Ep 17. Ivan

The Blacklist season 1 episode 17, named "Ivan", follows the story of a Russian spy who seeks asylum in the United States. The episode starts with a team of FBI agents investigating the death of a Russian janitor working in a secret military facility. The team believes that the janitor was killed because he discovered a spy among the facility's personnel. The investigation leads the team to Ivan, a former Russian intelligence agent and the only person with the knowledge and skills to carry out the heist.

As the FBI team races against time to locate Ivan, Elizabeth Keen discovers that he has been seeking asylum in the US for years. Ivan appears to be a man driven by a sense of justice and human decency, yet his past as a spy and his involvement with several murders make him a dangerous man to deal with.

Another subplot in the episode involves Agent Ressler's ongoing investigation of Elizabeth Keen's husband Tom. Ressler believes that Tom is hiding something and is determined to uncover his secrets. Meanwhile, Elizabeth's relationship with Tom is becoming increasingly strained as she struggles to balance her demanding job with her personal life.

The episode climaxes with the FBI's pursuit of Ivan, who is in possession of a deadly virus capable of killing millions of people. The chase takes the team to a remote area where they engage Ivan in a deadly standoff. The tense and gripping action sequences that follow lead to a surprising twist in the end, as Ivan's true motivations are revealed.

Overall, The Blacklist season 1 episode 17 is a riveting and suspenseful thriller that showcases the show's strengths in storytelling, character development, and action. It highlights the complex themes of justice, morality, and political intrigue that are at the heart of the show, while setting the stage for the season's final episodes. Fans of the show will not be disappointed.