Ziva and Tony’s “will-they-won’t-they” relationship has finally been concluded as the pair were reunited in season 17 of NCIS after 5 seasons apart.
Many fans wondered just what happened to Ziva (Cote de Pablo) after her time on NCIS was over, and the Tony (Michael Weatherly) and Ziva reunion that fans had been wanting to see almost happened in season 17 of the series. However, much to fans’ disappointment, there was nothing to see on the show in that season – or in the seasons since it ended. Ziva David was an Israeli operative assigned to the NCIS team as a liaison officer after the death of Caitlin Todd (Sasha Alexander) at the end of NCIS season 2. Tony DiNozzo and Ziva’s relationship, however, didn’t truly start until the eighth episode of the season when they went undercover as a couple. This sparked their will-they-won’t-they relationship, nicknamed “Tiva” by the fans.
After years of questions, NCIS season 17 hinted at the two’s future together; something fans had been waiting a long time for. This almost didn’t happen, though, as Ziva apparently died at the end of season 13. In the NCIS season 13 finale, Ziva was presumed dead in a mortar explosion orchestrated to kill her. Though it was later revealed she was alive, Tony wasn’t aware for a long time, even after their goodbye kiss. NCIS season 17, however, gave a glimpse into how the two reconnected and what they’re doing now that both de Pablo and Weatherly have left the long-running series.
Did Ziva & Tony Reunite After She Faked Her Death?
After Ziva faked her death in NCIS season 13, episode 23, “Death Letter,” Tony found out that the two had a daughter together and left the team to take care of her. This was the last time that Michael Weatherly’s Tony was seen on screen in the series. In NCIS season 16, Ziva shocked fans when it turned out she survived the explosion and faked her death. After her time as an NCIS agent, Ziva was living a life essentially on the run. She then returned in NCIS season 17 to get help from Agent Gibbs. Finally, in season 17, episode 16, “Ephemera,” Tony and Ziva reunited off-screen.
After the death of Sahar Azam, the woman sent to kill Ziva, Tony, who was living with their daughter in Paris, finally decided it was safe to reunite with Ziva. The reunion was referenced in a letter saying that Tony and Ziva were living in Paris and continuing to raise their daughter, Tali, together. Both were finally able to settle down and have a semblance of normalcy in their lives. The romance that fans wanted to see for 15 seasons finally came to pass, but sadly, no one could see the Ziva and Tony NCIS reunion on the show itself.
Why Ziva Faked Her Death In NCIS
Ziva faked her death and quit NCIS because she wanted to keep her family safe. The bomb that went off at her father’s farmhouse was initially intended for her. To protect her daughter, she faked her death to throw off her attacker. This was explained during NCIS season 17 when Bishop returned to Ziva’s old office where she found former CIA instructor Odette. Bishop confronted Odette, as she recognized fabric from Ziva’s coat and Odette spilled the beans. Adam did try to stop Ziva from leaving once the two realized that Sahar was targeting Gibbs next, but Ziva faked her death to put her family first.
While that may be why the character exited the show for five seasons, it’s not why actress Cote de Pablo left the series. De Pablo reportedly felt that Ziva’s character had been cheated out of a good storyline, and she bowed out of NCIS due to creative differences. During a Q&A session, de Pablo stated the following:
“Unfortunately, because of political things and scripts not being good enough, I chose not to [return to NCIS]. Look, I love this character! I worked for eight years crafting [Ziva] and when I felt like the character wasn’t being treated with the respect she deserved […] They were going to send [Ziva] back to Israel and make her an unfortunate, miserable woman.”
Will Tony And Ziva Ever Reunite Onscreen In NCIS
Though it happened off-screen, the Ziva and Tony NCIS ending was the happy one that many fans had been hoping for since their romance blossomed. However, with NCIS still airing and successful, could the two characters ever show back up together on the screen, giving fans that one look at the happy family that many dreamed about for so many years? It looks like it might finally happen. While de Pablo left the show because she wasn’t happy with the storyline planned for Ziva, Michael Weatherly left for a different reason. He wanted to do something new.
Weatherly did just that when he took on the leading role in the series Bull. However, after that show finally ended after six seasons, the actor might find time in his schedule for a short return to the show that made him famous. In a post on Twitter, a fan said they wanted to see Tony and Ziva together on NCIS and the actor actually responded, writing, “Stay tuned… for this might be an interesting year for such “moments”!” With that said, the Ziva and Tony NCIS reunion that fans have been wishing for since their final kiss might finally come true for the popular duo.