FBI’s Zeeko Zaki On OA’s Shady Strike Team Gig In Season 9 Premiere: ‘The Longer You Stay In The Fire, The Easier It Is To Burn’
The FBI’s newest season opener brings OA back into the fold — but only after he spends months undercover in a shadowy strike team. Zeeko Zaki, who plays OA, spoke to TVLine about the case-of-the-week, the dangers of deep cover, and why his character is ready to come home.
The Case Of The Week
The Season 9 premiere centers on a young woman who witnesses the execution of someone tied to a top-secret government project. Through CIA head Nikki Reynard, Jubal learns about Project Jehovah, a nuclear forensics and attribution program funded by the Department of Defense’s black budget. The project serves as the strongest nuclear deterrent the U.S. operates.
The men being killed are some of the top nuclear scientists working on the project. The FBI gets pulled directly into the strike team’s path, and the two factions collide at project director Cameron Koleo’s research facility.
The Strike Team’s Rules
OA has been working undercover for months in Anna Vorpe’s strike team since he was fired in last season’s finale. In the premiere, he reunites with Maggie, his former partner, but the reunion is short-lived. OA quickly learns that his time in the shadows isn’t over yet.
“There’s nobody watching over you on the strike team, and we get to show that,” Zaki tells TVLine. “You can push the limits. But at the end of the day, what’s wrong is wrong.”
The strike team isn’t the group behind the killings, but Anna believes project director Cameron Koleo is leaking information to North Korea. She orders him abducted and tortured to make him talk. OA watches this happen and is visibly against it.
Maggie Forces OA To Punch Her
The case reaches a crossroads when Maggie forces OA to punch her in the face. She needs him to punch her so she can sell the fact that the mystery team got away. Even in those quick moments, the chemistry between the two agents is obvious.
“It’s been built over these nine years, in real life and in fake life,” Zaki says. “It’s so strong and so tangible. Getting to play that bit, all those moments like that, that’s just real. That was our first hug after summer. There’s not that much acting when me and Missy get to work together because we are so connected in that sense.”
The scene is a small victory for fans of the partnership, which has carried the show for years.
The Shield And The Bigger Plan
After the case is resolved, OA is frustrated to learn his time in the strike team is far from over. Isobel, the SAC, explains that despite OA’s take on the situation, they don’t have enough evidence to stop Anna and her team. The leak is revealed to be Koleo’s girlfriend, and the threat is dismantled.
But then OA witnesses Koleo’s death, and he’s shocked that kidnapping and the death of an innocent civilian aren’t enough to take down his new boss. Anna has someone protecting her, and that person knows exactly how to use the system. Isobel gives OA one last task: find out who the shield is.
“It’s the only way to take Anna down for good,” Zaki says.
The actor describes the pressure building on his character. “The longer you stay in the fire, the easier it is to burn,” he says. “There’s a fear that, ‘Guys, we’ve gone this far. It has to be over. We did it. We got away with it,’ and then you gotta go back in and back in. Time is up, and I think when you’re undercover for that long, you can start to feel when it’s getting risky, and it’s getting risky now.”
Lighter Fare Ahead
Despite the mental toll of OA’s new gig, Zaki teases some lighter fare coming down the pike this season. Episode 4 will explore the OA/Zara relationship further. The actor also hints at a bit of conflict ahead for Maggie and OA.
“We get to see Maggie and OA not on the same page, which is different and exciting,” he says. “It puts a wedge in between [them] this season.”
The tension between the two agents is a departure from the comfort of their partnership. It suggests the show is willing to test the bond that has defined the series for years.
What The Premiere Sets Up
The premiere establishes a clear path forward for OA. He wants to return to the FBI, and he misses Maggie even more than he misses his old job. But the shield remains unknown, and the person protecting Anna could still be operating from within the system.
Zaki’s description of the danger of deep cover is the central theme of the episode. The longer an agent stays hidden, the harder it becomes to return to normal life. OA is close to succeeding, but he’s also close to being caught.
The premiere sets up a long arc for OA. He’s been through months of deep cover, and the show is now asking him to go back in again. The shield is the key to taking down Anna, and OA is the only one who can find him.
The ‘shield’ plot hook promises a long, tense arc. The season will need to balance the drama of the undercover mission with the lighter moments Zaki promises. Whether the show can sustain both tones remains to be seen.
Key Facts Box
- Show: FBI, Season 9 premiere
- Guest appearance: CIA head Nikki Reynard
- Undercover mission: OA in Anna Vorpe’s strike team
- Case focus: Project Jehovah, a nuclear forensics program
- Episode 4 tease: Further exploration of the OA/Zara relationship
Source material: “FBI's Zeeko Zaki On OA's Shady Strike Team Gig In Season 9 Premiere: 'The Longer You Stay In The Fire, The Easier It Is To Burn',” TVLine.
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