But the closer I got, the more I realized how funny the whole thing was, how much they'd love the story, daddy running out of gas, how every Christmas they'd get such joy from telling that story at my expense. A reason for Mr. Kaplan's death, for Tom's death, forshudderDembe leaving. A part-time hobby soon blossomed into a career when he discovered he really loved writing about movies, TV and video games; he even (arguably) had a little bit of talent for it. That was in 1996 and the internet was still in its infancy so all I knew was from excellent church history professors and much reading. We Finally Know Who Red Is on 'The Blacklist', Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. The culprit of the interruption is Neville Townsend (Reg Rogers), who shows up in Latvia with his own motivations. The American C.I.A spy who befriended Illya Kuryakin on their mission earlier in series Man from Uncle. The Blacklist's Raymond Reddington has taken the FBI and Liz on a wild goose chase before, and it's no different when it comes to the mysterious character's identity. (Warning: This post contains spoilers for the Season 8 finale of "The Blacklist.") "The Blacklist" has at long last revealed the answer to the show's central question who is Raymond "Red". That was basically it. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. #TheBlacklist twist at its finest. is his only current announced project, for which he also stars as one of the shows Executive Producers. Box, all that stuff she told Red circa an hour ago about no longer needing to know his secret because she realized, "I don't care about who you were, I care for who you are"oh yeah, that goes super out the window as soon as she gets a bonafide lead. Dungeons and Dragons is a Trademark of Wizards of the Coast, LLC. According to Entertainment Weekly, Ilya took on Raymonds identity to protect Elizabeths mom, Katarina (Lotte Verbeek). Plenty of time to learn. 2. Viewers took to social media to unpack the bombshell episodes, which somehow combined podcasts, unrequited love, and a whole lot of plastic surgery. It's also why she is upset with Red. Of course you are, Lizzy pic.twitter.com/pLnDZTZNru, Currently analyzing 'I yam what I yam, Popeye the sailor man.' The Blacklist then revealed Katarina's friend and sometime lover Ilya Koslov a KGB agent took Raymond Reddington's place following his demise, changing his face with extensive plastic surgery. She returned because the Townsend Directive was reactivated and thus she was in danger again. As it stands and according to the Redstova theory, Katarina, with nowhere else to turn, got extensive plastic surgery to physically present as her ex, Raymond Reddington. On tonight's The Blacklist Season 10, Episode 1 premiere called, "The Night Owl" as per the NBC synopsis, "Six months after Wujing's escape from custody, Reddington mysteriously resurfaces in Manhattan amidst an explosion. All signs point to the Redarina fan theory that has been circulating online among Blacklist fans for years. Katarina Rostova had arranged for the procedure to happen and made sure Reddington could and would go through it. However, just when it felt like things were starting to make sense, dropped another bomb on its viewers with another revelation about Reddingtons identity, shocked viewers once again with Season 7, Episode Katarina Rostova when Katarina reveals to Liz that Reddington has been lying once again. Because when it comes to this, you can do no wrong. The Blacklist: 5 Debunked Theories About Reddington's Identity (& 5 Plausible Ones) Blacklist fans have been dying to know more about the enigmatic Reddington, and, while some theories remain plausible, others have been debunked. Dom confesses that the man behind Raymond Reddington is Ilya Koslov. With the help of Dembe (Hisham Tawfiq), Red gets Liz into a bunker before setting decades of intelligence, Neville, and his men on fire in the space above them. While Ilya saved Liz, he saved Katarina from the fire and ended up getting burned too. "Everything about me is a lie." That is how Raymond "Red" Reddington, the notorious most wanted career criminal . American actor James Spader has held a long and impressive career as an actor since the 1980s. Ilya becomes Raymond Reddington, and the sliver of Mann's face we get to see as he walks into the bank to be draining the accounts is so deliciously Spader. His twitchy reaction suggested that we still arent getting the full truth. Dom seemingly spills everything, including that the real Raymond died years ago, and that Jamess character is actually named Ilya Koslov. What Dom told Liz was probably disinformation they cooked up in advance to tell Liz if she ever got close to the truth. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. 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. The Blacklist: Red to be exposed as Liz Keens uncle? But she knows that Russian agent Anton Velov will be looking for her sure she's not dead, knowing she's a traitor to her countryespecially once an abused young Russian woman shows up at the shelter, and Katarina winds up killing her boyfriend before he kills her (in a very badass showing from Lotte Verbeek). There was an unknown enemy gunning for him (Berlin). The smell of the tree and the fire, oyster stew on the stove. The Blacklist': Was Raymond Reddingtons Identity Actually, Finally Revealed? This theory was always in circulation; however, it didn't become wildly popular until the end of season 8 for two reasons. No traffic. But I do draw the line at being mean to Dembe. Liz wanted answers, but those answers is what kept her alive since she was born. While it can be a lot to keep up with all the clues and details that make up Reds complicated character, we at Nerds & Scoundrels have compiled a thorough list of all the things you should know about this character. Another fan spy1101001 fumed at the thought of never discovering Reds identity and threatened to stop watching the series. It's an emotional exchange between Katarina and her mother, but she goes along with the startling information that she'll now have to live out her days in the United States, under a new identity, without any communication with her daughter or granddaughter. "That's part of why, every year, we've been able to give genuine, legitimate answers that the audience has been able to enjoy. Red: I was so excited to get home, I didn't even bother to look. The Cabal tried to destroy him. This news comes as a shock to many viewers who have been devotedly watching since its premiere in 2013 and were looking forward to more thrilling stories from Raymond "Red" Reddington (James Spader) and his FBI task force. Wut? On last weeks The Blacklist, titled Nachalo, Red, who revealed on 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. "I realized, you don't need my forgivenessever. #TheBlacklist pic.twitter.com/RM0hdOolSP. . , and Jennifer Reddington. That's because when he emerged a year after the fire, Raymond Reddington was in fact Ilya Koslov, disguised as Raymond Reddington by Dr. Hans Koehler, and fed all the information he could possibly need to know about Raymond Reddington by his former spy-lover, Katarina Rostova. More info. He yells that he has a way to get her life back, and to get his life back too, which is what she seems to worry about most. But other fans disagree with the notion. Below are ten facts about Raymond Reddington, in no particular order. And that concludes our Raymond Reddington Top 10. Raymond "Red" Reddington ( James Spader ), a former government agent turned high-profile criminal, who had eluded capture for decades, voluntarily surrenders to the FBI, offering to cooperate on capturing a list of criminals who are virtually impossible to catch. "I have this Forrest Gump-ian way of touching something and it becomes a hit!" At the time, Dembe was a 14-year-old boy who had been left to die after being chained to a pipe in a basement in a brothel in Nairobi. Without spoiling too much, Elizabeth Keen (Megan Boone) discovers her grandfather is Dom (Brian Dennehy), and goes to him to demand answers about Red. I still think we havent heard the real story about Red. Check out our rankings for, The Blacklist: Three Things to Know about the Katai Fellowship, The Blacklist: 10 Ilya Koslov Facts Every Fan Should Know. Another agreed. You can unsubscribe at any time. / Hasbro, Inc. Phantom 5E Guide | Rogue Subclass from Tashas Cauldron, Sons of the Forest Keep Cannibals Away Guide. Red: "The Cabal is the one I stumbled across and tried to destroy. When Raymond discovered her secret and Katarina's plans were foiled, the lovers became embroiled in a heated argument that left one of them dead. Padraig has been writing about film online since 2012, when a friend asked if he'd like to contribute the occasional review or feature to their site. The Blacklist: Cooper With fans only two episodes into season 10, many are eager to see how . As the show progresses, fans falsely come to believe that Reddington is Liz's biological father only to learn that he has assumed the identity he currently sports, as the actual Red Reddington died years before. Red asks Dom if he's at peace with his decision to forgive Katarina, and Dom says that he is: "I am because I loved her. 6. Every time Liz says that she is, she just ends up mad again and ends up curious again. We've seen or heard about many romantic relationships Red has had with women. As we know from the trial, Raymond Reddington had access to millions and millions of dollars in accounts that were ultimately drained shortly after his initial appearance. People who know him concern him, and rightfully so. You've got to respect a misleading hustle. Despite this, a viewer has spotted a major clue which could suggest The Blacklist may never reveal Raymond 'Red' Reddington's (played by James Spader) true identity. The prevailing theory is that he IS the real Reddington, who survived his apparent death and burning. That's why I didn't show up in Florence. She didn't know he was her grandfather then, but now that she does, she shows up at Dom's doorstep all, What's up gramps, you got the deets? And y'know what, well played. He later revealed to Kathryn Nemec that this was all for the sole purpose of protecting Liz. FREE delivery Fri, . To spend two hours thinking we were getting those sweet, sweet answers we've been searching for, only to have one millisecond of Spader's face twitching turn it all on its head? Katarina was working with the Cabal with Fitch. Well, it connects to our next fact, which is, Fans were shocked in 2018 when it was revealed that Raymond Reddington was not who he appeared to be. Youve been warned! Oh, have I not mentioned the first hour of The Blacklist at all? "Who told you this?" The story seemed to make sensebut all of that changed when Elizabeth confronted Red. Express.co.uk has all there . Instead, Ilya appears in the form of actor Brett Cullen, fromJoker fame, who is a good friend of the Reddington "impostor." The Blacklist is delving into long sought-after answers in its final Season 8 installments and the most recent episode, Nachalo, is teasing Reds (James Spader) true identity. Later he learned that the marriage had all been arranged to make the two crime families unite. Liz's Father Is The Real Raymond Reddington The Blacklist season 6 seemingly revealed the truth, revealing that yes, Raymond Reddington IS Liz's father but the man Liz knows isn't Reddington. Also Red, whoever he is, has informants and people on the payroll in most if not all law enforcement agencies and he had 3 decades. $8.99 $ 8. You always hear about the exploits, never actually see anything real, Kat would know everything about Raymond including his past lovers, she took over his identity and have done the research.. Kat bing Red is obvious since season 2 nothing else would explain it. 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. But if this episode taught me anything, it's that if we care about getting to the bottom of the connection between Raymond Reddington and Elizabeth Keen, then we need to hold onto every little detailevery little memoryof Katarina Rostova. Coronation Street horror as Fiz learns Phill is related to her ex? For reasons that are still not entirely clear, Reddington has dedicated the latter part of his career to protecting. This is a very real thing that happens with true crime podcasts! He was listed as arrest on sight on the list, which audience members were able to see in the Pilot episode back in Season 1. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Because Liz has met Dom before. The death of Raymond Reddington is by far, the most important point of the show, over dead Tom, or even dead Liz. Cookies help us deliver our Services. We know for sure than the real Red is dead. In Season 6, Episode 1 Dr. Next:The Blacklist Season 10 Renewed At NBC. Fans of The Blacklist will remember when Red was revealed to be Liz's father, however, Red was later found out to be an imposter which returned his identity to mystery once again. Fans were devastated at the season eight finale which ended with Liz murdered, just before she was about to learn more about Reds true identity. That's not true at all. However, to get the letter, Liz had to first kill Red and ensure her safety, as a force to be reckoned with. With season nine returning to NBC next week, fans have continued to try and unveil the biggest mystery of the series. Transcript: James Spader Monologue: I ran out of gas. Why would Liz not want to kill Red if she read the letter?" He went up to Madeline Pratt's hotel room in 1.14 and they had a long term relationship in the past. #TheBlackList, Reddington/Ilya is back next Friday. Two major theories are gaining traction as of now, one being that James Spader's Red is the real Raymond Reddington who faked his own death. He also doesn't consider himself to be the old Raymond, and hence doesn't see himself as Liz's true father. She asks one more thing of him before heading into an unknown future: "If they get to me, if they take metake care of Masha.". Just me and a car full of gifts. "I went away to think about you and me, and all I could think was that I missed you," Red tells Dembe, who has his bag, plane tickets, and passport packed, seemingly ready to be excommunicated by Red. She has consistently had the worst plans possible to find said truth, but she didn't ask Raymond Reddington to come out of the shadows and turn her life upside down six years ago. But the next scene we see is Liz showing up in Hong Kong to joyfully tell Red that she knows the truth now: "I know you were Ilya, and the incredible thing you did to protect my motherto protect me. The primary couple of seasons confirmed a ruthless Reddington whose kill depend was a lot increased than subsequent seasons. Rather, the man who had claimed to be Reddington for over six seasons was actually, back when she was only four years old. Who is Raymond "Red" Reddington (James Spader) of "The Blacklist," really? But first, Raymond and Dembe (Hisham Tawfiq) have to sort through their differences. We're going to find out who Red really is finally! But then he agreed to work with the FBI to catch his "blacklist" of mobsters, spies. As a reminder, he was also a Russian agent, and his daughter Katarina was his protg, so he took the news that she was a traitor to her country especially hard. Red makes an offer to assist them in locating more wanted offenders from his personal "blacklist," which he has maintained. When Red finally makes his decision to forgive Dembe and shows up at his house towell, nothing short of confessing his unconditional love for him, I really thought he was about to give the full Sex and the City "maybe we could be each other's soulmates" treatment. Unfortunately, that plan never came to fruition, as he disappeared while on his way home to his family for Christmas back in 1990. If so, dont forget to let us know in the comments! Could Red actually be Katarina or is it someone else we have yet to uncover? The Blacklist is an NBC thriller that opens with notorious wanted criminal Raymond Reddington (James Spader) handing himself over to the FBI. The woman at the end of season two, the doctor in season five. 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. According to The Blacklist Wikia , Raymond Reddington was an American citizen and the father of Elizabeth 'Liz' Keen. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. 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. The whole time, all I could think about was them in our house. Now, you don't recap The Blacklist for eight years without holding special space for Raymond Reddington a space that forgives him for most murders, torture, lying, and general criminality. At 24, not only did he complete his matriculation, but he graduated at the top of his class. Welcome to the Quantum Realm. Especially once Velov's men show up at young Dom's door! He has written words for Den of Geek, Collider, The Irish Times and Screen Rant over the years, and can discuss anything from the MCU - where Hawkeye is clearly the best character - to the most obscure cult b-movie gem, and his hot takes often require heat resistant gloves to handle. NBC fans also likely remember him from his iconic role as Robert California in the beloved comedy The Office from 2011-2012. Wednesdays episode, titled Konets, also reveals the fate of Megan Boones Liz, (Warning: This post contains spoilers for the Season 8 finale of The Blacklist.). Reddington stumbled across the Cabal and he tried to destroy it. But Red sees Dembe keeping Liz's secret out of loyalty to her as a betrayal to him. In 2012, Reddington received a panicked phone call from a woman named Josephine Moliere, who is revealed to be a love interest of his. Seven seasons in and the audience and the characters still have no idea who Raymond Reddington really is. Raymond Reddington's Real Identity On The Blacklist According To Fans. The Blacklist plot hole: Huge error in pilot episode exposed, The Blacklist delay: NBC drama won't air again in 2021, The Blacklist fans 'debunk' Redarina theory as huge clue exposed, The Blacklists Megan Boone supported by co-stars after milestone. Entertainment Weekly may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Did we leave anything out? In the show Red never had any female romantic companion. As season nine kicked off with a two-year time jump and the task force disbanded, fans have yet to gain an insight into how each of the characters dealt with the aftermath of Lizs death. The network announced the show would be coming to a close earlier this month, prior to the first episode airing. He is Katarina's oldest friend, and clearly in love with her, though seemingly content with it being unrequited, as long as he can make sure she's safe. Only a few people in Reddingtons close circle had been aware of his true identity, including Dembe Zuma and Naomi Hyland, among others. Dom tried to murder Katarina. Coronation Street exit: Why has Sam Rentford quit as Curtis Delamere? No matter what anyone tells him, Raymond Reddington feels like he is justified in keeping his identity a secretin asking others to keep it a secret too. Raymond Reddington, played by James Spader, is a notorious criminal who is wanted by the FBI, and the first episode of the NBC drama The Blacklist begins with Reddington turning himself into the agency. 99. Blacklist: Why Samar Navabi (Mozhan Marn) Left After Season 6, The Blacklist Season 9 Will Have Flashbacks Explaining Red & Dembe Conflict. Red rushed to her house to save her and killed her husband. The Blacklist | Raymond Reddington Being An Iconic King For 5 Minutes Sony Pictures Television 364K subscribers Subscribe 3.8K 327K views 1 year ago #RaymondReddington #TheBlacklist. All there was was blood. Reddington found Zuma in 1993. The crime drama follows Spader's character, Raymond "Red" Reddington, as he promises to deliver a long thought-dead terrorist to the . As a criminal mastermind and number one on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives, Red suddenly turned himself in. This content is imported from poll. She is not in a good place. Pam Grier reflects on her most iconic roles, from, maybe we could be each other's soulmates". Press J to jump to the feed. This is our answer, I believe we wont know his identity until the very end of The Blacklist or not at all. Dom's story was not true. Again, this points to the theory that Raymond Reddington was an amalgam, a.k.a. LEGAL INNOVATION | Tu Agente Digitalizador; LEGAL3 | Gestin Definitiva de Despachos; LEGAL GOV | Gestin Avanzada Sector Pblico Related:The Blacklist Season 9 Will Have Flashbacks Explaining Red & Dembe Conflict. He wears clothes that can go from a bank to a cave.". Well, and that the fake Reddington is not actually Ilya Koslov. There, he helps tell the story of her past and provides clarity regarding their connection. Throughout the series, fans have come up with countless theories to identify Red after his bizarre appearance in season one.