NCIS: Tony & Ziva Episode 9 is, in many ways, the episode fans of Tony and Ziva had been waiting for. And by waiting for I mean for over a decade, not just for the months this show has been going on. Because “Ride or Die” is an episode about what your priorities are, and about finally putting into words what you’ve felt for so long. But “Ride or Die” is also an episode about actions. Because Tony and Ziva have loved each other for years. And they’ve had each other’s backs before; they did work together for a long time.
This episode, however, is about the trust issues of the past and how they’ve both worked to fix them in the present. Because, as their younger selves found out the hard way, saying out loud what’s wrong isn’t enough to fix it. It’s a good first step, yes. But relationships are often about how open you’re willing to be and how much you want to stay together above all other things.
Now, Tony and Ziva are there. And they’re going to face this final challenge, getting their daughter back, together. Does anyone doubt they’ll come out on top?
MORE: Check out our interview with Maximiliam Osinski!
WHEN IT COUNTS
NCIS: Tony & Ziva Episode 9 “Ride or Die” has plenty of little nods to Tony and Ziva’s partnership and how well they know each other. This is important because, at some point in the past, Tony and Ziva decided that they didn’t actually know each other that well, and worse, that they couldn’t trust each other. That’s what split them up.
But the problem was always a lack of communication. The fact that Tony was never truly open with the things that hurt him, and the fact that Ziva never wanted to be just her trauma, so she kept it inside. Sure, we see them actually opening up to each other in the scene where they call the wedding off. But communication isn’t just a one-day thing. You can’t fix your problems unless you’re willing to put them on the table and then do the hard job of analyzing their roots. You have to keep trying.
For Tony and Ziva, there is also the fact that their issues when they called off the marriage parallel the ones they had when they were at NCIS. Why were they never together? Because they were both afraid of what the change would mean, yes, but also because they never trusted that they could be a couple and get it right. It’s easier to love from a distance than to commit to a love and then have to figure out how to make the broken pieces of yourself match the broken pieces of someone else.
Now, however, Tony and Ziva have gotten to a point where they’ve realized a lot of those broken pieces already match. They got a lot of scars together. And though they have their individual issues, they’ve both found ways to cope with them. Ziva with therapy. Tony with honesty, instead of deflection. The people they are right now don’t just have to dream of a happy ending; they can start building it. But first, they have to save Tali.
MORE: Check out our previous reviews! Here’s Episodes 1-3, here’s Episode 4, here’s Episode 5, here’s Episode 6, here’s Episode 7, and Episode 8.
YOU MADE A PROMISE AND YOU BROKE IT
Tali is a really relatable character if you just take into account that she’s a teenager, she’s scared, and she’s never really seen this side of her parents before. One of the best things we do for our kids is try to shield them from all the bad in the world, and in ourselves. But kids grow up. And one day, they have to confront all the things we never wanted them to see. That’s where Tali is.
And to her credit, she’s a smart, resourceful young woman who, like her father, often says things she doesn’t mean because she uses snark as a defense mechanism, but like her mother, she can also lock in when needed. That’s why she and Sophie almost got away. And that’s why I’m not that worried about what’s going to happen to her in the finale.
But when it comes to her parents’ relationship, Tali is going to need more than just seeing them kicking ass together (though that might help). She’s going to need words and a commitment that this is for real. Because as a teenager, there’s nothing worse than letting yourself believe you can have the family you want, only for that to be ripped away from you. And Tali has already been there. She was literally dressed for her parents’ wedding. She really doesn’t want to go back.
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I ALREADY KNOW YOU LIKE ME
The dynamics between Claudette and Boris are really showcased in this episode, and they’ve developed into a kind of sibling bond that the two kind of enjoy, even if they would deny it if asked. Proof of it is that Claudette starts the episode worried about Boris after the events of the last episode, and that Boris even comes back to help when he could have just gone on to his honeymoon without even thinking about these people ever again.
NCIS has always been, first and foremost, about found family. We already know Sophie and Claudette have become part of Tony and Ziva’s extended family, but this episode shows that Boris has as well. And you don’t abandon family when they need you.
You also continue being sassy about the fact that you’re helping them while you do it, because family doesn’t mean forgetting who you are. No, family is knowing they love you, just as you are. Claudette, Sophie, and Boris clearly needed that, and if we’re being honest, so did Tony and Ziva.
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I LOVE YOU
The Tony and Ziva reunion is not just about love. It’s also about fear, because they both make the decisions they make in this hour out of fear for the other’s safety. But the reunion is also about making the conscious choice to face whatever comes next together. Even if that means putting in the work, talking to their daughter, and doing all the things they never thought they could or would get to do.
It’s a small moment, but when they exchange “I love yous,” they’re doing more than accepting feelings that deep down both of them knew were there. Instead, it’s a silent promise from both of them to stop hiding. To not run away from each other. To be the Tony and Ziva they wanted to be from the beginning, not just separately, but together.
We don’t know yet what that looks like, and we’re not likely to get that in Episode 10 as we still have a bad guy to beat and Tali to save. So, this, above all things, is the reason why we need a Season 2. It was incredibly satisfying to see this journey for Tony and Ziva, to see them take the steps towards becoming the couple we always knew they could be. Now, we would like to see them be that couple for more than just a few minutes. And we’re sure that, even as a couple, they could still give us a lot of entertaining stories to follow.
Agree? Disagree? What did you think about NCIS: Tony & Ziva Episode 9 ‘Ride or Die’? Share with us in the comments below!
New episodes of NCIS: Tony & Ziva stream on Thursdays on Paramount+.
