Hold on to your hats here but there is a theory that Red is Katarina. In Blacklist world, anything is possible. People can get surgery to look like someone else; change DNA; erase memories; alter memories...good grief, this show is science fiction without the science.

Anyway, if Red is Katarina, it explains a lot of things like Kaplan's saying, "When you put her (Liz) in my arms as a baby". The incongruety in Kaplan's being in Reddington's employ for over 30 years yet our Red hired her in 1994 which at the time was less than 25 years ago.

If that's true, then saying "I think you're special" is what any parent would say to their child. Well, parent who is loving and kind.

If the theory pans out, then it makes sense that Red would want Liz to not remember that Katarina was there. She has no memories of her mother, which is really odd because mother is who the child is closest to. 

Anyway, Dom. Most people think Dom is a good man. I had thought so too but I just recently re-watched Artax Network and I have to say, he's an ornery SOB! If Red is actually Katarina and Dom is his father, you re-watch that episode and holy cow, he's a bear! 'What do you want?' 'Why are you still here' 'Get out of my way' 'if you're here for sympathy you've come to the wrong place'. Basically he's telling Red you've ruined my whole life. Most parents, no matter how horrible their children are, still have some compassion for their child, still love their child. 

Dom is a bigot, too. Refers to Aram as the Arab 'boy' - Red clenches his teeth and says he's from Baltimore. Just watch his face. Red is trying to control his emotions and remains respectful to Dom. He never once talks back or raises his voice. Even more, Dom has total control over Red. Red picks up the buttermilk and drinks it, runs to the sink to spit it out, and Dom barks, "Don't you dare!"

So if Red is Katarina, his response when the psychiatrist asks him to comment on her statements, this makes a whole lot more sense:
"My father was a good man."
"Good?"
"No"
He purses his lips, his eyelids lower ever so slightly. 
My father was a cold-hearted s.o.b. to me and to my mother and to others. And he still is.

Geez, the guy's on the top 10 Most Wanted and yet he stoops to Dom???

Liz remembers that Red was there when she comes out of her induced state and she and Red are nose-to-nose: "You were there" as she peers deeply into his eyes. Remember Dom, your eyes, you remind me of someone I knew. He's talking about Liz's mother.

Anyway, it's not a favorite theory, but it's the only one that makes the most sense and explains a lot of these things. 

Carry on!
 

Honey West - That is an interesting theory!  I had never considered that Red's purpose during the Braxton recall might not be the fulcrum.  We had talked in the past about how Red might have had his own memories wiped, and I still think that's a cool idea. 

I especially liked this part: "What if he went into the fire house meeting as whoever he was, was injured, and basically woke up as Raymond Reddington. Or was being passed off on the world as RR, maybe to be killed later when it was no longer necessary. But he escaped, went underground for awhile and emerged as the bad man they had all claimed he was. Basically, they had created a monster. And he became the monster."

This all makes for good storytelling, but how could Red's feelings for Liz fit into this scenario, along with Red's vast knowledge about her parents?
 

Tatiana - While I'm at least 75% sold on the Redarina theory, I'm still very open to considering other ideas. I do think the Redarina idea fits with many of the clues we've been given. My position is still what it was about a year ago: Redarina is either the answer or the biggest red herring in the show.

I think you are right that if Red is Katarina, Dom is not a good or understanding father. I said as much on our Redarina thread here last year and characterized him as an "Archie Bunker" type.  

The only thing about Redarina that doesn't make it quite work for me is that when Katarina brought Masha to Kate after the fire, she should have had some really horrific burns on her back when we saw her. Unless those happened later, of course. Still so much we just don't know and won't until the story wraps up, hopefully, not for awhile yet. 

Yes, very weird.

Eastcoast - While I can see the showrunners telling Pepe what he can't reveal,  I can't imagine them telling him to give fans false information. On the other hand, if there was a book about "transgender surgery" in the Bethesda apartment as Pepe said, it wasn't visible on screen either. Only "General Surgery" was the title on a spine in Red's shelves.

Last edited by Tuxie400 (2/14/2019 10:07 am)

Hi Everyone!
I've been checking the threads, but haven't posted anything since S6 started. I watched last week's episode very late Saturday night and was in and out of sleep. However, my ears perked up when I heard, "Treason and Russia"....Don't believe those 2 words have ever been spoken in the same sentence. So the real RR could have done this, but not imposter RR unless the imposter committed treason under RR identity??? Could this change the jail time game if it's uncovered that imposter RR was and has remained undercover for some form of US government??? Maybe he has felt betrayed by US government and now he will not recognize it as his own. His duties could have caused him to lose his family as the man he was before RR identity (ballerina girl).  That's my reasoning for why he's not Katarina.  Unless he is Katarina and the family she lost was Masha/Liz and RR and she betrayed the Russian gov't which would explain the "your government" remarks. . I need to stop. Stop right now!  

Court scenes are great. The dialogue is timed to perfection! I've never seen Boston Legal, but hopefully can binge it this summer. 
Jail - kind of like Red's little own Rat Pack. Just needs his fedora to complete the look.
Rehoboth Beach - beautiful beach town! We travel there every summer. Confused on the fire house being "downtown" to now "beachside". 
Samar - I think I read somewhere that her memory will get worse as the season progresses. Not that I want this too, but I hope it does. Need a little more story with her and my sweet Aram! 
Resseler - he's actually getting screen time! I see a love connection in his and Liz's future! Back to S1 possibly??? Wonder what kind of rent-a-date he'll get for his cousin's wedding? Maybe she'll cancel and Liz will step in?
Dembe - What TRUTH does Red need to tell Liz???? He's Red's voice of reason, and this seems to be the main  thing Red ignores. I love that even with Red locked-up, Dembe is near. I just him.
Liz & Sister Jennifer: What is going on with this trainwreck? I actually feel bad for these actresses. They are given a storyline that could really change the direction of the show and move it into another season, but keep getting denied. Lack of story development, lack of screen time, and the info they are searching for is taking to long to reveal. Writers could have them doing so much more, while Red is running his operation from inside jail. I'd like to see Resseler dig deeper into Liz & Jen's shenanigans and work with them. He was tracking RR for years before the pilot happened, it's time to start analyzing the data. Even if our RR is truly the imposter, let's reveal his work and put some timelines together.
Cooper, Cooper, Cooper  to the tone of Buehler, Buehler, Buehler....The only move he's made this season was against that lady who was working for the Chinese. Bold move, but not much since. 

And I think I'm caught up. :D