NCIS: Tony & Ziva season 1 episode 9 ending explained: Is Tony dead or alive?

Everything is on the line in NCIS: Tony & Ziva season 1 episode 9 as Tony and Ziva ward off threats left and right. What complicates things is, while they are working together, they have yet to reunite after Tony abruptly flees to follow Jonah Markham and Graves to the latter's island compound.

But as they get closer to taking the enemy down, Tony gets into a life and death situation after being conned into saving Ziva. Everything points to him dying in a huge explosion, but Tony fortunately ends NCIS: Tony & Ziva season 1 episode 9 alive and with a blossoming love life.

However, it's not the only threat they are facing now that Markham has successfully taken over Aaron Graves's resources. Their family is in even more danger, but they also have extra reinforcement this time.

Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers for NCIS: Tony & Ziva season 1 episode 9. Reader's discretion is advised.

---

Is Tony alive after the explosion in NCIS: Tony & Ziva season 1 episode 9?

Tony is alive (Image via Paramount Plus/YouTube)

Tony and Ziva's story doesn't end with someone dying, at least not in NCIS: Tony & Ziva season 1 episode 9. The teaser for episode 9 showed a huge explosion in Isla Zafira, along with the suggestion that Tony is in there. Going into this installment, the suspense that Tony could meet his end is looming over, and it intensifies when Jonah lures him into Graves's estate to save Ziva.

Ziva isn't kidnapped, but Tony doesn't know that. His priority is to save Ziva, so he enters Graves's fortress-like estate, but once inside, he's locked in the house. Meanwhile, Jonah Markham has successfully gotten control over Graves's global network. But when Graves refuses to tell him the password for the server room, he makes a point by blowing up Graves's estate, with Tony still in it.

Ziva, Claudette, and Boris see the explosion on the way to the estate, alarm on their faces. The explosion could have taken out Tony, but in a surprisingly welcome turn of events, they find him around the rubble that collapsed in the tunnel with only a few scratches on him. The rescue ends with Tony and Ziva professing their love, which proves how they are willing to sacrifice all for each other.

---

NCIS: Tony & Ziva season 1 episode 9: Is Tali kidnapped?

Tali and Sophie are going to Barbados in the meantime, but their flight is diverted to Isla Zafira for an emergency landing because of the weather. But it raises the alarm in Sophie's head because she checked the weather before the flight, and the weather was clear. She ends up briefing Tali on what to do when they land, just in case bad guys are after her.

Tali is kidnapped (Image via Paramount Plus/YouTube)

Sophie's hunch is true because everything that happens, from the flight being redirected to Isla Zafira to the unknown men coming after Tali, is all Jonah Markham's doing. With Graves's resources, he manages to divert the plane and send more people and drones than Sophie can handle to kidnap Tali. With Tali in his hands, Jonah knows that Tony and Ziva will do his bidding.

---

NCIS: Tony & Ziva season 1 episode 9: Is Martine now working with Tony and Ziva or still loyal to Jonah?

NCIS: Tony & Ziva season 1 episode 9 keeps the suspense when it comes to where Martine's loyalties lie until the very end. Despite Jonah's betrayal in NCIS: Tony & Ziva episode 8, she's still helping him in episode 9 by giving him Lazar's laptop and saying that she killed Lazar. It implies that her approaching Ziva for help is only a ruse, but it's actually true.

The end of NCIS: Tony & Ziva season 1 episode 9 proves that Martine is not loyal to Jonah anymore. While there is still affection left, she can't stand what he's doing, especially when he involves Graves's children. There are lines that she wouldn't cross. Episode 9 also marks the end of her mission because she ends up killing Graves at the compound while giving Jonah the laptop, but that's not all.

It turns out that Lazar is alive, and they are working together to take down Jonah, but she just has to kill Graves first. The laptop is a ruse, likely for Lazar to hack his way into Graves's network once Jonah tries to plug in and use the device.

---

Catch NCIS: Tony & Ziva season 1 episode 9, along with the show's previous episodes, streaming on Paramount+.