Warning! This article contains spoilers for Reacher season 3’s episode 7.
The more Reacher season 3 progresses, the more it becomes hard not to notice one harsh reality about Alan Ritchson’s Jack Reacher. As Reacher‘s seasons have advanced, Alan Ritchson has seemingly immersed himself in the character more deeply. While he has done an incredible job portraying the character in all three seasons, he seems to be a better fit for the role in season 3 than in the earlier seasons. He not only perfectly embodies the character physically but also manages to capture how Reacher says a lot without saying anything at all.
There have been moments in all three Reacher seasons where the Alan Ritchson character has shown unbelievable feats of strength. However, the poise and confidence with which Alan Ritchson carries himself when he portrays Jack Reacher almost makes his nearly superhuman strength believable. With each new episode, Ritchson has also managed to portray one of the darker aspects of Reacher’s personality, which has been more evident than ever in season 3’s last few episodes.
For Someone Who Likes Rules, Reacher Acts Like He’s Above Them
Reacher Cares Little About The Overarching Justice System
Since Reacher season 1, the Alan Ritchson character has followed a fixed set of rules during his investigations. He keeps preaching about how one can never rely on assumptions and even reminds all his enemies that he leaves them alone if they leave him and his friends alone. Even when it comes to his “hobo” lifestyle, he sticks to one concrete rule: his toothbrush has to be his only constant possession. His long rule book includes many other guidelines he strictly follows, proving that he loves organizing his life with a fixed set of principles.
When Duffy and Villanueva call him out for mindlessly killing men and leaving it to them to clear his trail of blood, he remains unapologetic, justifying his actions by convincing himself that the men he kills deserve to die.
However, despite being so drawn to the idea of following his own rules, Reacher seems to care little about the rules that others expect him to follow. When Duffy and Villanueva call him out for mindlessly killing men and leaving it to them to clear his trail of blood, he remains unapologetic, justifying his actions by convincing himself that the men he kills deserve to die. Even in Reacher season 3’s episode 7, he refuses to comply with the two DEA agents and the ATF as he sets out to kill Xavier Quinn by himself with a sniper rifle.
Reacher Is More Of An Antihero Than A Traditional Hero
Reacher Crosses Many Moral Boundaries During His Missions
Image via Prime Video
When Duffy tries to assure Reacher that justice will be served to Quinn after the ATF catches him, the Alan Ritchson character almost seems to morph into a young Batman as he quotes, “I don’t want justice, I want revenge.” Given how Quinn is a ruthless murderer who tortured Dominique Kohl to death, it is understandable where Reacher’s hate and resentment for him come from. One can see why Reacher does not want to spare him and hand him over to law enforcement.
Reacher season 3’s finale, “Unfinished Business,” is scheduled to be released on Amazon Prime Video on March 27, 2025.
However, this is not the first time Reacher has taken justice into his own hands without considering the moral implications of his actions. Almost throughout Reacher season 2, the Alan Ritchson character and his former team members from the 110th Special Investigation Unit went on a ruthless killing spree against the bad guys.
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Even in season 3, Reacher showed no qualms about killing bad guys like Angel. The way he aggressively charges toward his enemies while caring little about the justice system makes him less of a traditional hero. In just three seasons, he has mercilessly killed many men, and his body count will likely be even higher by the time season 3 ends. Owing to this, it would be fair to call him an anti-hero, whose moral scale is undoubtedly skewed.
Reacher Season 3 Is Addressing His Moral Flaws In A Way Season 2 Didn’t
He Is Finally Being Called Out For His Actions
In Reacher season 1, Roscoe and Finlay initially questioned Reacher’s ways but, surprisingly, became more and more like him towards the end. The titular character’s allies in season 2, who also served his team members in the military, were, at times, even more ruthless than him. Karla Dixon, Frances Neagley, and David O’Donnell supported Reacher when he brutally murdered his enemies and served as accomplices to his crimes instead of trying to stop him. Fortunately, the character’s allies in Reacher season 3 are significantly different.
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Reacher Key Facts Breakdown |
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Created By |
Nick Santora |
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Rotten Tomatoes Critics’ Score |
96% |
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Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
84% |
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Based On |
Lee Child Jack Reacher book series |
Instead of letting Reacher do whatever he pleases and letting him get away with his actions, Duffy and Villanueva call him out. Although they have not been able to stop him, Duffy and Reacher’s conflict in season 3’s episode 7 shows how stubborn Reacher can be when it comes to his moral code and refusal to defy his principles. Duffy and Villanueva’s presence in Reacher season 3 shows that the titular character might be on a slippery slope, where his anti-heroism seemingly makes him walk the thin line between moral righteousness and pure evil.
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