What Happened to OA on ‘FBI’ and Where Zeeko Zaki’s Agent Stands Now

Viewers of ‘FBI’ were caught off guard when Special Agent Omar Adom Zidan, known as OA, was dismissed from the bureau late in the Season 8 finale. The finale aired on May 18 and, for a few tense minutes, looked like the end of the road for the character. The scene sent fans searching for answers about what happened to OA on ‘FBI’ and whether Zeeko Zaki had left the series.

The short answer is that the exit was not what it appeared to be. OA’s termination turned out to be a performance. The setup now drives the opening stretch of Season 9, and it explains why OA is missing from his usual desk beside Maggie Bell.

The OA Firing in the ‘FBI’ Season 8 Finale

The episode, titled ‘Defector,’ put OA and Maggie in an uncomfortable position. They were not pleased to run into Anna during the investigation, and they liked it even less when told the FBI would assist her team, which would be running point. The two agents were also told to act as if the bus incident had never happened.

That instruction proved to be the breaking point. OA lashed out at ADIC Lawrence Green over it, and Green responded by firing him effective immediately. The conflict stemmed from OA pushing back against orders to move on from Anna Vorpe and her team, who had taken the serum that could have saved a bus full of passengers exposed to a deadly biochemical.

The dismissal looked abrupt and unfair in the moment, but the final scene changed its meaning. The show revealed that Maggie and Isobel had planned it so OA could go undercover on Anna’s strike team. Showrunner Mike Weiss said only Maggie and Special Agent in Charge Isobel Castille knew what was really going on, and the rest of the team would be brought in by the Season 9 premiere.

OA’s Undercover Assignment in ‘FBI’ Season 9

Season 9 picks up with OA already deep inside the operation. He is investigating the unit run by the NSA’s Anna Vorpe, whose actions he opposed so vehemently that he was fired in the finale as part of the setup. The premiere, titled ‘Rendition,’ is where viewers see how that gamble is playing out.

Time has passed since the finale, and the isolation is part of the story. Zaki told TV Insider that three months have gone by since the end of last season, and OA has been undercover and completely cut off from his team that entire time. He added that the hardest part is not having his partner there while making sure OA does not get too sucked into the world he is living in.

The assignment is not a one episode detour. Zaki confirmed that OA will be undercover for more than one episode. Weiss described it as OA’s arc for the season, and said OA will be changed by the experience when he eventually returns to the team.

Zeeko Zaki’s Future on ‘FBI’

Worry about OA’s place on the show did not begin with the finale. Both OA and Isobel were absent from the Season 7 episode ‘Manhunt,’ and the absences were believed to be tied to budget cuts that reduced the number of episodes the actors filmed. That context helped fuel questions about whether Zaki was stepping away.

The Season 8 ouster revived those questions, but the people behind the show were quick to address them. Weiss confirmed Zaki was not going anywhere, while teasing that viewers might see him standing in some different rooms at the start of Season 9. Weiss also said OA’s absence from the team would only last a couple of episodes before he comes back.

The renewal picture supports that reading. CBS gave ‘FBI’ a three year renewal order in April 2024 that covers Seasons 7, 8 and 9. Zaki has also said he is looking forward to playing a bad guy for a little while, calling it something new to play with.

Maggie’s New Partner and the ‘FBI’ Team Without OA

OA’s absence has reshaped the central partnership of the series. The ninth season premiered on Monday, October 5, at 8/7c, an hour earlier than last season, and Maggie has a new partner while OA remains undercover. The official logline says Maggie struggles to bond with that new partner, Isaiah Green, played by Roland Buck III.

Zaki made clear the split is not easy on his on screen partner either. He said Maggie is definitely struggling without OA. Photos released by the network show Maggie and OA together again during his undercover assignment.

The longer concern is what happens when OA does come home. Weiss said it will be up to Maggie, Scola, Eva and the rest of the team to help OA get back to the person and agent he was before going undercover. If the ‘FBI’ writers follow through on that promise, do you think OA can walk back into the squad as the same agent Maggie trusted, or will his time inside Anna’s unit leave a mark that Maggie and the team cannot easily undo?