NCIS Is Finally Answering Hetty’s Biggest Mystery After 5 Years

Brand new update about where in the world Hetty Lange is and what she is doing are expected to come in NCIS season 23. Still reeling from the loss of Director Vance, Alden Parker and the rest of the MCRT endeavor to move on and fulfill their sworn duties in the agency. It’s the best way that they could honor their late leader, especially as the organization still awaits news of who could permanently replace him.

Amid whatever is happening in the broader NCIS, the team has already undergone several significant developments intertwined with their weekly cases. They’ve solved a murder of a ship museum’s curator, which ended up having ties to the events of World War II. They also had to deal with the chaos of Fleet Week, which was arguably a little jarring, considering all the celebrations on the street just a week after Director Vance was killed while seeking a perpetrator. As the 2025-2026 TV cycle continues, the team is reunited with another familiar face, who could bring clarity to Hetty’s whereabouts.

Sam’s NCIS Season 23 Return Paves The Way For A Much-Awaited Hetty Update

As confirmed by the official trailer for NCIS season 23, episode 17 (via TVPromos/YouTube), Sam Hanna is back in Navy Yard for a fresh mission. Interestingly, despite the promo clip, CBS has yet to reveal the synopsis for the outing titled “Reboot.” Based on the video, however, it seems like LL Cool J’s comeback has something to do with the unexpected power outage and dead body in the NCIS headquarters. While the lack of details about the episode definitely drums up interest, Sam’s return also means potential new update on Hetty, which is arguably more exciting.

The last time the former NCIS: Los Angeles operative was in the flagship, he had a meaningful conversation with the late Director Vance about possibly returning to the agency after stepping away from it. Sam was open to the idea, but he couldn’t take up the offer to reclaim his old post yet because he still had something to take care of first. Vance raised the speculation that it might have something to do with Hetty, who was supposedly spotted “on the wrong side of the DMZ.” Sam didn’t deny both speculations, heavily suggesting that his former boss was correct in his assumptions.

A couple of years since that conversation, Sam resurfacing is poised to bring fresh update on his expected reunion with Hetty. For context, Linda Hunt’s character was last seen in NCIS: Los Angeles season 13, episode 1, “Subject 17,” which released back in 2021. There have been brief news about whereabouts since then, including the one from Sam, but it has never really been clear what she has been up to.

Why Hetty’s Whereabouts Mystery In NCIS Is Better Resolved In Increments

Hetty’s disappearance from NCIS: Los Angeles was due to concerns about the actor’s safety and concerns at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to Hunt’s age and health, the creative team behind the series had to be very careful when filming her scenes. Eventually, however, the rarity of his appearances resulted in him being demoted to a guest star in the billing, although she did have a lovely voice cameo in the NCIS: Los Angeles finale.

Related

CBS Future-Proofs NCIS For Timothy McGee’s MCRT Exit

Timothy McGee’s departure from MCRT is inevitable at this point, and CBS is making sure that NCIS is all ready when that finally happens.

Considering how secretive Hetty is, NCIS can get away with sharing incremental updates about her instead of fully answering her current status in one go. This way, the show can keep people invested, especially those who were avid followers of NCIS: Los Angeles and are still looking for new content about the matter. Sam’s return in NCIS season 23 can provide new details, but he can leave out the rest, saving it for the next time he comes back.

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NCIS

6/10

Release Date

September 23, 2003

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  Sean Murray

  Timothy McGee

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  David McCallum

  Dr. Donald ‘Ducky’ Mallard