If you missed the most recent recap, check it out here.
This episode begins with a cop eating at a cafe when a mysterious man sits down with a briefcase. The cop questions him but no reply. The man brings out a file with incriminating pictures of the chief. He opens the case and he puts the earphones on to listen to a woman’s message. She knows about his work for a drug cartel, but she is threatening him to change employers or she will ruin his career.
Aram decides to call a bank to have funds liquidated from Reddington. 60 million dollars from Red’s account is gone. He brings with him a letter for Liz, Ressler, and Cooper as he heads to the office.
Red is seen injecting himself in his backside with medicine when Liz knocks on the door. Liz is worried about Aram saying that he needs help as Red says that he has a new case for them- Olivia Olson. He wants to know how he can expand his business and he wants the Task Force to use her to learn more about Anna McMahon, their new boss and the woman who helped plan the corruption against the U.S.
Liz tells the Task Force about Anna and how they can use this blacklister to learn more about her. Cooper asks how they can find her and Liz tells him that Red gave her a time and location for a client that Olson is supposed to be meeting. Ressler questions whether Cooper is okay with helping Reddington’s business but if it helps them get the jump on McMahon, he is fine with it. As Liz and Ressler roll out, Cooper wants to speak with Aram and make sure that Aram is focused on the job. Aram assures him he is.
Liz and Ressler talk about Reddington and how he is not okay with helping Reddington when a car pulls up. Liz tells Aram, and he tries to find cameras in the area. All of a sudden, Reddington gets out of the car with Dembe which makes him the new client.
And that's a wrap. For now. #TheBlacklist pic.twitter.com/rb5kh5X7VL
— The Blacklist (@NBCBlacklist) April 6, 2019
Reddington and Dembe walk inside to find a computer with Olivia Olson on it. She wants to know the reason for the meeting and Reddington wants her to betray Anna McMahon. The team is trying to find video but they find a radio feed of Olson and she is broadcasting from a moving vehicle. As the team pinpoints her location, Olson tells Red that she will not betray McMahon and Red says that he is going to take over as her successor and shuts the computer. Liz and Ressler follow the signal that Aram is providing and they find the van. They chase the van but lose it when two semi trucks block them in. Olivia calls McMahon and says that she needs to take care of Reddington because the police were chasing after her. If not, she may betray her as Reddington suggested.
Red and Dembe arrive at the Task Force Headquarters. Aram and Red briefly exchange words as Red walks into Cooper’s office. Cooper is angry because Red left the team out of the loop but Red said he handed a blacklister to them that they let go. Cooper is especially angry that he mentioned McMahon because she knows that they are suspicious of her. Red tells him to relax and sit as he explains. He says that by making her second guess and be cautious of her actions, they might be able to catch her when she makes a mistake. Swiftly, McMahon walks in.
McMahon says that she wants a flow of communication about their cases. Dembe receives a call for Reddington that is urgent and he holds as Reddington tells McMahon who they are hunting, Olivia Olson. McMahon insists that she does not know her but Cooper says if they find her, they find her files and her clients. Anna says that when they find the files, she wants copies so that agents can arrest those involved. Cooper agrees and she walks out. Cooper says that was a waste of time and now he will be buried in paper work but Red assures him that soon they will find what they are looking for.
Liz and Ressler again discuss Red’s identity and how Red has looked over Liz her whole life. Ressler mentions her mother but Liz feels that if Katarina was alive and knew the truth, she would not tell the truth. Aram walks over with news about the driver and a company connected to Olson. Liz says that after work she is going to drink with Aram to make him feel better.
This can't be good. Is the task force a step behind? #TheBlacklist pic.twitter.com/pbq1A6BMTk
— The Blacklist (@NBCBlacklist) April 6, 2019
Olson meets with her board and discusses a plan to collapse channels for a deal when they get a call that the FBI has arrived. The meeting is held at RainCloud, and the FBI has a warrant to search the entire building. Olson tells them to handle it. One of the members meets with Ressler and he explains that two vehicles registered to Hammerstone Electric were involved in impeding an investigation, a company owned by RainCloud. Liz looks over as the two discuss and sees someone at their desk looking suspicious. Liz threatens the man with jail, and he reveals where they can find evidence. Ressler and Liz storm the room and try to shut down the system, but it gets destroyed. Olson sees the raid as the feeds go dark.
Aram leaves goodbye letters for Liz and Ressler as Red and Dembe walk in. Reddington wants his money of 60 million that Aram was able to liquidate from copies of an account Dembe opened in Luxembourg. Aram says that he is willing to face the consequences but he wants to see Samar.
Young, the manager, tells Ressler of an attack and that it is too late to stop it when Liz tells Ressler that all that equipment was fried. Liz calls Red on his plane and tells him that they have no leads on the attack but she will send what cyber can find. Red talks to Aram and warns him about his decision. Red tells Aram that everything has been bugged by the Mossad. Aram asks about the Task Force, and Red tells him that they are trying to stop an attack but that he does not need to worry because he has left that life behind and he should think about the interest he is making on his 60 million.
At the site of the impending attack, guests talk as we see gas lines had been cut and that the building is going to explode. Dembe gives Red the computer of information sent by Liz as Aram asks to help. Red says he is either in or out, but Aram says that he can help the team since he has not met with Samar yet. Red says that if Aram solves the riddle, Red will lower how much Aram will have to pay him back. “I’ll run it down to 1700. Family and friends discount.”
Liz and Ressler discuss the lack of evidence when Liz gets a call from Reddington. Aram answers and tells them, along with Red, that the attack is in Manhattan and that it would be a new building. They find the building, the Alta Hotel, and Liz thanks him before Aram can tell her that he will not be there.
Ressler to the rescue. #TheBlacklist pic.twitter.com/UXHEwbt0mo
— The Blacklist (@NBCBlacklist) April 6, 2019
The woman who is holding the fundraiser party makes her speech as Liz calls the head of security for the Alta Hotel. She tells him that he needs to evacuate the building. Liz and Ressler arrive as the gas lines blow, and the building starts evacuation. Part of the floor collapses as the woman in charge of the fundraiser falls but holds on for her life. Ressler goes over and saves her from falling. Olson’s driver calls her and tells her she needs to run. Her driver catches Liz’s eye and she runs after him. Next, the team storms Olson’s headquarters but she is gone.
Red and Aram discuss how Samar left him and that he would not have resented her when her condition worsened. Red tells of his mistakes and how it has led to hurting people he cares about. Red explains that she left because she did not want Aram to be a target. If Aram goes to her, she will have to leave again. “Don’t make her burden heavier than she can bare.”
Anna meets with Cooper about how Olson slipped away. She asks about the files, and he said that cyber is going through them and that they will send them to her team to continue further. McMahon asks why Olson was put on the Blacklist, but Cooper tells her he does not know. She leaves to go look at the files and feels they are starting well.
Liz reads her letter as Aram walks in. He tells her that he turned around when Liz called and that he will not see Samar because it will be respecting her wishes. They are still going for drinks when Ressler walks in and gets a call from a friend. He decides to look into Katarina.
Cooper meets with Red saying that McMahon took the files, but she kept one file in secret, not knowing Cooper made copies. The file is called “The Third Estate” and it references the French Revolution and means, “Everyone else.” Red says that McMahon used Olson to help carry out her plan and they have their first clue. Aram talks to his cameras in his apartment and tells them that he will not see Samar. “She’s really gone.”
Here is the trailer for next week’s episode:
The Blacklist airs Friday’s at 9 p.m. on NBC.