Leroy Jethro Gibbs, the mainstay character of the Naval Cr1minal Investigative Service, made his first appearance during the “JAG” two-part storyline, which also served as the backdoor pilot for “NCIS.” “JAG” Season 8, Episode 20’s “Ice Queen” introduced fans to Mark Harmon’s guttural, bossy, and frequently difficult to get along with special agent. And while Gibb’s trademark stare may not be as lethal as Medusa’s, it will stop both his colleagues and cr1minals in their tracks.
Harmon played Gibbs for 18 seasons after his “JAG” debut, but he retired Jethro’s smile and witty ways after Season 19, Episode 4’s “Great Wide Open.” The farewell was heartfelt, but it also contained a ray of hope for the future. Gibbs gives McGee (Sean Murray) a heartfelt hug and talks with him about Jethro’s decision to stay in Alaska. Fans might not have seen the last of Gibbs’ steely stare.
“What has always drawn me here is the character I play, and keeping it fresh and challenging,” Harmon explained in an interview. (via Entertainment Tonight). “From a plot standpoint, this character chose the path that it did. I thought it was sincere, and [I’m] fine with it. I’m not done working. As far as I know, the character resides in Alaska.” “NCIS” may have given Harmon an open-ended ending, but some fans would prefer Gibbs to continue fishing and lounging in The Last Frontier.
Fans are happy with Gibbs’ departure.
Agent Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon) retires from “NCIS” during the character’s farewell appearance, and even if the character is still alive and well in Alaska, some fans aren’t interested in seeing him again. “Season 19, Episode 4 gives him a great sendoff,” u/benb223 wrote on Reddit. “I fear that if he comes back, the writers will mess it up, and it will ruin the peace he now has.” Gibbs’ departure from the show bid him farewell, but some fans were relieved to see him go. “Gibbs must be permanently removed!” Reddit user u/Middle-Leader-2293 added a comment.
“I believe the ship sailed on the appearance of Gibbs,” Redditor u/Karl_Racki wrote. “When I read that he wanted his character to be k1lled off, I assumed he was done appearing and playing that role.” Other “NCIS” fans are concerned that Harmon’s return will result in Gibbs’ d3ath sentence. “I’m perfectly fine with his exit from the show: surrounded by nature and experiencing a sense of calm and peace that [by his own admission] he hadn’t felt since the d3aths of Shannon and Kelly,” Redditor u/HelpImAwake insisted.
U/HelpImAwake also stated that seeing Gibbs go out in such a way was preferable to the character returning only to be k1lled off. For other “NCIS” fans, a Harmon-less “NCIS” is agonizing to watch. “I’m missing Gibbs!” u/MaineBoston posted on Reddit. Others find Jethro’s absence unbearably difficult to bear. “I stopped watching after Gibbs left,” u/ghostgoddess7 observed.
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