As FBI navigates its boldest transition yet in 2026, the spotlight has shifted intensely onto Omar Adom “OA” Zidan. With the series now anchoring Monday nights and the franchise expanding into the world of the CIA, the writers are finally peeling back the layers of OA’s stoic exterior.
The “schedule shake-up” is more than just a logistical move—it’s a narrative catalyst. By moving away from the back-to-back franchise blocks, the show is dedicating more screen time to the internal lives of its leads, and for OA, this means his “skeletons” are finally coming out of the closet.
1. The Breakdown of the “Perfect” Partner
For years, OA has been the rock of the New York Field Office. However, Season 8 has revealed a deeply troubling pattern of secretiveness that has begun to alienate his closest allies.1
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The Near-Death Incident: In a shocking Season 8 arc, OA was poisoned while protecting a Senator.2 Despite nearly dying and requiring hospitalization, he chose to keep the severity of the incident hidden from his girlfriend, Gemma Brooks.3
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The Consequences: This lack of transparency backfired spectacularly. When Gemma eventually discovered the truth, it shattered her trust. Combined with her own “hidden history” (an emotional affair with a client), the relationship collapsed.4 For OA, this breakup wasn’t just a romantic failure; it was a reminder of his inability to bridge the gap between his high-stakes job and a normal life.
2. Undercover Trauma and the “DEA Years”
The move to 2026 has brought renewed focus to OA’s pre-FBI life. Before being “cherry-picked” by the Bureau, OA spent two years undercover for the DEA.5
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The “Skeleton”: The new 2026 schedule includes crossover elements with the spinoff CIA, which has begun to touch on OA’s past assets and contacts. Rumors suggest that an old case from his undercover days—one involving a compromised asset—is set to resurface.
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The Risk: As the show explores more “global” threats, OA’s history of operating in moral gray areas is coming back to haunt him. This “hidden history” poses a risk not just to his career, but to Maggie Bell, who is often forced to defend a partner she realizes she doesn’t fully know.
OA’s Evolution: A Status Report (2026)
| Category | The “Skeleton” | The 2026 Impact |
| Personal Life | Chronic secretiveness / lack of vulnerability. | Resulted in a messy breakup with Gemma; leaves him isolated. |
| Professional Past | Unresolved debts from DEA undercover days. | Set to collide with the new CIA series’ international arcs. |
| Health | Lingering trauma from his recent poisoning. | Causes friction with Maggie, who demands full transparency. |
3. The Maggie Factor: A New Vulnerability
With both Maggie and OA now single in the 2026 season, the “skeleton” they are both avoiding is their undeniable emotional reliance on each other. The shake-up in the schedule has allowed for “quieter” moments in the bullpen, where the silence between them speaks volumes. OA’s greatest secret might not be a past crime, but his fear of losing the one person who truly knows him if he reveals the darkest parts of his history.
As the 2026 season progresses toward the finale of Season 8 and the launch of Season 9, OA is being forced to choose: keep his skeletons locked away and risk total isolation, or open the closet and face the judgment of the team he calls family.
