‘NCIS: Tony & Ziva’ Finally Confirms This 9-Year-Old Tiva Theory

Season 1, Episode 9NCIS‘s second international spin-off, NCIS: Tony & Ziva, sees two fan-favorite characters reprise their roles and return to their franchise as if they never left. Tony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly) and Ziva David (Cote de Pablo) exit the flagship show at different points, but their spin-off essentially picks up from when the latter makes her final appearance on NCIS and embarks on a plane to Paris. At the time, Tony had left the series four years prior in 2015, and was under the impression that Ziva was dead while he took care of their daughter, Tali (Isla Gie), by himself after just finding out about her existence.

Despite not missing a beat, since the spin-off shows us the moment Ziva reunited with her family in 2020, it still hasn’t addressed the specific circumstances of the couple’s separation. That is, there was still a mystery around whether Tony had forgiven Ziva for essentially lying to him about faking her death and Tali’s birth. After eight tumultuous episodes, this mystery has finally been addressed in Tony & Ziva, and Episode 9 does not disappoint us, doing justice to Tony’s reaction to the whole debacle.

This Tiva Storyline Hung Over the ‘NCIS’ Spin-Off Since the Start

During Tony’s NCIS exit episode, he is met by the conflicting news about Ziva’s death and Tali’s existence. He struggles with an internal conflict around feeling betrayed that Ziva failed to tell him about Tali, but also couldn’t fathom that Ziva herself was killed. Eventually, after bonding with Tali and deciding to take fatherhood seriously, he put his emotions aside and moved across the ocean to give Tali the best life possible away from the constant threat of danger associated with being an agent. Even though we never really see Tony’s reaction to finding out Ziva is alive, it undoubtedly would’ve resurfaced these old feelings he stored away.

But in Tony & Ziva, the flashbacks show us an ever-smiling version of Tony, who was just relieved about the family’s reunion and concerned about Ziva’s PTSD. It almost felt like he or the show forgot about the internal conflict that struck him during his final NCIS episode. They only talked about Ziva’s absence in the context of missing out on motherhood and the impact on Tali, rather than how it affected Tony. If anything, it was like he was too happy about the reunion to care about Ziva lying to him previously. As such, the mystery around his true feelings emerged and haunted the beginning of the spin-off. But Episode 9 proves otherwise, and, well, we should’ve remembered that Tony takes his time to talk about his feelings.

‘NCIS: Tony & Ziva’ Episode 9 Confirms Tony’s Feelings of Betrayal and Distrust

During the flashbacks in Episode 9, we finally discover the reason the couple broke off their engagement, and it is as dramatic as everything these two do. On the day of their wedding, Tali wanders off, and this incites a heated argument between Tony and Ziva, where the former’s real feelings are blurted out. He reveals that the reason he didn’t tell Ziva about Tali wandering off is that he doesn’t trust her anymore. After years of raising Tali by himself and believing Ziva was dead, he was used to being a single parent. Of course, he was happy that she was back, but the latent conflict still existed, and he was absolutely upset. Aside from avoiding a potential plot hole, the show’s decision to address this mystery and its timing is actually more meaningful.

Placing this scene towards the end of the season was the perfect move for Tony’s arc. Although his character development in the present timeline is questionable due to the non-linear structure of the show, if we solely look at the flashbacks, Tony’s progression is flawless. At the beginning of the spin-off, he continues his behavior of stifling his emotions to keep his family united and make space for Ziva to process her PTSD. But as Ziva says in the argument, her mental state isn’t Tony’s responsibility, and he should’ve been honest with her from the start. As such, by voicing his feelings and concerns, he is finally making progress with his emotional intelligence, even if it was to the detriment of their relationship due to the delay. It gives Tony’s arc the weight that Ziva’s was given in the first few episodes, while cleverly explaining his earlier passivity.

‘NCIS: Tony & Ziva’ Episode 9 Does Tony’s Character Arc Justice

Image via Paramount+

The scene of revelation itself was executed brilliantly, ensuring the gravity of Tony’s words and the turning point in his characterization is conveyed. Since we already knew the marriage wouldn’t go through, Tony & Ziva Episode 9 built anticipation for this moment by placing it so close to when they would walk to the altar. Both characters were already in their wedding attire and were doing last-minute preparations before everything went awry. The chaos of the day, including Tali’s disappearance, heightens the urgency in the atmosphere, making it ripe for when Tony and Ziva start yelling at each other. So, when Tony quietly admits he distrusts Ziva, it feels like an earth-shattering confirmation.

Weatherly’s raw performance cinches the moment of impact, making our hearts ache for him and their relationship. He ensures it looks like these feelings have been bubbling under the surface for a while now, culminating in this vulnerable confession that feels almost out of character for Tony. So, if the fact that Tony expresses his feelings doesn’t carry enough of a shock factor, then Weatherly’s performance makes sure it resonates. It may be a brief moment in the show, but it is one that does justice to Tony’s arc and Tiva, all the way back from when they were still on the flagship show.