The Blacklist - S3E4 - The Djinn (No. 43)

Previously on The Blacklist, ‘Eli Matchett’

Red and Liz approach Aram for help in finding a Blacklister they think holds a key to clearing Liz’s name. But Aram helping them means the FBI is helping them, which means Ressler…and that’s what Red wants. Keep your enemies close and whatnot.

Images: NBC

Tom and Cooper cook up a way to get in good with people who can lead them to Karakurt. But it won’t be easy since Karakurt had more reconstructive surgery done to his face. Looks like they’ll need a good cover story; and Tom spins one so good, he transforms into a completely different person.

Dembe and Mr. Vargas work together on an escape plan that has disappointing (and predictable) results.

Who’s that guy?

Meeting with Leonard Caul, Red gets the deets about Mr. Solomon. He’s an ex-CIA asset who did so much crazy shit, they dropped his ass. And he’s responsible for whatever happened to Dembe… Red agrees it’s not good at all.

Blacklister

The Djinn is in the business of vengeance, aiding people in exacting revenge on others who have wronged them; for the right price, of course. She also has possession of a book that holds the names of people who can mayhap get Liz out of her mess. Can it also get her out of this funk? It’s not cute.

Something, something Dark Web

Fresh from his visit with Red and Liz, Aram clues in Ressler and Navabi about what Red wants from the FBI: how to find The Djinn. He tells them about The Djinn; what she does and how she makes it happen using the Dark Web and a message site that looks suspiciously like IMVU.

Get a grip

Businessman Bahram Bakhash is kidnapped and tortured by his daughter, Nasim.

The A-Team

Although The Djinn’s acts of vigilantism have occurred all over the world, Navabi and Aram discover that two of the events have negatively impacted a local company owned by Bahram Bakhash, who has just been kidnapped with no ransom demand issued. Coincidentally, his company is at the same time, facing the threat of a hostile takeover.

The Real A-Team

Cooper and Tom discuss Mission: Find Karakurt. Tom realizes this mission is way off the books once he learns Cooper was downgraded. As if infiltrating a crime ring isn’t hard enough; if he’s caught, he’s on his own. Tom reads up on a spoiled billionaire who thinks he’s down, and tells Cooper that’s the way in to Karakurt. With a little help from Cooper, Tom concocts a fake identity, complete with back story, all while shopping, getting fitted by a tailor, getting a haircut, even just standing on the street. This man is amazing.

What a twist

Turns out The Djinn isn’t who Liz thought she was. Red tracks her to her home where they learn Alice is just the face of the operation. Sensing her ambition, Red makes her an offer—the real identity of The Djinn and he’ll pave the way for her own operation, one that isn’t quite so..e vil. Of course Alice concedes and spills all the tea. Nasim Bakhash created The Djinn and this system of exacting revenge because of her father. In finding out his son, Nasir, was gay, he forced him to have a sex reassignment surgery, to make him female, thus making her Nasim. That is not what I was expecting.

Red’s Best Line

“Honestly, is it just me or is the human race, armed with religion, poisoned by prejudice, and absolutely frantic with hatred and fear, galloping pell-mell back to the Dark Ages? Who on Earth is hurt by a little girl going to school or a child being gay?”

Escape Plan

Fashioning a shiv out of spoon handle, Dembe and Mr. Vargas hatch an escape plan. They take out a couple of Mr. Solomon’s men and steal a getaway truck. Miles away and seemingly safe, Dembe finds an ad in the newspaper—his way to find Red. Only that little sneak Mr. Vargas shoots him and takes off with the info to give to Mr. Solomon. Never trust a man with a bad wig.

Dangerously in love

Aram lets it slip that Tom offered to help Ressler find Liz and her heart soared. I’m pretty sure fireworks went off above her head and that Red saw them, too. Armed with this knowledge, and against Red’s advice, Liz hits up Tom and they pine for each other via Ma Bell. Her halfhearted attempts at trying to get him to not get involved with helping her don’t work; he ends her call with a little 1-4-3.

Every girl’s crazy ‘bout a sharp dressed man

Posing as Mr. Wainwright, in a dope ass black suit, Tom gains entry to an underground casino to meet his mark, Asher Sutton. Needless to say, Sutton falls for his story hook, line, and sinker and our guy is in.

Red is so Red

Red arranges for an escape from the Bakhash residence and offers Nasim the chance to go with them, if she gives up the journal with the Cabal names. Even though she gives him the book he reneges, leaving her (and the book sans two pages) to face the FBI, keeping his promise to Alice.