The Blacklist - Berlin: Conclusion

With Reddington (James Spader) on his way to a new black site from which he will likely never emerge (at least while still breathing), Cooper's (Harry Lennix) team performs their final task before being decommissioned by investigating the plane crash and locating a handful of escaped prisoners all of whom were placed on the plane by the mysterious Berlin. With the help of Fitch (Alan Alda), and the power broker's inside man (Jason Butler Harner), Reddington manages to make his escape and begin searching for answers (partly procured by attacking a Russian ambassador).

Receiving names from Tom (Ryan Eggold), those prisoners from the plane who weren't killed or captured begin crossing off members of their own list which includes anyone involved in The Blacklist task force beginning with Malik (Parminder Nagra) and Cooper. The plane's prison guard (Peter Stormare) offers Lizzie (Megan Boone) and the myth of Berlin which has just enough truth in it to allow Reddington to identify the man, but not the reason for the war between them.


Reddington's interrogation of the man everyone believes to be Berlin (Andrew Howard) leads to stand-off with Tom which ends with both Red's enemy and Lizzie's husband dead. However, the full story is far from complete as the real Berlin escapes the hospital to trouble Reddington and Lizzie when The Blacklist returns for its Second Season. The finale's end starts the "war" Reddington has teased us with for several episodes. We also get a reset button courtesy of Fitch and his group allowing The Blacklist task force to reform, if Lizzie remains with the group, for next season.

Although I like the fact that Reddington identified that the man he killed wasn't Berlin before the mastermind pulled the trigger, I think its odd we don't get a scene where Reddington asks to see a picture of real Berlin (who was mistakenly believed to be a guard on the plane) to positively identify the man before the season comes to a close. Tom's final words to Lizzie, and Reddington's conversation with her about Sam's death and why her father's real identity must be hidden for her protection, continue to tease another mystery which I suspect will continue for quite some time before we get any real answers.