NCIS “Revenge” 

The vast majority of NCIS episodes center on a main plot and then, has some subplot focus on a specific character.  Even last week’s “Berlin” was such an episode, though the main case was intricately tied to the team’s efforts to apprehend Bodnar (Oded Fehr).  After the attack on Ziva (Cote de Pablo) and Tony (Michael Weatherly) at the end of “Berlin”, this week’s episode is an exception, in that there’s no case at all.  Instead, the focus is in on Bodnar.  It’s a really good thing because this team would not rest until Bodnar is blotted out.  Permanently.

After Ziva and Tony are rushed to the hospital after the crush, we quickly learn that they are going to fine.  The team wastes no time and traces the getaway driver to a rental house and to a “Carl Miller”.  There’s a huge firefight, and unfortunately, Miller is killed, which means NCIS doesn’t have suspect to interrogate.  The good news is Ducky (David McCallum) now has a body to autopsy, which we hope will reveal some clues as to who this man is and how to find Bodnar.

In the meantime, Bodnar is up to his old tricks and contacts Ziva via video.  McGee quickly does his techie magic and determines from the video that Bodnar is in New York, specifically in Central Park.  At the request of Homeland Security, this information is handed off, to the dismay of both Ziva and Vance (Rocky Carroll).  It should also be noted that Bodnar was adamant in the video that he was only responsible for Eli David’s death, not Kazmi’s.  We should remember that in “Shabbat Shalom”, not only was Eli David murdered but also the Iranian diplomat, Kazmi, was killed with a car bomb.

Just as soon as NCIS hands off the intel to Homeland Security, McGee (Sean Murray) does the unthinkable – he realizes he made a mistake, and not just a small one.  This mistake is so big that it could jeopardize the case and allow Bodnar to get away.  McGee determines that the background of the video Bodnar sent was fake, and that he matted himself onto the video.  This means that Bodnar is not in New York, and they had just sent Homeland Security on a wild goose chase.

Fortunately and very surprisingly, our autopsy gremlins, Ducky and Palmer (Brian Dietzen), save the day by deciphering a cryptic clue, and NCIS now knows that Bodnar is still in D.C. and is leaving by boat to Africa that night. At this point, we should not be surprised by what happens next.  Ziva knows it is time and it’s her one shot for revenge on the monster that stole her father from her.

For those of you who have watched NCIS since some of the earlier seasons, you will know that revenge is a topic that has been carried with the series for several seasons now.  The way the writers and producers have highlighted the revenge as well as depict it consistently across the series in my opinion is what makes the stories so compelling.  We first see this revenge tale many seasons ago with the murder of Gibbs’ (Mark Harmon) family, Kelly and Shannon.  Gibbs can’t rest until the drug lord who ordered the hit on his family is gone and takes justice into his own hands.  In this new revenge arc involving Ziva and Bodnar, I was worried that Gibbs and NCIS might try to hold Ziva back, which would make Gibbs nothing more than a big hyprocrite.  But, they didn’t.  And, in fact, not only did Gibbs support her, but in the end, Vance did too.  I absolutely loved Vance’s quote when Ziva returned after killing Bodnar:

     Ziva, are you….are you OK? Is it over?  — Vance to Ziva

     Yes, it is over – Ziva to Vance

This was a very nice tranquil ending to a very intense episode.  Let us hope that both Ziva and Vance will now have the peace and closure they have been searching for.

The bad news is even though Bodnar may be dead, the entire saga may not be over.  Bodnar implied that he didn’t kill Kazmi, and if he didn’t do it, then who did?  With only a couple of episodes remaining in the season, I have a feeling we’ll find out soon enough.

Most Memorable Quotes

• No Mrs. Mulwray, but I damned near lost my nose. I like breathing through it. —
  Tony to McGee
• This guy’s had more plastic surgery than Joan Rivers and Cher combined –– Palmer
• I can’t believe you waited that long, you know to get your nose done.  You’re, like, older than my father – strange girl to Tony
• So, do we lay off? – Gibbs

       The man killed my wife, Gibbs – Vance

NCIS airs on Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. EST on CBS.