NCIS Star Teases Future Return After Their Shocking 500th Episode Death

by

Be warned, this article contains spoilers for season 23 of NCIS. NCIS might be bringing back a former cast member, following a surprising death that occurred during the show’s 500th episode.

Even after 23 seasons and more than 500 episodes, the crime show NCIS continues to be a hit, consistently ranking among the top 10 most-watched programs. In just one week in 2025, viewers streamed nearly 900 minutes of the show. Since its debut in 2003, NCIS has become one of the longest-running and most successful scripted dramas ever made for television.

Season 23 of NCIS was filled with dramatic moments, including a crossover with NCIS Origins and the return of familiar faces like Vera Strickland and Ellie Bishop. However, the season was particularly impactful due to the death of Director Leon Vance, a character played by Rocky Carroll who first appeared in 2008. In a recent interview with the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, Carroll described the final scenes as deeply “emotional” and hinted at potential ways his character could reappear.

It was a really emotional experience, but I found a positive side to it. I was able to return to the show a month later as a director. So, while my role in front of the camera has changed, I’m still part of the show’s team. I’m not involved in every episode, but I still make appearances for special occasions like holidays and birthdays – I’m like a family member who visits. We’ve become known for bringing characters back as ghosts on the show, and we even call them ‘ghost stars.’ When the writers get stuck, they often use the idea of my character, Vance, offering advice from the past to help solve the problem.

I imagine a situation happening in a couple of years where one of his children finds a deceased Navy officer and becomes part of an NCIS investigation. This would put them in danger, and could lead to an appearance by their father, who seemingly appears as a ghost.

Rocky Carroll: From Hamlet’s ghost, there he is, yes.

The season 23 episode “All Good Things” introduced the Billy Fuentes case, but the biggest shock came when Vance was revealed to have been killed while working on it. His departure is considered one of the most impactful in the series, and many fans were deeply saddened to see such a long-standing character leave NCIS.

Since leaving NCIS, Carroll has been open about his experience, even telling People magazine how the show’s writers discussed potentially killing off his character and making the 500th episode a tribute.

Around the middle of November, our executive producer, Steve Binder, approached me after a day of shooting. He told me they were planning something major for the 500th episode of NCIS – something that would really surprise and shake up the show. The idea was that, while saving NCIS, Director Vance would tragically die, creating a powerful storyline.

I was so stunned, I felt like I was floating outside of myself for a moment. Steve asked if I wanted to hear the rest of the story, but I needed a second to wrap my head around what he’d just told me. I was completely overwhelmed. This wasn’t a situation where I came to my colleagues or the show’s creators to announce I was leaving; it was something completely different.

This episode continues to deeply resonate with loyal viewers, and the departure of Carroll and the passing of Vance will be felt strongly by the entire NCIS team.

Read More

2026-04-03 20:21