‘The Blacklist’ Finally Introduced Katarina Rostova, and Fans Had Lots to Say

The Blacklist‘s newest big bad is back in Raymond Reddington’s life, and fans are very curious. The NBC FBI drama returned for its anticipated Season 7, resolving the mysterious cliffhanger of Red (James Spader) reuniting with the presumed dead Katarina Rostova (Laila Robbins) in Paris, before she jammed a needle in his stomach and her goons drove him out of the street.

The resolution to that storyline found Red in custody, with Katarina keeping her plans very close to her chest.

Spoilers ahead for The Blacklist Season 7 Premiere: “Louis T. Steinhil (#27)”

Friday’s premiere picked up shortly after the finale cliffhanger in a surprising setting. Red awoke to being surrounded by French medical personnel and his body was unresponsive. He kept asking if he was paralyzed, complaining he could not feel his body at all. The doctor revealed he was found beaten within an inch of his life and it would take him a long time to regain some mobility.

Things took a sketchy turn early on as Dembe (Hisham Tawfiq) was seen barging into the home of some bad people thinking they were holding Red hostage. Later, one of the henchmen met with Katarina and told her about Dembe’s visit. He swore he didn’t share anything about what had happened, and that he never would. Katarina lamented that kindness doesn’t reward in this world, before ordering her driver to kill the man.

Fans were quick to comment on Katarina’s ruthlessness, as well as wondering what her plans were with Red.

Red is later visited by a French police inspector who seems very pressed on finding out more information about Katarina. Despite the events that landed him in the hospital, however, Red refuses to talk. The inspector later leaves the room in frustration to reveal a shocking twist.

The hospital hallway is all a staged set, and the man actually has a perfect American accent. He walks out of the building where Red is being held and meets with Katarina to give her an update on Red not speaking. She says they have to carry on and find out what they need before his allies notice what is going on.

Red eventually comes to the realization that he is being played when he threatens a nurse into telling him the truth. He is back in the U.S. and being held, and his body was just drugged so missing a dose would let him control his body again. He tricks the other members of the staff into bringing back the fake inspector and manages to free himself for some time.

Back at the FBI, Liz Keen (Megan Boone) is forced to tell the rest of the team the truth about Red’s identity after his disappearance. They work together and eventually realize Red is being kept in Maryland, but by the time they arrive it’s too late.

After escaping, a debilitated Red was quickly captured by Katarina’s men and this time, she told him she would have to actually hurt him before rendering him unconscious.

Liz and the FBI interrogate the “fake hospital staffers” left behind and say they have no idea whose orders they were following but the mission was to find out everything they could about Katarina — Liz’s mother.

Without Liz knowing Katarina is behind all of it, she says she is determined to find Red and saving him from whoever caught him. The episode ends with Katarina promising Red he won’t like what happens next before the same nurse who helped him starts to take a sample of his blood.

What did you think of the mysterious Katarina? The Blacklist airs Fridays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.