CIS star Rocky Carroll has shared his reaction to the death of his beloved character, Leon Vance, after starring on the show for 18 years.

The military police procedural series is based in Washington D.C., following a team of specialist agents investigating criminal cases. Rocky has portrayed the director of the Naval Criminal Investigation Service in what became the longest-running role of his three-decade career.

Showrunner Steve Binder revealed the fate of his character ahead of the milestone episode, explaining: “We want to do something that shocks our loyal viewers and just really turns the ‘NCIS’ universe upside down.”

© Getty
The actor called Mark his “biggest supporter” after making his directorial debut in NCIS

The news shocked Rocky, who admitted hearing it was “an out-of-body experience.” He told People on Wednesday: “This wasn’t one of those scenarios where I came to the network or I came to the producers and said, ‘Hey, it’s been a great run, but I think I want to move on.’”

The NCIS star added that the “only thing that surprised me more than being told what the storyline was, was how quickly I was able to come to terms with it and be okay with it.” At the time, he had just two episodes left before filming his final scenes.

After being part of the series since 2008, the actor was emotional about saying goodbye to Leon Vance, but remains grateful for his long tenure. Rocky said, “If this had happened in my third season as a cast member, I’d have been devastated. But 18 seasons, to me, that’s the equivalent of living to be 105.”

© Getty
Rocky has appeared on 500 episodes

While the 62-year-old was initially shocked, he soon came to accept that it is “actually a great story, it’s a terrific story.”

In his final episode, Leon Vance is fatally shot by corrupt agent Dolan Thompson while attempting to protect and save the agency. Showrunner Steve Binder explained, “In the process of saving the agency, Director Vance loses his life. It’s a great story.”

In an interview with BET in 2023, Rocky shared that the reason he believes NCIS has resonated with audiences for so long is due to “the relationships between characters: there’s this organic sense of humor, a real bond between the characters, but just that sense of good guys versus bad guys.”

© Getty
Rocky was killed off

December 11 marked his final day on set, and an emotional farewell. The star told People, “In the back of my mind I knew it was goodbye for now, because a month later I came back and directed an episode of the show.” He also teased that Leon Vance could still return in flashbacks in future episodes.

What did fans say about the NCIS twist?

Fans were quick to take to social media to share their reactions to the twist. “I did NOT expect to cry tonight but here we are! I didn’t expect that plot twist at all! Rest in peace director Vance, you will be missed,” wrote one viewer, while a second said: “This show definitely won’t be the same as he was a legacy character.”

Meanwhile, a third penned: “Wow, I did NOT see that #NCIS plot twist coming. I am unwell and miss Vance already!”