NCIS Star Fought to Change Character’s Shocking Fate in 500th Episode

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Hitting 500 episodes was a huge milestone for the popular show, and the team behind it wanted to celebrate in a significant way. Unfortunately, that meant having to say goodbye to a character who had been with the show for nearly twenty years.

The latest episode featured a shocking turn when Director Leon Vance (Rocky Carroll) was fatally shot by a rogue agent. While viewers initially hoped he would pull through, a later scene revealed Vance had passed away and was greeted in the afterlife by a younger version of Ducky (Adam Campbell). The episode served as a touching farewell to both Vance and the character of Ducky, honoring the legacy of original actor David McCallum, who sadly passed away in 2023.

Rocky Carroll Learned About Vance’s Fate 4 Weeks in Advance

After the episode aired, Carroll discussed his departure from NCIS after 18 years in a recent interview. He revealed he only learned Vance would die two episodes later while working on the 498th episode, giving him roughly four weeks to process the news. Carroll admitted he attempted to change the storyline, questioning the executive producers about why Vance’s exit had to be so definitive, unlike other characters who’d left with the possibility of returning.

I immediately questioned the decision to write off the character, pointing out that we often let characters leave the show with the understanding they weren’t necessarily dead. I asked the executive producers why this character’s departure felt so permanent when others, like Tony and Ziva, were simply sent away to other locations, leaving the possibility of a return. It seemed inconsistent to me.

It Was Important to Go Big in Episode 500

The actor learned that NCIS wanted to celebrate its 500th episode in a big way to remind viewers why it’s remained so popular for so many years. He initially thought killing off his character, Vance, was a smart move that would create a compelling story. He’s also grateful for the show’s 18-season run, feeling it’s better to have lasted this long than to have been written off earlier.

He admitted that while this would have been much harder to accept earlier in his career, he’s at peace with it now. He explained that if he’d known from the start that the show would last 18 seasons and his character would eventually be written off, he would have jumped at the opportunity. He believes any actor would have – 18 years of consistent work on a hugely popular show is an incredible offer.

There’s a chance fans haven’t seen the last of Vance. NCIS has a history of bringing characters back, even after they’ve been killed off, and Carroll believes something similar could happen with Vance in the future. Plus, he’ll continue directing episodes of NCIS each season, remaining involved with the show behind the camera.

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2026-03-25 23:43