Jack Reacher Author Lee Child Found One Part Of The Prime Video Series Heartbreaking

This post contains spoilers for "Reacher" through to season 3.

Lee Child created Jack Reacher as a morally sound Goliath figure. In simple terms, Reacher embodies Goliath's brute strength and physicality, but his motivations are more well-intentioned than his mythical counterpart. There's moral ambiguity thrown into the mix as well, as Reacher is not above killing bad guys who deserve it. But at the same time, he follows a personal moral code that is rooted in doing what's right, even when he would rather be drifting along the streets like the vagabond he is. Yes, Jack Reacher has always been a reluctant hero, as he embodies the soul of a drifter who never sticks around or settles down. In a 2022 interview with Shortlist, Child emphasized that this is the character's core trait, adding that it saddens him because Reacher always has to leave behind memorable characters to stay true to his drifter instincts.

The full force of this sentiment is felt at the end of "Reacher" season 1, where the titular protagonist (played to perfection by Alan Ritchson) leaves behind the sweet, resourceful Roscoe (Willa Fitzgerald) in Margrave despite forming a romantic connection with her. Roscoe makes a powerful impression on us (and Reacher) throughout the first season, to the point that Reacher almost considers halting his vagabond journey to spend more time with the person he loves. This also means that Reacher and Roscoe will probably never cross paths again, thus robbing us of a beloved character we would've liked to see more of in the series. Here's what Child had to say about these developments at the end of season 1:

"And I knew that Reacher was going to be a drifter who never stuck around, which meant that in the final chapter of the book ['Killing Floor'], we were leaving behind all those other characters. I remember being really sad about that, that I would never see those characters again. And I felt exactly the same thing watching this season. We get to the end, and we know Reacher is going to move on. We know we're not going to see these other characters again, and I felt exactly the same sadness because they were fantastic in this TV series — the supporting cast is magnificent."

Let's dig deeper into this bittersweet aspect of Reacher's journey and how it has manifested in the show so far. 

Roscoe is not the only person Reacher leaves behind in the series, as his inability to settle down also affects old friends, acquaintances, and lovers, old and new. In season 2, Reacher is forced to confront his vulnerabilities, as it is clear that he regrets missing out on the key life events that were important to his closest friends. The missed opportunity to be emotionally vulnerable with longtime love interest Karla (Serinda Swan) also takes a subtle toll on Reacher, as he's acutely aware that he cannot offer her traditional commitment. Season 3 then shifts gears with the refreshingly straightforward Susan Duffy (Sonya Cassidy), who accepts Reacher as is and makes the most out of their limited time together. No matter who he's drawn to, Reacher always has to leave; it's a fact as inevitable as the laws of nature or physics.

You might be thinking: Why doesn't Reacher simply choose to settle down after a lifetime of frenetic action and undercover missions? Well, the answer is rather complicated, but Child fleshes it out in his Reacher novels extensively for our benefit. You see, the shadow of the military has always loomed over Reacher, with his father being a Marine and his childhood being spent on several military bases. This undoubtedly shaped Reacher's worldview, but years of service (and his time at the 110th Special Investigations Unit) exposed him to several instances of military malpractice, along with the harsh truth of soldiers being expected to follow orders at all costs. Disillusioned by the narrow confines of bureaucratic divisions and military organizations, Reacher chose to be free ever since, vowing never to settle down in one place.

In "Reacher," we are intimately aware of the pain that Reacher feels while leaving people behind, even when he doesn't express it directly via sentimental words or actions. (All credit goes to Ritchson's nuanced performance.) After all, Jack Reacher isn't heartless, and his decision to keep drifting doesn't stem from a desire to hurt or abandon others. This is how Reacher functions, even if the process makes him feel deeply alone or miss the people he met along the way.

"Reacher" is currently streaming on Prime Video.