NCIS season 16 will come to an end later this month with episode 24 titled Daughters. CBS will air the episode in the United States and the synopsis for the NCIS finale confirms the return of fan-favourite Tobias Fornell (played by Joe Spano). However, Fornell’s confirmed return has led to some NCIS fans fearing they won’t witness the highly-anticipated comeback of Ziva David (Cote de Pablo). Here’s why.
Will Tobias Fornell’s return affect Ziva storyline on NCIS?
NCIS season 16, episode 24 will unlikely see Ziva return to the drama.
Fornell’s reappearance on the CBS crime series appears to be the predominant storyline for the season finale.
CBS viewers will likely witness Gibbs (Mark Harmon) and co deal with Cornell’s issues, leaving very little time for Ziva’s return in the finale.
The synopsis for Daughters provides an insight into what NCIS fans can expect in the final episode of season 16.
IS TIMOTHY MCGEE LEAVING NCIS?
NCIS episode Daughters’ synopsis reads: “Fornell pleads with Gibbs to do whatever is necessary to take down drug dealers in the area after his daughter is hospitalised from a drug overdose; Gibbs is haunted by aspects of the case.”
Fornell’s daughter Emily (Juliette Angelo) will likely also play a major part in the final episode alongside her on-screen father.
This will be Angelo’s first appearance on NCIS since season 14 back in 2016.
Besides the Fornells, Gibbs himself will have to tackle demons of his own.
Gibbs’ wife and daughter both died at the hands of people involved in the drug world.
With such a stark reminder put in front of him and perhaps desperate to prevent Cornell’s family suffering the same fate, Gibbs will likely become deeply embroiled in the matter.
WHAT ARE GIBBS’ RULES ON NCIS?
With all of this drama set to take place, there’s very little room for Ziva to appear.
NCIS fans have been eagerly awaiting de Pablo’s character’s return ever since Ellie (Emily Wickersham) found her secret office.
Ziva was revealed to be alive in season 16, episode 13, She.
Gibbs’ team discover a malnourished nine-year-old abandoned in a storage unit which led to reopening an old missing person’s case that Ziva had a vested interest in.
The character hasn’t been seen since season 11 and had her death ‘confirmed’ in season 13 with her cause of death listed as a mortar attack.
WHEN WILL NCIS SEASON 16 BE ON NETFLIX?
If Ziva defies the odds and appears in Daughters, it will undoubtedly be one of the most talked about moments in the series history.
Besides Tobias and Emily Fornell returning alongside Gibbs, a number of other NCIS cast members have been confirmed for the finale.
Maria Bello as Jack Sloane and Wilmer Valderrama as Nick Torres will both appear in episode 24.
Brian Diesen as Jimmy Palmer and AJ Achinger as Spencer Cox will also star.
NCIS season 16, episode 24 will air on CBS in the USA at 8/7c on Tuesday, May 21.