Raymond Reddington stopped by the FBI headquarters and from then on, the lives of FBI agents Elizabeth Keen, Donald Ressler and Harold Cooper were turned inside out. Even more so for Elizabeth Keen who for some reason he took specific interest in, and seemed fond of.
In the meantime, despite being number 1 on the FBI Most Wanted List, Raymond ‘Red’ Reddington (played by James Spader) found a way to wine and dine with the FBI by supplying them with an endless pool of well-hidden criminals and aiding in their arrest.
His relationship with Elizabeth Keen was quite the glue for the audience and even for other characters. They never stopped asking “How is Reddington related to Elizabeth?” and though the audience never got a direct answer as the end of season 10 of The Blacklist, the question never really went away. The question that was clear, however, was: why did Raymond Reddington surrender to the FBI? Which according to him was to protect Elizabeth Keen from threat to her life?
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How Raymond Reddington’s “Help” Backfired on Elizabeth Keen Every Time
The question fans and the audience keep asking 3 years after the final episode of The Blacklist isn’t just Raymond Reddington’s true identity in season 10, but the unsettling fact that his mission in the life of Elizabeth Keen was a colossal fail. From the audience’s point of view, every time Raymond Reddington meddled in the life of Elizabeth Keen, it nearly always went wrong.
First, sending the hardened criminal, Tom Keen to be a friend of a friend and he ended up marrying her… twice. And even though he was not the best at the time, his death in season 3 was yet again another unfortunate incident for Elizabeth Keen that left Keen without a husband and their child, Agnes, without her father.
In the end, what would have been the final nail in the coffin was Elizabeth Keen’s death in season 8 of The Blacklist. Regardless of how much Raymond Reddington loves her, for many fans, Raymond Reddington failed Elizabeth Keen so much it cost her life! More so, in the end in season 10 of The Blacklist, he still chose to let himself die rather than stay around for Agnes Keen — walking into the bull in Spain without avoiding it and ultimately being killed, effectively ending his story and leaving Agnes without him.
Who is Raymond Reddington?
Understanding the two characters— in fact, three characters (you are counting Reddington’s friend who appears in Season 3, Episode 11, “Mr. Gregory Devry”)—of who Raymond Reddington was before the surgery.
The first Raymond Reddington was a U.S. government agent. He was seduced by Katarina Rostova, a Russian spy who stole government secrets from him and shared them with her government. At the time of their affair, Raymond Reddington was married to Naomi Hyland, and Katarina was married to Constantin Rostov (hence why Constantin Rostov was convinced he was Elizabeth Keen’s father, Season 4 of Blacklist).
Reddington eventually found out about Katarina’s secret, and they fought. Somehow, five-year-old Elizabeth Keen picked up a gun and shot and killed her father, and the house was set on fire. Now, the real Reddington is dead.
At the time, Reddington had been framed as a double agent, and Katarina was burned. She was found by the KGB to be a double agent for the Cabal working directly for Alan Fitch, betraying the KGB. Russia tagged her a betrayer.
Even though both Katarina and Reddington were fugitives at the time, Katarina needed access to the money used to frame Reddington. Hence, she chose to steal Raymond Reddington’s identity.
In summary, Katarina Rostova changed her identity to become Raymond Reddington—the Reddington fans saw throughout the series.
How Is Reddington Related to Elizabeth Keen?
Even though the progression of The Blacklist presented Reddington as a father figure to Elizabeth Keen, in reality, Raymond Reddington is Elizabeth Keen’s biological mother—as Katarina Rostova.
Since the real Raymond Reddington was Elizabeth Keen’s biological father before her mother, Katarina, stole his identity after his death, it is safe to say that Raymond Reddington is both Elizabeth Keen’s father and her biological mother. This fact was hinted at throughout the 10 seasons of The Blacklist.
Elizabeth Keen’s Death in Season 3 and Season 8 of The BlackList
After Elizabeth Keen and her family were attacked, leading to their supposed deaths by Matias Solomon, Elizabeth Keen and Tom Keen, with the help of Mr. Kaplan, faked her death to help Elizabeth escape the chaos that the collectively assumed Raymond Reddington brought into their lives.
Reports at the time indicated that Megan Boone, who played Elizabeth Keen, was pregnant. The break in the storyline, where fans believed Elizabeth had died, allowed Boone to have her child and return to work afterward. It is safe to say that Elizabeth Keen returned after faking her death.
Elizabeth’s death in The Blacklist Season 3 was written to allow lead star Megan Boone time to have her baby.
Who Was Responsible for Elizabeth Keen’s Death?
This was not the same story in the Season 8 finale, when Elizabeth Keen died after being shot in the back by an assassin sent by one of Raymond Reddington’s enemies. Elizabeth Keen was killed by one of Neville Townsend’s men, following advice given by Raymond Reddington’s closest confidant, Marvin Gerard.
Elizabeth Keen’s death ultimately left her daughter, Agnes, orphaned and left Red’s mission incomplete.
The Blacklist is just one of several TV series that are absolutely binge-worthy. Check out our compilation of 30 shows that will keep you glued in 2026!
Mariam Emily Adama is a copywriter, SEO strategist, and digital marketer passionate about using words to inform, inspire, and influence. With over seven years of experience writing for global brands and managing digital campaigns, she brings a data-driven yet creative approach to content creation. When she’s not writing or analyzing trends, Mariam enjoys exploring new cultures, reading, and documenting stories that celebrate African excellence.