#masha rostova

[murahel]

My good friend suggested I put my thoughts on Blacklist (TV show) here, so here I am.

Before I start piecing this together, I have to say something about the Redarina theory. First, I think it will never be confirmed canon because of bigotry, and also the show has ended and the true identity of Red wasn't brought back on the table since Elizabeth's death. That's two seasons completely abandoning the mystery at the center of the show. Second, I think Redarina should not be considered canon in the whole show because there are clearly contradictions, most likely because the show hesitated on what was the answer to "Who is Red?". Those contradictions and the way Katarina is talked about would make Redarina theory lean towards "women want to transition because of misogyny" terf discourse, which should not exist in the first place.

For Redarina to exist, Katarina cannot be a cis woman. Period.

Thus being said, here is a recap of my conversation with my good friend. Keep in mind I'm no expert, I'm not in the head of the writers and maybe I got some things wrong, so don't come around @ me.

I think "Cape May" is the friendlier episode of Katarina = Red because it is an episode between Katarina and Red.

There are no other characters present. It's the first time true Katarina is introduced (albeit as an hallucination). The whole episode is a replaying of what happened to Katarina the first time they were here alone (got attacked by mercenaries).

It's just so personal between them.

Katarina had come here to commit suicide after having to abandon Elizabeth to protect her. Red is here because Elizabeth just died. "Cape May" is where they go when they lose Elizabeth. No one other than the parent of the lost child would react that way.

Besides, Katarina abandonned a necklace on the beach when they came to Cape May, alone, with no one else to testify of it. And years later, Red finds it when he comes to Cape May and recognises it. The only person who could have known that is Katarina themselves.

Red = Katarina stays the only viable explanation left at the end of the show, especially after s8 finale. Watching s8 finale, I felt like the show had finally decided on a response to "Who is Red?" and that that response was Redarina, especially with the overlapping of Katarina and Red. Then the last two seasons left that mystery to rot and never gave a clear answer, which I guess is understable since Elizabeth died and she was the main character concerned by this (Agnes is too young to be concerned I guess?? Even though it seems Elizabeth told her ThingsTM, which is yet another thing the show will never explain).

Anyway, there are many hints that Red was very close to Katarina, knowing things about Katarina no one else knew and stating he was present in situations where Katarina was supposedly alone.

For example, when Elizabeth was a kid, she was in a house with her parent, Katarina, and her dad, the true Raymond Reddington. Long story short, Katarina and the true Raymond Reddington fight, a fire starts and the true Raymond Reddington dies. Katarina got Elizabeth out of the house, both of them getting burns in the process. The only person left who knows what happened inside that house is Katarina, since Elizabeth was too young to have clear memories of everything.

But then Red knows what happened. He even engaged someone to erase Elizabeth's memories of the night. Even more so, Red was present because he has burns from that night. So since the only person other than Elizabeth who survived the night was Katarina, they are the only candidate left as a response for "Who is Red?"

I'm passing all the other details such as, Katarina's husband wanted to kill Red and immediately let go of the idea after Red whispered something to him, Katarina's allies are allies of Red meaning that all the people who could have taken the role of Red are out there being their own selves.

Also, Red visits Katarina's father, who asks to have his child back, and Red says it's impossible. In s8, Red states that Katarina is still alive and living somewhere out there, so if it was true he could have gotten Katarina's father and Katarina reunited. Hell there's even a wholeass season where a woman impersonates Katarina and if Katarina was still really out there, the best way to get rid of the problem would have been to bring the true Katarina back but he doesn't because Red. is. right. there.

The show has established all the characters evolving around Katarina. The true Raymond Reddington? Dead, there's a whole season about identifying his squeletton. Katarina's husband? Was running around to get Red killed, so obviously he can't be Red. Katarina's handler? He's seen having dinner with Red. Ilya? He's still out there standing right next to Red. Kaplan? She's right there standing next to Red too. The season "Katarina" is introduced and you see her standing in the same room as Red? It's not the true Katarina!

Literally all the characters introduced by the show who could have been Red are not. The only one left is Katarina. The only option left for Katarina =/= Red would be a stranger, like an actor, because all Katarina's allies and relatives are still themselves, but someone not related in any way to Katarina would never care so much about Elizabeth. Or a character not introduced by the show at all, but then what's even the point.

I'm not even starting on the whole discourses Red gives about parental love and what not and how some of his words are sometimes literally the same as Katarina's words.

Then the show also imply, sometimes heavily, that Red would have a romantic/sexual attraction towards Elizabeth, which is disgusting and should never have happened, because the show kept hesitating about the response to "Who is Red?" Lizzington ends up being straight up incest and that's just a big No.

Again there are contradictions, because in one of the early episodes Red makes a house explodes. That house, is the house the true Raymond Reddington shared with his American family, his first family before he met Katarina. In this episode, Red gets inside the house and remembers quircks of the house from when he lived in it (leaving his hat on the hand of a door, a metallic something on the floor creaking under his shoes, etc.) and that are things he shared with his first american family, things from the true Raymond Reddington that Red/Katarina supposedly wouldn't care about.

So there are episodes like that that go completely the other way, even though there's later an entire season dedicated to proving Red is not the true Raymond Reddington.

Anyway, I'm not over the bull ending.

#if you couldn't tell i'm not over the show's ending #the blacklist #tv shows #red reddington #raymond reddington #elizabeth keen #katarina rostova #masha rostova #redarina #theory #character analysis #blacklist posts

[lizkeen]

Megan Boone as Elizabeth Keen in The Blacklist 5.10: The Informant

#Megan Boone #meganbooneedit #megan boone edit #meganboonededit #masha rostova #masharostovaedit #masha rostova edit #Elizabeth Keen #ElizabethKeen #elizabethkeenedit #elizabethkeendaily #blacklist #theblacklist #The Blacklist #nbctheblacklist #the blacklist edit #nbc #nbc the blacklist #nbcedit #tbledit #tbl #blacklistedit

[thelonemusketeer]

masha name meaning

wait one damn minute did i just find something out about what raymond/katarina belives in

Masha Meaning: Willpower; Star of the sea; Beloved. Masha is a girl's given name of Latin origin. It is a diminutive of Maria and means "star of the sea" or "beloved." Masha is also an alternative spelling for the Quranic given name Mashaa, which symbolizes "will" and "willpower" for members of the Muslim faith.

#the blacklist #masha rostova

[iwouldlovetoeatyourtoast]

this is the first time i've noticed Agnes in this menu, which was especially confusing because i forgot that's what i named my phone

#my previous phone was named Masha Rostova #and this post is getting a tbl spoilers tag specifically because my sister spoiled herself when she googled the name #because she didn't recognize the device on our network #incredibly vague the blacklist spoilers tag

[katarinas-redemption]

The mystery of Red’s connection to Elizabeth Keen was solvable in Season 4. The key episodes are Mato, Adrian Shaw Conclusion, and Requiem.

The Blacklist first look: Mr. Kaplan's ties to Red revealed — first look

Source: Entertainment Weekly, Natalie Abrams

“In the episode titled ‘Requiem,’ we get to step back in time and see Reddington through the lens of what is essentially an origin story,” executive producer Jon Bokenkamp tells EW. “It’s a really compelling hour that involves Young Liz, her mother Katerina, her adopted father Sam Milan and, of course, Mr. Kaplan. In this photo, we see Mr. Kaplan putting on her ‘cleaner gloves’ for the very first time.”

The Blacklist unveils a shocking amount of backstory

Source: Entertainment Weekly, Natalie Abrams

"It turns out, Kaplan was more than just a cleaner for Red, but once acted as the caretaker for a young Masha, a.k.a. Liz Keen (Megan Boone), working for Katarina Rostova (Lotte Verbeek) and eventually uncovered that she's a Russian spy and becoming her cleaner."

In 4.02 we learned for the first time that Mr. Kaplan’s history with Red went as far back as to when Liz was just an infant. This was the episode where Red shoots Kate for betraying him. During the episode and before he shoots her which she knows is coming… Mr. Kaplan explains to Red that she only betrayed him because of an agreement they had made back when Liz was a baby for which Red insisted she always put Liz first. She mentions an incident that happened with “Annie” way back when. At one point Red tells Kate that he “was away”. All of this backstory dialogue was pretty vague and didn’t give too much insight. But in the episode Requiem, all of this is explained. We get to see Baby Liz in Kaplan’s arms. We see the promises made to keep Liz safe. We saw the incident with Annie and Kate. We learned how Mr. Kaplan got her name. We saw Katarina call Kate from Cape May to tell her she was going "away". Etc...

In short, the episode of Requiem will MOSTLY feature Katarina and Mr. Kaplan. The younger Mr. Kaplan is played by Joanna Adler. Susan Blommarert of course plays the Mr. Kaplan we all know.

Susan Blommaert 

And just like the episode of Nachalo, the story in Requiem is ABOUT RED in the flashbacks but who we see onscreen is Katarina played by Lotte Verbeek. This is because Red was formerly Katarina Rostova who took on the identity of Raymond Reddington.

The lines:

4x02 - Mr. Kaplan: Do you remember what I looked like that night? Lying in the street, my head torn open… Annie’s body in front of me. Red: You know I don’t know what you looked like. I was away.

The explanation: 1. The episode Requiem will introduce the story of Annie and how Kate met her. The episode will feature the very scene that Kate referred to. We see her lying in the street, head torn open… Annie’s body in front of her. Bonus: We finally learn how Kate got her name “Mr. Kaplan”. We are also shown the tragic scene of both Annie and Kate being shot. Annie dies. 2. Red’s line about him being away is explained by the scene where Katarina calls Kate at the motel from Cape May and tells her she is “going away”.

4x02 - Kate: Do you remember…? Red: You know I don’t know what you liked like….

When Kate said: Do you remember…? Red’s response wasn’t that he did not know her back then. Instead, he told her he was away. They knew each other. Also, there is no reason for Kate to ask Red in the first place if he remembers anything unless she knew Red during this time frame. What is important here is that the event of Annie and Kate getting shot at Little Nikkos happened BEFORE Red approached Mr. Kaplan to work for him. And yet: Kate to Red: Work for you? I don't know you. She thought he was the real RR. But anyway, the part where Red said he was away is explained by the phone call from Katarina to Kate from Cape May. She tells Kate she's going away.

4.17 Mr. Kaplan: Work for you? I don’t know you.

Red: I’m not as unknown as you might like to believe, Ms. Nemec.

Kate believes that Red is the real Raymond Reddington. That is who he is presenting himself as after all. The explanation for Red’s line that he’s not as unknown as she might like to believe means that Kate does not yet know that Red is Katarina disguised. Red is known to her. Afterall he did put Baby Liz in her arms 10 years prior.

4x02 - Kate: I’m not sorry for what I did. I betrayed you for the same reason I just betrayed Nikos– to keep Elizabeth safe, just like you asked me to all those years ago, when you first put her in my arms as a baby girl, only now she has a baby girl of her own, and your existence in their lives puts them in constant danger.

- to keep Elizabeth safe, just like you asked me to all those years ago, Requiem explains this line in the scene where Mr. Kaplan is in the nursery with the baby and Katarina walks in. 1. Note: that the song Kate is singing has the lines: You are safe, you are loved. You are wise. I think this was an intentional little nugget by the writers. 2. The scene ends with Kate telling Katarina that she would do anything to protect her baby. Kathryn: I told you. I have a pact with your daughter. I will do everything in my power to keep her safe. And her mother.

- “And her mother”: aka Red. 

- when you first put her in my arms as a baby girl, This line is explained by the same scene when Mr. Kaplan is in the nursery. Though we do not see Katarina handing the baby to Mr. Kaplan's arms and asking her to keep her safe, (that would be TOO obvious). Perhaps the show decided to do the reverse as a clever clue to cover the handling of the baby. That said, in the scene, they do show Baby Liz in Kaplan’s arms. In the scene, Mr. Kaplan even mentions “in my arms”. 

- Baby Girl, We can infer by Mr. Kaplan’s reference [“only now she has a baby girl of her one”] to Agnes being a baby that Liz was not a little girl but a baby when Red put her in Mr. Kaplan’s arms.

The timeline

30 years

Mr. Kaplan: Wrong. You have me. Raymond thinks he out maneuvered me today, but he underestimated my commitment. I’ve been his cleaner, keeper, and confessor for 30 years, and I’m prepared to tell you everything you need to know in open court.

(2017 - 30 = 1987. Liz was born in 1985 though she looks under a year old in Requiem.)

Two decades

Mr. Kaplan: For the last two decades of my life, you had me convinced I was helping keep Elizabeth safe. But in reality, I was helping you become a monster.

(2017 - 20 = This is when she started working for Red.)

This wasn't a part of Mato but the messy situation Red talked to Kate about in Requiem is about the "mess" in the kitchen. Red knows about it because he's Katarina.

Also not a part of Mato but Requiem revealed Katarina was burned on her back.

“Ultimately this is a ‘chosen one’ story. Elizabeth Keen is clearly incredibly important to Red. Why? That’s what we’re slowly revealing over time, and trust me, the answers are all there. - Jon Bokenkamp interview with EW post episode 4.08;

#the blacklist #requiem #mato #redarina #Youtube

[isagrimorie]

I wish there was meta about Red growing up during the cold war and how growing up Red didn’t have the vocabulary to address who he was.

(As I understand it, Red prefers to answer to he/him but also the show doesn't clarify this.)

I can only imagine it hadn’t helped the way he grew up it made it almost impossible to figure himself out.

Dom scripted Red’s life from the moment he could walk. He was the “son he always wanted”. And yet when he did become the son, Dom was furious with Red.

And at every opportunity mentioned how Red killed Katarina, and loved Katarina. Even on his deathbed.

But Red loved Dom despite everything he put Red through.

It’s no wonder Red is so deeply reluctant to tell Liz even if it would help everything, like for example when Tatiana claimed she was Katarina, Liz’s mother. Starting a rift and Liz (again) going against Red but in such a way that it cost Red his father and Anne.

I don’t know if Red was even conscious of how terrified he was that one of the reasons he hasn’t told Liz was because he was afraid Liz would reject him the way Dom did constantly.

This fear is at cross purposes with Liz’s need to find out who Red is to her.

Liz was adopted, and despite all of Red’s intentions she did remember being abandoned. Sam was her dad despite his flaws and she accepted them and loved him and since Sam died Liz’s desire to know more of her past, who Red is to her grew.

The moments when Liz was at peace and happily working with Red was when she thought she knew who Red was: her bio dad, or when she thought Red was Ilya (Red’s childhood friend who once posed as Reddington).

The worst moments of their relationships is when Liz didn’t know who Red was, or when fake!Katarina entered the picture.

It would have been far easier maybe if Red accepted the title and role of “father”. But being a father is a loaded one for Red, due to so many things starting with Dom and ending with Red’s guilt over Original Reddington’s death and the role Red played in that.

To Red Liz’s fathers were: Original Reddington, Constantin Rostova, and Sam. He isn’t part of the list.

The only real thing Katarina ever had in a life full of life was Masha and being Masha’s mother.

And I think that might be a key to Red’s block because Red didn’t want to be called Liz’s dad.

Red wants Liz to call him mother.

But how does Red reconcile that to himself? Becoming Reddington was a necessity but Red found freedom and happiness being Raymond Reddington. He was a better Reddington than the Original Reddington.

He celebrated life and for the first time in his whole life when he became Reddington he was no longer anyone’s puppet. Slowly in his role, he discovered who he was at last. Red found out what he liked and disliked, who he liked and disliked. Who he was attracted to and who he wasn’t attracted to.

What food he loved and hated. The clothes he liked remained similar in that Red still loved tailored clothes, and liked being put together.

He finally had an appetite and zest for life and that was missing growing up.

It’s why as much as he can, he will never deny himself anything he wanted again.

But also after all these years, Red realized he loved his younger self. He loved Katarina and missed her, and would in times of crisis have an imaginary talks with her.

He is often his own counsel. Sometimes, unwisely he subjects himself to Dom’s advice which only ends up making him feel worse.

I wish we knew what happened to Red’s mother after she was sent away for her own protection. I wonder if Red’s mother even knew? or I wonder if she wasn’t told because, of all people her opinion is the one Red valued the most?

So again that left Red with himself and his complicated thoughts about not wanting to be called “father” and not knowing how to feel about still wanting to be called Liz’s mother.

(Although, again this is not clear or textually maybe Red prefers to be just called Red or considered as a parent. This is one of the things the show doesn't clarify and played more ambiguous).

Who was Red going to talk to? Maybe Kate? But even before there was a distance between Kate and Red, and a power imbalance.

Dembe seems to be the only one who has Red’s total confidence still there is the power imbalance.

Red isn’t also the type to discuss matters of gender and sexuality when it pertains to himself. He can talk about anyone else’s.

Ivan and Ilya are also Cold war era guys who are as clueless.

But Tatiana Petrova, who Dom and Ilya sent out to die claiming she was Katarina but lived, knew. Or had enough of an inkling that when Tatiana discovered who Red really was, Tatiana was able to flaunt to Red that she could be Liz’s mother and Liz would believe and choose Tatiana over Red because Liz thought Tatiana was her mother.

The way Red looked at that taunt was because Tatiana knew Red won't tell Liz who he really is to her. The way it did alienate Liz from Red and how that triggered events that led to Nachalo (8x21).

It would just be so much easier to tell Liz at that point.

But even in this imaginary simulacrum of Katarina, she was shaky and terrified breath as Red and Katarina are finally asked this question. "Who became Reddington?"

And Red stalled and stalled and stalled. Telling Liz he would give the letter her mother wrote to her explaining everything after Liz killed him in a public spectacle so she could take over his empire.

For a smart man with brilliant plans, Red also has some stupid ones, and this was one of them.

Because how did he think it would go over??? Liz already accidentally killed her bio dad, and now she would accidentally on purpose kill her bio mother?

Red was doing suicide by Liz, seemingly forgotten what he told himself years ago when he talked himself out of suicide:

"--Every suicide. Every single one. Is an act of terror ‭perpetrated against everyone who's ever known you… Everyone who's ever loved you. The people closest to you… the ones who cherish you… are the ones who suffer the most pain, the most damage. Why would you do that?"

I know he thought it was the only way to keep Liz and his granddaughter safe, but at what cost?

And then his worst fear came true.

"I am her mother. And I am death to her."

The one thing Red dedicated his entire life to preventing. Liz/Masha dying in his arms, with all certainty knowing it was his fault.

And she died with Red unable to tell her, even though she did figure it out in death. Red didn't say it out loud to her, the one thing she's been wanting to know from him since they first met.

And he wasn't even able to tell his daughter who he really is to her.

(Also I was watching a scene in season 4 where Liz was reading Katarina's journal and Liz imagined reaching out to Katarina's hand and asking her where she was.

Imaginary Katarina vanished at the moment the door opened and Red entered).

/edited.

(I apologize for any errors in this post, and I welcome any input!)

#tv: the blacklist #meta: the blacklist #meta: raymond reddington #character analysis #elizabeth keen #mothers and daughters #the complexities of identity and gender #blacklist spoilers up to season 8 #long post

[spader07]

Meaning behind names used in The Blacklist - this is interesting….

Raymond - “counsel” and “protection.”

Katarina - pure

Dembe - peace

Harold - “army” and “ruler”

Donald - “world” and “power.”

Aram - "high"

Alina - light Independent

Samar - night talk

Tom - "innocence, naivety, simplicity" or "the end.”

Jacob - supplanter

Christopher - bearer of Christ

Elizabeth - God is my oath

Liz - God's promise

Lizzy - God's promise; God is my oath

Lizzie - oath of God, or God is satisfaction

Masha - "star of the sea" or "beloved."

Agnes - chaste (abstaining from extramarital, or from all, sexual intercourse.)

Marvin - sea friend

Kathryn or Kate - pure

Sam - God hears

Samuel - God has heard

Dominic - of the lord

Dom - lord

Lena - torch

Virginia - "pure virgin maid"

Constantin - constant, steadfast

Alexander - defender of men

Ilya - "the power of God"

Tatiana - fairy queen

Ivan - god's gracious gift

Carla - Free man

Naomi - pleasantness

Jennifer - the fair one

LAST NAMES 🤷🏼‍♀️

Reddington - probably a variant of Reading 1, from the place name + the Middle English suffix -tune 'settlement'

Rostova - growth

Rostov - a seaport on the Don River near the Sea of Azov in the European part of Russia.

Kirk - Church

Keen - someone who is brave

Hargrave - habitational names from any of a number of places called Hargrave or Hargreave, of which there are examples in Cheshire, Northamptonshire, and Suffolk; all are named with Old English har 'gray' or hara 'hare' + graf 'grove' or græfe 'thicket'.

Ressler - topographic name for someone living by a slope or drainage channel

Cooper - occupational name for a maker and repairer of wooden vessels such as barrels, tubs, buckets, casks, and vats

#the blacklist #raymond reddington #elizabeth keen #red reddington #harold cooper #donald ressler #aram mojtabai #dembe zuma #samar navabi #katarina rostova

[kiss-my-freckle]

Mythology - Reddington & Rostova

Fitch, Velov, Stepanov, Koslov, Rostov, Kate, Dom, Lena, Tatiana, Carla, Jennifer, Sam, Masha, Raymond, Minister D, OUC, Fulcrum, N-13, Sikorsky Archive, Takoma Park, Fire. One can even include Dembe in the mythology, considering he spoke of Katarina. "He's right. You remind me of her too.” All of these characters and storylines have Raymond/Katarina crossover dialogues/scenes. 

You can take any big bad and connect them to Raymond/Katarina. 

#Rederina #The Blacklist

[heartsoulrocknroll]

Fellow Redarina people, what are your thoughts on the following quotes?

---

Red: “It was a Hobson’s choice. There was a woman and her child. Both were doomed. Both would die. I could either save one or lose both. I chose the child. It was… it was the worst thing I’ve ever had to do in my life. Worst thing by far.”

** What was the worst thing he has ever had to do? Assuming a new identity? Becoming a career criminal? Accepting that he would not be able to raise his daughter himself and leaving her with someone else? It has to be the inability to raise Liz. If Red had kept his previous identity (Katarina Rostova) and raised Liz himself, both of them would likely be caught and killed, either by the KGB or the Cabal. By becoming Reddington, building a criminal empire, and giving Liz to Sam, Red shielded Liz from the dangers of her true identity but lost himself (and the possibility of a family and a normal life) to a life of crime -- a life on the run.

--

Dom: “You have no right to go through her things.” 

** Why would Dom say this in these words? Why would he say “her things” to Red, when they were previously Red’s own things? 

Red: “I was just imagining young Katarina covered in glitter. As an adult, it’s easy to dismiss this stuff as girlish frivolity. You forget the wonder it creates, the light captured, secret wishes evoked. It renders even the darkest days sparkly. Never underestimate the power of glitter.” Dom: “Stop… torturing me.” Red: “That was never my intention.” Dom: “Then what are you doing out here? These boxes are all I have… all I have left of my daughter.”

** Why does Dom say that the boxes are all he has left when his child is right there in front of him?

Red: “I’m sorry, Dom. I understand.” Dom: “No, you don’t. You don’t understand. You think because Masha’s dead, now you… you can understand me? You can… you can share my misery?” Red: “I feel bereft, just like you.” Dom: “No, not just like me. She’s gone because of choices you made for both of them. First Katarina and then Masha. As far as I’m concerned, you killed my entire family! No, you’re not like me.”

** I understand why Dom believes that Red's pain is not the same as his own. Dom feels that he lost his child (Red) and his grandchild (Liz) because of Red’s own choices to betray his country, work with the Cabal, and become a criminal/fugitive. I even sort of understand why Dom would feel that Red “killed his entire family,” although I still find that to be a strange thing to say to his own child, who is standing before him, very much alive. What’s more strange to me is Dom’s use of “them” and “Katarina and then Masha” to refer to his child and grandchild, as if one of the people he is referring to is not the same person he is currently having this conversation with. I understand that the conversation had to be written this way to preserve the ambiguity of Red’s identity at this point in the show, but it’s difficult for me to justify Dom speaking this way. 

--

Red: “You still have family.” Dom: “Who? The baby?”

** Why does Dom act as if the baby is his only family, completely ignoring the fact that his child (Red) is both alive and there with him? Harsh. 

--

Dom: “But you’ve got one thing I haven’t had for a long time. You’ve got a reason… a reason to walk out that door.”

** Again, harsh. His own child was never a reason to walk out the door? 

#the blacklist #raymond reddington #katarina rostova #dom wilkinson #elizabeth keen #tbl s3 #tbl lb #red was kat #redarina #personal

[trishvaylar]

The greatest love of all

Katarina

I remember everything, literally. I remember the pain, the loss, the fear. I remember Raymond dying in my arms, and I was helpless to save him. I never wanted the blame for his passing to become intolerable pressure on my child, on my only child, on my Daughter. My Daughter Masha. Masha Reddington. Who could I choose to be, who do I decide to become in order to protect my child, that was the question I kept asking myself over and over again. I was a mortal danger to my Daughter, the danger only I could actually fully evaluate. I knew my Father would never accept that decision. He told me himself that if I did it, he would consider me dead, merdered by Reddington, who was already dead. The man I loved against all odds, against sanity and reason and common sence. I loved him and so I became him.

The transition - how painful that was, I do not like to remember, because it was worse then giving birth - I had to be reborn as a grown up man, also a fugitive, a man I planned to create, a figure so powerful that no criminal authority or special force or any government of the world would not fear and respect. All to protect my Daughter from the dangers I know for sure are waiting for her round the corner.

She will grow up loved, cared for, even adored by Sam. She will grow up safe, away from the knowledge who her real parents were. I shall become so powerful, that no one will stand in my way. I will protect my Daughter, at all costs. No holds bar, because my child will not suffer just because her Mother was Katarina Rostova, a Russian spy, who spied on the man she fell in love with, the Father of her only child...

Oh, Elisabeth, I give you my solemn word, моя девочка*, that I will not let anything bad happen to you as long as it will depend on me.

The transition took so long...and it was so painful, the birth of someone they thing they know what to expect of, but I shall surprise them. The thought which holds me in one piece is that my Masha is safe.

I am Raymond Reddington. I look at myself in the mirrow and that is who I see. Not the once Katarina, not the man who died in my arms, not Masha's Father, a naval officer. I am someone else, the only true Raymond Reddington.

Once I allowed my child Lizzy to believe I am her Father. How difficult it would have been to tell her all...Impossible. Of cause, Dembe kept telling me I should...Where would I begin to tell her all? With my birth...mine, Katarina's, mine Reddington's? Who am I? I do not usually ask myself that question, not like in Cape May, when I belived I failed my Daughter, my Daughter's husband, my Granddaughter Agnes. I thought I failed everyone I called my Family, again. But then...I found out what Kate did. I could not forgive. It was not about loyalty, not about iniciative which allowed Kirk to put them all in peril, it was about the pain I never lived through.

Then I went to my Father, knowing he would blame me for what I did, meaning my transtion from Katarina to Raymond. Still I needed him to be there...not for me, just be there. And he was. And then...then Tatiana killed him. Again I lost, I, Katarina. I lost my Father and never got the chance to tell him while he lived, папочка, прости!**

When I lost him, it became the final straw. I knew I had to kill Tatiana, who impersonated me, me, Katarina Rostova! That was when I realized Katarina did not vanish after my transition. I realised then how wrong I was when I thought Katarina was no more.

I am the Mother and the Father, two in one, and I can not allow Tatiana or anyone else to impersonate me, while trying to make Masha believe in the greatest lie of all - that I, Raymond Reddington, is her enemy.

Apart from trying to set me up, Tatiana is trying to make Masha think I am no one to her. I shall not allow that to happen. Elisabeth is my Daughter, and no one will take that truth away from any of us.

I know I live through the greatest love of all, the Mother's love for her child.

I will get Masha to see the truth before Tatiana wins it all. Before I take her life, I will make her confess she is not me - she will confess, to the real Katarina Rostova. After then no one will stand between me and my girl. Just now I realise how much she trully needs me and Dembe is right, she is strong enough, she deserves the truth!

Masha

My poor Mother, I have to save to save her from Reddington. I own it to her.

Then I will grab Agnes and I will leave. Money? I will take Reddington's, he owns me that for everything that happened to me because of him. I know that Dom is dead...I allow myself yo wonder, if Dom passing hurt Reddington as his death hurt me...and my Mother.

I hear the call to my mobile phone, I answer it: it is my Mother calling, I see her number, I pick up the phone and say:

"Are you ok, Mom?", but what I hear is not the answer to my question. I hear her voice saying to someone, "You know how much Elisabeth loves her Mother, and knowing that you can not kill me". Then I hear Reddington saying something, which terns my head...

"You killed my Father, you impersonated - me, you get my Daughter to call you Mom, and you were close to Agnes, not me. But that will never happen again. My Family is my own, it does not belong to you, Tatiana, but I am sorry about your family, I am sorry about the set up, about what Dom, my Father, did to you to protect me. But that is what Parents do, they defend their children at all costs. I tried to help you, I did everything I could, but you wanted revenge so much. Well, Masha saying Mother to you was painful enough to endure. It will not happen again. You searched so desperetely for Katarina, and Katarina was always right here in front of your nose. I only created Reddington and this criminal Empire to protect my child - from everyone who could have a reason to hurt her, including you. I can not bring back your Family, but I will not allow you to hurt mine any more then you already did. Do what you will now you know I am the source of all your griefs and troubles. Leave Masha alone, deal with me. Give me your word you leave Masha, and I will spare your life against my better judgement".

I hear all the words, but now I wait for...my Mother...the imposter, to respond. And respond she does.

"So, my greatest enemy was always near. You are Katarina, you are to blame...Why, why did your Father, demn him to the puts of Hell, set me up and murder my family, why?"

"You had to die to, according to plan. Then they would say you were me, Katarina, and Katarina...was dead. You suited the role perfectely, but I swear, I swear I did not know about this".

"You swear? Why would I believe you?"

"Masha. You should believe me because of Masha. All I ever wanted was to protect her. I couldn't do it as Katarina, I only could do it as the great Raymond Reddington, not Masha's Father who died and whose death we had to conseal, but the new Raymond, the Criminal, who woud never allow anything bad to happen to Elisabeth. Am I making myself clear?"

The imposter does not answer. I listen intently, and then I hear...the sound of the trigger lifted up...Who wants to kill who? The imposter or...my Mother?

I run, run, run, without taking the phone away from my ear, fearing I might be too late. When I see the two of them, face to face, with guns raised but neither hurrying to pull the trigger, I think of running between them...but my desire is to do something very different. I run to...my Mother, and press myself tightly to...her body. Yes, it is a different body, but that is my Mother and now I believe I have always known this fact.

"Мама, мамочка, прости меня...и ее, мама, не надо!"***

I don't know Russian well, but I am sure my Mother understood what I said to her.

Looking right into the imposter's eyes, Reddington...my Mother tells her in a wisper, "flee".

And the imposter flees.

"Why?" - looking into those eyes which belong to my Mother, I ask, hearing how my voice is shaking. "Why did you allow me to call the imposter Mother?"

"No, Lizzy, I told you..."

"Yes, you told me, but I never got the proof..."

"Lizzy, if everything could be so easy...when it is not".

"I dont care how difficulf or easy all this is, I just want to be with you, always, please".

"It is danderous!"

"I dont care!"

"But I do, Lizzy, I care. You are my Daughter, the grratest..."

"Love of all, yes, Mother's love for her child, I know, I live through it".

US

I hug my Daughter as her Mother for the first time in decades, and realise that now I expirience happiness as I never knew it before. No matter how many enemies we still have, we are Raymond and Masha Reddington, we are Katarina Rostova and her Daughter, and we are TOGHETHER!

*My baby

**Daddy, forgive me.

***Mummy, Mother, forgive me, forgive her, please!

@katarinas-redemption with all the love I feel for you, my friend

[lizkeen]

Megan Boone as Elizabeth Keen in The Blacklist S8E2: Katarina Rostova ( No. 3) : Conclusion

#Elizabeth Keen #ElizabethKeen #elizabethkeenedit #elizabethkeendaily #masha rostova #masharostovaedit #masha rostova edit #Megan Boone #meganbooneedit #megan boone edit #meganboonededit #James Spader #jamesspaderedit #james spader edit #The Blacklist #theblacklist #nbctheblacklist #theblacklistedit #theblacklist edit #the blacklist edit #nbc the blacklist #nbc #nbcedit #nbc edit

[thelonemusketeer]

Alice Merton - no roots, raymond reddington fanfic

as a young man, raymond always felt like he didn't belong as a treacherous criminal he always thought of putting a bullet into his own head to be forgiven for his sins his crimes against his own people who turned there backs on him yet he didn't do it but his daughter did kill him

as a young women, Katarina felt like she didn't belong as a russian traitor she never fit in shed blame her father but she had her own choices but she didn't know different from what she was chosen to be and she watched as Raymond Reddington died in front of her own eyes killed by their own daughter, she found a doctor to change her gender to the father

Raymond Reddington after all its smarter to hide in plain sight then attract attention with her own name instead of Raymond Reddington's name because she made him a traitor and ruined his life and reputation as a loyal man to his country when she was Katrina

they both had no roots holding them back in the end they became one she survived to protect Masha Rostova, her daughter but she had to contact a friend in the states to give her daughter to that friend because she couldn't raise her own daughter as a criminal mastermind as Raymond Reddington it was for the best that she kept far away from her to protect Masha/elizabeth, she sat thinking of her daughter, her only blood in america aside from her father who she rather not see as herself, she grins as she puts the hat on-top of her head feeling more powerful with a different name and face Raymond Reddington

Raymond walks away from the old memories and embraces his new identity and the new memories to come with this new life she took on to hide behind raymond reddington's name

nobody would expect her to take on her own victims name and face after all and thats the genius of it her friend thought of it and she can't love Ilya for he deserves better then a killer with few emotions that took on a different gender

#raymond reddington #katarina rostova #Masha Rostova #elizabeth keen #the blacklist fanfic

[tidepoolalgae]

Highlights from the winter soldier book:

Bucky losing his shoe to a mop bucket, deciding to take both his shoes and socks off and just walking/running around barefoot for a day

Hiding in a phone booth hoping not to get spotted and totally getting spotted

Bucky genuinely being shocked and disgusted with the sight of death/blood/violence and not really knowing how to fight, compared to his actions later as V

Ginny talking about the frogs that freeze solid for the winter

Code words that unlock secrets implanted in Ginny's memories! (and her being the one to connect the dots in the end rather than Bucky)

The flock of Janes that try their best to be clones of each other and are queens of discretion and have access to infinite resources to do anything? Since we learn more about it later it really elevates when Bucky first calls the emergency number and is transferred from "Jane" to "Jane"

Bucky going off to save Ginny on a motorcycle that he barely knows how to drive vs. V grabbing a motorcycle to go after Mr. Yesterday when he doesn't remember ever driving one

When Bucky kind of teasingly doesn't give Ginny the pill bottle right away and she just attacks him and they get into an actual, physical scuffle. Bucky finally gives her the bottle when she pretends to cry.

Bucky compares Steve's eyes to flames that he's drawn to?? truly a metaphor that makes me wanna bite, especially given the theme of cold/references to Bucky being frozen (even though that comes later)

How the relationship between Bucky-as-V and Rostova, his handler, is depicted. Tender in ways and it seems clear she cares about him maybe more than others around since she protects him in some ways but also still definitely abusive as hell. I liked that there seemed to be some actual understanding between them in the end. Rest in pieces Masha

Bucky actually getting the surgical scissors into his hand in the last few pages because everyone is distracted but it's still no use. Genuinely painful to read

#it was genuinely good! #mackenzi lee is a really good writer I wish I could write like that #I haven't gotten through a book this fast (without it being an audiobook) in so long #ginny was such a good character and I'm sad for her #also long live chemistry jane! #mackenzi lee #the winter soldier cold front #twscf

[katarinas-redemption]

The Blacklist, Season 8 episodes 8X21 (Nachalo) and 8X22 (Konets) unpack many answers!

Episode 8.21 Nachalo will reveal Red’s origin story and how he became the Concierge of Crime. [clue. Red is actually Katarina Rostova] 8.22 Red’s identity is revealed to Liz in her last dying moments.

In season 6 and 7 we have the episode Rassvet 6.19. Dom tells Liz a story about Ilya Koslov becoming Reddington. We know something is off when Red angrily confronts Dom and tells him he made things worse by telling Liz those things. We then see the stranger in ep.6.22 (s he was described at that time in the episode descriptions)  telling Red that Dom should not have told Liz that story.  We didn’t know yet though that this guy was in fact Ilya. FFWD to mid season 7, It is revealed that Ilya Koslov wasn’t the one that had the surgery to become surgery. He said only 3 people were involved... Himself, Katarina, and Dr. Koehler. No third man mentioned that was in the loop. “No one knows Reddington is dead” you and I know that... etc. If Red knows KR better than she knows herself and more than anyone, and they share one soul // one soulmate, than you’d think that he is another person she could turn to. No third man is ever talked about. Ilya is the *only* Man Katarina can trust. That is why she turns to Ilya instead and asks HIM to take care of Masha if anything were to happen to her. We then find out mid season 7 that the Red we are watching is not in fact Katarina’s childhood friend, Ilya Koslov. Ilya Koslov is actually the stranger aka “Frank”. He wasn’t the one that became Reddington. Combine this with the fact that we know that only two people on the planet knew that RR died that night and that the PLAN to become RR involved Katarina, Ilya, and Dr. Koehler. No one else!

In S8E21, we get confirmation that the woman presented as Katarina in S6 and S7 was in fact not the real one. But before that in ep 8.02, she found out from Dom where KR was living and her new identity. We know that Faker had been looking for the real one the whole time. Once Dom tells her, she makes a beeline for Red and tells him that he was right in front of her the whole time. She even mocks Red by telling him that she wonders what it must be like for him knowing he can’t kill her because of how much Elizabeth loves her Mother. 

Finally we have the Townsend Directive and N-13. Red is N13 and so is Katarina. Townsend needs to find N13 (who is responsible for the slaughter of Townsends family/children) and kill their child in front of them as payback. Ivan whispers to Townsend something that Red said would make Townsend wanna kill Liz. Red admits that both he and Katarina were ultimately responsible for the deaths of NT’s family. Two plus two equals 4. That is why Red knew that he would kill Liz. 

We get to Rassvet and Konets. 

8.21 Right from the very beginning of the episode, we have Red and Katarina’s voices blending together as one.  “You. Me. Your Mother (voices blending together) “To understand why I came into your life, you need to hear my story.” 

https://soundcloud.com/j-santiago-393253299/the-blacklist-nachalo-episode-8x21?si=46df79a3c91041f0baf6c9d948ff6397&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

8/21

Red told Liz that he erased her memories in S2. In Nachalo, KR said she was the one. They both said they did it to protect Liz. This episode confirms that KR was burned. In the episode Requiem, we see the back of her shirt burned in the same upper left hand corner where Red is burned. KR touches the banister in the Tacoma Park home. just like Red did in S1. The camera specifically focuses on THAT. They show Red’s memory of Bubble Girl when Looking out the window but this time we see it was actually kR’s memory. Liz tells Katarina’s “ghost’ “Everything about you is a lie”. That circles back to the line in the pilot where Red said that everything about him is a lie. Further proof that Redarina was always the story since inception and it has never changed. We hear Katarina say that her mother understood her but that her father was unyielding. Tie this is with Red telling Liz when he was having his final death meal that his mother understood him but his father did not. 

We have both ilya and Katarina saying that Dom couldn’t accept the truth of who became Reddington.

The camera pans to Katarina’s face when Dom said: It was HIS fault that a plan was needed in the first place. Just rewatch that scene and look at the expression she makes.

The Fake Katarina/Tatiana said that who she had been looking for was the real Katarina. We hear Dom say in Nachalo that he told Tatiana where the real Katarina was hiding and what her new identity was. Afterward, the fake KR makes a beeline to RED and tells him that all those years searching and he was right in front of her the whole time. Add in Jon Bokenkamps interviews where he said that what this woman was after had to do with Red’s identity.

Both Red and KR said in this episode that they slept with both MEN AND WOMEN.

This is A Man’s World The Song plays during the scene where the new Reddington is undergoing surgery and then afterward.

Konets

Liz asked Red why she couldn’t know who he was until after he had died. He replied by saying that if she knew beforehand she’d never agree to kill him.

In Liz’s final montage where her life flashes before her eyes, her final scene is of her directly looking into Red’s eyes and an image of her mother comes into focus. For half a second her eyes and mouth are wide open. this is when she knew. Then after she closes her eyes, Red himself has a flashback of himself as Katarina kissing baby liz when she was born.

#nachalo #redarina #rederina #redarina discussions #konets #the reveal #redarina parallels #redarina gifs #elizabeth keen gifs #liz keen gifs #lotte verbeek gifs #raymond reddington is katarina rostova

[isagrimorie]

It’s so interesting rewatching The Blacklist with the knowledge that the Reddington we meet is actually an impostor, a former KGB spymaster, Katarina Rostova.

Especially when our Red bumps into elements of the Original Reddington's life, like the arc with Carla Reddington/Naomi Hyland, the Original Reddinton's wife.

Rewatching Red's reactions to Naomi being kidnapped and his zeal for finding Naomi safe and realizing that a big driver for our Red was overwhelming guilt.

Before our Red took over Original Reddington's life-- she had an affair with him, serious enough to have a daughter with him, serious enough that Original Reddington (OR from this point on) was pressuring Katarina to leave her own husband. Serious enough that Original Reddington had Katarina and Masha (Elizabeth) spend a weekend in the home he shared with his family.

An asshole move tbh. OR might not have been an evil man but he certainly was an entitled asshole. He expected and wanted to eat his cake.

Katarina was extremely uncomfortable with the situation and hated it. But it helped with the assignment and had to be done.

And the interaction our Red finally has with Naomi is so interesting layered in with the knowledge. I think Red's thought of the day meeting Naomi again would happen.

The slap from Naomi was something Red expected and was warranted. And our Red describes Naomi as 'something of an estranged sister' to me.

And that's just it, isn't it? Because I can't pinpoint it the first time, and I did chalk it up to the passage of time but for Red, during that harried time, Carla Reddington must've felt like a sister in circumstance.

So Red's become protective of Naomi, to the point he threatened Naomi's current husband to keep her happy, be faithful or else.

(It's unfortunate that Red wasn't able to keep this promise of keeping Naomi safe.).

#tv: the blacklist #blacklist s2 #raymond reddington #redarina theory #red is katarina rostova #katarina rostova