Spoilers ahead for the second episode of The Blacklist Season 8, called "Katarina Rostova: Conclusion."
The Blacklist wasn't messing around when it came to the title of the latest episode, as the NBC series has officially ended Katarina Rostova's life. The conflict between Red and Katarina that saw Liz side with her mother in a shocking twist came to a head when Dom spilled some secrets on Katarina, who believed that Red was the KGB mole referred to as N13. Before she could make any moves with the unconfirmed information, Red went ahead and killed her.
And that wasn't even the only major death of the episode, as the recast Dom perished in the episode as well. That said, Katarina's death is the one that will send shockwaves through the series, as Liz specifically and directly told Red that harming Katarina would end their relationship. Their relationship has admittedly been damaged before -- and perhaps never more so than when Liz sided with her mother over Red -- but Liz clearly meant what she said. And according to Blacklist executive producer John Eisendrath, what comes next could get ugly.
Speaking with TVLine about "Katarina Rostova: Conclusion," executive producer John Eisendrath confirmed that Katarina really is dead and revealed that her death was originally planned for the end of Season 7 before the production shutdown, and that's not all. On what comes next for Liz after Red caused such a major loss, Eisendrath said:
Liz and Red are going to war. The death of Katarina makes Liz more resolute than ever about getting answers to questions she’s been asking for seven years. She’s willing to burn every bridge and cross every line in search of the truth. Her resolution, plus all she’s learned from Red over the years about thinking like a criminal, makes her one of Red’s most formidable adversaries.
Well, if Red thought that this was something Liz could get over, as she has gotten over things in the best, then he is sorely mistaken! Liz's losses over the years have only strengthened her resolve to get to the truth, and Red may come to regret what he has taught her over their years working together. She has crossed more and more lines in recent seasons, and Red's habit of killing people he can't trust with truths he won't share might not apply to Liz. She may have become a "formidable" adversary for him, but I'm not sure he has it in him to actually harm her.
Throw in the fact that Red's health is questionable, and I'm not inclined to think that he's going to win this "war" against Liz. It's also possible that Katarina died more or less for nothing, which would surely only add insult to injury. The allegation that Red is N13 certainly holds water, but is currently unconfirmed, and it's never safe to assume that things are true when it comes to The Blacklist.
Unfortunately, fans are in for a wait to see what happens next for Liz now that she's determined to go to war with Red. Despite the fact that The Blacklist only just returned and has only managed to air two episodes of Season 8, the show is heading into its usual winter hiatus. The Blacklist won't be back until Friday, January 22.
The good news is that the first seven seasons of The Blacklist are currently available streaming on Netflix, and the twists and turns of Liz, Red, and Katarina's story definitely didn't start in Season 8. You can relive their saga via streaming during the weeks until the show returns for Episode 3. If a rewatch doesn't sound like the way to pass the time, check out our 2020 fall TV premiere schedule and our 2021 winter and spring premiere guide for some other options.
