Summary

• Sweets' unexpected death in Bones shocked fans but was necessary due to actor John Francis Daley's departure for directing opportunities.
• John Francis Daley left Bones to broaden his career, pursuing writing and directing ventures that have since been successful in film.
• Despite Sweets' absence, his legacy of kindness and impact on other characters continued to be felt throughout the rest of the series.

Why did John Francis Daley leave Bones in the Season 10 premiere, and what led to Sweets' death in Bones? This happened when someone beat long-standing team member Lance Sweets (John Francis Daley) to death in a parking garage — a twist that changed the entire show. However, there was a real-life reason behind Daley's abrupt departure from the show. Introduced early in season 3, Sweets was an FBI psychologist assigned to monitor Booth and Bones. Sweets' clumsy attempts to understand their dynamic provided comic levity to the show, endearing him to legions of fans.

Over the ensuing seven seasons, Sweets helped Booth and Bones solve countless cases. Sweets' initial role as comic relief and audience surrogate made his sudden murder shockingly unexpected. In reality, the reason that Sweets' Bones role came to a sudden end is less salacious. John Francis Daley received other opportunities behind the camera, specifically with the National Lampoon's Vacation franchise. He ultimately chose a directing job instead of continuing his work in front of the camera. That led to the show finding a shocking way to write Sweets out of the series.

How Sweets Dies In Bones

Sweets Is Beaten To Death By A Navy SEAL

When understanding why Sweets left Bones, it is a good idea to look at how he departed the show onscreen. Given his popularity throughout Bones, Sweets getting written off had to happen in a way that satisfied fans. In the season 10 premiere, "The Conspiracy in the Corpse," Sweets promises to watch out for Booth after she gets out of prison. He then ends up with some crucial evidence for a case Booth and Bones are working on — one that puts a Shadow Government target on his head.

While many Bones fans might not have been happy with his ing, it ended up as one of the most tragic deaths in TV history. A Navy SEAL named Kenneth Emory beat Sweets to death in a parking garage. It all tied into a case with the President of the Shadow Government, Glen Durant. What made his season 10 death even more tragic was that Sweets and Daisy were expecting their first child together. John Francis Daley sells the moment with his performance too, especially as he tells Booth and Bones that the world is better than they think it is, even as he is dying.

Why John Francis Daley Left Bones

The Actor Wanted To Broaden His Career

Sweets died because John Francis Daley left Bones to pursue other opportunities. Despite Daley's decision to leave the character, the hit series, and all his castmates (including former Angel star David Boreanaz) behind, there don't appear to be any hard feelings from the cast or crew. In an interview (via TVLine), Bones executive producer Stephen Nathan shed some light on the situation soon after the season 10 premiere:

"It was a complicated and very difficult decision for us.... There were a lot of tears shed on the set. We adore John. He’s an important and valued member of the family. It was really painful to lose him. Hopefully, that pain will translate into something good for the show moving forward."

Away from Bones, actor-turned-director John Francis Daley contributed to the world of writing and directing for the big screen in a way that also bore fruit. Since leaving Bones, Daley has received writing credits on Spider-Man: Homecoming and Game Night. In 2023, he continued his success with the action fantasy movie, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. In this case, despite the abrupt departure, both Bones and John Francis Daley's careers seem to have a happy ending.

How Sweets' Writing Cemented His Legacy Of Kindness After His Death

His Death Helped The Development Of Other Characters

While Daley's absence undeniably left a hole in the show, junior FBI Agent James Aubrey (John Boyd) soon stepped in to fill Sweets' shoes for seasons 10, 11, and 12. Gone, but not forgotten, in the Bones series finale, Brennan and Booth take a moment to reflect on Sweets' memory and acknowledge his contributions to the team. Booth and Brennan were able to uncover the book he wrote about them after his ing, and Zack Addy's story continued to be shaped by Sweets' kindness towards him.

Although Sweets left Bones suddenly, his impact continued to be felt throughout the rest of the show. If there is a Bones revival, expect his memories to still run strong with the characters. Ultimately, then, Bones killing off Sweets in season 10 had some story value despite being tragic. Despite its sudden nature and the reason why Sweets died in Bones, the twist still shaped the development of many other characters on the show, and the closure of the finished book of Booth and Brennan's love story was a final act of kindness that genuinely resonated.

How Swets Actor John Francis Daley Felt About Leaving Bones

It Was A Bittersweet Departure

After Sweets' death, Bones moved on without him for the rest of its run. However, the show kept his memory alive, as the other characters never really got over his tragic demise. While John Francis Daley wanted to leave the show to pursue his other opportunities, that didn't mean it wasn't bittersweet for him. According to Daley, he had a strong bond with the character and felt like "I was losing a part of me" (via TV Line). While Daley was excited about starting the next stage in his life, seeing his character's fate shook him up. The reason why Bones killed off Sweets was to give his character an emotional goodbye.

"I had so much comion for him. He was such a good person… He had gone through so much, and to see him die in such a grim way was shocking."

In a surprising statement, Daley said he would have been more than happy to jump back in and play Sweets on Bones again after he finished directing National Lampoon's Vacation. That could never happen after his brutal murder, a scene that shook up his on-screen friends, and one that had a strong effect on Daley personally:

"I walked out of a nearly empty stage and couldn’t say a proper goodbye to people. And as I was walking to my trailer I sort of realized, “Oh, s–t, this is weird.” And then the tears started coming. It was very cathartic."

What John Francis Daley Has Done Since Leaving Bones

The Actor And Writer/Director Has Amassed An Impressive Resume

John Francis Daley had an interesting career prior to Bones, and his professional output has continued to be intriguing. While many Bones fans will know Daley as Sweets (and, possibly, as Sam Weir in Judd Apatow's 1999 comedy Freaks and Geeks), he's an individual with a wide range of skills beyond acting.

A true triple threat, John Francis Daley is apt as an actor, director, and writer. Since leaving Bones, he went on to write the stories of such movies as The Flash, Spider-Man: Homecoming, and Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, the latter of which he also directed. He's also continued his career as an actor, appearing in the likes of 2018's Game Night as Carter, and 2022's 5-25-77 as Pat.

Outside his work in TV and movies, John Francis Daley also utilizes his impressive musical talents as the keyboardist and singer Dayplayer. His next project of note sees him one against back in the dual role of writer-director alongside longtime collaborator Johnathan Goldstein. The pair wrote and are directing the Apple Original movie Mayday, which stars Ryan Reynolds, Kenneth Branagh, and Maria Bakalova. All in all, while playing Sweets in Bones may be what many fans know him for, it's far from the most impressive part of John Francis Daley's career.