The Blacklist villains were unlike those of any other TV show. While most series set up a clear battle between good and evil, The Blacklist thrived in moral ambiguity. James Spader’s Raymond “Red” Reddington wasn’t a hero, but the most dangerous criminal on the planet. Yet for years, audiences happily sided with him over whoever challenged his throne.
Despite the series’ gallery of chilling antagonists, Red always had fan support. The Director (David Strathairn) was formidable, Berlin (Peter Stormare) was ruthless, and Neville Townsend (Reg Rogers) was terrifying. However, none were capable of shifting the balance. No matter how dangerous or cunning they seemed, viewers were firmly behind Red’s victory – until a familiar face turned against him.
That moment came with Mr. Kaplan (Susan Blommaert). More than any other character, she redefined what made The Blacklist villains so compelling. Her transformation from loyal fixer to vengeful enemy was shocking, but what mattered more was the audience reaction. For the first time, fans wanted Red to lose.
Mr. Kaplan Was The Blacklist’s Best Villain
Mr. Kaplan Stood Apart Because She Was Both Personal And Principled
Mr. Kaplan, introduced in the second episode of The Blacklist season 1, “The Freelancer,” was first portrayed as Raymond Reddington’s trusted cleaner – a meticulous figure who handled Red’s messes with icy precision. For years, she existed on the periphery, a silent enforcer who made the criminal underworld’s most dangerous man look untouchable. Yet her loyalty made her eventual betrayal all the more devastating.
The Blacklist villains often reflected Red’s world of espionage, power, and shifting loyalties. However, unlike Berlin or Townsend, Mr. Kaplan wasn’t motivated by greed, vengeance, or raw ambition. She represented morality within the immorality, someone who acted from principle rather than self-interest. When she turned against Red, her reasoning wasn’t about control – it was about protection.
Compared to villains like Alexander Kirk (Ulrich Thomsen), who had grand schemes and manipulative mind games, Mr. Kaplan’s power came from her humanity. She knew Red intimately – his strengths, his weaknesses, and his lies. That made her infinitely more dangerous than any faceless operative or global mastermind who came before her.
Her storyline also had emotional weight. Unlike The Director, who embodied the CIA’s shadowy bureaucracy, or Berlin, who was driven by revenge, Mr. Kaplan represented betrayal at its deepest level. She wasn’t just another opponent in Red’s endless cycle of enemies; she was family, and she weaponized that bond against him.
Ultimately, Mr. Kaplan was The Blacklist’s best villain because she forced both Red and the audience to confront uncomfortable truths. She was proof that the most threatening adversary isn’t the one with the biggest army or the most elaborate plan – it’s the one who knows where the bodies are buried.
The Blacklist Made It Easy To Root For Mr. Kaplan
Mr. Kaplan’s Motives Made Her Feel Like A Hero Rather Than A Villain
The Blacklist villains were always fun to watch, but Mr. Kaplan’s rise to antagonist made her sympathetic in a way no other villain could match. She wasn’t just another criminal; she was a guardian. Having been Elizabeth Keen’s (Megan Boone) nanny and protector, Mr. Kaplan carried a maternal bond with Liz that reshaped the conflict into something deeply personal.
Fans weren’t simply drawn to her because she could challenge Red’s empire (though she certainly could, and with gusto). They rooted for her because her motives were pure. Mr. Kaplan didn’t want power or riches; she wanted Liz to be free from Red’s orbit, knowing he brought danger everywhere he went. Her actions weren’t malicious but protective.
This sense of justice became even sharper after Red shot her in season 4. It was one of the show’s most shocking moments, not only because of the violence but because of who the target was. Red’s decision was ruthless, and it fundamentally shifted how audiences saw him. For once, his charisma couldn’t excuse his brutality.
Mr. Kaplan also had another quality that made her stand out: brilliance. The Blacklist villains were often strategic masterminds, but Kaplan was on a different level. She dismantled Red’s operation with meticulous efficiency, turning his own tools against him. Watching her pull the strings gave her the aura of a chess grandmaster, always one move ahead.
Add in Susan Blommaert’s performance – cool, calm, and chilling – and Mr. Kaplan became the rare villain who was impossible not to cheer for. She wasn’t just challenging Red; she was giving voice to the audience’s frustrations with his lies and manipulations. That’s why rooting for her didn’t feel like rooting for evil, but rooting for truth.
Was Mr. Kaplan Actually In The Right In Blacklist?
Mr. Kaplan Exposed The Blurred Morality At The Heart Of The Show
The villains in The Blacklist all had their shades of gray, but Mr. Kaplan was the one who blurred the line between villain and hero most effectively. On one hand, she was absolutely in the right. Red had manipulated and endangered Liz for years, and Kaplan was the only person brave enough to stand against him for her protection.
Her argument was simple but powerful: Liz would never be safe while Red remained in her life (and she was proved right when Liz eventually died). Kaplan wasn’t just acting out of revenge; she was acting out of love. Her campaign against Red, however destructive, was built on a desire to free Liz from a toxic cycle. From that angle, her rebellion looked more heroic than villainous.
Yet, Kaplan wasn’t blameless. Her war on Red endangered countless innocent lives. In her quest to expose him, she unleashed chaos that rippled beyond her intentions. She believed she was protecting Liz, but her methods – calculated and ruthless, and bloody – meant she was still very much a part of the darkness she opposed.
This duality is why Kaplan’s story resonated so strongly. Rooting for her didn’t feel wrong, but it didn’t feel entirely right either. She represented the gray morality at the heart of The Blacklist – a reminder that even the best intentions can come at a terrible cost. That tension is what made her unforgettable.
