The Blacklist season 8 will bring a lot of interesting, intense stories once it premieres on NBC. The biggest storyline here is what the future holds for Reddington (James Spader) and Liz (Megan Boone). But, aside from that, there's a question of whether some familiar faces in the past will show up.
One of the notable names here is Ilya Koslov (Brett Cullen). He ditched the town at the end of the previous installment and it is uncertain whether or not he'll return in The Blacklist season 8. Before leaving, it's clear that he's obsessed with the Sikorsky Archive.
This information could hold the key to the current storyline and it is important to Katarina Rostova (Laila Robins). The Sikorsky Archive also motivates Neville Townsend, who hasn't revealed himself until now. Yet, this person is being frequently mentioned so there's a possibility he'll come out at some point.
According to CarterMatt, bringing Ilya back to The Blacklist season 8 makes sense. For instance, he has an unfinished business with Liz, who's aware of his history with Katarina. Furthermore, the true nature of his relationship with Reddington is needed to be explored.
Ilya and Reddington have been friends for a long time. However, the biggest mystery here is how they end up being close given that the latter didn't grow up in Russia. This is what makes his backstory even more interesting, with some speculating that Ilya is actually the real Reddington.
This speculation further fuelled after executive producer John Eisendrath teased that Katarina has big revelations about Reddington in The Blacklist season 8. While it's yet to be revealed what it is, this revelation could potentially impact Liz's feelings towards him.
In a previous interview with TV Insider, Eisendrath hinted that the latest installment will have "big swings, big betrayals, big reveals." Particularly, Katarina's revelation about Reddington will drive everything to come. There could be a lot of unexpected twists and turns, as well as betrayals.
In season 7, Liz broke her partnership with Reddington and began working with Katarina. She is eager to learn the truth about his identity that's why she teamed up with her mother. Liz is determined to uncover everything about Reddington and the secrets he's been hiding from her.
Liz sees Katarina as a means to answer her question rather than someone she cherishes. She knows Reddington since they've worked together for a long time. Both of them may not necessarily betray each other and they could team up again, eventually.
The Blacklist season 8 drops its premiere episode on Friday, Nov. 13, on NBC.
