What Happened To Gibbs On NCIS?

Leroy Jethro Gibbs has been a staple piece of "NCIS" since the beginning, nearly 20 years ago. However, all good things must come to an end, and so has Mark Harmon's time on the procedural drama, wrapping a nice little bow on Gibbs' story in Season 19. 

Season 19, Episode 4, "Great Wide Open," follows Gibbs and McGee (Sean Murray) as they evade the law, traveling to Alaska to arrest the culprit of a string of murders. Afterward, Gibbs sees his charges expunged, allowing him to return to NCIS, but he has other plans. During an emotional fishing trip with McGee, Gibbs informs his longtime subordinate that he won't return to his day job, as Alaska has brought him new peace. "NCIS" leaves Gibbs' story open-ended, having a peaceful life in Alaska, which is the least he deserves after years of heartbreaking "NCIS" moments.

"NCIS" delivered an excellent end to Gibbs' story, so much so that even the fans are fine with not seeing Gibbs return. Although there are no plans for Harmon to return to "NCIS," the actor told Entertainment Tonight, "I'm not retired ... The character is living in Alaska as far as I know." Gibbs doesn't know what he's searching for in his new life but is confident he'll find it eventually, and "NCIS" is taking a similar approach to him returning one day. 

Ending a story is hard enough, let alone one that's 19 seasons in the making. However, "NCIS" managed to pull it off, wrapping up Gibbs' story in spectacular fashion. While it's far too early to discuss the longstanding special agent in charge's return to duty, Mark Harmon isn't sweating it, as he's pleased with how his journey ended.

"What has always drawn me here is the character I play and to keep it fresh and to keep it challenging," Harmon said during his Entertainment Tonight interview. "Plot-wise, this character has taken the path that it did. I thought it was honest and OK with." From the actor's words, it sounds like Harmon was more than ready to move on from "NCIS." Having played the same character for 19 years, he must have just reached his limit. We can't say that we blame him, as regardless of the quality of writing, it's hard to maintain any character for that long on screen.

However, as Harmon mentions in the interview, Gibbs is still out there living large in Alaska, and "NCIS" never fully closed the door on his possible return one day. In a statement to the outlet, showrunner Steven D. Binder teased, "Regarding the future of Gibbs, as longtime fans of the show may have noticed over the years ... never count Leroy Jethro Gibbs out." Given that "NCIS" is only one season out from Gibbs' departure, it's safe to say fans shouldn't expect Harmon to grace their screens anytime soon, but the series left his ending open for a reason, so Gibbs' return seems inevitable.