Since its September 2003 debut, NCIS has maintained its position as one of CBS’s finest procedural dramas. Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill created the show. It combines character-driven drama with military-focused investigations, frequently fusing weekly cases with long-term personal arcs. Currently in its 22nd season, the program is a mainstay of American primetime television and a network ratings leader.
Gary Cole’s character, Agent Alden Parker, is one of the show’s primary characters. Parker, who was brought in during Season 19 after series star Mark Harmon left the role of Gibbs, has assumed the role of team leader and provides a well-balanced combination of authoritative presence and analytical thought.
The main twist hinted at in the teaser for the NCIS Season 22 finale is that Agent Torres (Wilmer Valderrama) may be connected to the case the team is attempting to solve after being forced to face a clandestine operation from his past.
More about the twist in NCIS Season 22 Finale
The suspenseful promo that CBS aired as NCIS Season 22 neared its two-part finale sparked rumors about what would happen to Agent Nick Torres. The preview, which aired on April 26, 2025, hinted at a dramatic confrontation connected to a long-forgotten undercover operation from Torres's past.
The suspenseful promo that CBS aired as NCIS Season 22 neared its finale sparked rumors about what would happen to Agent Nick Torres. The preview, which aired on April 26, 2025, hinted at a dramatic confrontation connected to a long-forgotten undercover operation from Torres’s past.
Although early speculation referred to a two-part finale, Season 22 is confirmed to conclude with Episode 20, titled “Nexus,” which aired on April 29, 2025. The storyline heightened the season’s underlying themes of institutional treachery, trust, and identity.
The main focus of the commercial is Torres (Wilmer Valderrama), who is depicted in person with an enigmatic man being held in detention. The heated and intimate encounter raises the possibility that this is someone from Torres’s covert past rather than just another suspect.
How NCIS Season 22 built up to its climactic ending
This turn of events is a direct result of the narrative seeds sown in earlier seasons, especially Torres’s past as an undercover agent breaking into deadly groups.
Episode 19 of Season 22, “Irreconcilable Differences,” which aired on April 22, 2025, initially alluded to the resurgence of illegal military activities and sensitive intelligence disclosures.
By the time of NCIS Episode 20 (“Nexus”), the team had learned that a clandestine organization within the Department of Defense might have functioned without supervision, perhaps with Torres as an unaware pawn or participant.
The prospect that Torres might not only be involved in the investigation but also end up becoming its main suspect is what made this finale unique. In the teaser, Parker debates whether Torres is trustworthy, and Director Vance (Rocky Carroll) warns the squad against basing choices on loyalty.
In addition to redefining Torres’s position within the agency, the case reached a dramatic resolution in the final episode, which also alluded to more significant changes for the team’s future. The Season 22 conclusion ensured the story didn’t end with just a solved case, but with lingering repercussions—regardless of whether Torres cleared his name or was forced to step aside.