Directed by Tony Wharmby
Written by Gary Glasberg
Gibbs questions the choices he has made during the course of his life when a man pulls a gun on him at a diner.
Tropes in this episode:
- Alternate Time Line / Universe: Gibbs has a near-death experience and while in limbo he's shown glimpses of alternate time lines where:
- he saw Ari in time and prevented him from shooting Kate, causing her to marry DiNozzo and have kids, as do Abby and McGee, but Ziva remains hostile and antisocial);
- he didn't shoot Pedro Hernandez, but being unable to get revenge eventually turns him into a bitter alcoholic; and
- Shannon didn't testify against the drug dealers, so she and Kelly live but Gibbs is killed shortly thereafter during a tour of duty.
- The Bus Came Back: Dead characters like Mike Franks, Kate Todd, Jenny Shepard, Riley McCallister and Ari Haswari come back.
- Babies Ever After: Tony and Kate have a baby, and so does Abby and McGee.
- Death Notification: If Shannon hadn't testified against Pedro Hernandez, she and Kelly would have lived. And then a cadre of Marines would have shown up at their door...
- Dramatic Drop: In the alternate timeline where Shannon and Kelly live, she sees two Marines at her door and, knowing that they've come to tell her her husband is dead, drops a plate to the floor.
- Fond Memories That Could Have Been: Gibbs sees his younger self kissing the female recruit he had a crush on, clearly wondering what would have happened had he acted on his feelings for her.
- Jerkass Has a Point: Riley McAllister who was exposed and killed for trying to assassinate Vance in "Enemies Domestic", tells Gibbs that sometimes revenge is necessary to keep balance in your own head, and Gibbs was right to kill Pedro Hernandez, the man who murdered Gibbs's wife and daughter. Franks, of course, hearing that McAllister was in the diner (Gibbs's head), dismisses him as an "opinionated jackass."
- Milestone Celebration: The 200th episode of NCIS.
- Shirtless Scene: Palmer is laid on Abby's table shirtless while Abby attempts to soothe his torn muscles by hitting various pressure points. They are just about to finish as Gibbs walks in.
