Recap of 'The Blacklist' Season 2 Episode 17: The Longevity Initiative
Things are happening on "The Blacklist," by which we mean yet another serial killer is wandering around Washington D.C. on a mission to murder us all! This week, our favorite FBI task force and their fedora-clad leader take down yet another Blacklister, and more importantly Elizabeth's husband, Tom Keen, comes face-to-face with his past –– and not in an emotional "trip down memory lane" way. More like in a terrifying, murder-y way. Head below to find out what happens to Tom –– not to mention which special someone Elizabeth spends her birthday with!
Elizabeth and Ressler Take On A New Case, Jellyfish Remain Terrifying
Let's talk about this week's Blacklister, a mega-creep named Dr. Powell who's mission is to find the key to human immortality. Clearly, he's never watched "Tuck Everlasting." Dr. Powell works for a company called The Longevity Initiative (funded by billionaire Roger Hobbs), and conducts his research by experimenting –– and usually killing –– people with frontal lobe damage by putting jellyfish cells in their brains. So yeah...we'll never look at a jellyfish in the same way again.
Elizabeth and Detective Ressler get their investigation on by visiting a care center where one of Powell's victims was located, which leads them to discover his minion. This fellow has no problem forking over information on his employer's identity, and before long Liz and Ressler head to Powell's clinic and find his extremely creepy experiments in action. Let's just say jellyfish and brains don't go hand-in-hand.
Tom Gets Kidnapped, Then Gets Kidnapped Again
Look everyone, Tom isn't your ordinary undercover operative. He's actually an emotionally damaged orphan who was poached by an old man who's job is literally turning children into criminals. In other words, someone needs to find Tom a therapist.
This poor guy is in big trouble with the Nazis who he was working for (apparently they're mad about that whole undercover thing), and to make matters worse his mentor, Bud, kidnaps and tries to murder him. The good news is that Tom's Nazi frenemies usurp said murder attempt by kidnapping both Tom and Bud, and then proceed to torture them. Tom refuses to give up information –– until his kidnappers find an old ultrasound in his bag with Elizabeth's name on it, at which point he's basically like "let me tell you all the secrets ever." This is definitely a guy in love!
Agent Cooper Fights For His Life, Red Crosses Elizabeth
Wondering how Agent Cooper's health is doing? Fabulously! In fact, he's up and about without a cane, rocking a jaunty cardigan, and loving life! However, Cooper's "friend," US Attorney Thomas Connelly, is a good friend of Roger Hobbs (aka the man funding Powell), and if Hobbs gets arrested, Cooper could be kicked off his clinical trial.
Despite this complicated web of relationships, Red and Ressler continue solving their case and discover that Powell's obsession with human longevity stems from wanting to save his wife's life. Ressler and Liz are moments away from catching Powell when he visits his leading lady, but at the behest of Roger (who he's friends with), Red swoops in and steals Powell out from under them. For a brief moment Red hopes he can help restore Liz's memory, but this depressed doc ends up killing himself instead!
In other news, it's Elizabeth's birthday. Naturally Red brings her a fancy bottle of wine, and she ends up drinking it with none other than Ressler! How adorable –– except when Liz eventually gets home Tom is there waiting for her.... Looks like we officially have a love triangle on our hands –– not to mention some burning questions.
1. Elizabeth clearly has feelings for Tom, but will Ressler fight for her love and attention?
2. Red briefly mentions that he wants Roger Hobbs in his debt. Why?
3. Bud seems determined to kill Tom –– will the FBI help him?
4. Red thumbed through some photos of Childhood Liz at the end of this episode. Is this more proof that he might be her real dad?