After Director Leon Vance’s shocking death in NCIS‘s 500th episode, the agency needs a new director.
Here are four theories about how the CBS drama could handle the vacant seat.

We’ll admit that we hate to think about the day that someone else is sitting in the chair in Leon Vance’s (Rocky Carroll) office on NCIS, but someone does have to fill the role of director of the agency after he was tragically killed in the milestone 500th episode in Season 23.

The preview for the March 31 episode, the one immediately after, shows the team toasting Vance’s empty desk. So, who will be the next one to sit at it? Whoever it is, that’s part of them moving forward, and executive producer Steven D. Binder told TV Insider that’s part of what comes next.

“The team will be grieving, of course. But we felt it important that, at the end of the [500th] episode, the team is just as focused on Vance’s sacrifice as they are their loss. Vance died to protect them all. And they are going to honor that by putting one foot in front of the other, and just continuing on their mission to protect and safeguard their country,” he said.

Below, we take a look at four possibilities for who will be the next NCIS director.

Timothy McGee

Chances are this won’t happen just yet, but we do think that before the series ends or even in the eventual finale (the series has already been renewed for Season 24), we will see McGee as NCIS director. It’s come up before, and as Vance noted to who ended up being the Angel of Death, “McGee’s destined to lead.” Vance would want him in his office.

In fact, Carroll told us while discussing the 1000th episode in 2024 that’s what Vance wants “many, many years from now.” (If only the chair wasn’t left vacant so soon.)

‘NCIS’: Will [Spoiler] Be Back After Shocking Death in 500th Episode?

“McGee is one of the original members,” Carroll continued, noting that he was on the show before Vance. (Murray debuted in Season 1, and Carroll joined in Season 5.)  “He’s seen his evolution, he’s seen his growth. As opposed to being sort of the foil to DiNozzo [Michael Weatherly], he knows that there’s a level of maturity that he possessed. And over the years, he’s grown. He’s a husband, he’s a father, he understands responsibility more. I think Vance sees a lot of himself in McGee — family man, kids. I think that’s why he thinks that if the time, whenever that time comes, McGee could be the one to fill that chair because he understands what it means to be sort of the provider and how to run a family.”

A past NCIS cast member

It would be shocking if, after saying goodbye to Rocky Carroll’s Vance, a familiar face returns to help lead and guide the agency through its new chapter, even just for a short arc. Imagine Tony or Ziva coming back to the States to help, even in an unofficial capacity. Or Jennifer Esposito reprising her role as Alex Quinn.

Someone new

This could eventually lead to McGee taking the role, but we could also see NCIS bringing in a (big) guest star to recur as the new director who may or may not have a hidden agenda — it could go either way, with this person someone the team has to take down or simply someone there to help with the transition after their loss. This person also could just be new to viewers but have a connection to one of the team members. After all, following Tom Morrow (Alan Dale) was Jenny Shepard (Lauren Holly), who had a history with Gibbs (Mark Harmon), and Vance succeeded her and had known Gibbs as well.

Someone from another NCIS show

There are plenty of people to pull from across the franchise. Imagine Scott Bakula reprising his NCIS: New Orleans role as Dwayne Pride even just for a few episodes. Or LL Cool J‘s Sam Hanna (NCIS: LA) or Vanessa Lachey‘s Jane Tennant (NCIS: Hawai’i) stepping in to help. A familiar face might make it easier on the team as they continue to grieve.

Or imagine the twist if an older Lala (Mariel Molino on NCIS: Origins) showed up and that‘s how we learn what happened to her. However, since what happens to her and why Gibbs has never spoken about her is a big mystery on the prequel, something tells us that would never happen. Executive producers David J. North and Gina Lucita Monreal both confirmed that’s why she couldn’t appear in the present-day of the NCIS crossover; Bobby Moynihan and Ely Henry were aged up with makeup to play older versions of Woody and Phil, and Roma Maffia reprised her role as Vera Strickland (Diany Rodriguez on Origins) in the event.

Who do you think should be the next NCIS director? Let us know in the comments section below.

NCIS, Tuesdays, 8/7c, CBS