Really, who is “The Blacklist” character Raymond “Red” Reddington, played by James Spader? A good guy or a bad guy?
He is unquestionably a chameleon in one respect. He was once a most-wanted criminal and is now an FBI informant. By applying his uncommon expertise to every case he is given, he is able to do things that are technically illegal for the benefit of all people. Of course, he does this to protect himself after doing many, many things that are illegal during his time on the other side of the law. He has no problem lying to Liz Keen (Megan Boone), an FBI profiler who teams up with Reddington to bring the show’s titular Blacklist of villains—a collection of the world’s worst criminals—to justice.
As the series goes on, viewers mistakenly believe that Reddington is Liz’s biological father. However, it turns out that Reddington is actually a fictitious character because the real Red Reddington passed away many years ago. So, who exactly is Red?
His true identity is still a mystery at this time on the show. Fans can anticipate that the show will keep that information to themselves, at least until the end. But it doesn’t mean fans shouldn’t speculate; they frequently enjoy doing so in a Reddit thread devoted to “The Blacklist.” They believe they have discovered who Red really is, and this information fits into a fan idea that has been discussed by the show’s showrunner and is widely discussed online.
Fans think the Redarina theory might be true
The results of a survey conducted on the subreddit by u/LizIsRedsMother reveal two things: first, that viewers are frustrated by the lack of information provided by the show regarding Red’s true identity, and second, that many of them believe Red may be linked to Liz, albeit not in a fatherly sense. According to 400 of the 850 respondents to the website’s survey, Red was formerly Liz’s biological mother, Katarina Rostova.
While the premise might appear absurd to some, “The Blacklist” has established a reputation that makes such ideas seem very plausible. “Here, we’re talking about the Blacklist, a place where a lot of irrational things occur. Who the hell is Red, if not Katarina? We can be sure that the genuine Red is no longer alive. If Liz were to receive the letter, why wouldn’t she want to kill Red?” u/BitterDecoction said.
However, some fans reject the idea. The poll’s findings were disputed by u/diseville, who said that the hypothesis is implausible given the length of time Red would have to spend recuperating from operations and the enormous volume of plastic surgeons who would afterwards become privy to this top-secret information. Many fans who care about Liz and Red’s relationship would prefer to believe that the hypothesis is untrue and that if Red were to tell Liz the truth rather than lying to her. For instance, u/Desdemona1231 acknowledges that their explanation can’t account for the degree of brutality Red would have to exhibit toward Liz in Season 9 when the character departs the show, by which point she has earned his trust.
The show’s creator has not denied the Redarina theory
Are you Katarina Rostova or Red? Jon Bokenkamp, the creator and co-producer of “The Blacklist,” has addressed the Redarina hypothesis, believe it or not (though, of course, without giving anything away).
In an interview with co-producer John Eisendrath for 2019 TV Line, Bokenkamp acknowledged that he is well aware of the show’s viewers’ ongoing conjecture that Red is indeed Katrina. He said, “I love reading all of the fan stuff, the speculations, and what’s on Twitter. He went on to say that the writers of the programme keep note of the crazier fan ideas, but he didn’t confirm or deny that Redarina was canon. “You can probably flip the scenario a few degrees and make your theory make sense, regardless of your theory or your group. Yes, that is one that we have heard about and I am aware that it exists.”
Eisendrath was a little more blunt, stating that the direction and plot of “The Blacklist” have been established from the show’s inception and that the writing of the show is not influenced by online ideas. “That’s in part to blame for how each year we’ve been able to provide the audience with sincere, respectable responses. Real, solid footholds for the audience that have enabled them to feel like we’re not stalling, we’re not telling them lies or half-truths, rather than kind of nebulous ideas “said he.
Since it’s impossible to discern whether Red is lying or telling the truth for the entirety of “The Blacklist” — currently in Season 10 — it can take a while for viewers to learn the truth. That would actually make Red’s coworker’s plight more relevant to viewers everywhere.
