Did ‘The Blacklist’ Actually Reveal Red’s Identity in the Finale?
Spoiler Alert
[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for The Blacklist Season 8 Finale, “Konets.”]
Just how much was left up in the air at the end of Megan Boone’s final episode as Liz Keen on the NBC drama? Maybe not as much as it seemed.
After the finale, which might have killed off Liz and revealed Raymond “Red” Reddington’s (James Spader) identity in the same scene, we have to wonder just what creator Jon Bokenkamp meant when he told TV Insider “it’s very much the ending of a story we’ve been telling for eight years.” Is it the ending just in terms of Liz’s story or also when it comes to questioning who exactly Red is? We’re thinking it’s possibly both.
First, a quick recap: Red came up with a plan to ensure Liz would be seen as the criminal she needed to in order to protect her. She’d take over the blacklist — after killing him. (He is, after all, dying already.) Only then would he allow her to read a letter from her mother that would tell her who he is. But when it came time for her to pull the trigger, she couldn’t. Vandyke (Lukas Hassel), however, could, shooting her in the chest. It sure looked like a fatal wound (but you never know). Cue Liz’s memories of everyone in her life, including flashes of her mom Katarina kissing her on the head as a baby as Red did the same thing.
And with that, we’re left wondering two things at the end of the finale: Will Liz survive, and is Red now confirmed to be Katarina? That transition as Liz (possibly) died wasn’t the only major hint to the latter. Earlier in the episode, Red suggested, “Maybe you were born to this, out of a lie, the daughter of a spy, genetically predisposed to deception and danger.” He also said he knew Liz’s mother “better than anyone.” And he insisted she couldn’t know who he really is before she took his life because “if you knew beforehand, you’d never agree to kill me.”
Will Hart/NBC
All signs point to a very strong (familial) connection between the two. He would know Liz’s mother better than anyone if that’s who he really is. He’d know that Liz wouldn’t even entertain the thought of shooting him if that’s the case, too. It’s why the contents of that letter remain a mystery (one we hope is solved in Season 9).
With Boone’s exit, it would only make sense that the big mystery of who Red is is closed because it wouldn’t land the same way if the truth (a different one) comes out after she’s gone (whether Liz is dead or just off-screen). Just consider how big that question was in her final episode. Imagine how it would come across if it’s revealed he’s someone else important to her…without seeing how she reacts.
Will Hart/NBC
Besides, The Blacklist can continue to play with that mystery a bit since it has yet to be confirmed onscreen. We could, however, perhaps see that happen with Red mentioning to Dembe (Hisham Tawfiq) something about her at least figuring out the truth before she died (if she does) next season. It could still be left up in the air if he’s Liz’s mom (by not saying it explicitly onscreen) without removing just how tied to her that reveal is.
Without confirmation from anyone from The Blacklist, all we can do is hope to get answers sooner rather than later.
The Blacklist, Season 9, Fall 2021, NBC
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I really hope Red is not Katarina. I love the show, but that would be to much of a "twist". Make him anyone but Liz's mom. PLEAZZZZ.
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I think I’d watch Spader in whatever role he plays, transgender or not. He is the greatest actor we have on tv today. I love his mannerisms, his soft voice, his intensity and his intelligence. Hope Blacklist continues or else James moves on to another great role.
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Did anyone else think it was a stupid plan to have Liz take over Red' s identity and kill him - when they had killed Neville Townsend and they could have just as easily assumed Neville's role. Then the 2 powerhouses could join forces and no one would dare cross them. I guess now it will be a race to get revenge before Red dies. Suddenly Agnes will be safe stashed somewhere.
This ending just felt clumsy. Then there is the "all revealed" broken promise. Really a let down. With Bokenkamp gone I feel like things are going to get more implausible. I wonder if he really left over creative differences, instead of pursuing other creative opportunities, as he indicated.
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I am really confused as to why so many people are saying that the truth wasn't revealed when, from what I saw, they spelled it out for us so that no one could miss it! I think it was the second to the last episode (maybe the finale...I forget now). It was the episode when they are at the real Blacklist site and it showed all of the characters from past seasons who were involved in Red's identity all explaining their role. That whole thing laid out why and how Katarina became Red. And in many other shows this would have been a creative twist. But, iho, this twist is not true to the Raymond Reddington character. I just can't see the pretty petite redhead that we know is young Katarina could possibly have transformed into our iconic Red. Their size and stature is all wrong, their voice and speech patterns are nothing alike and Katarina, while certainly a badass herself, used words and sex to manipulate people. Raymond uses stories and guns (or explosives).
All I'm saying is that it's not the idea of a transgendered leading role that bothers me. It's taking a character that we have all come to know and love and attempting to change the very essence of his being. It feels like a betrayal. A betrayal to the character and to us, the fans. I don't know how they could possibly back-peddle from this narrative, but I really hope they do. I might watch the first episode or two to see where they are going, but if they are sticking to this storyline then I am done with the show.
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I think Red being Katerina makes sense on so many levels. She had the contacts and means to make that transformation; it also gave her the opportunity to ‘hide’ in the open.
I hope that the identity is resolved once and for all next season. It’s time to put that to bed.
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Good Lord in Heaven; do we have to pander to the "letters" faction in this country so much that we think that a leading character in a good tv series is a transgender? If this is actually the case, there is no hope at all for this country or the world for that matter. No one would have thought of this "twist" 5 years ago but now it seems all the rage. If you don't like how you were born, change your gender. Prayer isn't going to be enough to save humanity at this point.
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I think Reddington is Katerina’s husband. The man who was led to believe he was Liz’s father. Which explains why he loves her like she’s his daughter and why Katerina could trust him.
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Katarina's husband was Alexander Kirk/Constatin Rostov. We already met him. In fact, he was going to kill Red, and told Red that there was nothing he could tell him to change his mind. Then Red whispered something in his ear. Whatever he said really shook him. And he let Red go.
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I'm with you, indeed Red is/was Keen father. I think in the end Elizabeth finally realized it. Cuz just like in soap operas DNA test are not always what they appear to be, lol!
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Keene killed her own father. The husband (not father) was Alexander Kirk who was going to kill Red. Red is the mother transformed, which is why Kirk didn't kill him/her and also why Red tells Keene that she wouldn't go through with the plan if she knew the final truth (from the letter)
It's really kind of obvious, especially after the way the story had been told up to that point with Red telling it from Keene's mothers perspective
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I think Red's true identity is Constantine Rostova. My theory is supported by all of Red's stories and anecdotes. As Constantine, all of them can be true. It explains Dom's love/hate feelings as father in law to son in law. In Nachalo, Townsend says "your commitment to giving up your whole life to take on another..." Previously, Red talks about why Townsend wants him to see Liz die. He says "Townsend knows Elizabeth represents a weakness in me" very well explained by the fact that Constantine loved Katarina and Masha so dearly. Their faces even blend as her story dream ends in Townsend's shoot-out. In Konets, Liz says you were there, you took the picture of me with my mother. As Katarina's husband, Constantine would have "known her better than she knew herself." In another episode he says he's not her father because he's not but he says perhaps if he were... Finally, I realize that begets the question then who was Alexander Kirk? Just another bad dude on The Blacklist! 🙂
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No, Alexander Kirk was Constantine Rostova and he was going to kill Red. He only stopped because Red told him the truth: Red is Katarina transformed, he's Keene's mother.
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He's not Katarina. It doesn't fit the narrative. Earlier seasons make it seem like the night of the fire is as much a mystery to Spader's character as it is to Liz. If that's the case, it completely rules out him being Katarina - considering all we learn about her in Nachalos.
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A DNA test was done early on for an answer to whether Red was Elizabeth's father. Wouldn't it show that Red was related to her if he is indeed her mother?
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I think the writers forgot about that storyline. It’s a major plot hole
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I’m done with the show they have been playing around this topic for 8 years!
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Same here, jerked around too many times and for far too long. My Blacklist super fan roomie died last year without knowing what he spent years needing to know: Who is Red?. Plagued him while he was ill to practically the moment he died. For him, for peace, I wasted two weeks waiting to get the answer the show said was coming… and it was a LIE. Clear contempt for viewers!
So eff it. Done. I no longer care what is revealed in season nine; I’m skipping it (just like the useless and cruel Jon Bokencamp). AFAIC, Red is Katarina. Period. I’ll send a message to my roommate Billy via prayers. Farewell, Blacklist. Praying you get canceled by NBC before you even finish taping!
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I wouldn’t mind Reddington being Katarina if there weren’t so many plot holes from past episodes. What witness the DNA test being disregarded and the scars on his back disappearing and reappearing, it’s just too much. It’s like the writers can’t make up their mind on what they want his identity to be
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You're kidding. Possible, I suppose. A transgender twist? Why? Oh, yes because that's what is done now. Taints the character and the framework of the story from my perspective. I'm out.
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It's been obvious since season 2
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I feel like he told Liz who he was before she died. When he's holding her face and staring so intently at her as if he's trying to get her to understand something he has just said to her. She looks a little surprised before she closes her eyes. I think they will probably never come straight out and tell the viewers, but we've had PLENTY of hints.
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What about Red's brief affair with Ann?
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What about it? You know, transgender folks are capable of having sex, and Anne didn't seem to care, so? What about it?
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how the hell is he her mom when he had a daughter aka jeniffer reddington
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Red is reddington remember the burn 🔥on his back
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Also, when Liz asked Red if he took the picture, he just replied with "i was there". Hate this theory though and hope it doesn't play out.
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I've been thinking red was Liz's mother for ages but that's a joke ov a ending I'd ov rather red died and Kean read the letter dragged on for way too long
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The real shocker here is that more cis dudes didn’t come rushing to the comment section to gripe + seek validation for their griping. X-D
Anyway, I am going to go back to sobbing now because Liz is dead. Thx for listening.
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I've thought Red was Katarina since the end of season 2, there was no other good explanation for his/her extreme devotion and knowing that there was confirmation of Keene's father being dead. The entire fake-Katarina showing up and being Keene's mom didn't even make much sense to me while it was an ongoing story arc until it was finally revealed she was a pretend Katarina and not actually Keene's mom, so back to Red being Keene's mom which always made sense and explains every previous twist.
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I have no gripe, honestly - it's simply unrealistic af. Even for Blacklist standards.
I'm so happy Boone is gone. She couldn't act decently.
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Eff The Blacklist. Bokencamp took too long for answers and Liz never will get them. Neither will I, cos I’m over it and done.
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the I was there comment that Red made when Liz asked him about the picture - could go 1 of 2 ways - he was there as her mother (now Red) or he was there as the man her mother was married to in the loveless marriage (Constantine). i was leaning towards Red having been her mother and hiding in plain sight all this time in a position of power and authority to look out for Liz and having all the people after Katarina go chasing after women when in fact the person they sought had changed to a man. also I thought the nickname "red" could be referring to her flaming red hair and even Agnes' comments about pink lend a lean to the feminine. season 9 the reveal and Red getting better to watch after Agnes and handing over control to Dembe who is also tasked to look after Agnes whenever Red does finally die. be interesting to see who carries the bulk of the "female lead" role moving forward
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Wasn’t Constantine in an explosion ?
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so red is a women? lmao -
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any new news about Katerina?
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I think Red is actually Katarina's brother, thus Liz's uncle... Tis why she couldn't kill him when he asked her to...
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I so agree! I’m also very disappointed it’s such an anticlimactic ending to the scenario of who he is they build it up for eight years! Very disappointing!
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So the DNA results said Reddington was Liz's father. Constantin (Katarina's husband) was killed with the car bomb. And Red had sex with Anne, so I'm thoroughly confused with all the theories! Lol
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Red being Katerina is absurd and would ruin the entire series just to appease gender weirdos and be able to to say he is trans. What a joke
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That's just nonsensical.
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You all are missing the biggest clue to red being her mom. Remember Nathaniel Wolf, liz and red went to see that plastic surgeon and red asked if anyone knew about all the "work" he had done. The res your missing piece to the puzzle.
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I think that DNA test was done against the blood sample they took from the Raymond Reddington’s case file which contained the real Raymond Reddington’s blood sample from his body on the night he died (so that he would be framed and everyone would think he was still alive and was the one who was committing all the crimes). As far as I understand, that's how the test came positive confirming Red (the real Reddington, not the James Spader's character) as Liz's father, but it was the real Raymond's blood that was tested and that's why it came positive as he was indeed the father of Liz.. Update: Well, I just noticed the user with the name Jus speculatin already confirmed below what I said. Just saw that reply now, sorry for repeating; but yeah, I agree that that's the case, too.
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Jennifer is the daughter of the real Raymond Reddington, the one who died! You need to go look at it again! It's available on Netflix, you could speed through till you get to any Katarina/Red/Liz parts
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It was the episode when they are at the real Blacklist site and it showed all of the characters from past seasons who were involved in Red's identity all explaining their role. That whole thing laid out ~ EXACTLY!!!
Esp after re-watching the entire series, they never strayed from this storyline!
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When Red takes Keen to the site of the blacklist, she unravels the entire mystery but for some reason, she didn't connect the dots!
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Liz did a test and never looked at the results! Harold did the test using the bloodied shirt of Raymond Reddington which proved the real RR was her father.
I just finished watching the entire series again and it seems that from the beginning, the original plot was that Red is Katarina. Every reference to Katarina, by Red was ambiguous....but he never lied about Liz being his daughter. When he was held at gunpoint by Alexander Kirk, who asked if he was her father, he didn't answer until he was asked if she was his daughter, and he said yes!
Brilliant story writing! I expect that Liz doesn't die, but to save her, she undergoes the same operation as her mother to keep her safe and hide her identity and becomes Raymond Reddington when Red eventually dies!
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If Red is Katarina then he/she is very bi... She had a daughter with the real Red and then she turned to a man that enjoys female partners 🤦♂️???
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And seemed in love with Liz's mom so many times when he talked about her = herself 😂
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Both Red and Katarina (in flash backs) have openly stated they have been with both genders. Red/Kat being bi has been known for a while.
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The biggest suggestion that Red is Katarina is when asked about if he took the photo, he does not answer this question, instead replying with "I was there":
Liz "There was someone standing behind the lens, holding the camera. Was it you?"
no reply.
Liz "You were there, weren't you?"
Red "I was there."
Liz "You knew her well."
Red "Better than anyone."
Of course, there could have been a fourth person present, so this still is ambiguous as anything and could be an intentional misdirection on the writer's part.
Other possibilities are that he is her brother, or perhaps her OTHER grandfather- but has had surgical alterations to make himself appear younger than the 75-ish he would have to be.
Either way, I suspect his terminal illness has something to do with his identity.
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Feel like I have wasted 8 years! Such nonsense. And why bother with next season. No Liz no show. 🥺
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