Director Vance is the most hidden, emotionally savvy member of NCIS. He is tough as a rock and does not back down from any challenge. This sounds like Gibbs, but the main difference between Vance and Gibbs is the channeling of fear. Gibbs uses fear to his advantage, while Vance hides behind him, appearing unbreakable. As discussed on the show, Vance is actively hiding a truth about his past from his team and his family.
Leon Vance lives a double life, 2 completely separate entities: family and work. In his work, he talks about his family, but not in depth. He displays courage and toughness at times, while at others he displays a defense mechanism. Vance is an enigma and he likes to keep it that way. When he comes home, he’s the jolly family man! No other member of NCIS, as far as we know, is as much of a mystery as Vance. We know that Abby is a perky goth, Ducky is a wise ME, McGee is the elf lord, DiNozzo is the fool, and Gibbs is the fearless leader. Vance is the…….. enigma. Yes.
In addition to being the enigma, Vance knows how to do it behind the desk, from a management perspective. He is very talented in the computer field and displays a full set of skills. There is a moment when Vance introduces himself for the first time and surprises McGee with his knowledge of computers. Director Leon Vance handles things very differently than his predecessor, Jenny Shepard. He has a very brave style and does not back down from a threat. He’s insecure about his personal life, but he knows how to get the job done.
Now that we know who he is, let’s take a basic quiz about what Principal Vance would do in certain situations:
Q1. Your best friend just lost a loved one, how do you handle it?
A. Director Vance, separating his personal and professional life, would not mention it to anyone, and would visit and comfort his best friend. If someone asks, Vance would say something like “I’m going to a meeting, call me if you need anything.”
Q2. You just won $1,000,000 on a lottery ticket you bought. How do you react?
A. Vance has a sense of humor, he just doesn’t feel it’s necessary to laugh at work. He also doesn’t feel it necessary to show happiness at work or at celebrations. He probably wouldn’t tell anyone about the lottery winnings and would put the money in a trust fund for his children.
Q3. Your best friend just achieved his dream goal. How do you show your support?
A. Vance would probably congratulate his friend over the phone, encouraging him to keep up the great work. Due to his busy work schedule, he would have a hard time finding time to visit his friend. But if he found a slot in his schedule, chances are he’d make an effort to congratulate his best friend in person.
Q4. On your deathbed, how well did you live your life? Is there anything you would have done differently if you had been given a second chance?
A. There are many things that Vance can regret at the end of his life. Not connecting with his team on an emotional level, taking life too seriously, and hiding the past from him. There are many ways Vance can improve his life, but it seems he isn’t actively looking to improve. The ideal thing for director Leon Vance is to relax. Life is just a game, and having fun while playing the game is a blessing.
