The Blacklist: What Did We Learn About Liz's Past?

Raymond Reddington may have finally met his match.

Season 4 of The Blacklist opened with a bang -- or, to be more precise, a crash -- on Thursday. Just when Red (James Spader) thought he and Mr. Kaplan (Susan Blommaert) were bringing baby Agnes to safety, their car was T-boned by one of Alexander Kirk's (Ulrich Thomsen) henchmen. Apparently, Kirk is going to stop at nothing to keep Liz Keen (Megan Boone) and her daughter out of Red's clutches.

In fact, that's what he's (allegedly) been trying to do his whole life. According to Kirk, his connection to Red is that Red had an affair with his wife Katarina, Liz/Masha's mother, and kidnapped Liz when she was a little girl after her mother broke off the affair. Kirk says he (like all of us) even wondered at one point whether Red could be Liz's father, but he supposedly has proof that Red isn't. Oh, and also? He tells her he has a blood disorder and is dying. She seems unconcerned, to put it mildly.

Blacklist boss answers your burning questions about Season 4

Kirk spins a convincing yarn, and tries to appeal to Liz by pointing out that they both have similar goals -- keeping their children away from Red Reddington at all costs. The only problem with that is that Red seems equally determined to keep Liz and Agnes away from Kirk. He goes to extreme measures (including severing a man's head) to find out where Kirk has taken Liz and Agnes, only to miss an abducted Liz by seconds when he arrives at Kirk's compound.

Tom's trying to make his way to his wife and daughter as well, after escaping his abductors and narrowly avoiding being placed into a shallow grave he was forced to dig for himself.

Meanwhile, back at the FBI, Liz's former colleagues are trying to wrap their heads around her betrayal. Aram is particularly resentful, but still willing to help Liz out of a jam, while Samar is willing to wash her hands of the matter, noting that Liz is merely dealing with the consequences of her own actions.

What did you think, Blacklist fans? Is Kirk telling the truth? Will Liz's colleagues ever trust her again? And how badly hurt are Red and Mr. Kaplan? Sound off in the comments!

The Blacklist airs Thursdays at 10/9c on NBC.