Sam Hanna (character)
| Sam Hanna | |
|---|---|
|
LL Cool J as Sam Hanna in a promotional photo for NCIS: Los Angeles. | |
| First appearance | "Legend (Part 1)" (NCIS episode) |
| Portrayed by | LL Cool J |
| Other appearances |
Hawaii Five-0 NCIS |
| Information | |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Senior Field Special Agent (NCIS) |
| Title | Special Agent |
| Family | Col. Hanna, USMC (father) |
| Spouse(s) | Michelle Hanna |
| Children |
Aiden Hanna (son) Kamran Hanna (daughter) |
| Nationality | American |
Sam Hanna (portrayed by LL Cool J) is a fictional character in the show NCIS: Los Angeles. He is a former U.S. Navy SEAL and a Senior NCIS Special Agent. He first appeared in the NCIS season six episode "Legend (Part I)".
Background
Prior to joining NCIS, Hanna served in the U.S. Navy, from which he retired with the rank of Senior Chief Petty Officer (E-8) from DEVGRU out of Dam Neck, VA[1]). He is tough and great friends with G. Callen, and very curious about Callen's past. He speaks and reads Arabic, using it to assist the team with translation and conversation when dealing with Arabic intelligence, and has an encyclopedic knowledge of the Qur'an. That combined with his impressive "street cred" helps Sam to masterfully infiltrate an Islamic prison gang in the season two episode "Lockup" and trigger an elaborate prison break that allows the team to track the gang's terrorist leader. Sam espouses Eastern religious tenets in the "Citadel" episode of season seven while advising Kensi how to handle tense operations. He still lives by the Navy SEAL code of conduct, and has a strong sense of honor. In several episodes, including "The Gold Standard", Sam is said to suffer from coulrophobia (a fear of clowns). As seen in the episode "Search and Destroy", Sam practices origami.
Storylines
Season 1
As revealed in the episode "Breach", a strong sense of honor prompted him to bring a Sudanese orphan named Mowahd Dusa to the USA, having killed Moe's father during a mission in Chad almost a decade earlier. Whereas Callen is a loner by nature because of the circumstances of his childhood, Sam is the consummate team player, an attitude gained through his years operating as a SEAL. He is also very protective of his partner, Callen. Sam is an extremely determined individual. It was revealed that Sam's dream as a child was to become a SEAL team operator, and that prior to enlisting in the Navy, he did not even know how to swim.[2] In the episode "Borderline", Sam revealed that he's from Brooklyn.
Sam can sometimes become emotionally involved in his cases, as demonstrated by his close relationship with Moe; by his unsanctioned promise to a Navy Commander to rescue his kidnapped daughter (episode "Little Angels") despite the fact that it was officially an FBI case; and his refusal to give up searching for teammate Dominic Vail after the latter was kidnapped by Muslim terrorists. It was revealed that Sam has two children, a son and a daughter. He is highly protective, even going so far as to tail his daughter for a month when she first started riding the school bus. Callen is aware of their existence and is even called "Uncle Callen" by Sam's children.[3]
Season 2
In the season two episode "Little Angels", Sam reveals that he was once buried alive by Serbian paramilitary soldiers when his SEAL team was tasked to uncover evidence of ethnic cleansing and mass graves in the former Yugoslavia. In "Special Delivery", Sam states that he played football in high school, in the wide receiver position, although he had aspirations to play quarterback. In the season two finale, Sam resigns from NCIS along with Callen and Kensi in order to follow Hetty's trail to Prague without Director Vance's authorization.[4]
Season 3
In the season three episode "Betrayal", it is revealed that he does in fact live with his wife and a young daughter.[5] In the episode "Partners" it is stated that Sam and Callen have been partners for more than 5 years. He calls Callen "G" almost all the time unlike other members of the team who rarely refer to him as "G".
He is good friends with former SEAL Lieutenant Commander Steve McGarrett from Hawaii Five-0. It has yet to be explained how or where their paths crossed. In the episode "Lohkay", Sam revealed that he was once separated from his SEAL team and was hunted by the Taliban. An Afghani villager named Yousef saved his life. The Taliban searched the village looking for Sam only to discover that he was already gone. They killed Yousef's entire family except one nephew, Ameer. Yousef reached out to Sam for help, and Sam said that he "pulled some strings" to get them into the USA. In this episode, Sam is once again hunted by the Taliban. Later, it was revealed that Ameer was working for a terrorist named Habib. His mission is to kill Sam, "the one that got away". Sam was trapped inside their boat shed and beaten up by Habib's men with Callen, Kensi and Deeks launching a rescue operation which was successful, resulting in the deaths of the terrorists. Throughout the episode, Callen and Hetty are worried because Sam is personally involved in the case. Hetty "punishes" Sam for using federal resources, once again, by buying expensive Scotch at his expense.
Season 4
In "Rude Awakenings", it is revealed that Sam's wife is a former undercover CIA operative. They fell in love when they worked together on a failed Joint Task Force mission to capture Isaak Sidorov, a Russian arms dealer. She had managed to successfully infiltrate Sidorov's organization as an assassin-for-hire under the alias of "Quinn" before Sidorov escaped and the mission was aborted. Quinn is reactivated after NCIS, FBI and CIA discover that Sidorov has stolen three Cold War-era nuclear devices from former KGB sleeper agents in the United States. Quinn confides to Sam that she misses her undercover work when he expresses his disapproval about her desire to return to active duty.[6] In the season four finale, Sam is partnered with Deeks who confronts him over his indifference towards him. Sam admits to Deeks that he has some personal flaws.
Season 5
Later, Deeks saves Sam's life and ends up captured and tortured by Sidorov. In the season five premiere 'Ascension', after being found by Kensi and Granger, Deeks tells Sam he didn't give up Michelle even under torture. Sam visits him, stating he now owes him for the rest of his life for what Deeks did for him and Michelle. When Deeks admits he was thinking about quitting, Sam said it would be a mistake, saying that Deeks is a great cop. In the next episode, after a deep talk with Sam, Nate believes that although Sam is still very strong, he cannot withstand much more punishment like that at the risk of his mental health.
Season 6
In season six, it is revealed that Sam's father, USMC Colonel Hanna, sent him to military school, and was disappointed when his son joined the Navy rather than the Marine Corps. Sam's own son, Aiden, also attends a military school and around Christmas 2014, was promoted to Cadet Sergeant.
Awards and decorations
The following are the medals and service awards fictionally worn by Senior Chief Hanna.[7]
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References
- ↑ "Collateral". NCIS: Los Angeles. Season 4. Episode 8. November 27, 2012. 34:20 minutes in. CBS. Sam introduces the team to his old DEVGRU commander, Dale Farmer, now at the CIA.
- ↑ "Keepin' It Real". NCIS: Los Angeles. Season 1. Episode 6. November 3, 2009. 3:00–3:10 minutes in.
- ↑ "Higher Power". NCIS: Los Angeles. Season 3. Episode 11. December 13, 2011. 33:25 minutes in.
- ↑ "Familia". NCIS: Los Angeles. Season 2. Episode 24. May 17, 2011. 33:40 minutes in.
- ↑ "Betrayal". NCIS: Los Angeles. Season 3. Episode 9. 15 November 2011. CBS..
- ↑ "Rude Awakenings (Part 2)". NCIS: Los Angeles. Season 4. Episode 6. November 13, 2012.
- ↑ "Purity". NCIS: Los Angeles. Season 4. Episode 20. April 9, 2013.