The midseason finale of NCIS brought an emotional end to a longtime mystery and kicked off a new one. Titled “Heaven and Nature,” the episode that aired on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, finally revealed what happened to Alden Parker’s mother while setting a shocking new mission into motion for Jessica Knight.
Parker’s Childhood Mystery Finally Solved
For years, Alden Parker carried guilt and confusion about his mother’s sudden disappearance, believing she died in a drunk-driving crash. Haunted by a childhood memory of a girl named Lily, he started to question the official story. His search led to a grim discovery: the body in his mother’s grave was not hers. Forensic scientist Kasie Hines and medical examiner Jimmy Palmer identified the woman as Judy, the first wife of a violent former police officer named Lester Burm.
Parker eventually found Lily, now an adult using the name Penelope Johnson. She revealed the full story. Parker’s mother, Eleanor, discovered Burm was hurting his family and intervened to help Judy and Lily escape. After a car accident that killed Judy, Eleanor saved Lily and planned to take her to safety. Burm tracked them down and killed Eleanor to stop her from exposing him. With help from Director Leon Vance, Parker located his mother’s car in a lake, confirming the truth.
Parker’s final words at his mother’s new burial service were, “I’m a pretty long way from okay”. The truth provided long-needed closure, showing him his mother was a hero who sacrificed herself to protect a child, and she never willingly left her family.
Knight’s First NCIS: Elite Mission Revealed
While Parker dealt with his personal case, the team worked on recovering a stolen truck filled with Christmas toys for a Navy holiday drive. In the episode’s final moments, a separate, more secretive storyline took center stage. Director Vance formally gave Jessica Knight her first assignment as part of the covert NCIS: Elite unit.
Knight was instructed to track down a former NCIS agent who is now a target. She was told to keep the details and the target’s identity completely secret. The episode ended with a stunning double reveal: the target is former agent Eleanor “Ellie” Bishop, and Bishop was secretly watching Knight and the rest of the team from a car during Parker’s mother’s burial service.
Ellie Bishop’s Unexpected Return
The return of Emily Wickersham as Ellie Bishop marks the character’s first appearance since her dramatic exit in the Season 18 finale in May 2021. Back then, Bishop was revealed to have intentionally gotten herself fired as a disgraced agent so she could go deep undercover on a dangerous, long-term mission with an operative named Odette Malone. She left without proper goodbyes, leaving Nick Torres—with whom she had a romantic connection—particularly hurt.
Showrunner Steven D. Binder explained that Bishop has been living a very different life since she left. “She is not the same person,” Binder said. “She’s been in a very serious life-or-death situation… The world has beaten her up”. Her return as the target of an Elite investigation suggests her undercover work has taken a dark turn.
Also Read:
What Bishop’s Return Means for the Team
Bishop’s comeback creates immediate personal complications, especially for Nick Torres. For years, Torres has struggled to move on from her abrupt departure. Her sudden reappearance as a person of interest is sure to stir up old feelings and conflicts.
The situation also puts Jessica Knight in a difficult position. Her duty is to keep the mission secret, but her loyalty is to her team and partner, Torres. Showrunner Steven D. Binder hinted that Knight’s loyalty will win out. “Knight chooses team loyalty over her oath, over her duty,” he stated.
For now, Bishop’s return is brief. Binder confirmed her story is currently planned for just this one episode, though the fallout will continue. The show is on a break and will return with new episodes on Tuesday, February 24, 2026.
Also Read: All in the Family: The Sock and Shoe Argument Fans Still Talk About
