Read at your own risk: This article contains spoilers for NCIS Season 17.
It has been months now ever since NCIS has concluded its sixteenth season. But while this chapter has already wrapped up, there are still a lot of unanswered questions left for the fans. And to be much more specific - is Ziva truly returning for the new chapter?
Quite intriguingly, Ziva's storyline has not yet been concluded. Although there were hints previously that she died in Israel while working on a case, her body was not found.
It is also worth noting that there were a few indications given during the primary run of NCIS Season 16 that she is still alive. And after watching the finale of the latest season, it is finally revealed that Cote de Pablo's character will be back.
Upon her arrival, a "stunned" Gibbs was in full shock. But Ziva told him that there is not much time left for pleasantries as his life is in danger. And this is where the show left its fans hanging.
According to Cinema Blend, this surprise return of the major character was kept as a huge "secret" for the show. In fact, only a few people from the production knew that this will happen. Not to mention, the cliffhanger scene was omitted from the scripts to fully keep safe Ziva's return.
So when her character appeared during the final moments of NCIS Season 16, the whole fandom and production were in full bloom shock. Nevertheless, this made the avid viewers and fans of the show a lot happier and more excited for NCIS Season 17.
As per Pop Culture, Cote de Pablo is confirmed to return for the new season of the show. However, she will not be back as a series regular. And as the new details emerge, it seems that Ziva will only appear during the premiere of the new installment.
This is probably why some of the cast members have largely described the premiere of the new season using only "one word," which is "Ziva." But while these assumptions are pretty plausible, there are still no direct confirmations that Cote de Pablo's character will not return for the other episodes. And whatever the case might be, her return is still a much-awaited event for the whole fandom.
As of the moment, NCIS Season 17 is still making progress for its production and filming as per reports. Even so, the new season is set to premiere on September 24, on CBS.
