Mark Harmon has always brought out the best of Leroy Jethro Gibbs no matter what challenges he and his NCIS team faced. As most NCIS viewers know by now, Gibbs has stepped away from the action to live in relative peace in Alaska. Within these five episodes, different sides of the character come out.

We’ll see how they relate to one another in this look back at some of Gibbs’ best episodes.

Red Cell

In this Season 2 episode, we see Gibbs get busy in finding a wild killer. So, an NROTC midshipman happens to stumble over the body of a fellow midshipman at 2 AM on their university campus. Now, a third midshipman has disappeared, too. McGee gets busy and finds that third mid’s body. Abby chips in and helps out. But Leroy, played by Mark Harmon, does find the killer and he lets Kate and Tony cuff him. Seeing Gibbs work in this episode is a real treat.

Requiem

In this Season 5 episode, a special friend of Gibbs’ daughter asks for help with a Marine sergeant, who has begun stalking her. Gibbs gives him the word, but soon someone abducts the friend and tortures and kills the Marine. Gibbs and Tony end up solving the case and work together.

Twenty Klicks

In this season 12 episode, Gibbs is an action hero in Russia. His and McGee’s helicopter gets shot down while escorting an NCIS system administrator home. The killers track down the grounded team. But Gibbs stays one step ahead. He gets a chance to neutralize the pursuers with his sniper skills.

The Arizona

In this Season 17 episode, Christopher Lloyd guest stars as a Navy veteran who wants Leroy to bury him with his fellow Pearl Harbor survivors. Gibbs asks the man, 95, to recall that day in 1941. Harmon’s glassy-eyed look in the facial expression is not to be missed. Later, we see Gibbs confess to McGee about how his time in Kuwait changed him.

Great Wide Open

In this Season 19 episode, Gibbs and McGee head out to Alaska. But a friend of Gibbs’ daughter happens to ask for help with a Marine sergeant. See, he has begun stalking her. Gibbs gets involved. Soon, someone will abduct the friend and end up killing the Marine.