NCIS Just Rewrote Knight’s Entire Storyline by Reviving Its Most Complicated Character Exit

NCIS Season 23 has changed the course of the franchise and Jessica Knight’s (Katrina Law) story in its fall finale, delivering the flagship’s most shocking cliffhanger in years. In Episode 9, “Heaven and Nature,” a former member of Leroy Jethro Gibbs’ (Mark Harmon) Major Case Response Team (MCRT) returns, with a daunting new development for Season 23’s cast.

It’s been a massive season for CBS’s Navy procedural, which has rebounded from less optimal storytelling in recent seasons. NCIS undoubtedly experienced some growing pains following Mark Harmon’s exit in Season 19. However, Season 23 has delivered exciting developments for Gibbs’ replacement, Alden Parker (Gary Cole), and now for Jessica Knight with her NCIS Elite story.

Who Is Eleanor Bishop In NCIS Season 23? Knight’s NCIS Elite Target Explained

In the midseason finale of NCIS Season 23, Knight finally gets an update from Director Leon Vance (Rocky Carroll) about her training with NCIS Elite. Knight’s team has received its first mission, tracking down a wanted fugitive. The plot twists when Vance sends Jess a photo of their target, and it’s Eleanor Bishop (Emily Wickersham), a former MCRT mate.

The plot thickens even further when the impactful NCIS episode cuts to former Agent Bishop, who is watching Knight and the rest of her team from a distance as they attend Parker’s mother’s funeral. Whatever she has gotten herself into, Bishop is clearly one step ahead of the agency, and she may already know that Elite will be tracking her.

There has been virtually no mention of Eleanor Bishop since her exit in NCIS Season 18, but Ellie used to be a staple of Gibbs’ team. Agent Bishop, who initially transferred from the NSA, worked alongside agents like Timothy McGee (Sean Murray) and Anthony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly) for eight seasons before leaving NCIS for an undercover mission.

Why Eleanor Bishop Left NCIS And Why She Is A Wanted Fugitive In Season 23

Image via CBS

Eleanor Bishop left NCIS in Season 18 after meeting Odette Malone (Elayn J. Taylor), a CIA agent who once worked with Ziva David (Cote de Pablo) on a top-secret case. To leave NCIS and work undercover with Malone, part of the plan was for Bishop to discredit herself with the agency and reveal that she had leaked NSA documents.

Therefore, Eleanor Bishop’s NCIS exit was a bit scandalous, unlike other heartfelt departures that feel more resolved, such as Gibbs’s or Tony’s. However, Bishop’s CIA position could have something to do with why she’s a wanted fugitive in NCIS Season 23. The series established that Bishop was working undercover, which could have landed her in hot water.

Vance declines to reveal more information when he tells Jess about her first NCIS Elite operation. However, NCIS Season 23’s midseason return will likely explain the mission more thoroughly when the procedural is back in 2026. Until then, it’s anyone’s guess whether Bishop is working for the CIA and her crimes are explainable, or if she’s become a legitimate criminal.

Bishop’s story could mirror NCIS Season 22’s premiere, which initially portrays Knight as a wanted criminal holding a priest hostage. NCIS ultimately reveals that Knight has found the leader of the Nexus cartel and has bent the rules for the greater good. Bishop’s story could unfold similarly, with her crimes ultimately linking back to her undercover CIA mission.

What Bishop’s Return Means For Jessica Knight And Nick Torres

As a former agent, Bishop’s apparent betrayal will ripple through NCIS if the rest of the team learns about Knight’s Elite mission. Torres, McGee, Jimmy (Brian Dietzen), and Kasie (Diona Reasonover) all worked with Ellie. That said, her return has much bigger implications for Knight and for Torres, who had feelings for Bishop before she suddenly left the team.

Nick hesitated to date after Ellie’s departure, and his feelings for her could still be unresolved, which is probably why Jess looks to him when Vance asks her for discretion. It’s likely only a matter of time before the entire MCRT knows about Knight’s mission, and if that time comes, Torres’ unresolved feelings could rise to the surface.

With NCIS Season 23 seemingly establishing a love triangle between Dr. Palmer, Knight, and Torres, the most impactful part of Bishop’s return could be how it affects what’s unfolding between Jess and Nick. In a sense, the series has established yet another love triangle, since Bishop could now come between them as Knight’s story ramps up.

Regardless of how it plays out, the flagship undoubtedly delivered one of the most shocking plot twists in NCIS history in Season 23. Fans will have to wait until February 24, when NCIS returns next year with Season 23, Episode 10, to find out what happens next. Until then, Ellie, a former NSA analyst, is watching her old team.