The NCIS: Hawai’i finale may not have been written as a series finale, but it’s an excellent sendoff for the CBS show and, in particular, Vanessa Lachey’s fan-favorite Jane Tennant character. “Divided We Conquer” picks up effortlessly from exactly where NCIS: Hawai’i Season 3, Episode 9, “Spill the Tea” left off, and then proceeds to keep audiences on the edge of their seats despite less action than the first part. There’s only one big problem with it, and any fan still annoyed at the show’s cancellation knows what it is.
When a show wraps up, it either fizzles out or leaves a lasting impact. The series finale of NCIS: Hawai’i, titled “Until the End”, leans heavily toward the latter — a pulse-pounding, heart-tugging episode that doesn’t just end the show, but elevates it. Let’s unpack what made this episode so unforgettable and why it might just be one of the strongest finales in NCIS history.
“Divided We Conquer” continues the NCIS: Hawai’i team’s search for the deadly Compound X, but scales the dilemma down by making it personal for one member of the team. At the same time, the episode written by Yalun Tu and Megan Bacharach keeps the stakes large enough that they have to incorporate the entire squad. The series finale strikes the perfect balance between going out with a big bang and being true to the show that viewers love.
NCIS: Hawai’i Makes a Global Problem More Intimate
Almost Every Character Has a Part to Play Season 3, Episode 11, “Spill the Tea” was all about proving to audiences how deadly a threat the bioweapon called Compound X was, and establishing that there were consequences not only for Hawai’i, but for the entire United States and possibly the world. The major problem a storyline of that magnitude creates is that writers have to deliver a payoff that lives up to that hype. Many TV shows keep making the plot bigger, thinking size and/or shock value will solve the problem, but then they create a massive story that they can’t provide a proper ending for. The flip side of that is other series are so focused on making the first part so dramatic that the second part feels like an afterthought, and winds up becoming a letdown. “Divided We Conquer” avoids both these issues by pivoting to make the Compound X problem very specific to not only NCIS, but this individual NCIS team.
Sam Hanna — who’s now been a part of two finales in two years, between this and the NCIS: Los Angeles series finale from May 2023 — turns out to have been exposed to Compound X through a small crack in his protective faceplate. This could seem like a way to make the whole show about one person, but it’s very in-character to see Sam trying to save the NCIS ELITE team members even when he knows it’s a bad idea. It makes absolute sense that he’d wind up exposed because of his actions, and that also doesn’t leave one of the original NCIS: Hawai’i heroes sidelined for most of the episode. Using Sam to give the finale personal stakes is a spot-on choice, both for him and for the ensemble. It then grounds everything that happens in the rest of the hour.
Almost every character has something important to do within “Divided We Conquer.” Some contribute more than others — fans of Kate Whistler and Whistler’s relationship with Lucy Tara will likely be disappointed that Whistler has a minor role, and there’s no big Kacy moment in the final episode. But Whistler is present, and so is everyone else who should be, with Lucy, Jesse Boone and Kai Holman all getting exciting scenes. The NCIS franchise — like other procedural franchises — leans heavily into the idea of found family, and “Divided We Conquer” feels like a team effort throughout. It lives up to that idea of ohana in ways that most other shows don’t, and so even though it’s not intended as a full-on finale, the fact that everyone is in attendance and everybody gets their due acts as a form of closure.
“Until the End” didn’t just close a chapter — it celebrated everything that made NCIS: Hawai’i special. It honored the characters, paid respect to the fans, and reminded us all why we fell in love with this team in the first place. Whether you’re a longtime follower or a casual viewer, this finale is one you won’t soon forget. As the waves crashed and the team stood united, it wasn’t just a goodbye — it was a legacy sealed with heart.
