Lieutenant "Doc" Rios was the independent duty corpsman assigned to the USS Nathan James (DDG-151). He is portrayed by Maximiliano Hernandez.
Events of The Last Ship[]
Season 3[]
He is promoted to Ensign in the US Navy Medical Corps and made Chief Medical Officer of the Nathan James. He is captured by pirates as a P.O.W. and forced to help with the transfusions of blood from the captured crew into the pirates. Rios is also forced to treat the pregnant Kyoko who is determined to have malaria. During the rescue of the crew, Rios kills one of the pirates with a pair of scissors, something that is shown to leave him briefly shaken.
Upon returning to the ship, Rios continues treating Kyoko for her malaria and determines that she and Takehaya have both the Red Flu and the cure in their systems. However, the cure is ineffective upon them for some reason. When Kyoko's baby goes into distress, Rios performs an emergency C-section with the help of a reluctant Danny Green and successfully delivers a baby boy. With Takehaya's approval, Rios administers the cure to the baby which proves to be successful despite the cure having no effect on both of the parents.
At Chandler's request, Rios rebuilds Dr. Rachel Scott's lab in an attempt to find out if the virus has mutated. With the help of Rachel's notes, Rios discovers that while the virus in Takehaya and Kyoko appears bulkier for some reason, it has not mutated as feared. Following the recovery of a smuggled missile, Rios discovers that Peng Wu has developed an anti-cure that shields the virus from Rachel's cure, rendering it ineffective. Rios reassures Chandler that the crew, having received the cure prior to their exposure to the anti-cure, is safe. However, the effects of the anti-cure upon Takehaya and his wife are permanent, meaning that they will die. While the two are on the ship, Rios does his best to treat them, continuing to provide Takehaya and his wife with blood transfusions which become less effective over time.
Season 4[]
Rios continues his work as the Nathan James doctor during the Red Rust crisis. After the crew recovers the seeds, Rios is shown tending to a cured plant that they had also recovered. According to Mike Slattery, Rios thinks that they can spread Paul Vellek's cure to the Red Rust in half of the time that the virus had spread in the first place.
Season 5[]
Sometime prior to the events of Season 5, Ensign Rios rose to the rank of Lieutenant.
Lieutenant Rios was killed in the Fleet Week attack after he attempted to give medical aid to the wounded Captain Garnett.
In the series finale, LT Rios is one of the characters with whom Tom had served (most of them deceased,) who appears in his hallucination as he is drowning, after Nathan James sinks ramming Gustavo's Battleship in order to end the war with Gran Colombia. Tom views, and then is part of, an award ceremony for him, which also serves as a change of command ceremony for Nathan James. When President Michener asks Tom if he is ready to be relieved (as commanding officer,) Tom hesitates and wonders aloud who he is passing responsibility onto. Rios is one of the sailors in the audience for the ceremony (who are also Tom's close friends and allies,) stand and declare that they have the watch, allowing Tom to finally achieve peace and be able to mentally and emotionally let go of both Nathan James, and of the burdens he has carried around since the plague began, secure in the knowledge that others will always be there.
Ultimately, Tom decides to keep fighting, swim to the surface, and live.
Awards and Decorations[]
The following are the medals and service awards seen worn on Rios's uniform in the show. Rios received the Bronze Star for his actions during the Red Flu crisis.
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