The Blacklist Refugees » The Endling 5.04

10/14/2017 7:07 am

Alyblacklist has a link to a sneak peek from the next episode.

https://alyblacklist.tumblr.com/post/166379599418/new-sneak-peek-clip-for-episode-504-via

I thought it was interesting that he said he went off to the Naval Academy at 17. How long does someone attend the Naval Academy? They said in the pilot he graduated by 24.

And episode 4 is the last NIk is listed in the credits for at this point. Do we think he survives?

Last edited by Brittany (10/14/2017 8:15 am)

Eastcoast · 10/14/2017 9:36 am

When I saw the title of this episode and the pics I thought maybe it was Kaplans funeral. That it was confirming she was gone? The Ending of her.
After I saw our good Dr. hook Tom up with the new Dr. we saw I was wondering if he knows of Red since everyone in that world seams to.
Then I thought it could be either of those Drs or both having a funeral? If both Tom and Liz are there it could be either one.
Red is very serious about this person not becoming known.
I went back to the episode where he killed Bradley looking for Susan H. Because he asked him the same question he asked Albert. 'Do you know who I am?' The tone of his voice was a scarry one compared to the last time.

If Red kills Nik I would imagine it will look like an accident because he won't want to risk Liz being angry with him for it. I think he will be more careful at this point since she felt so much guilt with Kaplan. But who knows?

Off to RL.

Eastcoast · 10/14/2017 9:39 am

I forgot to nention, if it was a funeral for Nik I would think it would be bigger. But we really can't see everything.

Tuxie400 · 10/14/2017 12:55 pm

Brittany - Interesting that Red says he went into the Naval Academy at 17. Cadets spend two years at the actual academy and then five years in active duty training. So they're in for 7 years.

Honey West · 10/14/2017 1:54 pm

The Naval Academy is a four year school. Then the five years of active duty unless your tuition was paid for in full before graduation. So it is possible to not have to be on a ship for five years after graduation. I still can't figure out when Red had any time to do all of the things that he claims to have done and still go to the Academy and have a Naval career. But I guess he did a lot of things during the summers in his youth, apparently. But, back to the academy. it's not easy to get in, but they do give preference to children of veterans or if you are sponsored by your congressman or your parents were diplomats or something like that. That's why I've always thought Reds dad was maybe in the diplomatic corps and the family maybe spent some time in Russia, specifically St Petersburg, while he was growing up. Never had any real evidence for that, but it was always a thought.

Tuxie400 · 10/14/2017 2:05 pm

Honey West - The most recent info on the Internet is the seven year plan I posted about. The seven years would work with Red's graduation at 24.

Eastcoast · 10/14/2017 3:20 pm

Tuxie, yes! I figured the writers threw that in there for timeline purposes. With those pics in the flat he might have had family in the Service, etc....

If, he was seen as being above intelligence as he is, then they are able to pull strings and let everyone 'around him' assume he is in one place when he is really in another. This Would fit in with the spy business he was in. I would imagine from what I know that he was pulled aside early on and was trained to be able to blend in and All that.

I'm still wondering if Sam was involved in any of that because we still don't know what Liz learned about him back in the Berlin episode. He was 10 years older than Red. Maybe that's how he knew Kr. She worked both sides. Which side she started on first is the question?

10/14/2017 6:11 pm

Thanks for the info on the Naval Academy, Tuxie! He must have completed high school early or something so he could go at 17. And he has pictures in his apartment of men from older days in military uniforms so I assumed military service was a family thing.

lara1 · 10/14/2017 7:06 pm

hi all, this is a bit confusing. The US Naval Academy website says that those enrolled in the program attend the Academy for four years and graduate with bachelor of science degrees and a commission - either in the Navy or in the Marine Corps. It goes on to say that Naval Academy graduates go on to serve 5 years in the Navy or in the Marines. I take that to mean the 5 years is added to the four years to equal 9 years. this would take Red presumably to 1986.

Makes no sense to me because when Ressler said he graduated by the time he was 24, it sounded like that was an unusual, and good, achievement. But 4 years from 17 is 21. Unless they factor in the additional 5 years, in which case it is 2 years early. But would they really cut the amount of time that he had to serve in the Navy? Maybe he actually graduated early, at 19? ugh!!! And if it is 9 years how the heck could he have wandered around having affairs with KR at Cape Breton (one of my longstanding questions LOL)

tuxie400, is the info that you found for maybe another Navy program? LOL even facts are confusing with this show!!!

lara1 · 10/14/2017 7:11 pm

Oh, I looked up endling: the last of a species, after the demise of which equals extinction of the species. I also came across something that applied it to the last person in a lineage - i.e. once that person had died, the family as such would be dead (no other living members or descendants)

What this means for the episode or the funeral I'm not sure. Well actually I have no idea!!!!

Last edited by lara1 (10/14/2017 7:14 pm)

JackPow · 10/14/2017 7:34 pm

Tuxie #6 - thanks for that. My thoughts are that the writers are just going to go with whatever the first thing that pops up on a simple internet search rather than an in depth research (sadly).

As for entering at age 17, I was in college at 17 but have a late year birthday. Not sure if that helps. I think I'll play "casual tv viewer" in this case and just accept what's shown to me on the screen. Lol. I kind of feel like the writers (or more specifically whoever their research assistants are) are playing it that way. Basic google search, done.

Last edited by JackPow (10/14/2017 7:38 pm)

10/14/2017 7:39 pm

Lara- I looked up what Tuxie said on the US Naval Academy website and it does talk about an initial 24 month committment and then 5 years of commitment following graduation. But I also saw that 4 year thing, which might refer to people who receive a bachelor's degree from them. Perhaps Red decided he didn't want a degree, but wanted to dive right into the intelligence training?

Interestingly , it says that you cannot be married or have dependents while at the Academy. Does that just mean the first two years? Carla was four years younger than Red, so in order to not have her as a minor when they got married, he would have been at least 22. If he had to wait until he had finished his 5 year commitment, that would mean Jennifer (if she's his biological daughter) would be around Liz's age or younger, unless he broke the rules and was secretly a father and/or married at some point during those 7 years..and we know Red would never dream of breaking rules. ;)

The ending thing would make sense because the woman is wanting to end the last of a dynasty, I believe.

lara1 · 10/14/2017 7:46 pm

thanks Brittany. where is the 24 month commitment thing? I saw the four year thing on the basic "about" webpage on the site. It does say that Naval Academy students serve active duty on ship. Is the 2 year commitment referring to that? or do they offer degree and non degree programs? And I wonder what it was in the 1970s. LOL is nothing straightforward with this show?!! ha ha.

lara1 · 10/14/2017 8:09 pm

OK this was bugging me so much I did some trawling around the web. From what I can understand the 2+5 commitment is made after the second year at the Academy. This means that those at the Academy who complete their first two years, and leave, do not incur any commitment for Navy service. for their junior year, those at the Academy must make a decision - essentially stay or go - meaning if they stay they are committing to completing the last two years of study plus 5 years service beyond graduation. At least that's how I understood it....

this article, from 2013, talks about the Class of 2015 having to make their "2 for 7" commitment pledges.
At least I think that's what it means.....LOL

If that's correct, then it does appear to be a total of 9 years - 4 year degree plus 5 year service IF you stay beyond the first two years. From what we hear about Red, he apparently did stay. which does then throw up a bunch of questions.....of course!!!

http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=76083

10/14/2017 8:11 pm

It was under the admissions section for Active Duty and Reserve Applicant. It talks about extending enlistment 24 months, then upon graduation signing up for 5 year commitment. But it sounds like the 5 years starts AFTER graduation, which would still mean that he graduated well before the age of 24...now I feel confused. But Red would have been there in 1977 if he went at 17, so maybe things were a little different then. I'm hoping we get information about his time in the Navy. That would clear things up.

10/14/2017 8:14 pm

Clearly our Saturday nights are so lively. lol. After I went back to re-read, I seemed to come to the same conclusion as you have. So either Red was fibbing, things were different back then, or the writers messed something up. All definite possibilities.

lara1 wrote:
OK this was bugging me so much I did some trawling around the web. From what I can understand the 2+5 commitment is made after the second year at the Academy. This means that those at the Academy who complete their first two years, and leave, do not incur any commitment for Navy service. for their junior year, those at the Academy must make a decision - essentially stay or go - meaning if they stay they are committing to completing the last two years of study plus 5 years service beyond graduation. At least that's how I understood it....

this article, from 2013, talks about the Class of 2015 having to make their "2 for 7" commitment pledges.
At least I think that's what it means.....LOL

If that's correct, then it does appear to be a total of 9 years - 4 year degree plus 5 year service IF you stay beyond the first two years. From what we hear about Red, he apparently did stay. which does then throw up a bunch of questions.....of course!!!

http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=76083

Tuxie400 · 10/14/2017 8:29 pm

Wow there is varying info about this. I saw my information on two sites - one was The United States Naval Academy on Wikipedia, and the other was a Naval Academy site that had instruction for applying for the program. In any case, the seven years works with The Blacklist timeline.

10/14/2017 8:36 pm

I saw the same things, but I also see what lara means...it confuses me. I'm just adding it to the list of why I never would have been good in the military...after 1) refuses to take orders from anyone, and 2) hates to run. lol

Tuxie400 wrote:
Wow there is varying info about this. I saw my information on two sites - one was The United States Naval Academy on Wikipedia, and the other was a Naval Academy site that had instruction for applying for the program. In any case, the seven years works with The Blacklist timeline.

lara1 · 10/14/2017 8:48 pm

Wow is right, yes its supremely confusing. I saw that 24 month thing that you were talking about on the Naval Academy website, but I thought that applied to people who were already enlisted in the navy or in the reserve, they need to have at least 24 months left in their existing required service is how I understood it. Why, I don't know. But I do think the "2 for 7" applies to the commitment papers midshipmen have to sign after their second year in.

But agree Tuxie - 9 doesn't work whereas 7 does....though it still wouldn't be extraordinary if that was the norm.

At the end of the day though is it really a big piece of info....I think we'd thought he entered at the age of 17 or 18 anyway in order to have graduated by the time he was 24. but I do wonder who lucky "Sara" was and why she never replied to Red's letter. haha.

LOL the things that get me spinning on this show!

Honey West · 10/15/2017 12:05 am

We did the academy research back on the old board. Mostly from the academy website and also information posted by people who had attended and graduated. I was researching for an old theory trying to figure out Carla and Jennifer. Ran across all the marriage and expulsion stuff. Midshipmen are not allowed to be married and it's grounds for expulsion. However it does not mean they are required to live like monks either. According to at least one guy there are secret marriages and also a lot of weddings take place right after graduation. My old theory was that Red had gotten together with Carla early on while at the academy and they'd had Jennifer. Of course he couldn't marry her and acknowledge Jennifer until graduation or he'd be expelled, end of promising career. I used this to explain Naomi referring to Jennifer as "my daughter", because she would have been raising her as a single mom for several years. Later on, even though they eventually married, I had the idea that it was not necessarily a happy marriage and especially so after the Katarina affair (plus Carla knew all about Elizabeth), thus she was a "miserable housewife married to a miserable man". Anyway it as also my way of explaining the older daughter since he wouldn't have "officially" been able to start a family until after graduation. Was Jennifer "ballerina girl" or even "bubble girl"? In any case, Jennifer's age might fit better and it would be a way that she could be much older. Anyway, that was an old theory of mine.