*On March 24, NCIS aired its landmark 500th episode, “All Good Things,” which delivered a shocking moment for fans with the death of NCIS director Leon Vance, portrayed by Rocky Carroll since 2008. Carroll described hearing about the creative decision as an “out-of-body experience,” but ultimately came to appreciate the story’s significance.
According to PEOPLE, showrunner Steve Binder told Carroll that the milestone episode was intended as “a love letter” and “a tribute” to Vance, aiming to shock loyal viewers and make a lasting impact on the NCIS universe. Carroll agreed with the sentiment, calling it “a terrific story” and noting that filming his final scene was “incredibly emotional on set.”
Leon Vance first appeared in season 5 as an assistant director and became a series regular in season 6 after the death of Jenny Shepard. Over 18 seasons, Carroll’s character grew to be a central figure in NCIS, also appearing in NCIS: Los Angeles and NCIS: New Orleans. His final episode aired as the series explored the dismantling of NCIS and its integration into the Army Criminal Investigative Division (CID).
Carroll spoke with TV Insider about the news of his exit, emphasizing that the decision wasn’t entirely his own. After hearing what Binder had planned for the rest of the season, Carroll said it made sense to part ways with the series.
“Well, the agency, NCIS, as we know it, is in deep peril and is in danger of becoming extinct, of folding over into another agency because there’s a nefarious character working behind the scenes to sabotage the agency,” Rocky explained. “Director Vance figures out who it is, and in the process of saving the agency, he loses his life. It’s a great story.’ … And I thought, ‘Wait, let’s go back a minute. Back up to the part where you say in saving the agency, he loses his life.’”
Reflecting on nearly two decades with NCIS, Carroll told Variety he is proud of how Vance’s story concluded. “For selfish reasons, I have to remind people: I’ve been a character on this series for 18 years,” he said. “Most Hollywood careers don’t last 18 years. So, to be able to play one character on one of the most popular shows in the world for 18 seasons, that’s the equivalent of living to be 105. You know, if you’ve known somebody who lived to be 105, when you go to that funeral, there’s a part of you that’s like, ‘OK, yeah, this is sad, but I mean, geez! The guy lived to be 105.’ So I feel that way with my character.”
Carroll’s last day filming as Vance was in December 2025, but he returned to direct an episode a month later, a role he has held since season 12. “As far as I know, I’ll be back next season to direct episodes,” he told PEOPLE. There are also talks of bringing Vance back in flashbacks.
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