Don't get your hopes up for the return of Ziva David, NCIS fans, but you don't have to rule out a happy ending for her and Tony and their daughter, either.
On NCIS Season 16 Episode 13, Ellie found a photo of the former NCIS dynamo when researching an old case that led her to a pretty surprising discovery.When a young girl is found living in a storage locker, an all-out search for her mother who is still being held captive somewhere.
During her research into the old files associated with the case, Ellie discovers Ziva had a personal interest in the case and continued to work it long after it was considered closed.
While Ziva was never able to solve the case, she carefully noted everything she found and more importantly everything she felt while working it.
Even though Gibbs Rule #10 is "Never get personally involved in a case," Ziva had been doing it during her entire tenure with NCIS. Ellie realized that it not only helped Ziva to cope with everything she saw but helped her to see the cases more clearly, too.Ellie learned that Ziva had a little office that nobody knew about, and inside that office, she found dozens of composition books filled with all of Ziva's thoughts.Ziva never had the luxury of not getting involved personally in a case because she took every case to heart. That's how you get involved.
Ellie showed everything to Gibbs, but he wasn't interested in hearing anything about it and even warned Ellie that if she continued to hold back from him, she'd be gone.That's not what Ellie wanted, of course. She wanted to learn what she could about the case and about Ziva David.
Ziva is not only remembered fondly by the co-workers who loved her, but she is a legend in the office. Her desk remains empty, and every day Ellie wishes she had the opportunity to meet Ziva and to learn from her.
It felt like a fitting way to pay tribute to a character the fans love and to follow up on the fact her body was never discovered. It allows for hope as the show continues and lets the legend of Ziva (and Tiva) continue.
It also provided a stamp of approval from Ziva onto Ellie for both viewers and Ellie. She needed to know how she measured up against the former hero, and if the letter is any indication, she's measured up well.
So what did you think, NCIS Fanatics? Do you want more from this story, or are you pleased with what it meant to the show as it is and how it once was?
We can't wait to hear from you.
Don't forget that you can watch NCIS online to relive all of the magic Ziva brought to the show.
Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on Twitter and email her here at TV Fanatic.
