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Tom Keen” is the sixteenth episode of Season 2 of The Blacklist and the thirty eighth episode overall. It aired on March 19, 2015 on NBC.

Synopsis[]

In Dresden, Germany, we see Tom Keen beating up a man to find where he hid his stash. He was able to do that and let him live but not before breaking his knee.

Liz is in Judge Richard Denner's chamber, and he tells her that he has a bullet fragment that was found on the ship belonging to her. She tells the judge that she did not kill Eugene Ames and he sends her home letting her know there will be a ruling in the morning.

Red tells the team that in order to exonerate Liz, they have to bring in Tom Keen, who is undercover. He lets them know they are looking for a group called Die Entrechteten in Dresden. They are drug dealers and the most ruthless in Europe. Liz comes by and wants to know what they are doing, Red and Donald tell her they have found Tom. Liz tells Red that Tom will not come back and that this is her fault, the reason why Eugene is dead.

Red visits Ruddiger in rehab, trying to obtain information about Die Entrechteten. He lets Red know about an arms dealer named Kohl's death and they recruited a new boy that is looking for F2000 assault rifles.

Donald and Red are looking for Franz Becker, who they think will get in contact with Tom. Red lets Donald know once Tom takes a new undercover role, he becomes real. He is the covert operative that convinces himself into the role.

At the MWC Kaiser Airfield in Munich Germany, the FBI, led by Donald, storms in and raid a shipping container full of machine guns.

Liz calls her financial advisor, Jeff, to move her money to another account and have her current account closed. Harold tells Liz that he perjured himself for her. She apologizes for that, but not because of the mission. She wanted Berlin caught and will do anything for that. He has a nosebleed and falls unconscious.

Red is at a tattoo parlor, talking to a man and letting him know about the shipment that was raided. He lets him know that he can get the shipment back if he gets 35% of the cost. He agrees.

The doctor tells Harold's wife, Charlene, that Harold has a seizure cause by his condition.

A car drives into the garage and Tom comes up to the car where he sees Red and Donald. He wants to know why they are here and tells them to leave. They inform Tom that he needs to come back to save Liz. Elias arrives and sees Red and wonders why he is here. Red lets him know that his shipment was raided and he can get it back. First, he lets him know that Tom is untrustworthy. Both sides engage in a gun battle, while Tom escapes. Donald wants to go after him, but Red says no, they already delivered the message.

Det. Wilcox tells lawyer Morrison that Liz is planning to leave because she moved her money to an offshore account. Morrison lets him know that it is not illegal to move your accounts and tells him they can't do anything.

Tom goes back to his apartment and calls Red. He doesn't want to come back, but Red tells him that she will be indicted and must protect Liz at all cost.

Liz talks to Charlene and wants to know Harold's condition. He has a brain tumor, glioblastoma, that was found a year ago, when he was attacked. She lets Liz know that he was put into an experimental trial program that seemed to work, until today. She asks Liz not to say anything and she agrees.

Aram made a get well card but got news that Harold was in the hospital because of low blood sugar. Donald comes back and tells the team that they did not bring Tom back.

Back in court, the Deputy Attorney General lets the judge know that the Attorney General is involved now. Judge Richard Denner lets her know if the Attorney General is interested in the case, he will be in the courtroom. Suddenly, Tom Keen walks into the courtroom and confesses that he is the killer.

Tom is in Richard's chambers, trying to get answers. He tells him he doesn't care what happens to him but is only here for Liz. He confesses, saying he killed Eugene and Liz had nothing to do with it.

Liz comes to see Harold and apologizes. She lets him know that the reason why she is here and a better person is because of him. Charlene lets Harold know the doctor is ready to go over his results.

Judge Richard mentions that Liz will still be charged for murder because of her previous answers. He finds out that Tom is still in love with her and that they will go to grand jury. Tom Connolly walks in and says this deal won't happen. Tom leaves and the two talk about how Denner did something that wasn't necessary. He had obtained information concerning national security, which he shouldn't have. Connolly lets him know that he crossed the line and must stop doing what he is doing. They argue about legal authority and government security regulations. Connolly mocks Denner and leaves.

The doctor states that Harold's health is improving and the trial is working.

In the court room, Judge Denner doesn't like that the government can overrride the constitution with the “national security” reason. He makes a ruling that if Liz and Cooper testify, it is a matter of national security. Wilcox is outraged that “the Feds are above the law”. Denner and Wilcox tell Liz that the memory of Eugene Ames will haunt her. The Attorney General lets Liz know that Denner never had a case and there was no chance of a trial. Liz wants to know what will happen to Tom. Connolly replies, Tom was never in custody.

Connolly goes to see Harold in his office. They exchange talks and he is satisfied with what had happened. He congratulates Harold, a job well done!

Liz is on the phone with Jeff and he informs her that the money was sent to Mr. Ames' daughter as a scholarship and it is to remain as from an anonymous benefactor. Red lets Liz know that everything is about her and she shouldn't reflect on this. Liz receives a call from Tom, asking if she is okay.

Press Release[]

LIZ'S EX-HUSBAND RATES A HIGH RANKING ON REDDINGTON'S BLACKLIST AS THE TEAM TRACKS DOWN TOM KEEN TO CLEAR LIZ FROM MURDER CHARGES - As evidence mounts against Liz in the case of the murdered DC Harbormaster, a federal judge makes it clear to her that she will face severe criminal charges. Reddington and Ressler jump into high gear to exonerate Liz but the only solution is to find the recently vanished Tom Keen - wherever he may be operating in the world.

Number on The Blacklist[]

  • 7

Unanswered Questions[]

  1. Similarities between “Mr. Kaplan” and “Tom Keen”.
    1. The field investigator engages in illegal actions.
    2. The field investigator is outraged that the guilty are “above the law”.
    3. The field investigator makes accusations that the government engaged in an illegal cover-up.
    4. The field investigator shows outrage when the guilty escape.
    5. The field investigator wanted justice.
    6. The government official directing the investigation ignores the fact that some of the evidence was obtained under legally questionable circumstances.
    7. The government official directing the investigation is outraged and baffled that the investigation is shut down.
    8. The government official uses their authority combined with threats to end the inquiry. The government official is later killed by a member of the task force after the government official threatens the task force.
    9. The investigation is shut down after a desperation maneuver.
    10. The investigation ran the risk of being shut down since some of the evidence was illegally obtained or in a legal gray/grey area.
    11. The investigation was shut down because of intervention from Raymond Reddington and the Cabal.
    12. The “national security” reason is invoked to shut down the investigation. In several episodes of “Babylon 5”, the main characters are enraged when another character uses their position to undermine the law.
    13. The trial of the task force would have embarrassed and humiliated the government.
  2. Why did the characters keep saying they cared about justice?
    1. Elizabeth Keen is following Red’s path about guilt, a path that is certainly based on his history.
    2. Harold Cooper alternated between rage and acceptance of his perjury.
      1. A: Cooper knew that Keen was innocent, and did the moral thing keeping her out of prison, where the system would have had her incarcerated for a crime she didn't commit. He just did not think he would ever have to do something like that in order to actually do the right thing.
    3. Thomas Connolly stated that his rise to power was based on not caring about morality.
      1. A: Connolly may be somewhat rough, but he means well and seems to genuinely care about Cooper and getting justice for those who deserve it. He is not totally ammoral/immoral, he just breaks rules to get things done.
    4. Richard Denner gave in to legal blackmail and exceeded his authority within the court system.
      1. A: Denner doing what he thought was right, stopping the government from covering up a crime. He just broke too many rules in the process. Connolly reminded him that he had exceeded his authority.
    5. Martin Wilcox illegally accessed Keen’s bank accounts without a warrant.
      1. A: He meant well. He thought he was trying to stop a killer using her government position to get away with it. Because of that, he got obsessed and lost sight of where the lines were drawn in an investigation.
    6. Brad Marking did not report Wilcox’s illegal actions.
  3. Elizabeth Keen and Tom Keen
    1. Why do they love each other? Liz imprisoned Tom illegally. Tom should have received training to avoid emotional relationships.
      1. A: He did, but because he spent so much time with her, and also because you can not always help who you love, he fell in love with her for real, while he was pretending to love her.
  4. Raymond Reddington
    1. Was Red the person who sent the Federal Ministry of the Interior to the airport?
      1. Donald Ressler was on the scene during the raid so the implication is that it was part of the task force, not just Raymond Reddington.
    2. How did Red expect to get the weapons released?
      1. A: Red has contacts everywhere, probably including the German Ministry of the Interior, who had the weapons.
  5. Harold Cooper
    1. Why was perjury the line Cooper would not cross?
      1. A: He may bend the rules, but he always thought of himself as an honest man, and not someone who would lie under oath.
    2. Was Cooper’s anger towards Keen caused by the chemotherapy?
      1. A: He was not angry. He was upset that she was becoming a crooked individual instead of the good person she was when she first joined the task force. The chemo caused the seizure, which was brought on by his worry for Keen and him having committed perjury to protect her.
  6. Thomas Connolly and Richard Denner
    1. Why did Connolly and Denner need to use the “national security” excuse? They could have used a legal loophole, such as Wilcox’s illegal search.
      1. A: While Denner has a grudge against the government, he accepts that national security is a real issue if it's clearly an issue. Connolly used his authority to make that point clear, angering Denner, but he could not reject it due to his own misconduct.
    2. Connolly and Denner's argument showed that they are different sides of the same coin. Connolly focused on the limits of Denner's authority and stated that Denner had ignored his jurisdiction. Denner was sickened by the government's tactics of threats and secrecy. They insulted each other with accurate descriptions of their flaws.
    3. What would Connolly have done to Denner and the case if Denner had refused to end the inquiry? Arresting Denner would have led to an inquiry and/or trial where Denner could have exposed Connolly's actions.
      1. A: Connolly has pull in the attorney general's office, so it would have been easy to keep certain information coming to light.
    4. Why did Denner lack the needed evidence for a trial? He acted as though he had enough evidence.
      1. A: He was acting on his biases and used his own logic instead of actual hard evidence. He was not thinking clearly.
    5. Why is Denner considered “insane” by the Beltway?
      1. A: It's a turn of phrase. Denner is not actually insane but he is shown to be ruthless and anti-government in his own way. Working in the government while vocally against their transparency and threats would make anyone think he's foolish.
    6. Will Connolly take revenge on Denner? Will Denner’s career be wrecked by Connolly?
      1. A: No. He will probably reward him later on, after Connolly is Attorney General, for dropping the case and sparing Keen and Cooper.
      2. A: No, that would have happened if he did not drop the case. He will probably move higher up because of his cooperation.
      3. Q: Denner showed rage at Connolly for supporting the government's tactics of secrecy. His speech showed that he was sickened that the government had won.
      4. A: Denner was always against the government's acts of secrecy. While he was vocal against it, he still had to do his job. Connolly won't do anything to someone who just wants to get the last word in.
      5. Q: Connolly mocked Denner and offered to promote him to a “real court”. Denner was sickened that Connolly won.
      6. A: It was just that: mockery. Connolly was just simply rubbing Denner's nose in it and Denner was disgusted that his attempt at making a secret government act revealed failed.
    7. Why did it take so long for Reven Wright to call Connolly in for help?
      1. A: Wright was sure that after Keen and Cooper's testimony, that Denner would drop the case. When he refused to change his position due to his hatred for a secretive government, Wright played the last card she had: Thomas Connolly.
    8. Why did Connolly say he regretted learning of Red?
      1. A: He meant it as kind of a joke, kind of how you learn a secret and wish you had never found out the truth. it was easier not knowing.
    9. How did Connolly get Tom released without questions?
      1. A: Connolly released him to preserve the secrets of the task force, which would have been brought to open court if Tom was tried for the murder of Harbormaster Eugene Ames.
      2. Q: What did Connolly do to get Tom released without leaving a record? Connolly told Keen that there was no Tom Keen in custody. Connolly would need a plausible reason for Tom's release and the destruction of any records.
      3. A: The actual methods are unknown, but as he is with the attorney general, he would have certain tools at his disposal to either modify or erase the records. Also, as seen in previous episodes, Tom Keen is not his real name. It could be they realized this and used it as an excuse for a “false arrest”.
    10. Why did Denner take the Keen case even though it was outside his jurisdiction? He must have known that somebody would have stopped it on legal grounds.
      1. A: Denner stated that after 30 years of being a judge he has learned that the Department of Justice's “barks” are far worse than their “bites”.
    11. Will the ruling set a precedent that allows the task force, Wright, and/or Connolly to silence similar incidents?
  7. Martin Wilcox and Brad Marking
    1. Why did Wilcox illegally access Keen’s bank accounts?
      1. A: He thought it was worth it when trying to catch who he believed was a murderer.
      2. Q: The illegal access of Keen’s bank accounts would have damaged Marking’s case if discovered. Wright would claim that Wilcox had exceeded his authority and cast a “shadow of doubt” on the rest of the evidence. Denner’s speech was about how he was sickened by the federal government’s ability to ignore legal procedure. In “Dr. Linus Creel” Keen used legally gray/grey tactics during her meeting with Creel.
      3. A: It was worth the risk in Wilcox's eyes. He felt they shouldn't follow the rules normally to put away a crooked federal agent and was willing to do whatever was necessary, not thinking of the consequences, only justice for Ames. In the end, it came back to wound him.
      4. Q: Why did Wilcox not request a search warrant for Keen’s bank accounts?
      5. A: There was no time. He wanted to make sure Liz went to prison for murdering Ames and recklessly cut corners to see justice done.
    2. Wilcox's outrage about the ”feds” being ”above the law” was hypocritical. In addition to illegally accessing Keen’s bank accounts, he has certainly known corrupt police officers who were never convicted.
    3. Will Wilcox return?
      1. A: No. He knows he has lost. In the end, he's still a good cop and will not break any rules deliberately to satisfy a grudge.
      2. Q: He accessed Keen's accounts illegally.
    4. Will Denner, Marking, and/or Wilcox pursue similar cases in the future since they were shown how easy it is to destroy such investigations?
    5. Wilcox's and Brad Marking's reactions to Denner's ruling indicate that they have lost previous cases because of the “national security” reason. In “The Major”, Marking implied that he had arranged/requested Denner as the judge because of Denner's view towards “state secrets“. In several episodes of “Babylon 5”, the main characters are enraged when another character uses their position to undermine the law.
  8. Max Ruddiger
    1. Why was Max not in prison? What is his legal occupation? He would need a cover story for the police.
      1. A: He most likely was but got out and only just entered rehab.
    2. What model was the Volkswagen Passat?
  9. Why did everybody refer to the FN F2000 as a machine gun? It is an assault rifle. Also, the weapon seen resembles the FN P90, which is a personal defense weapon.
    1. A: Probably because they are just regular people, who often call assault rifles, “machine guns”, and the rifles in the crate were in fact F2000s.
    2. Q: Red and the others are weapons experts, they need to know the difference when selling or identifying weaponry.
    3. A: It was most likely a trivial detail of whether it was a machine gun, assault rifle, personal defense weapons, or whatever else and didn't care to clarify it. He knew the model was FN F2000 and that the neo-nazis wanted them.
  10. Why does Donald Ressler have a “looks like a cop” image? Red said the same thing about Keen in “The Cyprus Agency”.
    1. A: Typically, cops have clean appearances. They have a certain walk, talk, and air about them that criminals can detect. Since criminals tend to appear intimidating they have a more “dirty” image. Even Red, despite his well-dressed appearance, has an intimidating vibe.
  11. Why did Samar Navabi state that Liz and Tom had a romantic relationship based on their felonies? How does a felony reinforce romance?
    1. A: That's just her personal preference. It's insight into how Samar thinks.
  12. What will happen to Samuel Aleko?
    1. A: He will be imprisoned for other crimes committed in the process of the murder such as perjury, accessory to murder, and obstruction of justice.

Slanders on the FBI[]

Cast[]

Main star[]

Guest star[]

Co-star[]

  • Hadi Tabbel as Ali
  • Drew Hildebrand as Team Leader
  • Oliver Henzler as Smuggler
  • Lorrie Odon as Stenographer
  • Frank Harts as Court Officer
  • Stephanie Berry as Susan Ames
  • Terriann Peters as Sharon Ames
  • Rosalyn Coleman as Court Clerk

Gallery[]

External Links[]


Season 2 Episodes
 · Lord Baltimore  · Monarch Douglas Bank  · Dr. James Covington  · Dr. Linus Creel  · The Front  · The Mombasa Cartel  · The Scimitar  · The Decembrist  · Luther Braxton  · Luther Braxton: Conclusion  · Ruslan Denisov  · The Kenyon Family  · The Deer Hunter  · T. Earl King VI  · The Major  · Tom Keen  · The Longevity Initiative  · Vanessa Cruz  · Leonard Caul  · Quon Zhang  · Karakurt  · Tom Connolly  ·
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