Blacklist cast season 8 episode 5

Elizabeth Keen will soon be off The Blacklists radar.

Original cast member Megan Boone is set to depart the long-running NBC drama at the end of Season 8. She will make her last appearance as a series regular in the June 23 finale.

According to Deadline, Boones exit was plotted ahead ofThe Blacklists Season 9 pickup in January, which afforded the writers ample time to craft Lizs final arc. Season 8 has seen the onetime FBI agent on the run after making an attempt on Raymond Reddingtons life.

Following the Jan. 29 episode, Boone was absent from nine straight episodes or half of the season thus far and returned in the April 23 installment. Since then, Liz has evaded multiple attempts on herown life, courtesy of crime boss Neville Townsend, and now seemingly stands on the precipice of getting long-awaited answers from Red about his past and their relationship.

The Blacklist returns with its penultimate Season 8 episode on a new night, Wednesday at 10/9c. When Reddington takes Liz to the mysterious epicenter of his empire, their shared past reveals itself and long buried secrets are divulged, the logline reads.

With Boone set to exit, James Spader [as Red], Diego Klattenhoff [Agent Ressler] and Harry Lennix [FBI boss Harold Cooper] are the last remaining series regulars from Season 1. NBC had no comment on Boones status.

Are you shocked [and/or saddened] to hear that Boone is leaving The Blacklist? And what are your hopes for Lizs exit storyline? Hit the comments with your reactions to the news.