But that's no reason to avoid speculation, which is what fans on a subreddit dedicated to "The Blacklist" are occasionally fond of doing. Maybe not as much as it seemed. Red had previously revealed to Liz that he is N-13, the spy she's been hunting all season, and in Wednesday's episode shared with her the true story of her life, which began when Katarina (Lotte Verbeek) became a spy and got involved with her father, the real Raymond Reddington, to gather intelligence on the U.S. operative for the KGB. said u/BitterDecoction. Liz loses her mothers face in her mind as she hears Reds voice shouting at her while she keeps demanding to know who he really is. Katarina introduced herself to Liz and created distance between her and Red, which forced Liz to choose who she trusts more. Created by Jon Bokenkamp and starring Spader, Megan Boone, Diego Klattenhoff, and more, The Blacklist first aired in 2013 on NBC and is currently airing its ninth season. A scene from The Blacklist Season 8 finale left some fans convinced . Through black-and-white scenes featuring multiple Blacklist characters we know and love reliving events in front of us, Liz is given a detailed explanation of how her then-married mother, Katarina Rostova, became a spy and struck up a relationship with her father, the real Raymond Reddington, to gather intelligence on the U.S. operative at the request of Dom, Katarinas father, and the KGB. Through the twists and turns of fakeouts (Ilya Koslov) and altered memories that revealed different events the night of the fire depending on who retold the story its difficult to accept the real RR died from the gunshot wound just because writers told us so. A popular fan theory amongst fans of The Blacklist is that Red is actually Lizs mother Katarina, who underwent facial reconstructive surgery. As Liz is demanding these answers, the black-and-white story is receding as shouts and shots ring out in the real location they have been this whole time, Reds epicenter, which is being stormed by Neville Townsend. Wednesday's [], By Anna Rumer Liz did learn that her mother, Katarina Rostova, is still alive because the dead woman she thought was Karatina ended up not being her at all. The scene is done in such a way that it strongly implies Katarina is the one who became Raymond Reddington. All of the promotional material out there suggested that Reddington was going to inch closer to that ultimate truth, even if there was no guarantee he would sayeverythingon his mind. The big truths we do have by the end of the hour are that Lizs mother, Katarina Rostova, is still alive because the now-dead woman Liz thought was Katarina Rostova (played by Laila Robins) is not Katarina Rostova. Though the origin of Reds connection to Liz isnt fully explained by the end of Wednesdays Season 8 finale, the hints laid out across the last two episodes of the season strongly suggest that Raymond Reddington is actually Lizs mother, Katarina Rostova (played in flashbacks by Lotte Verbeek). YOU'VE REACHED YOUR MONTHLY ARTICLE LIMIT. Not kind of vague suggestions real, concrete footholds for the audience that has allowed them to feel like we're not stalling, we're not giving them lies or half-truths," he said. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. But who is the new Red? Then this new version of Red is seen picking up 13 packets of classified KGB intelligence from Ivan Stepanov, part of the plan that would allow him to pose as the real Raymond Reddington, a man who was known for having extensive secret intelligence, and expand his intelligence network a.k.a. Katarina went into hiding at this point and Liz was sent off to live with her . The Blacklist Season 9 picked back up two years after Lizs death. Weve been told RRR is dead, but we never saw him dead. According to The Blacklist Wikia , Raymond Reddington was an American citizen and the father of Elizabeth 'Liz' Keen. She is exiting the show, which was renewed in January for Season 9, after eight seasons of co-starring with Spader.). You are my mother, but you let someone else watch over me, let me believe you were dead, but you are living. Red is out for revenge and convinced that someone helped Vandyke kill Liz. The final three episodes, Godwin Page, Nachalo, and Konets, inserted quite a bit of information regarding Raymond Reddington (James Spader), his true identity, and Liz Keens (Megan Boone) memories. What he said was that he was not an abusive husband or father, implying that he had been at one time, a husband and a father.. We meet numerous slippery blacklisters, such as Wujing, The Freelancer, and the mysterious Cabal, a group of international criminals that were heavily interested in Red's movements. Meanwhile, another one suggested that he was somehow the real Reddington and that he nevertrulydied in the fire. The debate surrounding Raymond Reddingtons identity still rages, despite some fans believing they already have the answer. Agnes also told Red that her mother told her everything she would need to know about Red. The penultimate episode concluded with Red pressing a button that put the entire epicenter of his intelligence up in flames, both killing Townsend and destroying his decades of collected intelligence. The results of a poll posted to the subreddit by u/LizIsRedsMother indicates two things fans are frustrated with the show's lack of answers when it comes to Red's real identity, and many of them think he might be related to Liz just not in a fatherly way. The Blacklist showrunner John Eisendrath discusses if the show will ever reveal Red's identity. ET The Season 8 finale of The Blacklist had social media in shambles. Instead, the only thing we know for sure is that if Liz knew who he was, she wouldn't want to kill him . A new FBI profiler, Elizabeth Keen, has her entire life uprooted when a mysterious criminal, Raymond Reddington, who has eluded capture for decades, turns himself in and insists on speaking only to her. Brokering deals for criminals across the globe, Red was known as "The Concierge of Crime". Some took this montage as confirmation of the Redarina fan theory. Heres why. Still, some fans believe that only Red holds the true answers. The Morning Show renewed for season 4! In some ways, Konets appeared to confirm this theory. Investigate the twists of No Return's dramatic ending. One thing still stands out there, and its undisputed, everyone that has died on the show, or weve been told they were dead by a character, when theyre truly dead, they show it. As many await the Oct. 21 premiere of The Blacklist Season 9, others are circling back to mythology revealed or re-imagined in season 8. The Blacklist': Was Raymond Reddingtons Identity Actually, Finally Revealed? Red never fails to deliver a mesmerizing monologue. All signs point to the Redarina fan theory that has been circulating online among Blacklist fans for years. Katarina = biological mother to Liz, woman on the swing with Liz, etc. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. After years of red herrings, its fair to assume we wont know the truth until writers want us to know. the Blacklist as a way to secure Lizs safety. You are my mother, but you let someone else watch over me, let me believe you were dead, but you are living. NBC Insider is your all-access pass to some of your favorite NBC shows. NBC's crime thriller has left fans with major questions since Blacklist first aired in 2013.The biggest one being why Raymond 'Red' Reddington (played by James Spader) would only work with . Reds identity is a complicated question. While Liz asks an imagined version of her mother who it is that became Reddington and where she is today, shots are heard in the real location she's in as it is stormed by Neville Townsend. Close. Eventually, he discovers that Liz must have read the letter revealing his true identity before she died. The latest season of The Blacklist kicked off on October 21, 2021 and returned with episode 7 on January 6, 2022 after a month-long winter break. The Blacklist Season 9: Why Did Megan Boone Leave the Show? However, some moments might seem to confirm Redarina. One Reddit user pointed out that this scene implies Cooper knows Reds identity, and who he is to Agnes. Visit our. In an attempt to protect her mother, a young Liz shot and killed the real Raymond Reddington. Liz chose to work with Townsend, but the alliance proved to be her ultimate downfall. But before this, Marvin paid Season 1 blacklister Wujing a visit in prison to disclose Red's role as an FBI informant. After The Cabal, Red went head to head against Berlin, and the takedown led to one ofRed's best lines inBlacklisthistory: " Hear that? Red and Liz begin Season 3 of The Blacklist on the run from the authorities and the task force as they evade angry members of The Cabal. But whoisRaymond Reddington? Liz becomes fixated on learning more about Red's mysterious past and his connection to her and the skeleton. An emotional montage closes out the finale, with highlights from Lizs life and relationships replaying on screen. But we still dont have confirmation of who Red is, even though Katarina becoming Red is a definite possibility at this point, so its likely that piece of the puzzle will be revealed on next weeks Season 8 finale. Arguments could be made for all sides of the identity conversations because eight years worth of contradictory events and dialogue make everything feel unsettled. All rights reserved. Season 9 picks up two years after Lizs death and Red has been hellbent on finding out who killed her. For example,u/Desdemona1231 admits they can't get around the level of cruelty Red would have to display toward Liz in Season 9 when the character leaves the show, by which time she's become a trusted friend to him to make the theory work for them. Some fans believe that the episode Konets, told them everything they needed to know. As shes about to go through with the plan and kill Red, Liz is shot through the chest by Townsends right-hand man Vandyke (Lukas Hassel). With Red's most dangerous secret nowin the hands of his worst enemies, all eyes are on the concierge of crime to see how he'll handle the blacklister's revenge. The Blacklist Season 9 is currently on break for the holidays. For example, one Reddit user cited a line from The Blacklist Season 9 Episode 3 as possibly discrediting Redarina. People can spin it anyway they want, but the last they show of RRR was in the car with Lottekat and Illya, and he wasnt dead. Naval Intelligence Officer and fugitive, Raymond Red Reddington, who becomes entangled in the life of rookie, Elizabeth Liz Keen. Season 8 ends with Red traumatized by the murder, laying her head on his fedora as he fled the scene. And the Red weve come to know on the show is actually an identity constructed by the real Katarina to watch over Liz. Will the cast return? What does that mean, constructed? Liz asks the storyteller version of her mother, who says, It meant a complete transformation, as a scene of a surgery is shown, while James Browns Its a Mans World plays. The story we've told this year, of Liz's quest to find out Raymond Reddington's identity and the answer that Dom gave her in Episode 19 is one that brings Liz even closer to Raymond . (Warning: This post contains spoilers for Wednesdays episode of The Blacklist.). The show has already been renewed for Season 9. That is how Raymond "Red" Reddington, the notorious most wanted career criminal known as the concierge of crime describes himself to people on the series The Blacklist . So did we learn the truth tonight? Of those characters, only Red himself and Dembe are still alive. Reddington is fully on the run from Liz and Katarina at the beginning of The Blacklist Season 8, leading him to eventually kill Liz's mother. The real Raymond Reddington was Liz's father and was killed by his daughter's hand as a child when she shot him. Viewers veto judges' votes on dj vu-inducing top 12 'American Idol' episode, Ashley Judd reflects on mom Naomi's 'irreplaceable loss' a year after the country star's death, Michael J. During season 8 episode 21, however, Red admitted to Liz that his identity was created by Katarina and Ilya Koslov. We were left with some big clues as to who assumed the Red persona and became the character played by James Spader, but we got no outright answer, because Townsend stormed the epicenter and shot Liz before she could get the conclusion to the story. Want more news onThe Blacklistin video form without further delay? Reddington's identity. So orchestrating what weve seen in the show falls inline with Raymond.. Season 6 picks up where Season 5 left off, with the shocking discovery that Reddington is an imposter and assumed the identity of the actual Raymond Reddington. Red is an FBI informant, a criminal genius, a bonafide badass, and the head of the Reddington Task Force throughout the many seasons ofThe Blacklist. This instead got Tatiana dead at Reds hand. Where are you?. Down the line, things would get very dark, Reddington says to Harold Cooper (Harry Lennix). However, if were to believe everything writers have said regarding RR, wed assume the real Reddington died the night he was shot by Liz. Liz becomes pregnant and has a child in the last half of Season 3, leading fans to meet a woman under the alias "Mr. Kaplan," who used to work with Red and has a special connection to Liz Keen. Mr. Kaplan became obsessed with hiding Liz's baby from Red, which led Red to try to kill her. As Liz is demanding these answers, the black-and-white story is receding as shouts and shots ring out in the real location they have been this whole time, Reds epicenter, which is being stormed by Neville Townsend. Unfortunately, fans will have to wait until February 25, 2022, to see the series continue with episode 10, as a lot of channels are postponing a number of shows to mitigate any competition during the Winter Olympics. Wednesday's episode, in the lead-up to the Season 8 finale of the NBC show, revealed almost the entire backstory of James Spader's character and his relationship with Liz Keene (Megan Boone) but ended right before . Why would Liz not want to kill Red if she read the letter?" Did The Blacklist finally just reveal the true identity of Raymond "Red" Reddington? The Blacklist Season 9 returned to the mystery surrounding Raymond "Red" Reddington's true identity. Red and revenge are a natural pairing throughout every season of The Blacklist, but it wastaken to new heights in Season 9. Youll get roasted on here for saying that hes the RRR, and if u dont agree, hes Katarina, well, thats even worse, but Im with you. Eisendrath was a little more direct, explaining that the show's writing isn't influenced by online theories and that the direction and storyline of "The Blacklist" has been cemented since its inception. The premise follows the former U.S. Red is convinced that his mysterious illness is terminal and the only way to keep the criminal underworld at bay in the wake of Townsends death is for Liz to rise up as a formidable enough threat herself. Names, for clarification. His twitchy reaction suggested that we still aren't getting the full truth. In episode 6 she tells Red she knows he was Russian and that her mother said he was the most important person in her life. Besides Red himself, there is a list of characters dead and alive who may have known the truth (or part of the truth.) Red is sneaky and manipulative while shockingly caring, and make no mistake, he will do everything in his power to get what he wants. The NBC App is the best place to catch up on the most recent season of your favorite shows, watch live TV, and stream movies. ET on NBC. "Whatever your theory or whatever your camp is, you can probably turn the story a few degrees and make your theory make sense. Meanwhile, Tatiana was trying to figure out where the real Katarina was in order to get her own life back, and she tried to get close to Liz and told her she was her mother Katarina, in a long con to get the location of the real Katarina out of Red. The Season 8 finale of The Blacklist airs next Wednesday at 10/9c on NBC. During Wednesdays The Blacklist, Red, who revealed to Liz in the previous episode that he is in fact N-13, the elusive spy shes been hunting this entire season, brings Liz inside the epicenter of his operation in Latvia and begins to tell her the story, the true story, of her life and how he came into it.