The season 21 premiere of NCIS centres on Nick Torres’ case, but it also demonstrates how the unfinished business of Leroy Jethro Gibbs’s last years still affects the squad. In NCIS season 19, Mark Harmon made a less spectacular exit.

In its more than 20 years on the air, CBS’s procedural has seen a fair share of character exits; nevertheless, given his importance in the program, Harmon’s departure is likely the largest. Thus, even though Gibbs’s exit from the team wasn’t very eventful, it was always anticipated that his loss would be felt within the company for a considerable amount of time.

Many cast members have left NCIS over the years. Some are tragic—like the untimely death of Caitlin Todd in season 2—while others are brought about by a higher calling—like Tony Dinozzo’s unexpected daughter with former teammate Ziva David.

For Harmon, Gibbs merely decided to retire to Alaska following a traumatic case that provided a father with closure on her daughter’s passing. For him, who had been in the force for decades and was still troubled by the loss of his first wife and daughter, it was the ideal farewell.

Gibbs’ Unresolved Case Continues To Make NCIS As FBI’s Target

While Gibbs is certainly deserving of his peace, he did put his former colleagues in a challenging situation as the FBI continues to pursue them. The FBI was pursuing Gibbs in its last case due to a tenuous case that was supported by years of his unconventional case management style.

The agent assigned to oversee Gibbs’ arrest in Alaska was Gary Cole’s Alden Parker. However, upon seeing Gibbs’ exclusive focus on solving the case, Parker not only permitted the NCIS director to unravel the mystery but also declined to put him under custody.

After being sacked by the FBI, Cole was hired to succeed Gibbs; but, as the NCIS season 21 premiere revealed, his former employer is still fixated on the events that occurred in Alaska. So much so that they were prepared to ignore the evidence and declare Torres guilty without carrying out a thorough inquiry.

He might have been accused of murder and sentenced to prison if it weren’t for the NCIS’s covert operations. The NCIS and the FBI will continue to clash over Gibbs’ failure to return and wrap up business with the agency.

Gibbs’s comeback is most welcome because it coincides with the approaching Ducky Mallard memorial that was hinted at in the NCIS season 21 premiere cliffhanger.

Though the character doesn’t necessarily need a huge welcoming episode, and the underlying tension between NCIS and the FBI won’t be resolved, it would be awkward if Gibbs didn’t return to honour Ducky because they have been friends for a lifetime. Nothing conclusive, though, to suggest Harmon will be appearing.

However, given that Gibbs can enter covertly at Ducky’s burial without anyone noticing, it shouldn’t be too hard to pull off.