‘NCIS’ shocker: Ziva returned in season finale to deliver a warning, but what does it mean?

Ziva David most unexpectedly resurfaced, and in the flesh, in NCIS‘ Season 16 finale. But will her only happy reunion be with Gibbs? Might baby daddy DiNozzo show up as well? Or is she, to the consternation of more than 90 percent of TVLine readers, just another figment of Boss’ imagination?

After Gibbs, in cracking a season-ending case, got wind of a grey-market opioids racket run out of Canada, he retreated to his basement, where (the dead) Diane Sterling assured her ex that when times get rough, “we are all inside you” to help. Moments after Diane disappeared up the stairs, Ziva appeared atop them, paused, and then made her way towards her onetime boss.

“Hello, Gibbs. No time for pleasantries — you’re in danger…,” she said. Noting his stunned (?) silence, she added, “Well, aren’t you gonna say something?”

36 PHOTOSCote de Pablo on 'NCIS'See GalleryCote de Pablo on 'NCIS'LOS ANGELES – JULY 30: “Past, Present & Future” — Determined to locate Ziva (Cote de Pablo, right), Tony (Michael Weatherly, left) chases leads in Israel in search of her current whereabouts, on NCIS, Tuesday, Oct. 1 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. (Photo by Sonja Flemming/CBS via Getty Images) LOS ANGELES – APRIL 18: “Double Blind” — A Department of Defense investigator scrutinizes the NCIS team’s response to the Bodnar case involving the murder of Ziva’s father and Vance’s wife.Meanwhile, the team examines whether a Petty Officer is suffering from paranoia or if his claims of being followed are tied to a matter of national security, on NCIS, Tuesday, May 7 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Pictured left to right: Mark Harmon, Sean Murray, Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo (Photo by Robert Voets/CBS via Getty Images) LOS ANGELES – APRIL 24: “Damned If You Do”– The international manhunt for Eli David and Jackie Vance’s killer turns into a federal witch hunt against Gibbs and the team, which questions their unconventional methods and threatens their future at the agency, on the 10th season finale of NCIS, Tuesday, May 14 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Pictured left to right: Rocky Carroll, Michael Weatherly, Cote de Pablo and Sean Murray (Photo by Cliff Lipson/CBS via Getty Images) LOS ANGELES – APRIL 15: “Double Blind”A Department of Defense investigator scrutinizes the NCIS team’s response to the Bodnar case involving the murder of Ziva’s father and Vance’s wife, on NCIS, Tuesday, May 7 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Colin Hanks (right) guest stars as Department of Defense IG Investigator Richard Parsons. Also pictured: Cote de Pablo (left). (Photo by Michael Desmond/CBS via Getty Images) LOS ANGELES – MARCH 13: “Chasing Ghosts” — When a Navy reservist returns home to find her husband missing and her living room covered in blood, she turns to the NCIS team to bring him home. Meanwhile, Tony suspects that Ziva (Cote de Pablo) is planning a risky move to avenge her father’s death, on NCIS, Tuesday, April 9 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.(Photo by Cliff Lipson/CBS via Getty Images) LOS ANGELES – MARCH 28: “Berlin” — While the NCIS team investigates the murder of a Mossad officer in Virginia, Tony (Michael Weatherly) and Ziva (Cote de Pablo) depart for Berlin as they track her father’s killer, on NCIS, Tuesday, April 23 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. (Photo by Richard Foreman/CBS via Getty Images) LOS ANGELES – MARCH 28: “Berlin” — While the NCIS team investigates the murder of a Mossad officer in Virginia, Tony (Michael Weatherly) and Ziva (Cote de Pablo) depart for Berlin as they track her father’s killer, on NCIS, Tuesday, April 23 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. (Photo by Richard Foreman/CBS via Getty Images) LOS ANGELES – MARCH 13: “Chasing Ghosts” — When a Navy reservist returns home to find her husband missing and her living room covered in blood, she turns to the NCIS team to bring him home. Meanwhile, Tony suspects that Ziva (Cote de Pablo, right) is planning a risky move to avenge her father’s death, on NCIS, Tuesday, April 9 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Pictured left: Mark Harmon (Photo by Cliff Lipson/CBS via Getty Images) LOS ANGELES – FEBRUARY 28: “Squall” — A massive storm brings the NCIS team aboard the USS Borealis, where everyone becomes a suspect once the crime scene proves that Mother Nature wasn’t the only culprit. Tension builds when McGee discovers that his estranged father, Navy Admiral John McGee, was on board during the incident, on NCIS, Tuesday, March 26 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Pictured: Cote de Pablo (Photo by Sonja Flemming/CBS via Getty Images) LOS ANGELES – JANUARY 14: “Canary”The NCIS team takes on a renowned hacker who could hold the key to tracking down the most-wanted cyber-terrorist in the world, on NCIS, Tuesday, Feb. 5 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. pictured: Cote de Pablo (Photo by Monty Brinton/CBS via Getty Images) LOS ANGELES – FEBRUARY 5: “Prime Suspect” — A media frenzy surrounding an unidentified criminal prompts Gibbs’ (Mark Harmon, right) barber to question his son’s involvement and ask for Gibbs’ help in ruling out his son as a prime suspect, on NCIS, Tuesday, March 5 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Also pictured l-r: Sean Murray, Cote de Pablo and Rocky Carroll (Photo by Sonja Flemming/CBS via Getty Images) LOS ANGELES – NOVEMBER 7: “Shabbat Shalom”– Ziva (Cote de Pablo, left) is taken aback by the sudden emotional visit by her father, who she hasn’t seen in more than two years. While Ziva questions the purpose of her father’s visit as the Director of Mossad, her father insists he is in the U.S. strictly to see his daughter for Shabbat dinner, on NCIS, Tuesday, Jan. 8 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. also pictured: Mark Harmon (right) and Rocky Carroll (center) (Photo by Monty Brinton/CBS via Getty Images) LOS ANGELES – NOVEMBER 7: “Shabbat Shalom”– Ziva (Cote de Pablo) is taken aback by the sudden emotional visit by her father, who she hasn’t seen in more than two years. While Ziva questions the purpose of her father’s visit as the Director of Mossad, her father insists he is in the U.S. strictly to see his daughter for Shabbat dinner, on NCIS, Tuesday, Jan. 8 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. (Photo by Monty Brinton/CBS via Getty Images) LOS ANGELES – NOVEMBER 7: “Shabbat Shalom”– Ziva (Cote de Pablo, right) is taken aback by the sudden emotional visit by her father, (Michael Nouri, left) who she hasn’t seen in more than two years. While Ziva questions the purpose of her father’s visit as the Director of Mossad, her father insists he is in the U.S. strictly to see his daughter for Shabbat dinner, on NCIS, Tuesday, Jan. 8 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. (Photo by Monty Brinton/CBS via Getty Images) LOS ANGELES – OCTOBER 1: “Shell Shock – Part II” — Tony’s (Michael Weatherly, right) curiosity is peaking when he learns Ziva (Cote de Pablo, left) is making special plans for the opera, in part two of a two-part episode of NCIS, Tuesday, Nov. 20 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. (Photo by Cliff Lipson/CBS via Getty Images) *** Local Caption) LOS ANGELES – SEPTEMBER 4: “Lost at Sea”– When a helicopter crew is adrift at sea and later discovered on shore, the NCIS team must determine the cause of the crash and locate the missing pilot, on NCIS, Tuesday, Oct. 23 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.Pictured: Cote de Pablo (Photo by Cliff Lipson/CBS via Getty Images) LOS ANGELES – JULY 30: “Recovery” — The team is required to complete mandatory psych evaluations with a crisis counselor, and Gibbs is most concerned about Abby”s recurring nightmares since the bombing, on NCIS, Tuesday, Oct. 2 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Pictured left to right: Cote de Pablo and Sean Murray (Photo by Michael Yarish/CBS via Getty Images) LOS ANGELES – APRIL 25: “Till Death Do Us Part” — Terrorism threatens to shake the foundations of the Navy and NCIS, when the team continues to be eluded by the newest member of the NCIS Most Wanted Wall.Meanwhile, Jimmy Palmer’s destination wedding is impacted by the case, on the season finale of NCIS, Tuesday, May 15 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Pictured left to right: Cote de Pablo, Sean Murray and Michael Weatherly (Photo by Michael Yarish/CBS via Getty Images) LOS ANGELES – APRIL 25: “Till Death Do Us Part” — Terrorism threatens to shake the foundations of the Navy and NCIS, when the team continues to be eluded by the newest member of the NCIS Most Wanted Wall.Meanwhile, Jimmy Palmer’s destination wedding is impacted by the case, on the season finale of NCIS, Tuesday, May 15 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Pictured left to right: Cote de Pablo, Sean Murray and Michael Weatherly (Photo by Michael Yarish/CBS via Getty Images) LOS ANGELES – APRIL 4: “Playing With Fire” — DiNozzo and Ziva (Cote de Pablo, pictured) travel to Italy when an explosive device is found hidden on a Navy ship, on NCIS, Tuesday, May 1 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. (Photo by Ron P. Jaffe/CBS via Getty Images) LOS ANGELES – MARCH 21: “Rekindled” — After a warehouse fire reveals missing Navy documents, posing a potential threat to national security, the NCIS team joins the Baltimore P.D. investigation, reuniting Tony with a boy from his past, on NCIS, Tuesday, April 17 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Pictured: Cote de Pablo (Photo by Jaimie Trueblood/CBS via Getty Images) LOS ANGELES – JANUARY 10: Cote de Pablo of NCIS on the CBS Television Network.(Photo by Art Streiber/CBS via Getty Images) LOS ANGELES – NOVEMBER 28: “Housekeeping” — The investigation into the murder of a Navy Commander leads the NCIS team to E.J. Barrett’s whereabouts, on NCIS, Tuesday, Jan. 3 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Pictured: Cote de Pablo as NCIS Special Agent Ziva David (Photo by Sonja Flemming/CBS via Getty Images) LOS ANGELES – NOVEMBER 4: “Newborn King” — When a Navy captain is killed in a hotel room, NCIS must track down and protect his very pregnant companion from unknown assailants, on NCIS, Tuesday, Dec. 13 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.Pictured: Sean Murray as NCIS Special Agent Timothy McGee and Cote de Pablo as NCIS Special Agent Ziva David.(Photo by Ron P. Jaffe/CBS via Getty Images) LOS ANGELES – JULY 25: “Restless” — Coverage of CBS’ NCIS scheduled to air on the CBS Television Network. Cote de Pablo, pictured. (Photo by Sonja Flemming/CBS via Getty Images) LOS ANGELES – JULY 25: “Restless” — Ziva (Cote de Pablo, pictured), McGee & DiNozzo dig thru trash (literally) after a squeaky clean Marine is murdered on NCIS, Tuesday, Sept. 27 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. (Photo by Richard Foreman/CBS via Getty Images) LOS ANGELES – MARCH 3: “Two-Faced” Ziva (Cote de Pablo, pictured) finally introduces her boyfriend, Ray, to the team, on NCIS, Tuesday, April 5 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.(Photo by Sonja Flemming/CBS via Getty Images)LOS ANGELES – MARCH 11: “Dead Reflection” — The NCIS team (left to right: Cote de Pablo, Michael Weatherly and Mark Harmon) tracks a Navy lieutenant’s killer after a Pentagon security camera reveals a petty officer committing the crime.Meanwhile, Gibbs announces that Agent Barrett and her team will take over the Port-to-Port serial killer case, on NCIS, Tuesday, April 12 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. (Photo by Sonja Flemming/CBS via Getty Images)LOS ANGELES – JANUARY 26: “One Last Score” — NCIS discovers that one of its former investigative assistants foundbrutally stabbed to death was selling details for how to rob a warehouse full of valuable possessions belonging to a woman convicted of fraud.Meanwhile, a new special agent joins the office, on NCIS, Tuesday, March 1 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Episode directed by series star Michael Weatherly (left). Also pictured Cote de Pablo(Photo by Cliff Lipson/CBS via Getty Images)LOS ANGELES – JANUARY 18: “Kill Screen” — The dismembered fingertips and teeth of a murdered Marine are discovered in the stolen purse of a pickpocketer, launching NCIS on a mission to find a cold-blooded killer, on NCIS, Tuesday, Feb. 22 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.pictured left to right: Sean Murray, Mark Harmon, Cote de Pablo, Michael Weatherly, Brian Dietzen and David McCallum. (Photo by Patrick Wymore/CBS via Getty Images)LOS ANGELES – JANUARY 6: “Defiance” — A botched assassination attempt in Belgravia forces NCIS to protect the Defense Minister’s daughter, who is studying in the U.S. and smitten with McGee.Meanwhile, Gibbs investigates the death of the U.S. Marine who was killed in the bombing, on NCIS, Tuesday, Feb. 15 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.Pictured: Cote de Pablo (Photo by Ron P. Jaffe/CBS via Getty Images)LOS ANGELES – -OCTOBER 3: “Enemies Foreign”– The team is assigned to protect Ziva’s (Cote de Pablo, left, with guest star Sarai Givaty) father, when his attendance at a NCIS conference leads to some unexpected surprises on “NCIS,” Tuesday, November 16 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. (Photo by Monty Brinton/CBS via Getty Images)LOS ANGELES – NOVEMBER 2: “Ships in the Night” — Gibbs and the NCIS team partner with a Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) Agent to solve the murder of a Marine gunned down on a dinner boat, on NCIS, Tuesday, Jan. 11 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.Diane Neal reprises her role as CGIS Special Agent Abigail Borin.Pictured: Cote de Pablo (Photo by Cliff Lipson/CBS via Getty Images)LOS ANGELES – AUGUST 31: “Dead Air”– When a controversial DJ and a Naval Officer are shot to death, Ziva (Cote de Pablo, left), McGee (Sean Murray), DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly, right) and team uncover a sinister plan, on “NCIS,” Tuesday, October 19 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. (Photo by Randy Tepper/CBS via Getty Images)LOS ANGELES – JULY 29: “Worst Nightmare” — Ziva (Cote de Pablo) and the team find their attempts to track down a kidnapped girl compromised by her determined grandfather, on “NCIS,” Tuesday, September 28 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. (Photo by Cliff Lipson/CBS via Getty Images)LOS ANGELES – JULY 29: “Worst Nightmare” — Gibbs (Mark Harmon, right), Ziva (Cote de Pablo, left) and the team find their attempts to track down a kidnapped girl compromised by her determined grandfather, on “NCIS,” Tuesday, September 28 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. (Photo by Monty Brinton/CBS via Getty Images)Up Next

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“Ziva” (or “Zeever,” if you insist on being that person) was Gibbs’ only response before the season faded to back, his mouth letting slip a faint smile at the daughter figure seemingly back in his life.

But just how “back” is Ziva, considering that NCIS alum Cote de Pablo is only confirmed to appear in the Season 17 premiere (airing Sept. 24)? Has she “come back from the dead” only to see Gibbs, or will she reconnect with other former colleagues? And what about Tony?

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