Robert “Bobby” Hobbes is a trained Special Agent who has been assigned the difficult task of partnering with Darien Fawkes, the Invisible Man. Since Fawkes isn’t a trained agent, has an extensive criminal record and is working for The Agency under duress, Hobbes definitely has his work cut out for him.   

But what do we really know about Bobby Hobbes? Here are a few clues from the show.

The Pilot

Hobbes first appears, dressed in a disheveled white suit and sucking down a pina colada. He meets Darien, showing the card that identifies him as Darien’s Agency contact. Always charming, Bobby introduces himself with, “You think I’d be your frickin’ friend if you didn’t have a frickin’ card?” In the pilot episode, we learn he has worked in the middle east, met Yassir Arafat, and can pick pockets with the best of them - though Darien wasn’t impressed, “Hobbes, my dog can pick a pocket.” Hobbes can also “make” (identify) a terrorist easily - he spotted the Canadian terrorists in the cantina, and he knows how to handle assault weapons. We also learn that he’s not being treated well by the Agency. They argue over his 10% pay hike for combat duty, he’s being paid a lower salary (possibly GS3) than Darien Fawkes (GS6), and he only gets a $50 savings bond as a “thank you” for all his work on this mission.

In Catevari, we learn that Hobbes has been in therapy and is taking lithium, so it’s likely he has bi-polar disorder (manic-depression). Our hero (Bobby, of course!) starts out being a teeny bit hostile to his new partner’s questions about that medication; “Fifty milligrams, if you don’t like it you can get out and walk!” In this episode we also see that Hobbes is extremely dedicated to his job and his country, “I’d kill *me* if I thought I was a threat [to the government].” He is used to “need to know” assignments, explaining to Fawkes that agents are only told what they ‘need to know’ to get the job done, and aren’t supposed to questions. Of course this gets on Darien’s nerves. When Fawkes disappears to go looking for the Catevari, we see that Hobbes’ job is also to keep tabs on his partner, “And don’t think I don’t know where you are 24-7, my friend.”

In Ralph, we see the tension between Bobby Hobbes, federal agent and his partner Darien Fawkes ex-thief. Hobbes frequently uses terms like “sit-rep” that Darien doesn’t understand, and he takes a hard-line approach to his work that’s in sharp contrast to Darien’s ‘civilian’ attitudes. We also get clues about Hobbes’ past. He runs into an FBI agent he knew at Quantico, who calls him “lithium bob” and “a paranoid pill-head.” We also learn that he has been fired from many government intelligence agencies including the FBI, which is how he finally wound up at the Agency. He explains to Darien that they don’t work for Fish & Game, F&G is just a sponsor for the Agency. Darien nicknames Bobby “that bi-polar James Bond,” which is never more beautifully demonstrated than when Hobbes begins describing the use of sniper camouflage to Fawkes. It’s a captivating moment when we see just how good a secret agent Bobby Hobbes really is. If that doesn’t convince you, he also identifies the location of a sniper by timing the “crack-bang” between shot and impact. In the end, they get the bad guys and show up the FBI buffoons - much to Hobbes’ delight.

Hobbes and Fawkes are on the track of a murderous ‘psychic.’ Hobbes again shows his professional skills by identifying the ‘perp’ from minimal clues, almost literally, a needle in a haystack. Darien is disturbed by dreams of killing Bobby. When, Darien goes QSM and attacks Bobby, he defends himself with skill and maintains his cool, calling the Agency for help even while a phone booth is being smashed all around him. A beautiful “Hobbes-ism” comes from his conversation with the switchboard operator at the Agency: “I’m a special agent in a life and death situation. Get me the Keeper, or I swear, I will hunt you down and kill you.” After Darien is subdued, he brags to the Keeper about his tour of duty in Desert Storm. We also find out that Bobby had an older sister than used to dress him up in his Mother's dresses and beat him till he cried.

Impetus

In this episode, Darien mistakenly believes that an old woman is being held hostage to blackmail the Keeper into working at the Agency. When he frees her it is revealed that she has a contagious disease that causes premature aging, and our boys have to bring her back. Although Hobbes is not featured in this episode, we do learn a few things about him. He warns Darien against becoming romantically involved with the Keeper. Hobbes tells Darien that he has had seven therapists previously and fell in love with all of them, which eventually cost him a marriage. We don’t know if he means that one particular therapist broke up his marriage, or even whether he’s referring to his marriage to Vivian. Could there have been others? In this episode, he makes a definite departure from his usually well dressed style, when he dons the latest in HazMat outfits. Hobbes accessorized this with a genuine government-issue free-nozzle gas mask in the ever-so-natty khaki. Always a fashion risk white with khaki, but our guy could pull off just about anything. One bonus of this episode is that we get the famous (or is that infamous) “Need To Know” speech. Darien’s persistent curiosity finally bugs our hero to the breaking point, he tries to explain how intelligence agents are supposed to operate on a “Need to Know” basis: “No you don't, because if you needed to know, you'd know, but they decide you don't need to know, so you don't. So stop thinking about what you don't know, because you don't need to know what you think you need to know about! Enjoy the ignorance my friend, it's bliss"

Hobbes is a consummate pro, and a snappy dresser. Always the better dressed of the Fawkes-Hobbes partnership, Bobby’s beach attire in this episode is fabulous. (Okay, I’ll stop drooling now). He also is wise to the ways of con men, spotting right away that something wasn’t quite right about their new boss. Immediately suspicious when he and Fawkes are separated, he follows Darien and saves him from being blackmailed into becoming an assassin. He develops the plan that results in the arrest of the guilty parties and the return of the Official to the Agency. This guy really deserves that pay-raise!

Fawkes’ rebelliousness has reached critical levels and Hobbes has the unhappy job of reigning him in. He knows Dariens’ up to something, and tails him, as Bobby said: like a sweet little guardian angel… ready to kick Darien’s butt if he gets out of line. Which of course, he does. Hobbes arrests Darien and hauls him back to the Agency in handcuffs. Hobbes’ skill at juggling difficult assignments, protecting a federal witness who’s shooting at him, tracking down a crime boss, and keeping tabs on Darien - who may not be operating on the right side of the law.

This episode gives insight into Hobbes’ growing relationship with Darien Fawkes. We also get to see the development of their trademark Fawkes-Hobbes banter. Hobbes and Fawkes begin finishing each other’s sentences in a scene in the Official’s office, showing how they are at last beginning to tune into each other. Later, Hobbes senses that Fawkes is trying to hide something from him and we get to see classic Bobby Hobbes in action. He tries to draw the line with Fawkes: “You think I won’t turn you in? Well you’re wrong Buckwheat. You step over the line and I turn you and your fancy pants in to the Official.” But later covers for Darien in front of the Official. Privately, he tries to make Fawkes tow the line, if only with his partner, “You don’t think I know when you’re lying to me? I know, I know. You give these one-word answers: if, the, of, check.” This begins to set up a dynamic between Bobby and Darien where loyalty within their partnership is somewhat separate from loyalty to the Agency.

Hobbes is arrested for ‘stalking’ his ex-wife, Vivian. She tells Darien that when he’d stopped taking his medications in the past, he became convinced she was in danger and followed her to protect her. Bobby is upset by Vivian’s engagement to Brock, a naval officer who Bobby is convinced is ‘crooked.’ This is a touching episode full of deeply moving moments. Bobby confronts Vivian, while she’s being fitted for her wedding dress. He confesses that he didn’t mind sleeping alone, thinking she was in the same boat, and he always hoped they would reconcile. She tells him that he’s no longer “Mr. Right.” Darien is right there for Bobby, being supportive after that scene. In this episode, Darien also coins another nickname for Bobby: “If he finds out he’s right about this guy [Brock], there’ll be no stopping that little tiger.” In the end, noble Bobby saves Brock’s life, taking a bullet for him, and comes to a peaceful closure with Vivian.

We learn that Hobbes has been with the Agency under several “sponsors” including the Dept. of Food & Drug, and the Dept. of Education. He is injured, falling from a fire escape while arresting smugglers. Damage to his ‘working memory’ means Hobbes can’t remember anything for more than a few minutes. In the hospital, Darien repeatedly explains that he’s not undercover posing as patient. Hobbes’ is surprised (over and over again) that he has a “chick roomate” due to hospital overcrowding. His brain damage is repaired by a surgeon who turns out to be stealing brain cells from homeless people, leaving them spaced out and permanently disoriented. Hobbes and Fawkes track down these victims and, with the Keeper’s help, force the doctor to restore his victims to normal. We don’t know why, but Hobbes appeared to have no visitors while he was hospitalized, except for his co-workers at the Agency.

Although Hobbes’ partnership with Fawkes has been growing, Hobbes is capable of handling Fawkes when things get rough. Thinking Fawkes attacked the Official, Hobbes bursts into Darien’s apartment, subdues him and drags him back to the Agency in handcuffs. At gunpoint he threatens Darien, “you go see-thru, I shoot you.” When another ‘invisible man’ is suspected, Bobby and Darien work together to track him down. When Darien insists on having ‘a piece’ for protection, Hobbes tries to teach a very inept Darien how to handle a gun. We learn that Bobby thinks of Darien as a friend - not just a co-worker. It also becomes clear in this episode that Hobbes has a complex job, establishing a working partnership with Fawkes, while keeping his unpredictable partner under control.

Hobbes shows that he knows his partner well when he uses thermal goggles to intercept Fawkes as he escapes from jail. In this episode, Hobbes admits to having attention deficit disorder, and later tells Darien he’s nuts in thinking that the Official somehow faked Kevin Fawkes’ death. When Darien demands that Bobby choose between his interests or the Agency’s, we get another classic Hobbes-ism, “Bobby Hobbes doesn’t bail on his partner.” This episode ends with an emotionally moving scene in which Bobby silently joins Darien, helping him bury his brother.

Hobbes plays decoy for Fawkes when the Chinese try to kidnap ‘the invisible man’. Darien coats him with QuickSilver several times during this episode to continue the charade and help Bobby escape capture. Hobbes’ clearly feels that being covered in QuickSilver is a very creepy, skin-crawling feeling. To draw out the Chinese operatives, Hobbes takes Fawkes to one of his usual hang-outs, a bar in Chinatown where Bobby proves to be a popular fellow, and all-around babe-magnet. Claire (the Keeper) becomes quite upset at Bobby’s funeral, which she didn’t know was faked, and this episode concludes with Bobby awkwardly telling her in private how touched he was by what she said then. Is there a future for these two?

Hobbes and Fawkes have to track down an international assassin who blinds any witnesses to his crimes. This episode has lots of Hobbes-Fawkes banter. While attending a fashion magazine photography session, Hobbes is surrounded by fawning models. He also gets Fawkes to admit a ‘deep dark secret from his past,’ he worked as a model for awhile. Hobbes skill as a detective is highlighted in his explanations of sketch artist procedures and explanation to Fawkes about why the last victim was an unusual target for assassination. Hobbes’ is in charge of security at a general’s funeral, and goes a bit overboard, putting all the guests through search procedures.

This web site was created and designed by Lori Swanson, November 2000.  BIG thanks to Beth (Loganlover) for creating the "Who is Bobby Hobbes" "Hobbes Dossier" and "Our Little Tiger" pages! Great job!

All screen captures are my own creation. Please ASK before borrowing any pictures. Thanks.