The explosive finale of NCIS Season 22 appeared to crown mob boss Carla Marino (Rebecca De Mornay) as the franchise’s most ruthless villain yet. After orchestrating the shocking murder of Alden Parker’s father, Marino vanished, leaving the MCRT bracing for all-out war with her Nexus Cartel.
But in a move only NCIS could pull off, CBS has confirmed the ultimate twist: Carla Marino isn’t the true villain of Season 23.
Instead, the gravest threat to Parker and his team will come from inside the Navy Yard itself. The person obstructing, undermining, and destabilizing them isn’t a mobster—it’s their own Director, Leon Vance (Rocky Carroll).
External Threat vs. Internal Obstruction
On paper, Marino is terrifying. She commands cartels, traffics in nuclear material, and thrives on blood-soaked revenge. But as the team prepares for her return, the bigger danger is one they can’t shoot, arrest, or outmaneuver: a boss determined to shut them down.
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Marino = predictable chaos. She’s an enemy you can plan around.
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Vance = controlled resistance. His authority is absolute. His orders can end careers, compromise missions, and fracture the very institution the MCRT is sworn to defend.
That’s the real danger—the enemy with a badge and the power of bureaucracy.
Why Vance Is More Dangerous Than Marino
1. The Power of Command
Marino can kill operatives. Vance can dismantle the agency from within. Season 23 sees him adopting a rigid, by-the-book stance, denying the team resources and blocking Parker’s pursuit of Marino. For the first time in years, the MCRT will be forced to break NCIS rules just to survive.
2. The Weaponization of Trust
Vance isn’t just a superior—he’s family. For years, the team has trusted him with their lives. That trust makes his obstruction far more devastating than Marino’s bullets. A fractured, second-guessing MCRT is infinitely more vulnerable.
3. Hypocrisy and Mystery
Fans remember Vance’s own heartbreak—his wife Jackie was killed in a violent attack. He should empathize with Parker. Instead, he stonewalls him. Why? Is he compromised? Blackmailed? Following secret orders? His cold detachment transforms him into a villain layered with intrigue and betrayal.
Parker’s Dark Descent
The clash between Parker and Vance isn’t just procedural red tape—it’s personal tragedy colliding with bureaucracy.
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Parker, destabilized by grief, mirrors Gibbs’ early vengeance arc.
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The MCRT rallies around him, ready to bend rules.
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Vance, unmoved, clamps down harder.
The result? A season-long internal cold war where catching Marino is only half the battle. The other half is surviving their own Director.
Bigger Implications for NCIS
By elevating Vance as the “true villain,” NCIS is reclaiming its classic DNA: the fight against the system as much as the criminals.
Fans can expect:
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A darker tone: Parker’s instability pushes the show into grittier, Gibbs-like territory.
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Stronger team bonds: Forced rebellion strengthens their loyalty to each other.
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Fresh dynamics: The arrival of Parker’s sister, Navy Vice Admiral Harriet Parker (Nancy Travis), adds new military pressure—and possibly a surprising ally for Vance.
The Enemy Within
Carla Marino remains dangerous, yes. But Season 23 isn’t about a mob boss. It’s about the slow erosion of trust, the collapse of institutional support, and a Director who—whether for mysterious motives or uncompromising principle—chooses red tape over family.
And in NCIS, the enemy inside your house has always been the hardest to fight.
