‘NCIS’ Season 13 Finale: Watch Michael Weatherly exit series, Ziva returns via old Cote de Pablo scenes

Tony DiNozzo actor reveals favourite episode is a landmark ‘Tiva’ special

NCIS Season 13: Fans cross fingers for the return of Cote de Pablo's Ziva David — Cast members (L-R) Rocky Carroll, Mark Harmon, Cote de Pablo and David McCallum participate in a panel for CBS series NCIS during the CBS sessions at the Television Critics Association winter press tour in Pasadena, California January 11, 2012. REUTERS/Phil McCarten

“NCIS” Season 13 finale is set to air May 17 on CBS. Avid fans and casual viewers should watch this week’s new episode titled “Family First,” as it features Michael Weatherly leaving NCIS as Tony DiNozzo. The actor has explained his reason for leaving, even admitting Cote de Pablo’s Ziva David is somehow connected to his decision. Ziva returns via flashbacks in Tony’s exit episode.

Spoiler alert: This update contains “NCIS” Season 13 spoilers. Details include highlights of NCIS 13x23, “Dead Letter.”

In NCIS 13x24, Tony DiNozzo must make sure that Ziva is alive after Trent Kort (David Dayan Fisher) burned her father’s farm house in Tel Aviv, Israel. Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon) had not spoken Ziva’s name since she left NCIS in Season 11, Episode 2 (“Past, Present and Future”). This changed dramatically in the May 10 episode, where fans could enjoy a drinking game each time Ziva is mentioned.

Will Cote de Pablo return as Ziva David?

There is little to zero hope in the return of Cote de Pablo as Ziva David because of a public statement Cote recently made against how her character was treated (also, her real reason for leaving NCIS). However, old scenes featuring Tony and Ziva (known as Tiva to fans) are expected. There may be a very small chance that Cote would surprise the fans because Tony posted on Twitter a very suspicious sign on the NCIS set. Fans are hoping Ziva would not be killed off if only for the sake of ultimate closure.

Who will replace Tony DiNozzo in NCIS?

Tim McGee (Sean Murray) could become Gibbs No. 2 guy once DiNozzo has left. It is also possible that the new guys with more experience might intimidate him, though.

Tony’s replacements in Gibbs’ team were introduced in the penultimate episode, “NCIS” Season 13, Episode 23. MI6 Agent Clayton Reeves (Duane Henry) and FBI Agent Tess Monroe (Sarah Clarke) are joining the NCIS family to try to fill the void that is left for avid Tiva fans. Ziva’s replacement, Emily Wickersham’s Ellie Bishop, has not been fully embraced by Tiva supporters even as it has been over two years now.

Where to watch “NCIS” Season 13 finale online?

Watch “NCIS” Season 13, Episode 24 here, a special offer from CBS All Access. The season finale is also available online here.

When “NCIS” Season 14 premieres later in the year, fans can expect a very different dynamic among Gibbs’ agents in the show.

What is Michael Weatherly’s favourite NCIS episode?

“Truth or Consequences” is the best NCIS episode for Michael Weatherly. This season seven premiere episode was written by Jesse Stern and directed by Dennis Smith, who posted a Tiva reunion photo in November 2015.

In an interview with Variety, Weatherly said this episode was “well-executed on every level.” This is where Gibbs uses his mad sniper skills to rescue Ziva David, something her own father chose not to do. This is a landmark Tiva special because Ziva’s distrust of Tony led to the events in this episode. Here, she learns she was wrong and she means so much more to Tony, Gibbs and McGee.

Weatherly has admitted Cote de Pablo has influenced how he felt about his character. Since Ziva was gone, the actor felt his character had “stayed at the party for too long.”

UPDATE: Cote de Pablo did not film any scene for the recently aired "NCIS" Season 13 finale, but she did make a significant appearance on Twitter, via Michael Weatherly's feed. These two just showed how much they appreciate the fans of Tiva. Michael posted this photo after live tweeting his "real feelings" toward his NCIS swan song.

To quickly recap NCIS 13x24: Ziva dies in the fire caused by Kort's assassin. Gibbs' team kills Kort. Tony learns he and Ziva have a kid, and her name is Tali (namesake of Ziva's beloved late sister). The kid is played by the adorable little girls on 'Grandfathered' (recently cancelled by Fox) -- Layla and Emelia Golfieri. DiNozzo realises he couldn't be an agent anymore now that he is someone's everything. "I've never been anyone's everything," he tells Gibbs, who seems to completely undestand the situation.