‘NCIS’ Season Premiere Cliffhanger Puts Ziva at Odds With Gibbs, and Social Media Goes Wild

NCIS fans watched as Ziva and Gibbs teamed up like old times to face a big threat in the Season 17 premieres, and the reactions are priceless. The CBS crime procedural returned from a long summer break with answers about Ziva David’s (Cote de Pablo) surprise return, leading to an action-packed episode that put both fan-favorite characters’ lives at risk.

Spoilers ahead for NCIS Season 17 Premiere: “Out of the Darkness”

The season premiere kicked off where the show left off in the spring, with Ziva standing with Gibbs (Mark Harmon) in his basement with a lot of explaining to do.

The season premiere kicked off with the shocking moment where Ziva and Gibbs (Mark Harmon) stole a man’s car to escape a mysterious enemy, as Ziva carried two severed fingers they “need” for some mysterious reason. The show then returned to Gibbs’ basement where Ziva had no time to explain her return before they were ambushed by enemy fire.

Unaware of what’s happening, Bishop (Emily Wickersham), Nick (Wilmer Valderrama) and McGee (Sean Murray) are meeting for drinks but their relaxing time is interrupted when they get a report of shots fired at his house. A man is dead in the basement but there’s no sign of Gibbs.

In an underground tunnel connecting to Gibbs’ house, Ziva explains a woman is after her and now wants Gibbs dead too. Gibbs tries to tell to slow down but Ziva lashes out saying that finding Zahar is the only way she will ever get back to Tony (Michael Weatherly) and Tali.

Later, Bishop finds out through Ziva’s cabin owner that Ziva used the explosion where she presumably died to fake her death and go deep undercover to find the person who wanted her dead. The distance from everyone she loves kept her isolated and in pain. Bishop asked the mysterious woman if Tony knew that her love was alive, but she refused to tell her.

In the tunnel, Ziva struggles with the trauma of years of isolation. Gibbs extends a helping hand to her, but Ziva rebuffs it knowing that Zahar only came after him because of their connection. Gibbs says he is not leaving her alone again. The pair then agree to work together to stop Zahar.

The show then shifts to Bishop being confronted by McGee and her finally telling him that his old friend is alive.

Ziva and Gibbs get on a bus and find intel from one of her sources. The pair have some witty banter before Ziva recalls the moment her informant warned her about her old boss being targeted. At the headquarters, McGee and Bishop are forced to tell Nick (Wilmer Valderrama) about Ziva, and accidentally also Jimmy (Brian Dietzen).

Ziva admits to Gibbs later she struggles with not seeing Tali and says her hope to one day hold her again is what motivates her in her mission. With a price however, as a “demon” wakes inside her fueled by the rage. She has pills that subdue her demons. The pair then fight a man who stole their intel for Zahar, but Gibbs has to kill him before they can ask him any questions about the enemy.

Bishop finds McGee and tells him she found a person that could be the mysterious Zahar. She escaped one month before the explosion that supposedly killed Ziva. At that point, Gibbs calls McGee and confirms that Ziva is alive. They share intel but the team agrees to stay behind from the pair’s next destination. However, they know better so they head to the mysterious location anyway.

The show sees as Gibbs and Ziva go see the dangerous man. They tell her the woman’s name and he reveals it is an alias. Ziva reveals herself to be alive to the man. He says that if Ziva is in the U.S. that means Zahar is also there. She asks why Zahar wants her dead and he says it’s because of her brother Ari. The conversation is interrupted when the man is shot dead.

Gibbs and Ziva have to escape, leading back to the moment they stole the car. Bishop tells McGee and Nick that they have to stand down and trust that they are doing the right thing. The pair then argue as they wait for her associate to come back. Ziva says there’s no way she won’t kill Zahar. Gibbs tells her she can’t step outside of the law, but Ziva breaks sown about him never trying to search for her after she was reported dead.

They meet with the woman who brings an arsenal of weapons and she tells Ziva it’ll all be worth it once she reunite with her daughter. After the team decides to hear Ziva’s warning and stay away, the show gives a first look at Zahar, who is alone in her safe house.

Gibbs and Ziva capture the woman, but Ziva’s issues resurface and she lunges toward Zahar. Zahar warns her that a U.S. Senator would be dead by the morning if she dies, but she doesn’t stop. The episode ends on a heart-pounding cliffhanger as Ziva points a gun at Gibbs.

What did you think of the action-packed premiere? NCIS airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.