Ziva David, portrayed by Cote de Pablo, does not make an appearance in NCIS: Los Angeles. Her story is firmly rooted in the original NCIS series.
Ziva was first introduced in NCIS during its third season, joining the team after the shocking death of Special Agent Kate Todd at the hands of Ari Haswari. Ziva is later revealed to be both Ari’s Mossad handler and his half-sister—the two share the same father, Eli David, who was the Deputy Director (and later Director) of Mossad.
In the two-part season opener “Kill Ari,” Ziva saves Gibbs by shooting Ari, killing him with a precise shot to the forehead—mirroring the way Ari killed Agent Todd. Afterward, she requests a liaison position with NCIS and eventually becomes a key member of Gibbs’ team in the episode “Silver War.”
Initially, Ziva’s presence causes tension within the team due to her family ties to Ari. Tony DiNozzo, Abby Sciuto, and even Gibbs are wary of her, especially since Director Shepard assigned her to the team without informing Gibbs. However, Ziva quickly proves herself when she uses her skills to save both herself and Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard from danger, earning the respect of the rest of the team.
In season 4’s premiere, “Shalom,” Ziva finds herself framed for murder by Iranian operatives. She flees and reaches out to Gibbs, who had retired to Mexico. With his help, she is cleared of the charges, prompting Gibbs to return to NCIS.
As the series goes on, Ziva’s emotional depth becomes more visible. In one memorable episode, “Dead Man Walking,” she forms a brief but deep connection with Lt. Roy Sanders, a man slowly dying from radiation poisoning. The episode reveals a more vulnerable and compassionate side of Ziva.
In the season 5 finale, following Director Shepard’s death, Ziva’s liaison role ends due to Director Vance’s orders. She resumes field work for Mossad and goes undercover in Morocco. Eventually, it’s revealed that she was helping Vance investigate a mole within NCIS. After this mission, she rejoins Gibbs’ team.
Tensions rise again in season 6 when her romantic involvement with Mossad agent Michael Rivkin ends in tragedy—Tony DiNozzo fatally shoots Rivkin during a confrontation, which leads to Ziva returning to Mossad. She’s later captured and tortured in Somalia while on a mission.
Presumed dead at the start of season 7, Ziva is rescued by her NCIS teammates. Deeply affected by her captivity, she decides to leave Mossad for good and formally becomes an NCIS agent and U.S. citizen.
Her journey continues through seasons 7 to 10, including a powerful arc in which her father, Eli David, visits the U.S. to broker peace talks with Iran. Tragedy strikes when he and Director Vance’s wife are assassinated. The episodes that follow show Ziva on a path of grief and vengeance, culminating in her killing Eli’s killer, Ilan Bodnar, in self-defense.
While Ziva’s character had several impactful storylines, all of them unfolded within NCIS, not its Los Angeles-based spin-off. Despite crossover episodes between NCIS shows, Ziva has not been featured in NCIS: Los Angeles.
