Fans eagerly anticipated the premiere of The Blacklist's 10th and final season, following an eight-month wait since the season 9 finale aired.
In this new season, Reddington (James Spader) faces an old enemy, Wujing, who seeks to align with the criminals that Red has wronged. Red reveals Wujing to be the "final weapon" of Marvin Gerard, a close friend and confidant of Red. Gerard's act against Red in the previous season gave Wujing access to a list of criminals that Red and the Task Force worked to incarcerate.
The episode begins with a joyful scene of former Task Force agent Aram Mojtabi cycling through New York City, but soon enough, the tension rises as he notices a figure that he recognizes but is ignored. Red is completely isolated without any companions or security personnel to help him evade the threats that loom.
It is evident that Cooper, who is having a game of cards with a cheerful Agnes, needs to be called as Aram informs him of his Red sighting. However, while they are on the phone, an apartment situated across the street explodes, and they jump to the conclusion that Red is responsible simply because he was nearby. Their assumption turns out to be correct.
Along the way, Dembe and Ressler meet Siya Malik (Anya Banerjee) the daughter of former task force member Meera Malik. Siya is MI6, and crucial in uncovering the mystery surrounding the night owl. During a meeting with Cooper, Malik expresses gratitude for how he personally informed her family about her mother's passing. The secrecy that surrounded the incident had a profound impact on her life, compelling her to join MI6 to avoid being left in the dark about such covert activities again. And now, she wishes to join the Task Force to carry on her mother's unfinished work. A nice way to bring a season 1 storyline full circle.
The episode features other former blacklisters, some of whom do not survive. Those who are still alive at the end of "The Night Owl" form a crew that can be expected to grow with each new episode of the final season against their common enemy: Reddington himself.
I'm excited to see how this final season plays out - will Reddington survive it? It remains to be seen..
