"The Blacklist" Season 10 is filled with suspense and intrigue as unanswered questions and potential ends are explored. The protagonist, Raymond Reddington, played by James Spader, is at the center of all this drama. He constantly insists that he maintains control of his criminal empire, but as the list of angered Blacklisters after him grows, doubts of his survival begin to dominate.
Raymond, often known as Red, repeatedly reassures Agent Cooper (Harry Lennix) of his control of the situation. In the final moments of the episode “The Troll Farmer Pt.
2,” he discloses a scheme to stop Wujing and the Blacklisters who hold grudges against him. His plan is slated to unravel in the next three days. It is in Season 10, Episode 9 ("The Freelancer Pt. 3"), laden with shocking and unexpected twists, that viewers get to see the actuality of Red’s plan.
A question that has been bothering fans is, "What is Reddington building?" The answer started to surface at the start of this episode. Red conducts a security scan of the post office, with his handpicked crew at his disposal.
Inquiring about the post office’s security measures, he emphasizes the implications if they "can't see, or worse, if Cooper or anyone clocks a camera." Despite being assured that all is well, Red instructs his henchman to be on guard.
Red is masterfully keeping a secret from the Task Force, the importance of which is paramount to him. His increasing secrecy coincides with the forlorn Troll Farmer, a former informant for Reddington turned FBI asset, being interrogated by Cooper and Task Force BFF Senator Cynthia Panabaker (Deirdre Lovejoy).
The Troll Farmer had previously been hired by Wujing to steal Hexroot, a highly classified cyber warfare program. He was subsequently arrested, and his resentment of Red was evident.
Panabaker delivers an ultimatum to the Troll Farmer: Retrieve Hexroot in two hours or face being handed over to the CIA. As the Troll Farmer is brought into the post office for questioning, he spots Red deep in conversation with Malek and his resentment towards Red ignites again.
When Ressler (Diego Klattenhoff) tries to find out why Wujing wants Hexroot, the Troll Farmer reveals that he and Wujing don’t want to bring Red down, they want to expose the truth about Red's criminal empire and role as an informant, which will eventually bring down Red themselves.
The episode is full of surprises, starting with the Troll Farmer skillfully escaping his cuffs with a paperclip left on the desk by Ressler minutes before the CIA arrives. After hacking into the room's security system, he makes a hasty exit from the post office. As he takes off with the exact location of the post office, the Task Force agents show an abnormally laid-back aura.
Shockingly, it turns out that the Task Force was complicit in the Troll Farmer's escape all along. They facilitated the whole incident to meet two essential objectives.
Firstly, to rid themselves of the interference from Panabaker and the government. And, most importantly, they used the Troll Farmer's escape to lure Wujing to the post office, with the plan of confronting him with their presence there.
Red upped the plot considerably. The Troll Farmer never went to the actual post office; he visited a decoy one, built by Red as part of his grand scheme. A flashback reveals Cooper and Red at this decoy post office, where Red explains its purpose. He argues that the real post office had become a liability, compromising the safety of the Task Force, so building an exact replica of it to catch Wujing during the Troll Farmer's escape seemed like the safest bet.
As the plot continues to twist, Red’s initial assurance is validated. The Troll Farmer leads Wujing straight to the post office. Prepared to tackle proof of Red's illicit activities, Wujing gathers his troops, unknowing that the Task Force is doing the same. Just as viewers expected a face-off between Red and Wujing, another twist unfolds.
It is a known fact that Red often keeps secrets from the Task Force. All his moves at the start of the episode start to make sense when Wujing's crew enters the empty post office.
Wujing, finally aware of his being duped, gets shot and killed unexpectedly, and Red emerges from the shadows. Wujing's death further solidifies the episode's suspense.
Subsequently, Red makes the biggest shocking revelation of the season, unveiling that his criminal enterprise is based on manipulating the authorities. After delivering a classic Reddington monologue, he kills Wujing's right-hand man and manages to secure the allegiance of the remaining ones within minutes.
Another shocking reveal is that the Troll Farmer was in on Red's plan the entire time.
He had agreed to assist Red in executing this elaborate takedown before Wujing even made contact with him. Red is remembered for his tendency to betray to save himself, and in this complex episode, he does precisely that, playing both Wujing and the Task Force to his advantage. Wujing's death, though beneficial for Red, puts him in Agent Cooper's bad books.
When the Task Force finally arrives at the original post office, they find Wujing dead, Red missing, and every evidence of their actions wiped clean.
As Cooper gets a call from Red, his irritation is so evident that he avoids cordial greetings. Red attempts to justify his actions, but Cooper has difficulty buying into his version of the story. They agree to reevaluate their relationship, but Red’s role as an informant being erased gives him a fresh start when he needs it the most while adding to the Task Force's frustration. Viewers are left wondering if Wujing's shocking death will be the final straw that breaks the camel's back. Tune in to "The Blacklist" Sunday nights at 10/9c on NBC or catch up on streaming via Peacock.
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