The Blacklist brought a brutal cult to the FBI in “The Vehm.†Liz and Tom have discussions about their baby and the future, and Red is definitely concerned that a baby may not be the best thing right now. But, crime doesn’t stop, and the FBI task force has a particularly nasty case this week with The Vehm.
As if the prospect of a cult weren’t bad enough, the first victim is a clown. He was killed using a medieval torture device. Reddington believes it’s the work of The Vehm, a vigilante group that wants to punish sinners. One of Red’s associates was killed by The Vehm, so while the task force investigates, Red conducts his own investigation.
Ressler and Samar find out that The Vehm are targeting pedophiles. They stumble upon the Vehm’s hideout, and they capture one and kill another. During the autopsy, they find out that all of the cult members are eunuchs. During interrogation, their captured Vehm member reveals that they were all once child abusers who have been cleansed. He made a deal as a part of his early release from prison to castrate himself. The Vehm members believed that they have been cleansed and are now going after other sinners. They believe that they are the children’s protectors now.
Meanwhile, Liz is not convinced that the profiles the Vehm has on their targets are completely legitimate. There are major inconsistencies from the actual police documents. Red’s convinced that the Vehm are being manipulated into killing for someone else’s agenda. His associate may have been many things, but Red knew that none of it ever involved children. Unfortunately, the Vehm are already after their next victim.
The leader, a Catholic Cardinal, has been using the Vehm to build his money laundering business by having them take out his competition. Reddington finds the Cardinal first, and makes him an offer he can’t refuse. He asks for the Cardinal to order the Vehm away from their target and back to the church. Red promises to offer up a fellow money launderer and then keep him safe from the feds.
Little did the Cardinal know that he was signing his own death warrant. When the Vehm arrived back at the church they took the Cardinal. He was manipulating them for personal gain, and it was their turn to seek justice against him. Liz and Samar get to the church, but it’s too late. The Cardinal is gone. They ask Reddington if he got rid of the Cardinal to expand his business. He answers yes very frankly. He claims that he is preparing for war.
At the beginning of the episode, Liz was creating a Pro vs Con list about her baby. She is clearly not sure what she wants. Tom shows up and suggests that they start over in Boston with their “kid.†Liz is confused since she hasn’t yet told Tom about the baby, but in walks a new dog that I suppose Tom adopted. Of course, Tom finds the Pro vs Con list after Liz goes to work, and he is very sure about what he wants.
Tom wants to be a family again. That has been clear for some time now, but is that what Liz wants? She realizes that all of the cons on her list are fixable except for Reddington. Red reveals to Liz that he has known about her pregnancy for some time now. He says to Liz, “I know you want to believe that our work is done, but it’s not. The addition of a child will make that infinitely more difficult.†Red does clear up what he means by letting Liz know that there is no right time to have a baby. But, that doesn’t mean he won’t be supportive of Liz.
Red was so supportive that he sent her neighbor to live somewhere else and set up a surveillance shop in the apartment across the hall from Liz’s. Now, he has eyes on her 24/7. That must have been the last straw for Liz because she went inside and immediately called an adoption agency. She said that she wants to put her baby up for adoption. I hope that Tom can convince her otherwise, and is Red going to be upset when he finds out?
