The latest episode of NCIS: Tony & Ziva, titled “Fire Sale,” throws its heroes into a high-stakes mission at a Paris weapons expo. While Tony and Ziva fight to clear their names, the episode also delivers powerful flashbacks to their past and a shocking betrayal that changes the game for the season’s final episodes.
The Mission: Infiltrating the Weapons Expo
Tony and Ziva, along with their tech-savvy allies Claudette and Boris, hatch a plan to infiltrate a high-tech weapons convention in Paris. Their goal is to access the servers of the private defense company Reigning Fire. They believe a company drone captured footage of Jonah murdering Henry, which would be the evidence needed to prove their innocence.
The team uses disguises and clever tricks to get inside. Tony charms the security guards, while Claudette and Boris work to clone a keycard by awkwardly distracting a former classmate, Freda, who works at the convention center. The plan is risky, but it’s their only chance to expose Jonah.
A Look Back: Wedding Plans and Panic
The episode is cut with emotional flashbacks to five years ago, showing Tony and Ziva planning their wedding. A simple disagreement over the guest list reveals the deep scars Ziva still carries from her traumatic past. Tony wants a big celebration with all their friends, but Ziva, uncomfortable with the idea of a large crowd, wants a small, private ceremony.
During the argument, Ziva experiences a panic attack, her breathing becoming heavy as she zones out. She later discusses this with her therapist, Dr. Lance, working to understand why her body reacts to everyday stress as if it were a life-or-death situation. In a parallel conversation, Tony confesses his own insecurities about marriage to his best friend, Henry, revealing that both of them were unsure if they were ready for such a big commitment at that time.
When the Plan Falls Apart
Just as Ziva and Boris reach the server room, they find that their targets, Martine and the hacker Dejan, have gotten there first. This forces the team to change their plan. Claudette realizes they can hack one of the physical drones on display at the expo instead.
With Claudette guiding him through an earpiece, Tony manages to extract the crucial audio recording of Henry’s death. For a moment, it seems they have succeeded.
However, the situation quickly spirals out of control. The CEO of Reigning Fire, Aaron Graves, unveils his newest weapon: a robotic jaguar named Gunner. The lethal machine is designed to lock onto and eliminate human targets. Jonah then hijacks the system, reprogramming the robot to hunt down Tony, Ziva, and their team.
Chaos and Courage in the Expo
The robotic dog goes rogue, unleashing chaos and gunfire on the convention floor. Amid the explosions and screaming crowd, the triggering sounds and chaos cause Ziva to have another panic attack. The camera closes in on her as her breathing quickens and the world around her becomes distorted.
Using the box-breathing technique taught by her therapist, Ziva slowly regains control. She pulls herself together to get back into the fight and protect her team.
As a last resort, Graves shuts down the entire system with an electromagnetic pulse (EMP). This stops the robotic dog but has a devastating side effect: it erases the drone evidence Tony had just secured, destroying their only proof of Jonah’s crime.
Jonah’s Ultimate Betrayal
The episode ends with a series of dramatic twists. Instead of killing Graves as he had promised Martine, Jonah betrays her. He sides with Graves, blaming the entire attack on Tony and Ziva. He then takes the powerful hacking tool, 9.4, from Martine and abandons her.
This leaves Martine stranded and furious. She returns to the server room, where Dejan has regained consciousness. The episode’s final scene shows a betrayed Martine pointing a gun at Dejan, leaving viewers to wonder if she pulls the trigger. Meanwhile, Tony runs off to pursue Jonah, becoming separated from Ziva and Claudette, who are forced to flee the building. Ziva promises to find him, setting up a tense search for the next episode.
Also Read: James Lance Joins NCIS: Tony & Ziva as a Surprise Therapist for Tony
