If you missed last week’s recap, check it out here.
WARNING: This episode contains controversial content that may be uncomfortable for some readers! Please continue with caution.
This episode begins in a basement where a man with a pig mask, attached to a rope, has a knife and he looks as if he is trying to escape. A woman comes down the stairs with a tray with a drink on top. She looks displeased and presses a button which pulls the prisoner across the basement. She mentions another man, and she wonders what will happen when he wakes up. She picks up the knife and leaves the prisoner down there. Another man wakes up with balloons on the ceiling and looks at the night stand with pills and a note that says, “Failure to do so will result in death.” He stands up and walks to the door and pulls it up. He is at a storage facility. He goes to the front desk and calls his associate who says that the whole state has been looking for him and that the election is today. Mason, the associate, comes to pick up the man named Richard, who turns out to be the governor and asks to be taken away.
Katarina is playing with Agnes at the table in Liz’s apartment when Liz tells her that she only has to watch Agnes until 3 p.m. because Agnes has a play date. She thanks Katarina for watching her daughter. Katarina gets a call from her associate saying that he heard back from their MI6 associate and they want to set a meeting at Rock Creek Park. Katarina agrees and hangs up. Liz asks what they plan on doing and Katarina says it’s a nice day to go to Rock Creek Park.
#TheBlacklist isn't afraid of getting their hands in a little dirt. pic.twitter.com/uKLzY4L3so
— The Blacklist (@NBCBlacklist) November 16, 2019
Red is talking to “The Stranger” about how Katarina is always two steps ahead. Stranger says that he found Patrick Masuda. He says that the teen is in Baltimore under a new last name and that someone paid a load of money to Norman Devane to cure him of his disease and he is now in remission. Red asks why this teen is so important but Stranger thinks if they get closer to the teen, they can get closer to her. Liz arrives and Red offers her breakfast. Red introduces Liz to “The Stranger,” or now Frank, and he says he was just leaving. Red and Liz discuss the sudden appearance of the Governor and how he suddenly reappeared on the day of the election. We see Governor Sweeney talking to a friend, Janey, at the hospital and he shows what was done to him. Liz tells Red that the FBI believes the Cironato crime family was involved but Red disagrees. He believes whoever did this isn’t finished because the Governor isn’t talking.
Liz briefs the team on Governor Sweeney and Cooper has the team split up. Aram and Park go to the storage unit where the Governor woke up to see if they can find anything and Liz and Ressler are meeting with Governor Sweeney. Liz pulls Park aside and Park is angry that Liz never told her that she is Red’s daughter. Liz assures her that her secret about Anchorage is safe with her.
Governor Sweeney tells his team the whole story and his team advises that he not tell the truth to anyone, not even the FBI who are on their way. Liz and Ressler arrive and Sweeney says that he doesn’t remember much, he was grabbed outside a little oriental restaurant he loves after escaping from his office. He tells them it must be the Cironato crime family. They ask for the name of the restaurant and he assures them that he will help in anyway he can.
Park and Aram arrive at the storage unit and talk to the front desk associate who lets them in. The person who rented the storage unit went under the name Simon Peter and paid in full for one year. Park says Simon Peter is an alias as one of the 12 apostles from the Bible. Park and Aram go inside and find it decorated with balloons and streamers. While investigating, Aram finds a blue pill and Park knows what it is, an estrogen pill.
Ressler and Keen are briefing Cooper on Sweeney’s abduction and the found footage (from a bank across the street from the restaurant) of a van with a fake company. The plate was registered under Wendell Willis. Cooper tells them to find Willis and he will have a search warrant waiting for them when they get there.
Dembe wakes up on Red on their stakeout in their RV as Patrick Masuda arrives and seems to be doing a deal with some gangbangers. Red comes to the front of the RV and Dembe thinks that Masuda hired them for a kill, and one there is one person Katarina wants dead right now — Reddington.
Katarina and Agnes are at the park when the contact arrives for the meeting. Agnes continues to play as Katarina sits next to him. He tells her that he has information on Ilya Koslov and has an address. A black SUV arrives and Katarina says the MI6 agent was followed. He asks how she wants to proceed but she says she isn’t sure yet.
Liz and Ressler arrive at Willis’ place when a little girl answers the phone. Little do they know, it’s the home of our Blacklister Hannah Hayes. She is downstairs with her prisoner telling him of her next victim to be abducted when her daughter Daisy calls her upstairs. The prisoner tries to yell for help but Hannah pulls him back and goes upstairs. Hannah answers the door and tells them that Willis is her tennant and they can look at his place out back. We see Willis at Robson’s place of business and he seems to work there. Liz and Ressler investigate while Hannah calls Willis and says they need to pick a new victim. He disagrees and says they have come too far. Liz and Ressler talk about Park when Liz finds out who Willis’ next victim is, James Robson.
Back at the park, Katarina tells Agnes to keep playing while she goes into the restroom. She is washing her hands when Motya Morozov’s men, who were hired by Red to notify him of Katarina’s wherabouts, come and try to take Katarina. The MI6 agent Sutherland surprises them from the stall and there is a struggle, but Morozov takes the Sutherland as Katarina snaps the neck of one of his men. Agnes comes into the bathroom to see the man on the floor and Katarina tells her he is just sleeping.
Katarina is cleaning off Agnes from making mud pies and Agnes asks why she is so worried. Katarina tells her that she is worried Agnes will tell her mother about the sleeping man in the bathroom and they won’t be able to play anymore. Agnes tells her that she won’t tell her mother and they pinky promise.
At the stakeout with Red and Dembe, Masuda is about to leave when Red pulls the RV in front of Masuda so he can’t leave a parking lot. Masuda gets out, angry, but Red asks him to talk about himself as Dembe walks out and holds out his gun. Red says he watched him make a deal with gangbangers but Masuda explains and shows Red that he does custom installs of stereos and then steals the stereos back to resell them. Red asks why Katarina Rostova would pay for him to get cured of a blood disease. Masuda doesn’t know of Rostova and says that his friend Constance Drucker paid for his cure. Red suggests they take a drive so he can tell Red all about “dear old Constance.”
Hannah is saying goodbye to her daughter and having her daughter stay with her parents. Liz and Ressler brief Cooper on developments about Willis. When Park and Aram were sent to Robson Research to apprehend Willis, he had escaped with Robson. Cooper doesn’t understand the connection, but Liz sheds some light. All of the men are powerful, socially conservative and politically active. Liz pulls up Pastor Andrew Darvis and says he was kidnapped but told everyone he went on a spiritual retreat. Cooper hopes Darvis will talk to help give them information.
Ressler tells Darvis that he can’t help but notice similarities between his disappearance, Richard Sweeney’s disappearance, and now James Robson. Darvis says that there are reasons he has remained silent and not told authorities about what happened. We see Sweeney with Janey and she says that the tests show no abnormalities and she says if he continues with the pills, he can ride it out. He is aggravated and says he wants her to cut it out. Back with Darvis, Ressler tells him that if he knows any information about Robson’s disappearance, he needs to talk. Darvis asks how long ago Robson was taken and Ressler replies, “Two hours.” Darvis says the first procedure is probably under way but they may be able to prevent the second procedure. He tells Ressler that a woman tested his faith by doing something ungodly but he didn’t break. We see Janey apologize to Sweeney, saying that there is nothing she can do once a heartbeat is detected since that’s the law he wrote into place. At Darvis’ place, he has his mother bring Luke. His mother brings a baby and Ressler asks whose baby it is. He explains that the baby is his and he gave birth to him with no mother.
Hannah addresses her medical team before starting a surgery and says that she is grateful they have all stuck around with her, but the FBI are on their tails and she can’t keep their name out if they stay. They all agree to see this through and Robson wakes up as Hannah explains he will go to sleep for a while but wake up as a “new and improved” man.
Ressler and Liz explain to Cooper how Darvis gave birth to a baby and that Richard Sweeney has a womb with “an uninvited passenger.” Ressler explains that the victims go through two procedures, first the uterus is implanted and then they implant a fetus. Cooper asks why they are doing this and Ressler says that they are targeting men who support government control of women’s bodies and this team is doing the same to these men, taking control of their bodies. Ressler tells Cooper that Darvis knows the leader is a blonde, female surgeon in her 40’s. Aram and Park arrive to let the team know what they found at the storage facility regarding the pill and make connections since they know now that Sweeney is pregnant. Park explains that the FDA requires a lot number in case the batch is bad and Aram tells them that they traced it to a local medical clinic.
Patrick is sitting across from Red as Red says he is going to put Constance’s protection to the test. Katarina arrives back from the park and tells her associate that she met with Sutherland but he was taken by Morozov. He asks if Agnes saw and she says that she did but she won’t tell Keen. She says that their problem is now Morozov, as we see him beating Sutherland for information as Katarina talks. Morozov asks Sutherland to tell him what Rostova wanted and that if he doesn’t, he will continue to be punished. “Oh, well, it’s horses for courses, I suppose.” He continues to be beaten.
Hannah is finishing sewing when Willis walks in to tell her that the FBI is outside their front door. She tells him that she can’t be taken yet because she has to “get to him.” Willis says they can divert them and one of the nurses takes over as Hannah leaves.
Red uses Masuda’s phone to call Constance Drucker, who we know is Katarina Rostova. She answers and tells Patrick it’s not a good time but Red begins to speak. Katarina said he is crossing a line but he says that she crossed a line when she went after Dom. Red wants to meet with her or he will hurt Patrick and she becomes angry. She lets it slip that he wants to meet because she paid Sutherland for an address. She says that Morozov most likely told him, which has Red confused. She tells Red to tell Patrick she is sorry and she loved him like a son. She says she tried but she will not let men control her life anymore. She hangs up and Red says that violence is the only way she understands. He pulls his gun but Dembe stops him. “Seems you have more than one fairy godmother.” Red lets him go and encourages to do something with his life. Dembe says he made the right decision but Red insists the only reason he is alive is because Katarina gave them a new lead.
The FBI arrive at the front door of the clinic and one of the nurses lets them in and leads right to the operating room. Aram tells Ressler that was way too easy and to call for a medic for Robson. Ressler says to cuff all of them, but he doesn’t see the blonde leader. Suddenly, heard on the radio, an agent says that they have a runner headed towards the garage and Aram and Ressler go after her. Hannah breaks through the garage in her car and Aram has a plate, which he sends to Park and Keen. She gets the plate and it’s Hannah Hayes, who was a surgical intern that was raped and became pregnant with a baby she couldn’t abort. Ressler and Aram arrive at her home and find Hannah in the basement with her prisoner, who turns out to be her rapist. She explains about how he got out early and tried to apply for parental rights. She also tells them that she had people rally with her and punish those by giving them the same rape experience she had. They tell her not to kill him but she says that they are going to arrest her either way and her daughter will be taken care of by her parents. She also tells them that all the children she impregnated the men with are her rapist’s children. She shoots and kills her prisoner and she is cuffed.
Red arrives where Morozov is hiding and shoots his men. He tells Morozov that he was supposed to be informed the moment he had information on Rostova. Morozov says not to shoot and he has a silver lining for Red. “I can’t imagine.” He brings Red to his prisoner, Skip Sutherland and he appears to be old friends with Red and Dembe. Red tells Morozov that he can’t break Sutherland and suddenly, Red shoots and kills Morozov. “Backbone beats wishbone every time.” Red tells Skip to tell him what Rostova wanted. He tells Red that she wanted information on an old KGB agent and he gave her an address of Ilya Koslov. Red is shocked and says, “Well, that certainly changes everything.” He tells Dembe to let Skip loose and he makes a call.
Hannah is taken away and Robson is taken to the hospital. Cooper congratulates the team on a job well done and Liz pulls Park aside again. She apologizes for not telling her and she said that to make up for it, she will tell a secret. Red is her father but he died 30 years ago and the Red they know now is a former KGB agent named Ilya Koslov. Katarina arrives at Koslov’s place and her associate knocks on the door. She waits with her gun as the door opens to reveal “The Stranger” or Frank. “Hello, Ilya. Been a long time.”
Thanks for reading!
Here is the promo for the next episode:
The Blacklist airs Fridays at 8 p.m. on NBC.