Special Agent Omar Adom "OA" Zidan, a central character in the CBS procedural FBI, is not leaving the show despite his apparent departure in the Season 8 finale. Actor Zeeko Zaki confirmed that his character will return in a deep-cover capacity, embedded inside a shady government-linked operation. The Season 8 finale, which aired on May 18, 2026, saw OA publicly fired from the New York field office after refusing to follow orders during a bioweapon crisis.
The dismissal was a carefully constructed ruse, orchestrated by Maggie Bell and Isobel Castille to place OA undercover inside Anna Vorpe's strike team. OA's future on the show was left uncertain after the episode, but Zaki has confirmed that his character will remain on the show through Season 9. The new season premieres on October 5, 2026, on CBS, with OA already three months into his undercover assignment.
During the Season 8 finale, OA and his longtime partner Maggie Bell investigated a deadly bioweapon threat tied to Anna Vorpe, a shadowy government-linked player at the center of the case. When OA pushed back against ADIC Green's decision to back the NSA's approach, he was fired. The scene left fans stunned and immediately worried about the character's future on the show.
Zaki shared his sentiments, stating that OA and Maggie have a moral compass, while Anna represents the darker side of law enforcement. The episode's final twist revealed that Anna's subsequent job offer to OA was actually part of a larger undercover plan involving Maggie and Isobel Castille. Fans had begun worrying that OA was leaving the show after he was notably missing from FBI Season 8 Episode 5.
However, that was not the case, and OA's absence was part of the storyline. In Season 9, OA will be undercover investigating the shady unit run by the NSA's Anna Vorpe, whose actions he opposed so vehemently that he was fired in the Season 8 finale. Maggie, on the other hand, will be contending with a new partner, Isaiah Green.
According to Zaki, three months have passed since the end of Season 8, and OA has been undercover and completely disconnected from his team that entire time. Zaki confirmed that OA's undercover arc will last more than one episode, adding that the season premiere will feel like a multi-episode movie.
Zaki expressed excitement about playing OA in a different capacity, stating that it will be fun to watch and film. He also mentioned that the most challenging part for OA is not having his partner there with him, while also making sure he doesn't get too sucked into the world he's living in undercover.
Key points
- OA's character will return in a deep-cover capacity in FBI Season 9.
- The Season 8 finale's events were a setup for OA's undercover assignment.
- OA's undercover arc will last more than one episode.
