingernails, Lucy revealing that they had expedited the process but the meeting was interrupted by the arrival of DIA officer Tara Whistler who was furious at the revelation her declassified report had originally been seen in its unclassified stage, Jane instantly stepping up and revealing she was to blame, Whistler telling her Captain Milius was more pissed at Jane than Whistler before she informed Jane the lab had concluded a test on Walters's supplements which were revealed to contain high levels of dextroamphetamine, Jane realizing they were spiked and that the crash had just gotten a lot more complicated.
That evening, at the Tennant house, as Jane was preparing dinner and helping Julie with her homework while Alex lingered in the background, still glued to his phone, the doorbell then rang, prompting Jane to ask Alex to either get some lemongrass or get the door but as she prepared to berate Alex, Ernie arrived in, revealing that the door was open, causing Jane to mutter, "Nothing" before she headed back into the kitchen as Julie greeted Ernie. In the kitchen, Ernie revealed to Jane that Jesse and Lucy had discovered Neolani's phone at the crime scene with the SIM card being pulled and revealing the online profile only went back a few months as most of her social media friends were bots and that most of her pictures were photoshopped, Ernie even revealing that Noelani worked as a cocktail waitress at a place called the Namaka Ale House with the paystubs only going back a few weeks before they abruptly stopped. As Ernie stepped into the kitchen, remarking the stew smelled amazing, Jane called for Alex, informing him she needed him to finish the dinner she'd been cooking and to get his sister to bed on time with Alex protesting, regarding it as babysitting. Jane told him it wasn't babysitting, it was helping and that's what families do for each other before she headed off, arriving at the bar where she tried to interview the bartender, Myra Tan but failed as Myra told her the locals wanted to relax. Reluctantly, Jane left and headed home, receiving a phone call from Kai who informed he had a possible lead but one he had to deal with it himself.
The next day, Jane arrived into Ernie's office and while on the phone with Kai learnt of a potential lead: a Department of Defense engineer, Don Sloane who worked on top-secret aircraft, Jane noting the possibility of a local girl dating guys who had need-to-known information and worked them until she became a ghost, implying that it's a con woman or at worst, a spy with Ernie revealing he'd found Sloane's location and informing Jane and Kai there was a second IP address logged in as well, meaning that another group besides the NCIS Hawaii team was also looking for Sloane.
At an area where a local food truck was selling food, Jane met Kai and discussed the case while a few hours later, thanks to Lucy getting a list from Whistler, the list containing ten names of people working on the highly-classified project. With Ernie's help, the group discovered the next target: Charles Randolph, an engineer whose current girlfriend is Sally who happened to be a cocktail waitress at the same bar Jane had visited earlier with Jane coming to the realization the group was target Randolph to get what they needed as they hadn't been able to get anything from Walters and that without the important piece they needed, what they had been assembling was useless.
That same night, Jane, Jesse and Lucy hung back, waiting in their respective cars as Kai went in to the bar to investigate things, Kai revealing that Randolph, Sally and Big Luna, the man they had been searching were all in attendance. Upon Kai using his distress word, "I'm new to the island", the three NCIS agents rushed in to help their colleague, the group splitting up as Jesse and Lucy searched for Randolph and Sally while Jane and Kai pursed Big Luna who fled the bar.
With Ernie's help, the two tracked Big Luna to a structure or house where the spy ring itself had been operating, discovering that the place was on fire. As they crept forward, their weapons drawn, eventually reaching the house, Jane tried to convince Big Luna to surrender, only for Big Luna to flee once again, racing through a forest or marsh with Jane and Kai racing after him before they all arrived at a mountain terrain that led into the ocean. Refusing to surrender, Big Luna willingly leapt into the ocean, disappearing from sight altogether with Jane and a very reluctant Kai soon following him.
Now in the ocean, Jane and Big Luna fought one another, trading blows, one that had Jane dropping her Glock while another single kick from Big Luna sent her back into the ocean. Big Luna used the moment to fire shots at Jane who was underwater, all the rounds narrowly missing while Kai who had caught up to the two intervened took Big Luna down with him, resulting in the two going into the ocean one more and as Jane re-emerged for air once again, she saw Big Luna now fighting against Kai with Kai heading for Jane upon seeing her but as Big Luna stood up, preparing to kill them, Kai told Jane to trust him with the two NCIS agents taking respective deep breaths before they dove underwater once again while a huge wave passed over, engulfing Big Luna and presumably causing him to drown. As soon as the wave had passed, Jane and Kai re-emerged once again, Kai repeating the words his childhood friend, Hina had told him the previous day: "Never turn your back on the ocean" with Jane noting it.
The two now stranded in the ocean, Kai wondered that since Jane got them into this mess, did she have a way to get them out? The two lay there in silence before they both see lights up ahead where it was revealed the boat belonged to the United States Coast Guard with Ernie on board, informing them the Coasties weren't lying: they're always ready which had Jane and Kai relieved as they swam towards the boat.
The next morning, Jane and Kai having safely returned to NCIS HQ, they prepared to wrap up the case, Jane arriving in after Lucy showed Kai the evidence they had recovered from the safehouse Jane and Kai had found the night before with Jesse revealing that Myra, the bartender he'd arrested and who was pretending to be a victim had new information which he handed to Jane via a tablet as she arrived in.
In Interrogation, Jane and Whistler listened as Myra claimed she was a victim, only for Jane to tell it was a nice try while revealing Myra herself was born in Honolulu but trained by the MSS- Ministry of State Security which confirmed that the spy ring they had uncovered was one that belonged to the Chinese with Whistler sitting opposite Myra and demanding to know everything the other woman had about fighter jets.
With Myra in custody and the case over, Jane later arrived at the airport and watched as a coffin that had Walters's body was brought on board a Navy plane destined for his native city of Grand Rapids in Michigan, a Navy honor guard saluting as that happened with Milius also in attendance. Once that had ended, the two spoke again, Jane revealing she had simply wanted to pay her respects from a distance to the deceased Navy Lieutenant Commander, noting that Walters had helped them uncover a spy ring and she later accepted Milius's subtle attempt at an apology.
The team all later gathered at Jane's house for a late-night dinner, Jane and Kai discussing why Kai had applied for the job to be an NCIS Special Agent and also a member of the NCIS: Hawaii team, Jane revealing she knew that his father, Wally was ill, Kai stating it was why he wanted the billet before he confessed that he thought this was just gonna be a job but that he realized it was more fun to do it with someone he'd follow off a cliff, Jane remarking that was dumb with Kai agreeing it, regarding as dumb, absolutely dumb before the two laughed while Jane commented on the food, stating it smelled delicious and that they should take it outside so that everyone can enjoy it.
Eventually, gathering on the balcony, everyone exchanged greetings, Kai hugging both Ernie and Lucy while clinking a beer bottle with Jesse before they all presumably sat down to eat.
NCIS Season 19
Jane made her debut appearance in NCIS which occurred during the NCIS Season 19 episode, Starting Over (episode).
NCIS: Hawaii Season 2
NCIS Season 20
Personality
A kind, caring woman, Jane is a devoting mother to her two children, Alex and Julie.
In her career as an NCIS agent, she's also protective of her NCIS colleagues, Jane even displaying a strong degree of fearlessness as seen during the Pilot where she willingly jumped into the ocean to track down Big Luna.
Physical Appearance
Jane is a woman in her mid-thirties, early forties with long brown/blonde hair that's usually worn in waves with her hair sometimes parted to the left or right.
In the Pilot, while coaching her daughter's football team, Jane wore a pink and black hoodie, black trousers and runners.
She later changed her clothes to a single black pantsuit with a blue dress shirt underneath while the button on her jacket is undone, exposing the single gold chain around her neck. She also wears earrings in both her ears, her left or right hair often parted to the side, revealing an earring and along with black high-heeled shoes.
She also wears a single gold and silver square-clocked watch on her left wrist and carries a Glock 19 as her main service weapon with the Glock in a holster on her right hip when it's not in use while her NCIS badge is clipped to her belt.
In the field, investigating a crime scene, Jane wears a standard NCIS windbreaker and hat although she sometimes arrive at the crime scenes without the hat.
During the pursuit of a suspect, Jane wears an NCIS-standard bulletproof vest and also dons an earwing that she places in her left ear so that she can issue commands to her colleagues or receive information from them.
Abilities
Firearms
As an NCIS Special Agent, Jane is trained in the use of firearms and can fire a single round from her weapon to either kill or injure her target.
Languages
Jane is fluent in Tagalog and Russian.
Hand-to-Hand Combat
Having presumably been trained in fighting during her time at CIA, Jane is capable of holding her own in a fight against an opponent.