NCIS season 16: Three of our current Ziva theories
Now, the metaphorical toothpaste is out of the tube. Ziva is out there, scouring the world for something … but what? Why is she in America, and what is it that she’s looking for? This is the primary reason we are steadfast in our belief that eventually, Ziva may now surface: Her being alive is a reveal that leads only to more questions. It does not leave you in a place with clear answers on motive, intent, or backstory.
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It’s impossible now to look into the horizon and project where the story will go from here. Yet, what we can do is speculate on this very question: Where has Ziva been ever since the events of the season 13 finale, and does Tony have any idea that she is alive? Within this piece, we come bearing three different theories we are pondering over about her whereabouts and the state of her mission. Take a look below, but also be sure to add your own thoughts in the comments.
1. Ziva is an escaped prisoner – Think about this — she’s been gone for almost three years, and seemingly has not been in contact with one of her great loves or her daughter. Why would this be? It may be because she has not been capable of doing so. While she may not have died in the explosion in “Family First,” there’s an outcome in which someone captures her and, for an unknown reason, has been keeping her hostage. She may have recently escaped and is trying now to find a way to ensure her previous captors never find her again. It allows for genuine stakes — a reason why Ziva hasn’t sought out Tony or anyone within the team. It may be her thinking that she is protecting them and sparing them from being a target. Once she puts the matter behind her, she can then take a step forward.
2. Ziva faked her own death, and is tying up loose ends from her past – It’s possible that Ziva’s been alive and in the shadows for the past few years, working to clear up problems in the past no one knows about. She may be working out of her office in secret, finding a way to go undetected with cases so secret, even Bishop could not find them. These may be cases that if unresolved, would come back to destroy her and her family down the line. She needs to close the door on them first. Maybe these cases are not particularly above-board, hence why she does not want Gibbs or the team abreast to them. They could, in turn, only get in the way.
3. Tony already knows Ziva is alive and is keeping her secret – “For the safety of my family, please keep my secret.” The easy read of the note Ziva left to Bishop at the end of “She” is that her “family” is referring to Tony. Yet, what if she’s talking about the NCIS family instead? If they know she is alive, they could hunt her down and that could cause them to have a target hovering over them. It’s also possible that Tony is keeping Ziva’s secret (we think he would), but she is traveling to America without his knowledge … hence, why she wouldn’t want him to know what she’s up to. This part feels slightly implausible, mostly because it feels like if Ziva was to trust Tony with a secret about her survival, she would trust him with everything in turn.
No matter the theory, and no matter the thought, let us hope that they manifest into something wonderful before the end of the season. It could be later or it could be never; we just know that our patience is teetering on a knife’s edge and we’ve got one of the most epic teasers imaginable as of now.
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You can do this by visiting the story over at this link. Meanwhile, let us know in the comments your current, favorite Ziva-related NCIS theory. We will come bearing more information and discussions before long. (Photo: CBS.)