Will Abby Die on 'NCIS'

The Setup

In the last scene of the May 1 episode, Abby is shown leaving a restaurant with co-worker Clayton Reeves (Duane Henry). An unknown man approaches them and pulls a gun on them in an apparent mugging.

Abby then tries to talk the shooter down, there is a momentary struggle and a shot rings out. The screen cuts to black before we see who was shot and what exactly happened.

Last Known Condition

The in-episode status of Abby is unknown due to the quick cut-to-black.

She is alive after that initial attack however, as she is seen in a hospital in the preview for Tuesday night's episode.

medical professionals rushing to treat Abby at a hospital. She is then shown unconscious in a hospital room as the NCIS team visits her.

McGee (Sean Murray) is seen discussing her condition, saying "The outlook's not so good."

Team Visit

The team spends equal time grappling with the shooting and and seemingly saying goodbyes.

"How could this happen?" Nick Torres (Wilmer Valderrama) says. "Can anyone explain that to me?"

Agent Gibbs (Mark Harmon) has the most emotional moment in the teaser as he feels guilt for not being there to protect her.

"I know I let you down, Abs," Gibbs says. "I said that I would always keep you safe."

Past Deaths

Death is often taboo in a network drama, but NCIS has done it in the past.

Both Caitlin Todd (Sasha Alexander) and Jenny Shepard (Lauren Holly) were killed off in their exits from the series.

However, Ziva David (Cote de Pablo) originally resigned, but she later declared as dead a few seasons later.

Past Non-Lethal Exits

Michael Weatherly, who played Tony DiNozzo, left the show after 306 episodes in a non-lethal way. He simply had to leave the show to be a good father to his daughter.

Another non-lethal exit came with Alexandra Quinn (Jennifer Esposito). She left to care for an ailing mother.

Weatherly's departure is probably the closest exit in magnitude to Perrette's exit, so producers may take some cues from that strategy.

Creative Process

Forming a proper send-off for Abby has been a lengthy process, signifying that the producers want to make a lasting impression and truly wrap up the character's arc.

"We've known for some time this would be Pauley's final season on NCIS and have been working toward a special send-off," executive producers George Schenck and Frank Cardea said in a statement. "From day one, she has brought incredible passion and specificity to the role. Abby is a character that inspires millions of fans around the world, and all of us at NCIS are appreciative of Pauley for portraying her."

Perrette's Warning

Perrette also tweeted out a message that did not bode well for the character.

"I'm so worried about you guys for Tuesdays episode of the #GoodbyeAbby," Perrette wrote. "It's sad, but I hope hope hope you will all watch. I want the world to watch. I did my best work for you. And TONS of flashbacks. Everyone is there. Love you! Get everyone to watch please."

Her Future Plans

As for why she is saying goodbye to the show after more than 350 episodes as a main cast member, Perrette touched on the fact that she wants a bit of privacy.

"It's being a commodity," Perrette said. "I think I've earned some time to myself (to) stay home, go to church."

Despite that desire for privacy, the 49-year-old actress is not looking to retire from acting. She said she loves the work, and she is currently fielding a slew of offers from "everyone."

"It's not like people aren't asking," Perrette said. "I'm being offered.. a lot. There's a lot of conversations going on. And there's me sitting at home on the couch drinking beer with my dogs, and I'm really good at it."

This could signal that Perrette has no desires to return to NCIS down the line, either because of stepping away from Hollywood or getting caught up in a new role.

'NCIS' Is Deep Into Its Life

Another reason that Abby might be killed is mostly because of NCIS' age.

The show is 15 seasons old, which is a long run for just about any scripted TV series. The idea behind preserving Abby would most likely be for her to come back for a visit later down the line. However, the show may not be around that far down the line for the visit to make sense.

If she cannot come back, it might make sense just to kill her off.

The Possibilities

There are a lot of sign points to NCIS killing off Abby. The timing makes sense, and it will surely be an emotionally impactful moment. Furthermore, the trailers make it seem like Abby is done for.

However, there is still a slight chance Abby will just be in a coma or will just be so injured she will not be able to work for the team again. If the writers have her life saved and stable in a hospital and then kill her after the NCIS team says goodbye, it would be a pretty weird choice.

Plus, in the age of reboots and revivals, networks may not want to kill off such a familiar face in case they ever want her back years later.

We'll just have to wait and see if Abby bites the dust or lives to fight another day later down the line.

NCIS airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS