FBI star Zeeko Zaki reflects on OA finally speaking to Maggie about his past. In FBI season 7, episode 8, “Riptide”, Omar Adom “OA” Zidan (Zaki) is faced with a difficult choice regarding his former life. His friend Clay (Guy Lockard), the person who saved OA’s back when he was held captive, turns out not to be the person that OA thought he was. It’s a difficult realization for OA but ultimately brings him closer to his partner Maggie Bell (Missy Peregrym).
In an interview with TV Insider, Zaki was asked whether OA would reveal to Maggie that he was a prisoner of war if not for the Clay factor. The actor shared that OA has his insecurities about the subject and that it took a significant moment for him to be vulnerable with his partner. The quote is below:
I think there’s some insecurities and some vulnerability when it comes to being a prisoner of war that OA experiences and doesn’t want to show that weakness or show that he ever did get caught or ever did sort of fail a mission like that, especially when our relationship is based on doing these missions every week. So I think there’s something like that and I think it would’ve definitely taken a final straw or a real intense, a real down moment for OA to sort of share that. And I’m happy we got to get it out of the way.
Although she does not appear in “Riptide”, Zaki is also asked about OA’s romantic relationship with Gemma (Comfort Clinton) and why they are going strong. In response, Zaki notes that Gemma and OA have a kind of opposites-attract dynamic and compares it to his relationship with Maggie:
I think our relationship works because opposites attract and I think between my relationship with Maggie getting to have somebody on the other end of the spectrum that gets to pull me and distract me from the chaotic FBI world, there’s something to be said about that, and getting to kind of be with her and when I’m with her in my mind isn’t on cases and isn’t on the fear and the intensity of my job is really great for OA.
Do you think it’s also because they had the hurdles early on and they got past those?
Yeah, yeah, for sure. I think it was great to play out those hurdles and now how we show our personal stuff in the show leaves a lot for the audience to fill in the blanks and so far so good.
What FBI’s “Riptide” Episode Means For OA & Maggie
It’s Pivotal
“Riptide”, written by Woody Straussner and directed by Jean de Segonzac, signals its interest in OA and Maggie early on. The first scene sees the FBI characters brushing up on their shooting skills. OA asks his partner about how she feels about life after Ella. In an earlier episode, Maggie realizes she has to let Ella go because she’d only be putting her in danger. Maggie says, essentially, that she’d rather not talk about it and just keep shooting.
Maggie wonders if this means that OA has a blindspot when it comes to Clay, refusing to see that his friend might be duplicitous.
But that flips back around late in the same episode. OA comes clean to Maggie about the fact that Clay rescued him when he was held captive, risking his own life in the process. Maggie wonders if this means that OA has a blindspot when it comes to Clay, refusing to see that his friend might be duplicitous.
Missy Peregrym as Special Agent Maggie Bell from FBI
Related
OA’s Latest FBI Tragedy Is A Blessing In Disguise For Maggie
FBI season 7, episode 8 ends in a shocking tragedy for OA, but this could turn out to be better news for Maggie than it appears at first glance.
Maggie turns out to be correct. OA is confronted by Clay, who has been using his trust and playing him. In the end, OA shoots and kills Clay when his old friend turns on him. The story wouldn’t have worked without Maggie knowing the truth, and the audience being reminded of what was at stake. But it does play off with a very strong moment for the partners.
Our Take On The Latest Maggie & OA Relationship
It Ends Perfectly
Zeeko Zaki as Agent Zidan with agents ready to shoot behind him in FBI season 6
In the episode’s closing moments, OA laments the fact that he killed the person who had once saved him. Maggie answers that, even removed from that complicated history, OA is a loyal person and that is what Clay took advantage of. It’s a small but perfect note for the episode to close on and another moment that points to why Maggie and OA have their supporters among the viewers as FBI heads into the confirmed season 8.
FBI season 7 returns with new episodes on Tuesday, January 28 at 8 PM ET on CBS
