The Blacklist season 8 finale: Is Raymond Reddington really Katarina?

As we now approach The Blacklist season 8 finale airing on NBC next week, there are obviously a LOT of theories. Also, many of them are connected to the subject of Raymond Reddington’s identity.

Is there one that stands out head and shoulders above the rest? The clear answer for now has to be yes, and that it is tied to the subject of Reddington and Katarina Rostova. Are they really the same person in present-day?

If you want to get more insight regarding last night’s pivotal The Blacklist episode, why not take a look at what we’ve got below? Once you do just that, be sure to also subscribe to Matt & Jess on YouTube for more ongoing coverage, including previews and other theories regarding the finale.

This theory, entitled “Rederina” by many people out there, is absolutely not new. There have been fans of the show discussing the idea of this for years on end and with that, it’s become increasingly polarizing. To us, we’ve never fully been on board with the idea, but there’s no denying all the evidence. Unless she passed along a lot of information to someone else, Katarina is one of the few people who could know everything that the present-day Reddington does. Also, we know that he would do anything for Liz, which means that love is a driving force behind many of his decisions. We also don’t know where the real Katarina is at present.

Yet, we do think there are some reasons to not believe in this theory, as well, with the simple one being this: Doesn’t this have all the signs of a classic red (pun intended) herring? It feels like the show is 100% intent on making us think this is possible and dropped a lot of obvious hints in last night’s episode — including Katarina saying “everything about me is a lie,” a key reference to a line in the pilot.

One way or another, we’re expecting to have an answer to all this next week, and we’re sure already that it will be VERY much polarizing…

What do you most want to see when it comes to The Blacklist season 8 finale?

Do you think Reddington could really be Katarina? Be sure to share right now in the attached comments! After you do just that, remember to also stick around for some other news. (Photo: NBC.)