The Blacklist season 5: Analyzing the Reddington imposter theory
For now, we do consider some of these theories, and there may also be a certain part of us that is in denial about the big reveal at the end of season 4 being as simple as it seems: Reddington is Elizabeth Keen’s father. There was a DNA test that seemed to offer up proof, but then, a new loose end was introduced in the form of a suitcase chock full of bones.
With that, let’s progress now to the imposter theory, one that is fascinating enough that it throws some water on the idea that the Raymond Reddington DNA tested belongs to the same man that is walking around today and is played by James Spader.
Let’s look at the question this way: What if the Reddington we’ve come to know on this show is not the real Reddington at all, but someone close to him (or a former enemy of his) who has chosen to take his place? It’s an interesting theory just because it does open up once more some of the crazier theories out there, including the one that Reddington is actually Katarina (not that we really believe this one). It just brings the show back to a place where there is an element of mystery to who this man and what he wants with Liz, and a part of what makes the show so interesting is the mystery that is there. There has to be a reason why the DNA used to validate Liz’s paternity was locked away, as opposed to coming from Reddington directly.
In going back to the bones, this would also create an interesting plot point if it turns out that those bones are of the real Raymond Reddington from many years before. This is a devastating secret that is being kept from Liz for a specific reason, and the only two names that could validate such secrecy are either Reddington or Katarina. These are the people who, if dead and kept secret from Liz, would devastate her completely. Having it be Katarina’s remains seems like such a straightforward reveal that it would be surprising for a show that likes to be twisted and against the grain; having two consecutive straightforward reveals with Red being her father and Katarina’s remains being hidden from Liz would be all the more surprising.
There has to be more to this story. If there’s not, the show is really relying on some emotional mileage to pay off all of the waiting and anticipation. The imposter theory is a feasible one; if it’s true, however, the show then has the challenge of trying to write in why it was necessarily, and why someone would want to pretend for so long that they Reddington when they were not. (You could argue that the imposter didn’t want it revealed that Reddington was Liz’s father, since that would ascribe a meaning to their relationship that they weren’t comfortable with. After all, it wouldn’t be true.)
Do you think that there is some validity to the Blacklist imposter theory, or is this all much ado about nothing? Share below!
(Photo: NBC.)
C Spottswood
October 2, 2017 @ 10:51 am
Do you want it to have validity in The Blacklist? is more the question as in it is easy to write an impostor story line as you have already seen three, Fitch, Devry ,and Kaplan.
All pretended to be Reddington, all were effective as Reddington, but if your question is can ther be more than one Reddington? go back to Quon Zhang and listen to the CIA tell you Katarina is a myth. an amalgam of many agents all Katarina. James Bond is such a character. Why not Raymond Reddington? a man who poof magically appears one day and tell you all you know about him is a lie but you have no reason to believe him because he is a notorious a criminal and all criminals are notorious liars only he never lies to Liz. (or does he?)
Clearly though Raymond is a man with a mixed up and unbelievable past which starts in college then branches off in several directions simultaneously until Red turns himself into the FBI, (or so we think) and then hell breaks lose and in the Harem we learn hell breaks lose all over as Emma seems to be telling Liz that she is just like Liz but working for MI6 .Red has apparently done this in GB as well. Buy busy Red, Multiple families, Many battles, many homes Red is everywhere seemingly all at once. The spy the criminal, the soldier the family man all in one name Raymond Reddington.
You ask is the theory valid. I tell you I who do not work for NBC could write maybe a dozen or more treatments to make it a truth of the show, but the only reason to do that if I were NBC is to give the audience what it wants.
Why would you want Red not to be Raymond or more to the point Red not to be Raymond?
Simple Reason … That is too damned simple Daddy comes home. Why now? What for? What took so long? Why the FBI? Why not simply kidnap Liz and Tom? Why take the Risk? If Red is sincere in tuning himself in as Raymond Reddington why not just tell Liz Sam is dying, Tom is an assassin and he is Daddy? I know that is a lot to handle but it played out that way and now that is dome: what now?
There lies the big rub, If Red is Raymond then he is Liz’s father and that is the end to why he shows up and what makes Liz special what is in this for Red. Serial over.
On the other hand Red is not Raymond, Harold lied. Harold ran a worth less test on a sample only Harold seems to know exists, that is not in the Reddington Files. Back in Garrick it was established that the FBI has Red’s blood on file and could match it up with his blood in Garrick so if that report exists then it can be compared with Liz’s blood results and tada we know if Red COULD BE Liz’s father. Now all we know is Raymond COULD BE Liz’s father.
NO WAY DO WE KNOW WHO IS LIZ’S FATHER.
Let me repeat that in case writers forgot NO WAY DO WE KNOW WHO LIZ’s FATHER IS.
Why? We do not have Katarina’s blood sample to make a conclusive decision. Best we can get from a test on a single sample is a could be.
Reminds writers they wrote in Cyprus Agency to check the babies against uncles and aunts as well. In this case an uncle would also test as a potential father and without Katarina’s blood to rule out false positives. For all you know Red is her brother who took Raymond’s place to let Sam raise Liz without interference because the world is not looking for Masha Rostova but Raymond Reddington , the holder of the fulcrum. A SIbling would test positive if not conclusive.
BUT!!!!!
NOW FOR TH OJ ADDICT IN ME TELLING YOU THAT RESULT IS FAKE. IT HAS TO BE AT THIS POINT GIVEN WHAT WE KNOW.
We know that Harold with a pocket knife and his bare hands samples the evidence contaminating the sample with his own DNA and making it impossible to get even a false positive as there would be two sets of alleles in that one sample to compare with Liz’s one. Best you get is an error.
Oh but we have a positive for a supposed Reddington sample the FBI does not know exists. (one Harold is willing to break the law to have tested) Why?
Why would Harold confess to Ressler the test was done? What does this accomplish? Simply stated it ends Liz’s desire to quit and run off with Tom ending the task force. It also makes Red put up or shut up. team harmony at last, for now.
And then there is the GD suitcase.
Dumb thought but how did Tom know to pick it up?
The only ones who knew Kaplan jumped off the bridge are Samar and Harold and Samar has a mouth full of Aram that evening.
Another reason Harold could fake the blood test is he wants Liz distracted while Tom figures out whose bones those are. ( This means he is Kaplan’s confidant although Samar is a possible too though Tom seems closer to Harold.)
The logic to the shirt is that a blood draw would look suspicious and distrusting. A file currently in the system would set off alarms and fans see the sampling and assume the shirt is genuine case material , even though it is not in the Reddington File. It exists even though it should not. Raymond Redington was a spy, no way they collect his shirt as evidence. That might blow his cover. plus they have nothing to compare it with (Devry).
So do you want this valid or not? You tell the show and if they think about it they can create a difference between Red and Raymond and the questions which is which; and, how often have they change places?
I must leave something for NBC to ask the writers for but think back to Wujing Mako, Tanada, and Lord Baltimore and one way to write in the impostor is already in the shows to date.
Αριστοτέλης Λαχανόπουλος
August 24, 2017 @ 9:30 pm
I disagree on one point. There are more choices than “just Raymond and Katarina” that would devastate Liz