In the world of crime procedurals, ex-spies are nothing new. However, the CBS flagship series NCIS was never interested in introducing a typical ex-spy character, which was why they brought in the remarkable Ziva David (Cote de Pablo). Ziva made her debut back in Season 3, and it didn’t take long for her to become one of the show’s most popular characters. Ziva is a Mossad spy and assassin who eventually becomes a skilled federal agent under the leadership of Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon), the agency’s most popular lead agent. The character would remain one of NCIS’s primary stars until Season 10 when de Pablo decided to exit the crime drama (she only makes a one-episode appearance in Season 11). While the character may have received a lot of screen time, episodes built entirely around Ziva were unfortunately limited to a handful each season, and, even then, they typically involved her fellow agent, Tony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly). The lack of juicy storylines for Ziva was a disappointment and may have even led to de Pablo’s sudden departure from NCIS.
A Shocking Murder Brought Ziva to ‘NCIS’
When NCIS Season 3 premiered, Gibbs’ team had just suffered a tragic loss. Caitlin “Kate” Todd (Sasha Alexander), one of his agents, is killed in the line of duty by none other than Ziva’s half-brother, Ari (Rudolf Martin). Ziva makes herself known to Gibbs and his team early on in the episode. Despite her relatively young age, Ziva is as accomplished as they come, having worked both as an assassin and intelligence operative for Mossad.
Much of the two-part Season 3 opener focuses on Gibbs and Ari hunting each other. As for Ziva, she is adamant that her brother had nothing to do with Kate’s murder. It’s unclear whether she truly believes this or she is in self-denial, but, soon enough, Ziva helps Gibbs put an end to the madness. She shoots Ari dead after the Mossad spy-gone-rogue attempts to kill the senior NCIS agent. In doing so, the Israeli spy earns Gibbs’ trust and respect, paving the way for Ziva to join Gibbs’ team. NCIS creator Donald Bellisario knew the character would be a hit.
On ‘NCIS,’ Ziva Finds a Family and a Love Interest
Ziva may not have been Gibbs’ first female agent, but the two shared a special bond from the start. Part of Gibbs’ charm is that he is usually unreadable, but NCIS was quick to show that Ziva knew how to get under his skin. Interestingly, Gibbs and Ziva were also the only main characters who have a deep understanding of loss. Years before Ari’s death, Ziva’s little sister, Tali, died in a Hamas suicide bombing. As for Gibbs, his first wife and daughter were murdered while he was away on a mission. It was clear that Gibbs and Ari were kindred spirits.
Season 4 let slip some clues early on. By then, Ziva and Tony are spending time together outside of work. Because this was still a crime drama, however, NCIS didn’t offer any further details beyond that. At the same time, Ziva’s story mostly plays out as a minor subplot, which sees her settling into her new life as a federal agent. Conveniently, the show also put Tony on an undercover case that led to another (temporary) love interest. From this point forward, Ziva is strictly a team player, which is expected since NCIS is an ensemble show. That said, the action drama does give its main characters their time in the spotlight from time to time. In the case of Ziva, however, storylines centered on her typically also involved Tony. For instance, in Season 4, when Ziva gets framed for murder after Mossad operatives assassinate a target on American soil, it is up to Tony to prove her innocence. Later on, in Season 5, the two agents are also at the center of the story together when they travel to Los Angeles to become Director Shepard’s protection detail, only for the assignment to end in tragedy.
Mossad Plays a Big Role in Ziva’s ‘NCIS’ Story
After Michael’s death, Gibbs and his team escort his body back to Israel. While there, Mossad also questions Tony’s motive for killing their agent, while Ziva isn’t sure where she belongs anymore. In the end, she chooses to stay behind with Mossad at the end of Season 6. Later on, when Season 7 opens, Ziva is presumed dead after a Mossad mission goes wrong. They soon learn that she is being held captive in Somalia by a group of terrorists and stage a rescue. More is revealed regarding the circumstances that led to Ziva’s capture in a later Season 7 episode, which serves as a reminder of Ziva’s unique skill set and deadly nature. And while it may seem like it’s finally the character’s time to shine, it turns out to be not so much the case. Here, Ziva recounts her final mission as a Mossad agent as Gibbs and his team work to clear her name after her Mossad team leader framed her for the murder of a former U.S. Marine involved in the mission.
