[Lauren Helen Graham]

6x19 | Rassvet
E P I S O D E DISCUSSION T H R E A D



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episode synopsis

Alone in a foreign country after a mission goes catastrophically wrong, Katarina Rostova (guest star Lotte Verbeek) goes on the run to avoid the forces trying to hunt her down. Isolated and out of options, she seeks out the only person she trusts, a man who has vowed to always protect her. Gabriel Mann and Brian Dennehy also guest star.

[Fangirl49]

Idk how I feel about this. Something isn't right. This was totally from Dom's perspective and what he believes happened. Red did not tell the story. I do not believe all of what Dom knows is true.

What if Red didn't want Katarina to be seen in a bad light so he told Dom he wanted to have the surgery but the truth could be Katarina forced him to. Also, his memories from Cape May are of a man who doens't appear to be in love with Katarina. Finally, in Cape May Red says he had to make a choice between Katarina and Masha. When did he make this choice and what did he do? We don't know the whole story yet.

What happened to his family? I will be sick if the Christmas Eve Story isn't true.

Red was furious when Liz told him she knew the truth. What he never wanted her to know. Why would she think he would be happy? He was furious. I hope he didn't kill Dom.

[Miranda]

Did we just learn Red's real identity?! I can't believe it that after six years we finally know..

I really think Dom is telling the truth and of course he told it from his POV and it was not Red telling the story but Dom has no reason to lie to Liz about Red's real identity. But I do wonder why he told her her know and not when Liz visited him in S3? or was it S4?

I really hope Red is not going to kill Dom..

Loved it that we saw Sam and young Kaplan in the flashbacks! and of course I loved seeing Katarina again! Lotte is such an amazing actress!

[Easteregg]

I do not think Dom lied either, but the question is if he knows the whole truth. Red and Katharina go away together and what happens next, Dom probably knows only from stories. I do not think it was the whole truth. And it puts Liz and maybe Katharina in danger if she's still alive. I also find it funny that this should be the truth. Because RED was so afraid to tell Liz himself. I think there is still a dark secret lying dormant.

[Fangirl49]

Agreed Easter. That if this is the truth, why did Red worry so much?

Miranda, I don't think Dom lied. He just doesn't know the whole story. Katarina could have killed Elias and had thE surgery. Unfortunately this didn't disprove Redarina. Or something happened later on and Red killed Katarina to save Masha. In cape May he says he had to choose between them. Did Katarina force him to have the surgery and he or she later told Dom it was his choice. We don't know these things. We still really don't know why for Red.

And I've got to admit that the thought that he did all this because he loved Katarina kinda bothers me because it looks like he had no wife and child who died.

It's interesting to me that we are really learning Katarina's story, not Reds. Sure we met Elias, we think he's Red now. But we know nothing about him or his motives. Was he married. Did he have a daughter? How did Katarina drag him into this mess? Was he really burned in the fire like we thought? If so how was he able to help Katarina try to save deadington.

First we got some of Reds unreliable opium induced memories in Cape May. Nice to see the connections here.
Then we saw Kaplans perspective. Now we see doms. They're all coming together to explain the past but still not tell everything.

And I have to admit the ending made me mad at Liz. After everything she did, she runs to Red like that doesn't matter. Well I know your secret now so we don't have to fight. No concern that he's lost Dembe or that she just promised him she'd stop looking into his past.

[Black_Jack]

I think this story is the truth just not the complete truth. Like Liz said what happened next? Also Dom didn't really know what happened next did he.

What happened to Katarina is she still alive?

I don't think Red would kill Dom assuming Red liked his answer to the question.

I kinda saw it coming the moment I saw Ilya. I was actually hoping for another twist really. We still don't know what happened next. so that may be the twist.

Fangirl49 I don't think Katarina forced him to do anything we see him now we know there is love there. Such devotion and sadness over the course of the series. Well what happened after this maybe Red was forced to kill Katarina at some future point who knows maybe Katarina made off with the money and left Red high and dry.

who was the guy hunting Katarina? Velov?
Is it possible she is still alive. Alexander Kirk might have been convinced if Katarina was still alive.

Originally Posted by Fangirl49 (View Post) Agreed Easter. That if this is the truth, why did Red worry so much? Miranda, I don't think Dom lied. He just doesn't know the whole story. Katarina could have killed Elias and had thE surgery. Unfortunately this didn't disprove Redarina. Or something happened later on and Red killed Katarina to save Masha. In cape May he says he had to choose between them. Did Katarina force him to have the surgery and he or she later told Dom it was his choice. We don't know these things. We still really don't know why for Red. And I've got to admit that the thought that he did all this because he loved Katarina kinda bothers me because it looks like he had no wife and child who died. It's interesting to me that we are really learning Katarina's story, not Reds. Sure we met Elias, we think he's Red now. But we know nothing about him or his motives. Was he married. Did he have a daughter? How did Katarina drag him into this mess? Was he really burned in the fire like we thought? If so how was he able to help Katarina try to save deadington. First we got some of Reds unreliable opium induced memories in Cape May. Nice to see the connections here. Then we saw Kaplans perspective. Now we see doms. They're all coming together to explain the past but still not tell everything. And I have to admit the ending made me mad at Liz. After everything she did, she runs to Red like that doesn't matter. Well I know your secret now so we don't have to fight. No concern that he's lost Dembe or that she just promised him she'd stop looking into his past.

The problem with TV is that they may retcon the story to fit the end narrative. I was rewatching certain episodes when Ron Pearlman was the Blacklister (I forget the episode) he forcing Liz to remember Liz saw someone dress as Red the Night of the fire and he killed someone but memories might be confusing they said.

The current episode supports the Red's drug induced memory if he was there and he tried to help Katarina fight of those men.

There was also an episode that show Red's back was severely burned presumably from the fire.

Your right Red is the only one to know the full story and Dom might have some details wrong.

Theres a timeline that forms in my head I will try to process it.

[Fangirl49]

From the previous episode, I think Dembe knows the whole story too. I don't think Dom or Kaplan ever did.

Yeah, jack, that was Velov hunting Katarina.

I agree that Elias loved Katarina. They grew up together. Still unwilling to believe he was in love with her. My whole blacklist in my head is that Reds family was killed on Christmas Eve and that led him to this. I'm gonna be so upset if that's not true.

[Black_Jack]

Originally Posted by Fangirl49 (View Post) From the previous episode, I think Dembe knows the whole story too. I don't think Dom or Kaplan ever did. Yeah, jack, that was Velov hunting Katarina. I agree that Elias loved Katarina. They grew up together. Still unwilling to believe he was in love with her. My whole blacklist in my head is that Reds family was killed on Christmas Eve and that led him to this. I'm gonna be so upset if that's not true.

and who was he (Velov) I don't remember him at all.

[Fangirl49]

He appeared in S2 after Liz found the picture. She found him. But Red paid him to not talk to Liz. Then in S3, he tells Liz that her mother didn't drown in the ocean and that he saw her later. I think that's the only times we have seen him.

I wonder why they used an actor who looked like James, if Red had to have surgery to look like he does now. I know it could be simply to help the audience make the connection.

But this is the second flashback where they have not shown us Red after the surgery. They didn't show him in Requiem. And they didn't show him here. I wonder if there is a reason for that.

[Miranda]

I think there is more to the story as well. Dom couldn't possible know every single detail so I am sure there are still things that Red doesn't want Liz to know. I think Dembe knows the whole story as well.

I am still wondering if Katarina is alive or not.

Originally Posted by Fangirl49 (View Post) It's interesting to me that we are really learning Katarina's story, not Reds. Sure we met Elias, we think he's Red now. But we know nothing about him or his motives. Was he married. Did he have a daughter? How did Katarina drag him into this mess? Was he really burned in the fire like we thought? If so how was he able to help Katarina try to save deadington. .

Ilya and Katarina knew each other since they were kids. He told her they pledged their lives to each other when they were six years old. I think he has always been in love with her and that is why he came up with the idea to become RR, like he said to protect her and to make sure she wouldn't be hunted anymore. Katarina didn't push him to do anything. He wanted this himself.

And I am sure there is a reason why they didn't show his face after the surgery. They didn't show his face in Requiem either.

[Fangirl49]

That's what Dom thinks about Ilya. But is it true? I agree they made the pact, they grew up together, but was Ilya really this person Dom described who loved Katarina.

I'm having a lot of trouble reconciling this person with my idea of his Red started this. As a man who lost his family and wanted revenge on the people who caused it. And yeah I'm realizing I may have to let it go. The show may be going differently.

But Ilya and this background story is missing something. I just can't put my finger on it. Ilya just doesn't seem to be Red. His motives aren't what I expected. Ilya was not a man who lost his family. Who was desperate for revenge. Who was betrayed.

Katarina made a habit of manipulating every man in her life. Her choices betrayed her government and destroyed her parents life. And I guess drug Ilya into it because of their friendship.

There's just a missing piece. And I guess it's Reds version of events because i can't put my finger on it.

We have Dom in S3 saying "we had to get out of Masha a life after you made a colossal mess of everything". There was no hint of that in this story.

Then at the end Red wanting to know exactly what was said.

Red has said before that he was angry back then. We didn't see that with Ilya.

[JayT2001]

I just had a wild theory or thought. This might be a stretch but..... What if Raymond Reddington is really Raymond Reddington. You guys nailed so much about Illyas. Motives are on the opposite side of Reds. I know I know suitcase bones,pulled from fire dead blah blah blah... But what if Red somehow survived. Found out the plan and started to miss 40 million then killed Iiyas and slid back into his role? OMG!! That would make it eerily similar to my Russian half brother theory. 2 men 1 real id. 1 cover. And about Christmas and what happened to his family? Ohhh yeah that really happened. No way in hell did Diane Fowler lob that at Red just for kicks nor was his story to Madelinne Pratt a work of fiction. Something happened soon after Doms story that few to no one knows.

There was one last thing that really threw me off more than anything was an exchange between him and Red. In reference to Liz when Doms told Red "Not the girl. She's off limits.

Okay is she a target or granddaughter?

And ooohhhhh!!!! Maybe we've been worried to long about who Red is and maybe we should wonder about Dom and Liz.

Okay one last thing. Dembe's plane ticket was to Cairo. Maybe just maybe he needed time to think and find forgiveness all while finding The Man in Cairo.

[Easteregg]

Is it possible that the Fake-Red is in some way responsible for the death of the Real-Red AND Katharina? Because Katharina asked him if they did the right thing to pull Raymond out of the fire- instead leaving him so that the firefighters could have saved his life. That he could have survived that. And than after Katharina disappeared - that she Maybe was found and Fake-Red killed her to save Masha. Because in the Episode Cape May he told that he had to made a decision- to save either the girl or the wife. Katharina answered that he made the right decision. Even in the penultimate Episode of Season Five, Dembe said that he is not sure if liz will be ever ready to learn about what he did to katharina. That would explain the fear of Fake-Red to tell Liz the truth.


By the way- look at his face when liz asked him why he stayed Reddington after it worked to access the accounts of the real one- he smiles as if he realized that Liz dont know the whole truth and after that he asked dom what he exactly told her.


I like the idea that he is her father anyway- espacially because dom said "i forgive my child" an he emphasizes the word child to reddington. But he cant be reddington because he said a lot of times "...that I was some someone else". So actually he confimed that he is not the real one.

[Lauren Helen Graham]

Okay, I'll give you my opinion without reading through all of it. I'll do that afterwards. But this episode wasn't as great and satisfying as I expected it to be. First of all, why have Dom tell all of it... I don't like it. Besides I feel he doesn't know all of the story. He only knows what he needed to know, that's it.

The first question is: When and why did Ilya and Katarina pledge their lives for each other? I don't get that... We got that hint but nothing else. Who were they to each other? Just friends? Where they trained together? Did they grow up together? What was it that bonded them so deeply? I know that he loved her and it felt as if she didn't really return these feelings. But what kind of crazy relationship was that? I'm confused.

So was it that Dom and his wife were separated before Katarina betrayed their country already? Was it just me getting this impression or anybody else? Why would she have been in the USA and he in Moscow?

Redarina is finally off the table! Thank Goodness! That was actually the only part that I was happy about.

You know what makes me sooo angry? That nobody (besides of Red) realizes that the threat isn't gone and that there is more to the story and that with Dom telling Liz, her going there as her granddaughter, they have endangered them all. Because the truth is still not out but people are looking. That's why Red went to Dom at the end, that's why Red reacted the way he did. And who knows, maybe Katarina really is alive and he knows and he is still protecting her and now she is in danger or being exposed. It could get them all killed. How stupid can they all be?

Besides, I'm not a big fan of Katarina at all... I loved her in Cape May but all that came afterwards, wasn't very satisfying.

ETA - Black_Jack and JayT2001 would you please stop double posting here on It's against the rules and me and Miranda have reminded you several times before. If you want to add something to a post of yours, just use the 'Edit' button on the right of your post and add whatever you want to add there. Thank you.

Mairlyn, Velov appeared as well because Red got to him to talk to him about the Cabal... He found out that people from the Justice Department had been asking him about Katarina Rostova and a girl, a daughter not long ago... That's when Red figured out that they knew who Liz was and that they were after her and that she is the one they wanted to frame for that Orea bombing.

[Fangirl49]

So, if Ilya is Red, then we have to give up all of S1. Red blowing up his house, Swan Lake, the child from HIS memories, the Christmas Eve story, everything we saw our Red remember would not be true. Plus Ilya did not get burned in the fire. So give up those scars, folks.

Dom said Katarina had a life even he didn't know about.

Dom constantly telling Red that revenge motivates him.

Miranda, you're gonna hate this, but I think there is a third player out there. I think he was angry and out for revenge over the death of the family. I think this is the person who saved liz from the fire. I think he ruined ilyas plan. And I think he assumed the fake identity

I think Dom told Liz part of the story to hopefully quiet her search.