For years, fans saw Mark Harmon bring Leroy Jethro Gibbs to life on NCIS. The character left the show a few years back. However, one recent episode has fans wondering if Gibbs could be closer than they think. Recently, a series showrunner weighed in on the idea. This also comes out as Harmon himself recently talked about a possible return.
Viewers Saw Mark Harmon As Gibbs On NCIS From 2003 To 2021
As an actor, Harmon is best known for his role as Leroy Jethro Gibbs on NCIS. First appearing in two episodes of JAG, Harmon appeared on NCIS from 2003 to 2021.
In the 2021 episode “Great Wide Open,” Gibbs found peace after relocating to Alaska. Gibbs also narrates the prequel series, NCIS: Origins, which focuses on the character’s past. However, recent events on the main show have some fans thinking Gibbs could be closer than it seems.
In the episode “Deal with the Devil,” the team is dealing with the aftermath of Director Vance’s death. Meanwhile, former Army CID Director Wayne Rogers is facing his day in court.
However, Tim and Nick muse that they wouldn’t mind him being taken out with the Gibbs method, involving a sniper bullet and 1,500 yards. This was a reference to the fact that Harmon’s character killed Pedro Hernandez, the man responsible for the death of his wife and daughter.
Some Fans Suspect Parker & Gibbs Could Have Recently Come Together
This proves somewhat prophetic, as Rogers is killed by a sniper bullet from 4,500 feet while being driven by WITSEC to a new location. It turns out that the alternator was disconnected, allowing the sniper to make the deadly shot. Later, when Parker is asked about this, he admits that he isn’t much of a sniper, but knows someone in Alaska who is, all the while cooking salmon.
Thanks to this, some fans suspect that the show could be setting up Gibbs as being the sniper involved. In addition, the ending could hint at him working alongside Parker to do this.
On the other hand, there are some issues with this idea. Travelling from Alaska to Washington, D.C., would leave a trail. Even the Alaskan salmon could just be a red herring, since it would take days to transport them from the state directly. Likewise, Gibbs seems to have changed his mind on revenge plots as the years went by, often talking characters out of them in later stories.
However, Gibbs’ changing thoughts on the issue of revenge might not be as much of an issue as it seems. Speaking with Parade, series showrunner Steven D. Binder also recently weighed in on the idea. As he noted, the situations between Rogers and Hernandez were different kettles of fish.
Mark Harmon Also Recently Talked About The Show During A Recent Podcast Appearance
Binder noted, “Even if we run with the idea that Gibbs truly regrets murdering Pedro Hernandez, this situation is a little different. The murder of Pedro was pure revenge: Pedro was back in Mexico. He was never going to cross paths with Gibbs, nor anyone Gibbs loved, ever again.”
“The situation with former CID Director Rogers was quite different. Rogers was going to disappear. He was going to continue getting people killed. And he made a very explicit threat that Parker and the NCIS family were going to be in his crosshairs.”
As Binder continued, “So, if you’re Gibbs, what do you do about that? Nothing is not an option. And there are very few options left.” In other words, while one case seems like revenge, the other could be argued to be self-defense.
That said, only time will tell what will happen on the show. Meanwhile, Harmon himself recently discussed the possibility of a full-on return during a recent appearance on the NCIS: Partners & Probies podcast.
Harmon wasn’t against the idea of appearing, but shared that he wasn’t going to instigate it. He shared, “I wait to be asked. I’m not gonna dive in there and say anything unless you ask me. And you’d be surprised how many people don’t ask, right? And that’s OK, too. It’s a different way of doing it. Not the way I did it, but that doesn’t make it right. Part of this is being surrounded by talented people and allowing them to do their job individually and trusting that.”
Do you think NCIS is setting up Gibbs’ return? Have you been following this story? Make sure you come back to TV Shows Ace for all the latest TV and celebrity news.
John Witiw has been a writer since at least 2015. He’s covered a variety of topics, especially when it comes to film and television.
