Mark Harmon's return in NCIS: Origins would be great if it were not for one promise Gibbs made to McGee during their last conversation. The NCIS: Origins premiere saw Harmon return to his most famous role, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, after he originally left the franchise in NCIS season 19. Season 19 also saw Gibbs and McGee, the last members of the original NCIS team, share a heartfelt goodbye, which has impacted Gibbs' appearance in NCIS: Origins.
Harmon is the only actor from NCIS who has appeared in NCIS: Origins so far. And while it is exciting to see Harmon return to his role again, and even briefly on-screen in NCIS: Origins' premiere episode story, his appearance creates more questions than answers. In particular, Harmon's narration in the NCIS prequel is contradictory to Gibbs' last conversation with McGee, which revealed the true reason why Gibbs was retiring in Alaska.
Mark Harmon's NCIS: Origins Return Explained
Harmon Has Returned In A Minor, But Significant, Role
NCIS: Origins cast Austin Stowell as the young Gibbs, but it also features Mark Harmon as the old Gibbs. The NCIS prequel takes place over 10 years before the NCIS premiere and follows the young Gibbs at the start of his NCIS career. The spinoff is also set in 1991, shortly after Gibbs lost his first wife and daughter. While Stowell plays the show's lead, Harmon appears as both a narrator and a minor character in the present day. He is mainly shown sitting around a lit campfire and writing in his journal, thinking about the past.
It is still unclear why old Gibbs is the narrator or what he is writing down in his journal, but it is clear that Gibbs is still in Alaska. After saying goodbye to his NCIS team in season 19, Gibbs moved to Alaska and has not left since. His appearance in the NCIS: Origins premiere could mean that he is finally giving himself the time and space to revisit his past. This would also explain Gibbs' narration, which often gives added emotional context to Stowell's scenes.
Old Gibbs' Admission In NCIS: Origins Walks Back On His Promise To McGee
Gibbs Promised He Was Finally At Peace
NCIS: Origins has revealed that old Gibbs still struggles with his past. The scenes of Gibbs around the fire, writing in his journal, have revealed the intense emotional pain that Gibbs holds onto decades later. Old Gibbs' narration in particular shows the extent of Gibbs' pain. His admission of his struggles makes the scenes with Stowell even sadder, as the emotional context gives the scenes a deep somber tone. Gibbs' struggles in NCIS: Origins also contradict one of NCIS' most vital Gibbs scenes.
In NCIS season 19, episode 4, "Great Wide Open," while on a fishing trip in Alaska, Gibbs reveals to McGee that he wishes to stay and retire there. As McGee tries to persuade Gibbs to change his mind, Gibbs says that he is finally at peace and he has made his decision.
"Whatever I am feeling… this-this sense of peace… I-I have not had this since Shannon and Kelly died. And I'm not ready to let it go."
The heartfelt farewell scene has been cemented as one of the best Gibbs scenes because it is Gibbs' last appearance on NCIS, and it shows the strong bond between Gibbs and McGee, who have been colleagues and friends for years. The significance of the scene also makes Gibbs' admission in NCIS: Origins so confusing. He told McGee he wanted to stay because he was at peace, but NCIS: Origins revealed he was anything but. Season 19 seemed to say that Gibbs finally had well-deserved closure, but the NCIS spinoff has shown it was not the end of his story.
Why Gibbs Is Continued To Be Haunted In His NCIS Retirement
Gibbs Is Still Regretful
The early episodes of NCIS: Origins have revealed that Gibbs is still regretful. In the early part of season 1, episode 1, "Enter Sandman," Gibbs hauntingly spoke about ignoring his gut instincts when saying goodbye to Shannon and Kelly for the last time. While this is likely his largest regret, given the show's tone and Gibbs' dark environment whenever Harmon narrates, it seems as though Gibbs is plagued with regrets, which will likely be revealed over the course of NCIS: Origins.
Gibbs' sentiments surrounding his retirement could also be worsened by the fact that he is alone. Perhaps Gibbs said he was at peace in season 19 because he had been surrounded by loved ones all that time. The NCIS team is a family, even with character departures. Now that Gibbs is alone, his retirement could be haunting him because he is forced to think about his heavy and traumatic past. This could also explain the tone shift between NCIS: Origins and NCIS, and it will be interesting to see where his story goes.
