Rocky Carroll’s exit from NCIS marks the end of an era for the long-running procedural, with Director Leon Vance dying in the show’s landmark 500th episode.
Showrunner Steven D. Binder explained the decision was intentional: the series wanted a storyline powerful enough to truly surprise loyal fans and reshape the show’s direction.
Carroll admitted he didn’t request to leave the series, but he quickly came to accept the creative choice—especially after recognizing how rare his 18-season run had been.
In the episode, Vance is killed while defending the agency from corruption, giving the character a heroic farewell consistent with his leadership role.
Although emotional, Carroll’s connection to NCIS isn’t completely over, as he later returned to direct another episode and could still appear in flashbacks. 🎥