NCIS Season 22 Finale Review: Secrets, Sociopaths, and a Shocking Goodbye

NCIS wrapped Season 22 with an explosive finale that tied up loose ends with the Nexus cartel and Alden Parker’s long-running search for truth — only to drop viewers into a deeper, darker mystery. 

And if you’re anything like me, you’re probably still processing it all. It’s one of those episodes that has your brain spinning and your heart a little broken. 

So let’s dig in.

Laroche Wasn’t Dirty After All

My idea after watching NCIS Season 22 Episode 19 panned out.

After all that buildup — the suspicious behavior, the surveillance, the rogue actions — we find out Laroche was actually working for the Secretary of Defense. Not just working for him, but embedded deep inside the Nexus cartel, pretending to be a corrupt official. 

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It was a risky move and honestly, not the most brilliant plan, considering how many people it put at risk, including Torres, whose cover was blown as part of the act.

I’m torn about this twist. On the one hand, I love a redemption arc. On the other hand, I can’t help but think the Secretary of Defense played this one a little too close to the chest. Nobody else knew, not even Vance. And it nearly tanked the operation.

The twist that really got me, though? The evidence Laroche stole was on a hard drive hidden inside a game called Wordix, like some bizarre crossover between NCIS and a New York Times puzzle. 

You can’t make this stuff up. But it worked. They got the intel, even if McGee was left emotionally bruised after chasing his white whale for nothing.

Carla Marino: The Real Villain Behind the Curtain

Then there’s Carla. Oh, Carla. I wanted to believe she was just a weird, morally gray asset with a sketchy past. But no. I should have really seen this coming. She’s the head of Nexus.

She slithered into the operation with that faux-sexy voice and her suite-with-bad-room-service complaints, only to leave Parker bloodied and dumped at a gas station while she disappeared into the night. 

It’s a classic villain move, but the personal connection really elevated it for me.

Carla had a son, Jason, who died in a motorcycle crash 30 years ago. The implication is that Parker knew him. Maybe even had a hand in Jason learning the truth about his mother’s criminal past. 

It’s twisted, tragic, and honestly, the kind of interpersonal drama this show could use more. It makes Carla’s motivations more than just “I want power” — it’s vengeance, grief, and projection all wrapped into one dangerous woman.

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She put the dirty bomb in the hotel room under a room service tray. If you’re not yelling at the screen by this point, we’re very different people. And then the disarm code? 52766. Jason.

I mean, come on. That’s either heartbreakingly poetic or wildly convenient. Maybe both.

Parker’s Past Is Still Haunting Him

This entire season has been teasing Parker’s unresolved past, and now we know that the search for Lily, his mother’s grave, and the truth about his childhood are more than just background flavor.

The finale ends with Parker coming home and finding his father dead in his favorite chair. There’s a wine glass on the table, complete with a lipstick print. 

That was a gut punch for Parker and us. Losing that connection hurts under any circumstance, but when the rest of your past is in question, even more.

It wasn’t just the shock of his death. It was how personal it was. If Carla really did this, and it sure looks like she did, then it wasn’t just revenge. It was a message.

And if you think that’s where the mystery ends, think again. Jimmy is investigating the original death certificate of Parker’s mom and looks completely rattled by what he finds. So now we have the death of Parker’s dad, the possibly falsified death of his mom, and the lingering question of who Lily really is.

Which brings me to a theory that I’m almost scared to say out loud: What if Carla is Lily?

Wait — Is Carla Lily?

Hear me out. Parker’s been searching for Lily for ages. Carla is obviously operating under an alias. 

The ages line up. Rebecca De Mornay (Carla) is just a few years younger than Gary Cole (Parker), which could support the idea of them being siblings.

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Thankfully, there’s no twisted timeline in the multiverse that makes her his mother — unless we’re suddenly on an NCIS/Quantum Leap crossover.

But if she is his (half) sister, it could explain why Parker’s dad was so evasive, why his mom’s grave kept moving, and why nothing ever quite added up. Maybe Lily went by another name, or maybe Carla has been pulling strings for decades.

It would add up when it comes to storytelling rules in general — the frustration with each other and the banter screams sibling rivalry, even if they have no idea they’re siblings.

And what could possibly make Parker’s search more aggravating than discovering the person haunting him was one of his biggest antagonists?

It’s a long shot, but not impossible. And the fact that I’m still sitting here thinking about it hours after watching the episode says a lot about how well they set this up.

What About the Rest of the Team?

While Parker’s world was falling apart, the rest of the team had some strong moments, too. 

McGee finally got closure on the Laroche arc, even if it wasn’t the vindication he thought he wanted.

Jess and Nick continued to be the action duo we never knew we needed, taking on shootouts and hotel evacuations like pros. Jess even managed to throw in a religious trivia zinger during a confrontation with a white supremacist.

And then there was Kasie and Jimmy doing the investigative grunt work. Honestly, I love when they’re in the background connecting the dots. It’s classic NCIS and grounds the show when everything else goes bonkers.

Final Thoughts: Where Do We Go From Here?

We got closure on the Nexus cartel. We got answers about Laroche. But we also got new mysteries — maybe even better ones.

I’d love to see NCIS lean into Parker’s personal story next season. We know he’s capable and tough, but now we know he’s hurting. That makes for rich, layered storytelling.

And while I get that NCIS has a formula that works — case of the week, light banter, lab scenes, action sequences, and a big reveal — there’s real potential here to shift the tone just a little. 

NCIS: Origins shows how good it can be when we care deeply about the people behind the cases. It’s not too late for the flagship to evolve, even after 22 years of success.

So here we are. Laroche is gone. Carla is in the wind. And Parker’s dad is gone. But the story? The story’s just getting started.

So that’s a wrap on NCIS Season 22. Your move, NCIS Season 23.

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