The newest episode 5 of NCIS – Tony & Ziva continues from the exhilarating moment of our beloved couple’s kiss, which felt more hopeful than ever before. Their scheme to fake a wedding and extract information from the rogue Interpol agent Martine (Nassima Benchicou) had succeeded, and they were enjoying a luxurious cruise on a yacht.
Additionally, Tony (Michael Weatherly) and Ziva David (Cote de Pablo) discover that Jonah (Julian Ovenden), the head of Interpol, is still alive and has been imprisoned under an alias.
Consequently, by the conclusion of Episode 4, they had a definitive plan for their next steps. It was an incredibly triumphant moment for this fugitive couple, with their former life almost within reach. However, Episode 5 alters everything.
Episode 5 of NCIS – Tony & Ziva Begins With An Exciting Prison Break
We are first introduced to the prison, where Jonah is dressed in an orange jumpsuit, engaged in conversation with another inmate, Dejan (Velibor Topić). As they discuss their plans to escape, Tony and Ziva are simultaneously making arrangements to rescue Jonah themselves.
The couple, along with their team, commandeer Martine’s private plane and head to Austria, intending to use 9.4 to gain access to the prison. After landing and starting their ground preparations, Tony and Ziva finally confront the kiss they shared in the last episode, attributing it to adrenaline rather than genuine emotions — how typical.
Setting aside their personal issues, they focus on the task at hand. Ziva is the first to reach the prison security gates, cleverly disguised as a truck driver. She activates a device that releases smoke from her truck’s hood. Amidst the chaos, she successfully inserts the 9.4 drive into the security computer, granting Boris (Maximilian Osinski) and Claudette (Amita Suman) remote access.
Later, as Tony approaches the security gate, they upload his fake credentials into the system, and the guards permit him to pass. Meanwhile, the tech-savvy pair manipulate the cameras and locks, enabling Ziva to enter the prison through a back gate while wearing a prison guard’s disguise.
As Ziva keeps watch, Tony engages the warden in conversation, persuading him that Jonah is being placed under his supervision. True to form, Tony rambles on with ridiculous claims, maintaining his usual charm as they stroll through the prison. Claudette and Boris caution them about Martine’s presence in the facility, but since she lacks a digital tag, tracking her is impossible.
Meanwhile, Ziva discreetly searches for Martine, while Tony finally comes face-to-face with Jonah. In a secluded room, he subtly suggests that they are planning to break Jonah out, indicating that the prison escape is set to go off without a hitch.
The Real Antagonists Come To Light In Episode 5 of NCIS – Tony & Ziva
As Jonah and Tony exit the room and make their way down the hallway, Claudette tells them that the drone taken from Reigning Fire was present. Tony halts in shock, echoing her words just as Jonah makes his appearance. It becomes clear that Jonah is collaborating with Martine and orchestrating all the events that have transpired.
Simultaneously, Martine and Ziva arrive on the scene, resulting in a confrontation, which Tony and Ziva ultimately lose. They find themselves captured and confined in one of the rooms, prompting yet another flashback. Following their engagement, Tony and Ziva opt for couple’s therapy, guided by Ziva’s therapist, Dr. Lang (Terence Maynard).
During a session, they participate in an exercise titled “you hurt me when” where Ziva expresses her discomfort with Tony’s absence or his tendency to make jokes to sidestep his emotions. Naturally, when it’s Tony’s turn, he cracks a joke.
However, he soon shifts to a serious tone, stating that Ziva has never caused him pain, referring to her as the strongest individual he knows. Subsequently, Mr. Lang confronts Tony, accusing him of dishonesty and cautioning him that genuine relationships demand vulnerability, as performances will ultimately fade away. Later, when Ziva inquires about their discussion, Tony continues his act and deceives her.
Tony & Ziva Discover An Unforeseen Ally Amidst The Turmoil
While the couple finds themselves in a precarious situation, Jonah and Martine manage to retrieve the 9.4 USB and disclose their romantic involvement. Additionally, we learn that it was Jonah who initially suggested threatening Tali (Isla Gie) during the premiere of the spin-off, but Martine persuades him to refrain from such actions in the future.
They then move on to the subsequent stage of their strategy, which entails unleashing chaos by unlocking all the prisoner’s cells (using voice-activated commands, no less) and enlisting Dejan. The 9.4 program was remarkably adaptable, capable of breaching any firewall except for the one protecting the Reigning Fire drone.
Dejan, the mastermind behind the drone’s firewall, ultimately consents to assist them. Meanwhile, Claudette, Boris, and Fruzsi (Anne-Marie Waldeck) are intensely working to decipher a code. Tony had yelled out a coded message just before their ear-comms were cut off, and Claudette identified the clue.
It was based on an acronym that Fruzsi figures out – Remove All Tags. Consequently, with Jonah freeing the prisoners and all the digital tags being eliminated, Tony and Ziva can slip away and conceal themselves amidst the chaos.
Simultaneously, Jonah and Martine direct Henry (James D’Arcy) to approach the prison, and we quickly discover that he is innocent. Despite Henry’s previous betrayal, Tony and Ziva choose to trust him once more, and they all make their escape from the prison together, using the back exit.
Tony & Ziva Escape From Prison, But At A Deadly Price
As they depart, Claudette informs Tony and Ziva about a voicemail she just discovered from Tali. In the message, Tali mentions the presence of strange men in her vicinity, and then the call abruptly ends, leaving her parents extremely anxious.
Tony, Ziva, and Henry make their way to the nearby road when they spot a car approaching, carrying Jonah, Martine, and Dejan. Henry, brandishing his gun, compels them to halt and exit the vehicle, forcing them to kneel while Tony and Ziva take control of the car. He insists they must leave immediately to rescue Tali.
Out of nowhere, a massive explosion erupts; the Reigning Fire drone has launched missiles at the prison. As Henry is momentarily distracted, Jonah seizes the tool that Dejan had kicked out of his shoe and turns it against Henry.
He manages to overpower Henry and takes his pistol, executing him without hesitation. Although Tony and Ziva yearn to assist Henry, they are forced to drive away, heading towards their daughter.
Just when Tony had regained his best friend’s trust, he tragically loses him. They might have had a chance to escape the prison and rush to save their daughter, but it came at a significant cost.