What Happened to Leroy Gibbs in NCIS: Origins’ Finale?
NCIS: Origins has recently dropped a distressing finale, hinting at the possible death of a major character. Fans are now wondering what happened to Gibbs at the end and how the show gears up for Season 2. The debut season of the show aired its 18th and final episode titled “Cecilia” on April 28, 2025.
Here’s everything we know about Gibbs’ fate in the finale of NCIS: Origins.
Leroy Gibbs’ fate in NCIS: Origins’ finale aka Episode 18 explained
No, Leroy Jethro Gibbs is not dead in the final episode of NCIS: Origins, but Lala Dominguez could be.
In the finale, Gibbs turns over the rifle that he had used to shoot Pedro Hernandez. Although Lala knew about it, she chose to protect Gibbs. Earlier in the show, Macy, who was investigating the death of Hernandez, had asked Gibbs where the murder weapon was. However, Gibbs continued to maintain his innocence until it grew on his conscience. He decided to give himself up and admit to Macy that it was he who shot Hernandez, handing over the rifle to her.
During an intimate moment in the pool with Lala, where he almost kissed her, Gibbs blurted out about giving his gun to Macy. She hurried to Macy’s house and convinced her to drop the case. Reluctant at first, Macy eventually gives in and thus saves Gibbs from a life in prison. Shortly after, the show drops a devastating finale.
As Lala drives back to Gibbs to tell him about her interaction with Macy, she gets into a lethal car crash after taking a sharp turn to save a little girl on the street. In the background, we hear Mark Harmon’s narration as an older Leroy Gibbs saying Lala was “coming to tell me she had saved me. I would only find out later what she did for me. But that’s not what made me love her. I loved her all along. I still do.” This dejected tone of the monologue implies that Lala may not survive the crash. However, the episode ends in a cliffhanger, leaving Lala’s fate uncertain.
The final moments of the episode see Gibbs at his old house when he meets the real estate agent who is selling his family home. It turns out to be Diane Sterling, the future wife of Leroy Gibbs as seen in the original series. This revelation promises an exciting new chapter in Gibbs’ life, setting the stage for the second season.
