Ellie Bishop's NCIS comeback: How her exit and kiss with Torres set up the most emotional Season 23 reunion

A still from the show (Image via youtube/@L.A. Hearts)
A still from the show (Image via CBS)

CBS continues to surprise with its long-running procedural drama. NCIS Season 23 has already given fans reunions they didn't expect. One name keeps coming up in conversations, and that is Ellie Bishop. She worked as an NSA analyst before becoming a field agent. Four years have passed since she disappeared, and nobody has received real answers about why she left. Bishop walked away in season 18 under weird circumstances.

People thought she leaked classified stuff. The finale revealed she was going undercover, but that last scene with Torres? Pure emotion. NCIS season 23 loves bringing back familiar faces through spin-offs and cameos. Bishop coming back now makes total sense. Recent clues from the cast and episode summaries got fans talking about her return.


A different kind of agent joins the team

Ellie Bishop showed up in season 11 looking nothing like previous agents. Other female team members had backgrounds in law enforcement or the military. Bishop came from an intelligence background, but her habits raised eyebrows. She sat on the floor during briefings and consumed snacks at random to enhance her brain function. Interrogations became mind games she usually won, and people noticed her right away.

Field training wasn't her initial preference, but she adapted quickly. Her brain worked differently from everyone else's. That became her strength. Seven seasons showed her growth from analyst to capable operative. The quirky stuff stayed with her, though.


The shocking exit that changed everything

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Nobody saw Bishop's exit coming as there were zero announcements beforehand. Other departing cast members gave fans a warning. Her season 18 finale hit different. She admitted to leaking NSA files and walked out.

Viewers got the real story, though. Bishop tanked her own career on purpose. Going undercover with Odette Malone required it. Right before vanishing, she kissed Torres. Years of unspoken feelings came out in one moment. Their story just stopped there.


Why NCIS season 23 is the perfect time for her return?

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NCIS season 23 keeps revisiting old territory. Tony and Ziva got their own spinoff. Origins explores how characters became who they are, and McGee's writing career resurfaced. Crossover episodes brought familiar faces back. Sean Murray dropped hints about someone returning after a long absence.

The fall finale description mentions hunting down a former team member. Those details match Ellie Bishop perfectly, given how she left. Her comeback would shake things up. Everyone believed her innocent before that confession. Finding out the truth about her mission changes everything. Torres carries the most baggage there. NCIS season 23 could finally show what happened during those missing years.


The emotional stakes of a reunion

Torres and Bishop danced around their feelings constantly. Work came first, but something else simmered beneath the surface. That goodbye kiss confirmed what everyone suspected. Her leaving without explanation stung all the more because of it. Seeing each other again means dealing with unfinished business. Torres never got closure.

If NCIS season 23 makes Ellie Bishop the target of a manhunt, drama follows naturally. Does the team help her or follow orders? Trust was broken once already. McGee worked alongside her daily. Her confession blindsided him completely. Running into her after years would bring those messy emotions back. Every relationship she had deserves exploration.


What could her return mean for the show?

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Ellie Bishop's return opens storytelling doors. Undercover work transforms people. She probably crossed lines she never imagined crossing. Rejoining her old team after that? Complicated doesn't begin to cover it.

A manhunt adds immediate stakes. NCIS tracking her down means something big happened. Her mission went sideways, maybe. Or she discovered information that somebody wants to be buried. Either scenario puts former teammates in impossible situations.

NCIS season 23 thrives on character moments like these. Fans remember emotional beats between team members more than case-of-the-week stuff. Bishop showing up after disappearing hits those feelings while packing in suspense.

Recent set visits and podcast appearances suggest the actress stays connected to the show. Nothing's confirmed yet, but pieces keep falling into place. The timing works. The story's potential exists. Fans want answers about what happened to her. NCIS season 23 is expected to finally bring back Ellie Bishop and give fans the reunion they deserve.


Keep reading Soap Central for more information.

Edited by Amey Mirashi