The Blacklist: Was Reddington's Death Suicide or Accidental?
Denis Kimathi
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Raymond Reddington was insinuated to have died on The Blacklist Season 10 Episode 22, and it's the most polarizing thing to happen on the show.
The series finale was not particularly the best, but Reddington's death was a poetic ending to his life.
The dividing thought among viewers was whether the ending was Red's plan or a twisted fate of nature that saw him meet the same end as one of his heroes.
In seeking to answer this, we will use two things to guide us to the truth. And that's the good ol' facts and logic.
Two facts are that Reddington was sick, and American law enforcement authorities were hunting him down. It's a position he'd found himself in before, yet he always emerged on the other side.
Before proceeding, be warned that we will touch on the sensitive topic of suicide, so proceed cautiously.
Sadly, suicides are common.
For someone to decide to end their life, they are usually at the end of the line and feel like ending it all is the only way out. The decision can be fuelled by painful mental illnesses or insurmountable obstacles that make someone feel helpless.
The biggest problems in Raymond's life were his ailment and some legal trouble. But as we said, these were nothing new to him.
When someone wants to commit suicide, there can be some tells on their behavior or speech patterns.
Some of these behaviors include a general lack of interest in the world, whether at large or in the immediate environment.
They avoid making promises about the future because they won't be there to fulfill these promises.
In some cases, though, someone planning to commit suicide might behave normally, so people don't sense anything. But the thought is always there.
If we considered that Red was planning on getting himself killed, we would have to look at anything in his behavior suggesting that being the case.
Sure, he was under some pressure, but he is resourceful and could have dealt with his problems.
The fact is that Red had every reason to live.
He had found love again with Weecha, and they had been planning where to go after Raymond finished this chapter of his life.
Weecha hesitated to join him when he asked on The Blacklist Season 10 Episode 20, but that didn't prevent Raymond from asking. He planned to see the world since he had avoided it too much.
He had also developed a great relationship with Agnes, keeping odd hours to call her back home at the appropriate time and enjoy hearing her little problems that seemed like the biggest thing in the world to her.
He planned to end his criminal empire, sever ties with the FBI, and move to some mountains in Colombia. It was something he and Weecha confirmed before his trip to Spain.
Weecha: The seaplane is fueled. You need to leave as soon as we arrive.
Reddington: It will be nice to get out of the country. Where are you off to next?
Weecha: A meeting outside Bogota. Will I see you?
Reddington: When it's safe. With any luck, we'll be back on the mountain by the start of the rainy season.
It's illogical for someone to end their life when they have a good reason to live.
Everyone has a hero. And for Raymond Reddington, Manolete was inspiring. Manolete had teetered with danger his entire life, just like Raymond. It was the only way they both knew how to feel alive.
When he stumbled upon Islero's horns in Mexico on The Blacklist Season 10 Episode 13, "The Sicilian Error of Color," it was one of those fateful things you can never believe.
And so, he kept the horns in his residence until it was time to leave. He knew most people -- especially currently -- don't know or care enough about something as wild as bullfighting, and if anyone were to lay hands on those horns, they'd end up being destroyed.
Red planned to go to Villa Lobos to recover from the blood transfusion before joining Weecha in Colombia. While he was there, why not return the horns to their home?
Reddington: How far is it to the Miura Bull Ranch from here?
Angela: It's about an hours drive north and east. Why? What's at the Miura Ranch?
Reddington: It's not what's at the Miura ranch. It's what isn't, which should be.
After a day or two, he felt better and could even take walks. So, Angela proposed he take one to see the mountains surrounding the villa.
Angela: You should go back to bed.
Reddington: Actually, I was thinking about taking a walk,see how I do.
Angela: When you're feeling up to it, you should try going over the hill in the back. I grew up over there. It's very beautiful.
But Red had a habit of visiting a fresh produce market in any town he stayed, so he went to buy some watermelons and delayed the walk for later. He spent the evening resting and talked to Agnes and Dembe.
A minor wine incident saw him cut the call short and promise to talk to Dembe later to answer his question.
However, Red knew it was time to leave because Ressler had found him. The following morning, Ressler would figure out exactly where Red was and then arrest him.
Viewers who watch The Blacklist online know how much joy it would bring Ressler to arrest Reddington after all these years. Red was not giving Ressler that satisfaction; over his dead body.
Reddington: How long ago?
Angela: A few minutes, maybe 10. Who is he? American policeman...
Reddington: ...with the FBI, Yes. Humorless fellow with handsome hair. Fairplay Donald, I wonder what you'd actually do with yourself if one day you finally got your man.
Angela: What does it mean? Are you leaving?
Yet late at night, he kept staring out the window to the mountains that reminded him of his future waiting for him in Colombia. Come daybreak, he'd decided to walk out back to the famous Miura Bull Ranch and, if he was lucky, maybe see some bulls.
With his disease and age, he couldn't carry watermelons, let alone the bull horns, so he hoped to find someone in the ranch and have them pick Islero's horns, and finally, they'd be where they should be.
He decided to kill two birds with one stone. Take a walk, see the beautiful mountains, and visit the bull farm.
And so, at the crack of dawn, he began his journey, hoping to be gone before Ressler caught up. He took a water bottle because it's important to stay hydrated.
Angela: It's early.
Reddington: Men will be coming. They always come, and before they come I always go.
Angela: Where?
Reddington: For a walk out back over the hill.
Angela: Take some water.
Reddington: Thank you.
Angela: De Nada.
He walked across fields, touched grass and flowers, drank his water, got tired, rested, continued his walk, drank some more water, rested, finished the water, dumped the heavy glass bottle, crossed fences, climbed a hill, and from there, marveled at the beauty of those mountains that seemed straight out of a painting.
The bull farm would not be far now. So, Red continued his walk and cut through more fields.
But what would he know?
In the middle of one field, he heard a bellow. Surprised, he turned around and saw a big black beautiful beast, just like Islero. A smile started to form on the corner of his mouth. He was experiencing natural beauty.
That smile would not last long because he noticed something else.
The bull was alone. Strayed away from the farm and the rest of the herd. And it was angry. Literally foaming at the mouth. It drew closer. Instead of turning his back on it (which would have angered it more), Red walked towards it. And it still drew closer.
And then it dawned on Reddington. This was it. There was no way out of this. He was tired. He could barely walk, let alone run. He had left everything back at Villa Lobos, and he'd even the water bottle. His luck has run out.
Dembe had been telling Cooper how Raymond was never afraid of death but didn't seek it. He rebelled against it. He could have given up long ago but had always found a way to forge forward. He accepted he could die any time, but he would never let it just happen to him.
But there was the bull. It was many times faster than him. It was stronger. He was in the middle of a huge field without a fence or tree nearby. There was nothing he could have done.
So, he courageously watched as the bull mustered all his strength and came charging.
His journey to the bull farm and freedom -- and his life -- was cut short.
Reddington could have never planned to kill himself using something as random as a bull.
He always loved being in control and had no control over an animal. Just like he couldn't stop it from mauling him, he couldn't get it to do it. He knew close to nothing about bulls or the farm, even when he'd stayed at Villa Lobos. The journey to the farm was a long one, even by car.
He couldn't have predicted he'd find an angry bull somewhere in his walk.
So, he faced it without fear because Raymond had never feared death. At that moment, nothing mattered. Not even the fact that Ressler would find his body trampled on the ground. Death had arrived, and it didn't shake him in the least.
That was how I saw it; I'm sure someone saw it differently.
It felt like the writers deliberately wanted to make an ambiguous ending to Raymond's story because of how the episode was created.
There was a sombreness when Raymond left the house for the mountains. Dembe's emotions overflowed after surviving a near-death situation; coincidentally, Raymond's death was beckoning.
With all the things going through my mind...I also thought of Raymond. More than anyone I've ever known, he's always been at peace with death. He says death is inevitable. It will come for us all. And that inevitability robs death entirely of its significance. What matters are the things that are not inevitable. The things we create. The things we find. The left we take when everything in our life is leading us right. How we live. I've always loved him for that.
Dembe
The Spanish version of "My Way" insinuated that Reddington went out his own way. I don't think that could be further from the truth.
How did you interpret the end?
We are very interested in knowing what you think.
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I know how passionate we The Blacklist fans can be, so if we can keep the passion to respectable levels, that'd be great.
Denis Kimathi was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. He has watched more dramas and comedies than he cares to remember. Catch him on social media obsessing over [excellent] past, current, and upcoming shows or going off about the politics of representation on TV. Follow him on X.
