Directed by James Whitmore Jr.
Written by Donald P. Bellisario, Laurence Walsh, & Christopher Silber
Ari continues to wreak havoc on the team until Gibbs gets the face-off he has been awaiting.
Tropes in this episode:
- Boom, Headshot!: Ari gets shot in the head by Ziva.
- Disposable Woman: Ari tells Gibbs while preparing to kill him, that he didn't hate Kate personally. He shot her purely to make Gibbs suffer because Gibbs reminds him of his father.
- Disproportionate Retribution: The reason why Ari targeted the team and wanted to finish with Gibbs? Because Gibbs reminded him of his abusive father with his age and attitude. Gibbs gives him a flat look and pity, saying he feels sorry for a monster that treats people as outlets for his pain.
- Face Your Fears: McGee finally goes down to the morgue to talk to Kate's body. He admits that he didn't want to admit that she was really gone after she spent so much time mentoring him.
- Killed Off for Real: Ari, who gets fatally shot by Ziva before he can murder Gibbs.
- Kill the Ones You Love: Turns out Ari was Ziva's half-brother, so Ziva was effectively forced to kill her own brother who she loved.
- Meaningful Funeral: For Kate at the end of the episode. Everyone in Team Gibbs comes to bid her farewell.
- Mood Whiplash: When Ducky goes to give himself up to Ari so his former assistant Gerald can escape. Too bad that Gerald can't start Ducky's car (he apparently has no experience with Driving Stick), which leads to this exchange:Ducky: Good God, man! Use the clutch! No, you're stripping the gears!Ari: This is too painful, Doctor.
- Pet the Dog: After the above fiasco, Ari allows Gerald to leave in his own car rather than continue ruining Ducky's Morgan.
