'NCIS' Season 23 Finale Recap: Vance returns in flashback as cliffhanger leaves one agent's fate unclear
The 'NCIS' Season 23 finale ends with shocking revelations and sets up a major mystery for the next installment. The latest episode of the long-running police procedural drama sees the NCIS team investigating a bomb attack with surprising ties to beloved members of the team. Earlier in the season, fans watched as NCIS Director Leon Vance (Rocky Carroll) breathed his last in Episode 13, 'All Good Things.' Much to fans' delight, the finale brings him back through flashback scenes, adding an emotional touch. Titled 'Sons and Daughters,' the finale revolves around Vance's daughter, Kayla (Naomi Grace), and Timothy McGee's son, Mateo.
The finale begins with a flashback from 12 months ago, where Kayla is seen FaceTiming her dad from a coffee shop, which blows up moments later. This bombing is revisited after a similar incident takes place in the present timeline. The FBI concluded that the first attack was the work of a lone wolf; however, after closer inspection, the NCIS team discovered that the incident was connected to a larger conspiracy. They track down the first bomber, Brian Wallis, who was part of an online chat room called Archive. Kayla comes into the picture after she is found investigating the site. But the Deputy Director Gabriel LaRoche ends her investigation, claiming that her operation is funded by dirty money and alleging that Vance had accessed it before his death. LaRoche suspects Vance used illegal funds to help his daughter, but Kayla is determined to clear his name. The team discovers that Wallis was radicalized after reading a book promoting anger towards corporations. The NCIS team arrests the author in time, bringing the case to an end.
Other flashback scenes featuring Leon and Kayla show the father-daughter duo sparring at the boxing gym while discussing the latter's career choice. He questions her about working on a private operation aimed at keeping an eye on online chatrooms to detect potential attacks before they take place. She is conflicted between leaving her role as an NCIS Agent and venturing out on her own, knowing that it will disappoint her father. The NCIS Director hoped that Kayla would one day take over from him and carry on his legacy. Throughout the episode, Kayla is seen mulling over her future. She finds a note from her father in her old gym locker, in which Leon encourages her to follow her own path. It is revealed that he also left behind a discharge form in case she decided to leave NCIS. Alden Parker (Gary Cole) finally reveals that Vance likely found the slush fund attached to Kayla's operation, but couldn't inform Kayla before his death.
Meanwhile, McGee's 18-year-old son, Mateo, visits him at the NCIS office, hoping to land an internship. After getting a tour, he decides against it, telling his dad that it's not the right fit for him. However, Nick Torres (Wilmer Valderrama) realizes that Mateo is up to no good when he learns that the teen used the workstation under the pretense of filling out an application. Torres follows Mateo to an alley to confront him, but Mateo pulls out a gun and warns him, "Turn around and walk away. They could be watching." Before Torres can react, the scene cuts, and a shot is fired.
The finale doesn't reveal who was shot or perhaps killed. Did Mateo shoot Torres? Was it the mysterious person Mateo had warned about? Or did Torres take out his gun and shoot Mateo to neutralize him? All the answers will be revealed when 'NCIS' returns with Season 24 this fall.
