There’s no doubt that Megan Boone’s departure from The Blacklist altered the course of NBC’s renowned crime drama. But why did Megan Boone leave Blacklist, and who made the decision to murder Boone’s character? We’ve got all the answers right here.
The narrative of Raymond ‘Red’ Reddington (James Spader), a former US Naval Intelligence officer who becomes a high-profile criminal, is told in NBC’s long-running crime drama The Blacklist.
After evading detection for decades, Reddington surrenders to the FBI and hands up the “Blacklist,” a list of the world’s most dangerous criminals.
In exchange for protection from prosecution, he works with FBI special agent Elizabeth Keen, played by Boone, to assist in catching the culprits. Boone was a member of the show’s original cast for eight seasons before leaving in 2021.
Why Did Megan Boone Leave Blacklist?
The Blacklist starred James Spader as criminal mastermind Raymond (Red) Reddington and Jena Boone as FBI agent Liz.
The show’s description states that Boone’s character “must decide how far she is willing to go to find out why Reddington has entered her life and what his true endgame is.”
It goes on to state: “The fallout between Reddington and Keen will have devastating consequences for all that lie in their wake, including the Task Force they helped to create.”
Both Spader and Boone were original cast members of The Blacklist, which premiered in 2013, although Boone did not return for season nine.
According to Deadline, her exit from the show was a mutual choice.
According to Deadline, “Season 8 has completed Liz’s transformation from a wide-eyed rookie FBI agent to a criminal on the run who has embraced her dark side.”
Red wants Liz to kill him in the season finale, but she refuses. Liz, on the other hand, is shot in the back by a gunman, who is eventually murdered by Red.
How was Elizabeth Keen Written Off The Blacklist?
To explain Boone’s anticipated exit at the end of Season 8, writers changed Liz from an FBI agent to a dangerous criminal (it’s later revealed that she was No. 1 on the Blacklist).
She turned against her former tutor after witnessing Reddington murder her mother. (The episode implied that Red was Liz’s original mother, Katarina Rostova, who underwent facial reconstruction surgery to become Reddington.)
Red wants Liz to kill him and save him from his terminal sickness in the Season 8 finale, “Konets,” so that she can appear “untouchable” to the rest of the blacklist. He tries to persuade her by promising to deliver her a letter from her mother.
When Liz is unable to shoot Red, one of Neville’s cronies shoots her in the back when she is meeting with Red. She collapsed into Red’s arms, bled out, and died, effectively ending her character’s story.
In October 2021, John Eisendrath informed Entertainment Weekly that her death had a significant impact on other characters. “Liz’s death has had a profound effect on our characters is inevitable but where they’ve landed in her absence is surprising and wide-ranging,” he said.
He added that despite the loss of Liz, “the criminal world has just kept ticking along, which at a certain point becomes impossible for our heroes to ignore.”
What has Megan Boone Done Since Leaving The Blacklist?
Before joining The Blacklist in 2013, Boone had roles in Law & Order: SVU from 2010 to 2011, as well as Sex And The City 2.
Boone has also appeared in a number of independent films, including Stephen Elliott’s 2012 feature Cherry.
She also won the Best Actor Award at the 2012 Gen Art Film Festival for her performance in Adele Romanski’s play Leave Me Like You Found Me.
The actress was also seen in the Amazon limited series The Underground Railroad, which premiered in 2021 and is based on Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel.
She established her own production business, Weird Sister, and inked a partnership with Sony Pictures Television in 2021.
“Weird Sister is woman-led and embraces difference,” Boone said of the company.
“I view alternative perspectives and abnormalities as essential strengths in the people I collaborate with, the character-driven stories I want to tell and the unique worlds I look forward to crafting with a diverse team of collaborators.”
She made an appearance on the Fox crime drama Accused in 2023.
Final Words
As fans await the Season 10 premiere, they may reflect on Megan Boone’s Elizabeth Keen’s impactful journey and The Blacklist’s enduring legacy. The show has fascinated audiences for years, and it continues to bring suspense, mystery, and surprise twists despite cast changes.
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