6 NCIS Plot Twists Fans Never Saw Coming

After more than twenty years on the air, this show continues to be a favorite among crime drama fans. As it begins the second part of its twenty-third season, even dedicated viewers are surprised by the latest episode, which brings back a former star character—but this time, they might be the bad guy.

NCIS is great at keeping viewers engaged by throwing unexpected plot twists into the show. It builds strong connections with its characters, then puts them in difficult situations with surprising developments. Even though the show is known for its twists, they still manage to shock and surprise the audience.

Eleanor Bishop’s Return Promises Major Reveals to Come

The latest midseason finale of NCIS Season 23 brought back a familiar face in a surprising way. Emily Wickersham, who played Agent Eleanor Bishop from Season 11 to Season 18, reappeared in the episode. The finale ended with a cliffhanger: Agent Jessica Knight (Katrina Law) received a new, potentially personal, assignment. The final scene revealed that Bishop was the one watching Knight from a distance.

As a longtime NCIS viewer, I always suspected Bishop wasn’t truly gone for good, and definitely hadn’t become a bad guy. It always seemed like there was something bigger going on with her departure back in Season 18 – staging that NSA leak felt like a setup for a much longer, undercover operation. And honestly, that’s where I think her story is heading now in Season 23. Still, seeing her return, even if it looks like she’s a villain, was a real surprise – a total shock to the system for fans like me.

Gibbs’s Coma Led to Major Reveals About His Past

The season 3 finale of NCIS features a dramatic turn when Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs is injured in a bomb blast on a Navy ship and falls into a coma. While unconscious, Gibbs relives painful memories from his past, including the loss of his wife and daughter. When he finally wakes up, his team is shocked to discover he has lost his memory of the last fifteen years.

Honestly, watching Gibbs’s story unfold has been a total rollercoaster! It’s been one shocking reveal after another, learning about the heartbreaking loss of his family – something he always kept so guarded. Then to find out he actually took justice into his own hands… wow. And just when you think things can’t get any more complicated, he wakes up with amnesia! It’s been amazing to see his team come together to support him through his recovery, but it’s definitely kept me on the edge of my seat.

Gibbs eventually recovers his memories, but this leads him to make the surprising decision to leave NCIS, creating a major cliffhanger at the end of the season (though he would return to his role in Season 3).

Gibbs Shoots McGee in “Sturgeon Season”

Throughout its many seasons, NCIS has always centered on the strong bonds between its agents. This is especially true for the original team, who remain fan favorites even after two decades. That’s why it was so surprising when, in a Season 18 episode called “Sturgeon Season,” Gibbs suddenly shot his friend and colleague, Tim McGee, in the leg. The show offered very little explanation at the time, instead rewinding to events from several days earlier and gradually revealing how the situation unfolded over the following episodes.

Okay, so as a huge fan of the show, I was totally on the edge of my seat waiting to find out why Gibbs shot McGee! It finally gets revealed in the fifth episode, “Head of the Snake,” and honestly, it was a relief. It wasn’t some dark, twisty thing – Gibbs actually shot him to save his life. Apparently, McGee was running to stop a plane from taking off, and Gibbs found out it was about to blow up!

Unable to reach his teammate and prevent him from entering a dangerous area, Gibbs shot McGee in the leg to stop him. Thankfully, McGee was alright, but this shocking moment left viewers stunned and worried.

Tony Discovers That He Has a Daughter With Ziva

Ziva David, played by Cote de Pablo, is a fan favorite throughout the entire run of NCIS. That’s why it was so upsetting when she disappeared. The show later delved into what happened to her, revealing in Season 13’s “Family First” that her home in Israel had been bombed and she was missing. The aftermath shockingly revealed she had a daughter, Tali, with Tony DiNozzo, born after she left NCIS.

Fans were already saddened by Ziva David’s off-screen death, but it was even more shocking to learn she’d kept Tony’s child a secret for years. This surprising reveal explained Michael Weatherly’s exit from NCIS, giving Tony a compelling reason to leave the show. He chose to be the father he always wished he had, stepping away from his career to raise his daughter, Tali, after her mother passed away. Even now, years later, this remains one of the most emotionally impactful moments in NCIS history.

Ziva David’s Return Is Just as Surprising as Her Off-Screen “Death”

For years, fans believed Ziva David was dead, following a suggestion that her character had died off-screen. Now, NCIS has revealed that Cote de Pablo’s character is actually alive! Season 17 brings Ziva back into the story, explaining that she pretended to die to mislead a dangerous enemy, Sahar, who seeks revenge for the death of Ari in an earlier season. Unfortunately, her return doesn’t lead to a reunion with Tony DiNozzo, as he previously left the team to focus on raising their child.

Ziva’s return to the show has been complicated, but fans are happy to have Cote de Pablo back in the role. Her supposed death and eventual return are two of the most surprising events in NCIS history, and it also opens the door for her to appear in future episodes.

Caitlin Todd’s Death Changed NCIS Forever

A truly shocking moment for fans of NCIS happened at the end of Season 2 when a main character was killed off for the first time. Special Agent Caitlin Todd, played by Sasha Alexander, was a key part of the show for its first two seasons, forming close bonds with DiNozzo and Gibbs. Just when it seemed she and the team had successfully secured a warehouse of potential terrorists, Todd was unexpectedly shot and killed. The following season’s first two episodes, titled “Kill Ari,” focused on Gibbs and the team’s pursuit of her murderer.

For years, viewers of NCIS assumed the main characters were always safe, no matter how dangerous their cases became. They always expected everyone to make it home. But that changed with Caitlin’s death. While other NCIS agents would later die, Caitlin’s death stood out because it was so shocking and had a lasting impact on the show and its characters.

2026-02-06 06:39