For longtime NCIS fans, the final moments of Season 23 Episode 19 felt unmistakably familiar.
A dangerous man escapes true justice. A sniper eliminates the threat from impossible distance. Alaska enters the conversation.
Even without appearing onscreen, Gibbs’ presence loomed over the episode — and Wilmer Valderrama says Torres may have been the one character most satisfied by it.
Speaking after the episode aired, Valderrama reflected on Torres’ growing frustration with NCIS bureaucracy and his attraction to more direct forms of justice.
“Drawing outside the lines,” the actor explained, “is where he thrives.”
That philosophy nearly surfaced violently earlier in the episode, when Torres confronted Rogers alone. According to Valderrama, the character absolutely would have taken the shot if circumstances had been different.
“The old Torres would have just gotten the job done,” he said.
Now, with the Season 23 finale approaching, Valderrama hints that Torres’ internal conflict between loyalty, justice, and control is only beginning to grow.