James Spade and the show's writers have created a character that has outgrown the show and, ultimately, has outgrown the show's finale. The writers have ceded control.
Reddington is loyal to the people who are loyal to him. Loyalty is the bedrock of cooperation, which is the bedrock of civilisation. Even though, to a large extent, markets have replaced long-term relationships that used to demand loyalty, loyalty---albeit in a different guise---is still called upon. Equally important as loyalty to people is loyalty to principles: the principles that make markets functional by protecting basic freedoms and enforcing contracts. What Reddington had perfected was loyalty to people and loyalty to a constitution---the Constitution, perhaps, if constitution has the uniqueness property. The show does not say whether it does.
