NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
The Blacklist has always been about showing things but still keeping important details hidden. In Season 8, the writers killed off Elizabeth Keen and for the rest of the series, fans wondered if she was indeed dead. While Megan Boone spoke about her departure from the show, she never said if she was willing or unwilling to return. There was always a chance, right?
Fans waited, especially with the announcement that Season 10 would be the last for The Blacklist. As the episodes began to wind down, we held out hope. Maybe she would show up and take Agnes away. Maybe she would finally make a life with Ressler. And the one everyone wanted, with everyone coming at Red, Liz would be the one to save him.
As the final episode faded to black, mouths were left open. Despite the craziness of Red’s death, we were waiting for Liz to show up. But when she didn’t, it became painfully clear that Liz was dead.
But why was that such a hard pill to swallow? For one, I can’t recall ever seeing a body. It could be due to the fact that Boone was done taping but still, this was The Blacklist. It was set up as if Liz faked her death. This is the path the writers led us on and we went along for the journey. It was a great way to keep us guessing but at the same time, keeping us tuned in every week.
Why Did Elizabeth Keen Not Return To The Blacklist
Now that the show is over, fans have gone back and rewatched episodes and seasons looking for hidden clues. Did we miss her somewhere or something? No. Liz was killed when she was shot. That’s it. There was nothing more to it.
As awful as the ending was, her departure from the show had the same feeling as Red being mauled by a bull. The two most important deaths in the show were almost the two that didn’t seem to take too much thought in The Blacklist Writers Room.
Red was not supposed to go out like that. And Elizabeth Keen, her character deserved better. But to finally come to the realization that she’s dead, that hurts a bit more now.
