After playing Special Agent Ziva David for eight years, viewers were stunned when longtime cast member Cote de Pablo left “NCIS” after Season 10. Immediately after her departure, fans wondering what happened to de Pablo after her “NCIS” exit had to largely content themselves with her sporadic film and TV roles since she opts out of using social media. That said, de Pablo returned to “NCIS” for a brief stint years later, wrapping up Ziva’s story arc on a happier and more definitive note.
Ziva first comes back to “NCIS” in Season 16, Episode 24 — previously, viewers were led to believe she was dead, and the fact she’s not only alive but back alongside her former co-workers serves as Season 16’s major cliffhanger. Then, she plays a key part in Episodes 1, 2, 10, and 11 of Season 17.
As it turns out, Ziva faked her death to protect her daughter Tali, who’s in the care of Anthony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly) at the time of her return. After helping Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon) take down some mutual foes, Ziva leaves for Paris after the events of Season 17, Episode 11 to live freely with DiNozzo and Tali in what amounts to de Pablo’s final “NCIS” appearance to date.
Ziva’s comeback essentially rewrote her character’s ending
Cote de Pablo hasn’t often discussed specifics on what led to her departure from “NCIS.” However, in 2016, the actor shed some light on her exit. “Unfortunately, because of political things and the scripts not being good enough, I chose not to [continue],” she revealed during an interview at Babson College (per UPI). She continued, describing some of the proposed plans surrounding her character as lackluster. “They were going to send her back to Israel and make her an unfortunate, miserable woman,” de Pablo said before elaborating that she could not come back until something worthwhile was written for Ziva David.
In 2019, the actor seemingly got her wish, as she returned to “NCIS” for the Season 16 finale and four episodes in the following season. Cast and crew members openly celebrated her comeback on the “NCIS” set. “They were waiting for me, standing up, and they clapped as I went in,” de Pablo told USA Today upon her return. “I think I said something along the lines of, ‘Woo-hoo, I’m back!’ It was great.”
Overall, Ziva’s return essentially amounts to a series of cameos, gifting her a happy ending to counteract the tragedy that previously befell her character. This comeback, then, isn’t necessarily a reprisal of her previous role as much as it was a means to write off her character in a more satisfying manner than before. Brief as it may be, de Pablo’s second run is memorable all the same for letting Ziva finally live happily ever after following years of uncertainty.