Does Michael Weatherly's Tony DiNozzo Die?
By Emily Bell
Cote de Pablo's final episode as Ziva David in Season 17 was actually a brief return for the actor, who also departed the series in Season 13. Had Michael Weatherly not been tied up with CBS' "Bull" at the time, it seems likely that he would have returned as well so that both of their characters would have enjoyed a little more closure. But Weatherly left "NCIS" because the actor was desperate for a change of pace. What's more, he's publicly content with where Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo left things. Speaking at a press event in 2016 (via The Hollywood Reporter), Weatherly said he wanted to move on after 13 years of nonstop filming. "It really felt like a circle that had gone all the way around," he explained. "And I really felt happy with the resolution of character and my time on the show."
It is a testament to Weatherly's popularity that his character continues to happily exist offscreen in the world of "NCIS." Should he ever wish to reappear, he's seemingly primed to do so. In addition, fans have spent the last decade clamoring for his return. Recently, Weatherly sparked rumors of more Tony and Ziva content by responding to a fan's tweets by telling them to "stay tuned." Nothing concrete has yet to develop, but one should never say never when it comes to the odds of fan-favorite characters returning to long-running shows.
