The Blacklist Season 7 is set to premiere on NBC on Friday, October 4, after Season 6 ended in May. Following the shocking cliffhanger ending of the Season 6 finale, in which Katarina Rostova (Laila Robbins) kidnapped Raymond “Red” Reddington (James Spader), fans are excitedly looking forward to the start of the new season and anticipating more jaw-dropping plot twists.
Fans are also asking questions about what is next for Reddington in the upcoming season.
The series follows Red, a former Navy officer who becomes a fugitive criminal, but finally turns himself over to the FBI. He claims to have compiled a “blacklist” of the world’s most dangerous criminals, many of whom were unknown to the FBI, despite being a threat to society. He offers to trade the information for immunity from prosecution.
In The Blacklist Season 6, Episode 18, titled The Brockton College Killer, FBI agent Elizabeth “Liz” Keen (Megan Boone) confessed she was the one who turned Red in. Red was deeply shocked to learn the truth behind his trial and the death sentence he escaped through a last-moment stay by the president.
In The Blacklist Season 6 finale (Episode 22), titled Robert Diaz, Liz led the task force to foil an assassination attempt on the president. But it turned out that it was the president who orchestrated it as a hit on the First Lady, whom he deemed a risk to his re-election because she had information about a crime he committed.
There was a shocking twist in the closing moments of the Season 6 finale after Liz brought Agnes home. Red tracked down Katarina and they met on a dark street in Paris. She took Red by surprise when she stabbed him with a syringe and kidnapped him.
Katarina. #TheBlacklist pic.twitter.com/jano4h0Oz5
— The Blacklist (@NBCBlacklist) May 18, 2019
The twist in the story puts Red in a difficult situation because Katarina wants answers and she might be willing to go to extreme lengths to get them.
Liz and the task force will be searching for Red.
Fans are asking a myriad of questions that they hope the upcoming season will address. Fans are wondering whether that was the real Katarina who kidnapped Red. How will Red extricate himself from the sticky situation he finds himself in?
The season 6 finale of the Blacklist was something out of this world, first of all Katarina Rostova is alive and living in Paris, then she stabs Reddington, like what the bloody fuck, the first episode of season 7 had better be good, otherwise am done!!#Blacklist
— Lord Rhaikara ??? (@Rhacky8) May 19, 2019
I’m speechless right now. Kudos to them for the element of surprise.
— MoSonny Stan (@P1LifeSFF) May 18, 2019
Just finished the #Blacklist season finale. Wow! You can have your GOT. Give me #Reddington.
— Brett Pitman (@brettlpitman) May 20, 2019
Watching @NBCBlacklist #TheBlacklist season finale on @hulu #HuluLive DVR. HEY! Leave him alone! pic.twitter.com/2sKtxwTsj5
— Valerie Gray (@valmg) May 20, 2019
#Blacklist finale was epic! The best episode ever! Finally Anna McMahon is dead. But still wondering about who Reddington really is. It seems like hes not really Ilya. Katarina is still mean i see. I cant wait for Season 7! @NBCBlacklist
— Jihan Halim (@jihan305) May 20, 2019
Other questions that fans want answers to in Season 7 include the issue of Red’s true identity.
The Blacklist creator Jon Bokenkamp and series showrunner John Eisendrath talked about what fans can expect in the upcoming season in an interview with Variety.
“He’s [Red] not dead, I don’t think we should pretend that James Spader is no longer going to be on “The Blacklist.” He’s alive, but despite that, the end opens up an incredible number of possibilities. What is going through Katarina’s mind? How was Red so easily deceived? What did he think was going to happen when he showed up unguarded and met this woman on a dark street in Paris? How does a man who does nothing without taking incredible precautions leave himself open and vulnerable to being captured or attacked by a woman who he allegedly has known his own life — was her lover, had a child?”
Eisendrath revealed that Season 7 will also focus on Liz’s daughter. Agnes.
The Blacklist Season 7 premieres on Friday, October 4 at 8/7c on NBC.