WARNING: This article contains spoilers for NCIS season 16 that may influence your enjoyment in discovering the plotlines. Read at your own risk.
Diane Sterling (played by Melinda McGraw) is popping up in the NCIS season 16 finale. While this might seem like a shocking development, given that Diane died over three years ago with a gunshot through her head, the last episode of the season should explain the mental state of Gibbs (played by Mark Harmon) at the moment.
As seen in the teaser preview for the NCIS season 16 finale, Gibbs' second wife is talking to him like it is a normal day. However, if viewers carefully scrutinize the teaser, then it's easy to digress that whatever is happening is a product of Gibbs' imagination.
According to Cinema Blend, Diane is wearing a familiar outfit in the NCIS season 16 finale. It's the same clothes she wore on the day she was killed with a sniper bullet. Thus, it is highly likely Gibbs just imagines her presence following his breakdown in the penultimate episode.
In NCIS season 16 episode 23, which aired on Tuesday, May 14, on CBS, Gibbs suffered a breakdown triggered by some events in his personal life. He told Dr. Grace Confalone (played by Laura San Giacomo) that he's thinking of either retiring or giving up to the police for killing the ones responsible for his family's death, as per Entertainment Weekly.
Somehow, Grace was able to convince Gibbs that retiring or talking to the police aren't his options. The next day, Gibbs returned to work as if everything is fine. Except that, it's not.
As per the episode synopsis for the NCIS season 16 finale, Gibbs will continue to be haunted by another case so close to home. Fornell (played by Joe Spano) also returns in this episode as he seeks help from Gibbs to help his daughter who has been involved with drugs. Viewers may recall that Gibbs also lost his daughter and his first wife to drug dealers.
But Gibbs isn't going anywhere after NCIS season 16 despite these foreshadowing that he could be leaving his job. According to Deadline, Harmon has signed a new deal with CBS for NCIS season 17, which will be back in the fall.
The final episode of NCIS season 16 will air on Tuesday, May 21, at 8:00 p.m. on CBS.
