Calling out to all the NCIS fans, prepare to be shocked as there is a dramatic change of events in the series. Our beloved character Gibbs exits NCIS, and fans have been curious about what led to this. Don’t worry because we’re about to shed light on the matter at hand and find out what really happened to Leroy Gibbs.

During its remarkable 18-year run, one of the most well-known TV shows, developed by Don McGill and the creative Donald P. Bellisario, has lost several key cast members. None, though, have had as much effect as Mark Harmon’s exit. Harmon, best known for portraying Agent Gibbs, left an apparent void in the show. 

The question remained as to whether NCIS could continue successfully without Gibbs, who is still sorely missed by fans, despite the fact that CBS had previously replaced key performers on their shows. Early in the season, Harmon left, giving CBS plenty of time to determine whether the show would continue to succeed without him.

So gather your NCIS enthusiasts and brace yourselves as we uncover the truth and the secrets behind the fate of Gibbs!

Mark Harmon Leaving NCIS

Gibbs, aka Mark Harmon’s departure, had been cooking for a long time. The final nail in the coffin was when the team discovered that what they thought of as the works of a serial killer were actually the doings of a hired hitman. This is when Gibbs left Agent Alder Parker from the FBI and helped the hitman reach a location of his choice in trade for some much-needed information. The hitman eventually blew himself up, but not before revealing how he was responsible for killing the boat Gibbs owned and gave away the name of the person who hired him for the job.

Gibbs then left and traveled to Alaska and investigated Sonova Industries. It was news that the company’s CEO, Sonia Eberhart, had hired the hitman to kill anyone who would eventually expose the damage caused to the environment by the Copper Mining Project. The NCIA team and Gibbs blamed Sonia Eberhart for the death of a journalist who was investigating the case during that time. 

Gibbs’ Departure 

There have been a lot of essential episodes between Gibbs and his team, especially Nick Torres, played by Wilmer Valderrama. The shared moments spread throughout the last episode and indicated Gibbs’ departure. One of the most significant hints is when Gibbs drops his phone in his coffee mug because he knows he wouldn’t need it after his current case. 

But what makes it even more interesting is how Gibbs had no plans to retire. It came down to retirement because he had left the FBI and then helped a hitman find a location to end his life. This led to Gibbs breaking the law, wanting to serve his jail time, and even telling Parker his whereabouts.

That shouldn’t have been how Gibbs’s time should have ended on NCIS because Parker and the audiences themselves had seen all the good he had done. So he decided to go against the law himself and eventually lost the job because he didn’t want to arrest and take Gibbs in custody. Gibbs stayed where he was because he finally found much-needed peace, especially after losing his daughter and wife. 

He didn’t want to let go of this feeling. 

Gibbs Leaving Has Left in Confusion-Why Did He Leave?

Gibbs left the show because he wanted to leave and retire to a life of peacefulness. Gibbs did not want to die in a heroic incident; this meant he might return. (There is a possibility!)

The night Leroy Gibbs, aka Mark Harmon, departed, the showrunner Steve said that Mark continues to be an essential part of the show. According to him, it’s imperative to stay loyal to every character, and Steve believes the loyalty has led to the creation of some of the best characters and pathways. About Gibbs, he just said that underestimating Leroy Jethro Gibbs is silly, and longtime fans know they shouldn’t be making any assumptions. 

Did the NCIS Survive After Gibbs Left the Show?

Leroy Gibbs is one of the vital characters in the show, and fans have fallen in love with his character over the past years. But it is true that many shows have lost their protagonist but still do great for a few seasons. The rating of  Season 19 NCIS was the determining factor of the story, and according to Amazon, 89% of people still love the show and have continued to watch it. Gibbs left in the initial stage of the series (in episode 4) because they wanted to test out their theory and see the show’s fate without his presence. Over the course of the show, audiences have had to say goodbye to many other characters, and they are used to it. So this isn’t the first time this has happened. 

With that being said, there may be a chance that Gibbs will return in the future, and we will have to trust the writers the same way  Mark Harmon is. But fans know Agent Park’s presence in the show has filled the void to some extent. 

Bottom Line

As fans, this may be a sad moment for us, but just take a minute to be glad about the fact the writer chose to take Gibbs in the calmest way possible without avoiding death. The dying scene would have been too much to handle. But the departure of Leroy Jethro Gibbs has left us questioning whether there will be a comeback and when it will occur. Keep watching NCIS to see your favorite team solve crime matters and murder cases to protect the people from shortcomings!

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