One of the biggest questions in NCIS season 18 is whether or not Maria Bello's Jack Sloane is officially leaving the CBS series. There's no official confirmation that the character will be departing from the department. However, her potential exit has been teased several times already.
In fact, it looks like there's already a plan on how to make Sloane's exit in NCIS season 18 worthwhile. In a recent interview with TVLine, co-showrunner Frank Cardea said that whenever they try to figure out how to exit a character, they always try to consider what does that character deserves.
Cardea said that Sloane is a very strong and passionate character. They are trying to find ways how to have her go on something worthy of that. Also, he made sure that what's going on between her and Gibbs (Mark Harmon) will be resolved before she leaves.
As for how Sloane will be written out in NCIS season 18, some speculated that the character might die. She could either be killed due to something case-related or hiding a medical condition. But, aside from that, there's a chance she'll suddenly disappear and this will become a mystery in the new season.
Perhaps, everyone starts to wonder where she went, which leads the team to uncover what happened to her and explained her absence. Sloane's departure could be family-related, as well. After all, it was revealed that she has a daughter, whom she gave up for adoption.
The two reconnect in season 17 and they're slowly building a good relationship. Sloane might choose to step back from her job and become more involved with her daughter. She may want to spend more time with her, especially since she's not around while she's growing up.
But then, Sloane could just choose to leave without any reasons and plans for her future. Probably, she wants to travel and have some time alone with herself. She may decide to live elsewhere and have a peaceful life moving forward.
Meanwhile, Bello's character will appear in eight episodes of NCIS season 18 -- but not necessarily the first eight to air. The actress is moving forward to pursue other opportunities and her story may not continue until mid-2021.
NCIS season 18 is currently in production. However, cast and crew still need to follow certain health guidelines and protocols to ensure their safety. Although the official release date is yet to be announced, the series is expected to return later in the fall.
