NCIS Season 7 MVP: Director Vance steps up

"Internal Affairs"--Rocky Carroll guest stars as NCIS Assistant Director Leon Vance, on NCIS, Tuesday, April 22 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Michael Desmond/CBS ©2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.
"Internal Affairs"--Rocky Carroll guest stars as NCIS Assistant Director Leon Vance, on NCIS, Tuesday, April 22 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Michael Desmond/CBS ©2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. /
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Vance looked out for the team making him the NCIS Season 7 MVP

When Director Leon Vance was first introduced, it wasn’t easy to accept him. We’d just lost Jenni Shepard under difficult circumstances. However, he is the MVP for NCIS Season 7, when he routinely stepped up for the team.

This is a character who doesn’t have a huge role in every episode. However, there are times that he plays an important part in solving cases. He’s the one that can cut through some of the red tape and smooth the relations with other agencies.

While this is useful, it’s not MVP worthy. However, there are a couple of instances during NCIS Season 7 that make him stand out.

Dealing with a North Korean assassin

During Episode 7, titled “Endgame,” Leon Vance shows up at the crime scene and immediately recognizes it. We get just a hint of his past through this, as it involves a North Korean assassin that is now on the loose.

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Leon is pulled into the heart of the case when the assassin, Kai, calls him. Vance continues to help the team. In fact, we see him as the leader, even though Gibbs runs the team. This is one of those cases that while Gibbs is running his team, he knows when to just step back. We get a look at his respect for Vance.

The ending to the episode shows a softer side to Vance. He knows what he should do, but he can’t quite do it. There’s far more to this character than we’ve got to know so far.

Helping Gibbs get out of a jam

Gibbs got himself in a sticky situation more times than one during NCIS Season 7. Vance helped, but there’s one moment in particular that stands out, making Vance our MVP of the season.

During Episode 16, titled “Mother’s Day,” Gibbs’s former mother-in-law turned up. In fact, she was the suspect in the case. Of course, Gibbs couldn’t find the heart to arrest her, so did it in a way that would mess up the entire case.

Vance could and probably should have suspended Gibbs for his actions. Instead, we got to see his humanity again. He understood why Gibbs took the actions he did, knowing some of Gibbs’s history involving his first wife. He closed the case instead of taking action.

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Who was your MVP from NCIS Season 7? What did you think of Vance’s actions? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

NCIS will return on Tuesdays at 8/7c on CBS in the fall. You can watch past seasons on CBS All Access.