‘NCIS’ Revealed a Gibbs-Related Twist in Season 19, Episode 10

Gibbs might have left NCIS, but he’ll never be forgotten. In a recent episode of the CBS series, McGee (Sean Murray) and Palmer (Brian Dietzen) received a generous gift from Gibbs (Mark Harmon). While Gibbs himself did not show up in the episode, he certainly left his mark all the same. 

According to TVLine, McGee and Palmer each received a deposit of $10,000 into their bank accounts. Throughout the episode, which was titled “Pledge of Allegiance,” the two men tried to figure out who they received this sum from. At the end of the episode, they received their answer from Vance (Rocky Carroll). He explained, “I wanted to welcome you as the newest members of the Leroy Jethro Gibbs College Scholarship Fund.”

Both McGee and Palmer said that Gibbs’ gifts were “too generous” for them to accept and that they would be giving their former boss the funds back. However, Vance said that they wouldn’t be able to do that and added that he “should know” from experience. He said that he became a member of the Leroy Jethro Gibbs College Scholarship Fund when his children were the same age as McGee and Palmer’s.

Vance then gave some backstory on Gibbs’ college fund. He explained that Gibbs originally set up the fund for his daughter Kelly. When she died at a young age, he decided to keep the fund open. Not only did he keep the fund active, but he also added to it over the years. Vance said, “He has helped a lot of agents’ families.” After McGee fondly remarked that Gibbs has such a “legacy,” Palmer mentioned that he’d like to be able to thank him “in person” eventually. At that point, Vance expressed, “Well, hopefully, one day you will.”

As NCIS fans know, Harmon exited the series earlier this season. While he was originally going to leave at the end of Season 18, Harmon decided to return for a few episodes in Season 19 after learning that CBS would have canceled the procedural drama without him. Even though he did depart the series, NCIS showrunner Steve Binder did hint that this wasn’t the last that audiences have seen of Gibbs. The producer told TVLine, “Our north star has always been staying true to our characters, and that truth has always guided the stories we tell and where those characters go. So regarding the future of Gibbs, as long-time fans of the show may have noticed over the years… never count Leroy Jethro Gibbs out.”