I firmly believe that Reacher's final fate in the show might not be in line with Lee Child's work (and it's not a bad thing)

Lee Child's iconic creation, Jack Reacher, is a character who is built on several storeys, and each level holds a different side of him. The character, being an ex-military, portrays toughness and resilience.

But at his core is also a person who is kind-hearted, generous, and someone ready to go to any length to make sure that justice is served to those who deserve it. He has also been known to be a drifter who never likes to settle for small or in one place (not that he doesn't care about family or friends).

It is just what it is! So when I was watching Reacher Season 3 (and also closely observing every small change being made in the new chapter), I felt an inclination on our titular hero's part towards becoming a family man. His closeness to Zachary Beck's son from day one of the Quinn operation had me wondering.

Is Reacher really changing about how he wants things from life? Am I witnessing a father figure in him through his care and affection for Richard Beck? Well, that is not how Lee Child's Persuader exactly goes, and I think we have multiple possibilities on the table when it comes down to his final fate on the Prime Video show.

Disclaimer: This article solely contains the writer's opinion. Please be advised.

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I think the way Reacher ends might be a bit different from Lee Child's novel

I must say that it has been quite the rocky road for Reacher and his federal buddies in Season 3 - not to mention its profound impact on the titular character's evolution so far. Action peaked in some episodes, while some were more dramatic.

But I think the pivot of the story was seeded in the throwback episode involving Major Dominique Kohl, which is exactly the point from which the plot culminates. However, in the process of bringing another intense chapter to the small screens, did the creators unknowingly (or knowingly) change small details in the character arc of Reacher?

Starting from a fake kidnapping (designed to penetrate Zachary Beck and Quinn's dirty business) to Beck Sr.'s death, Reacher has been around Richard Beck a lot, guiding him with life lessons and how to follow his dreams. Reacher also protected him from the bullies when the two went to town to buy things.

Not only that, the trust and bond have been both ways on their part (Richard comes to learn a major portion of Reacher's actual purpose in his life, but still does not blow his cover out in the open). That is also one strong reason, which I believe, why Reacher decides to protect Beck's son in the fatal showdown between him and Xavier Quinn.

So, Reacher's final conversation with Richard in 'Unfinished Business' struck a chord which never rang for me before and made me feel that our titular hero is being portrayed as a father figure. That could also materialize into something more soon, thus bringing his story to a much-deserved happy ending.

Reacher's sinusoidal love curve is also one consequence of his characteristic feature - the fact that he never settles down with anyone (maybe he is scared of commitment). But I would not be absolutely surprised if he finally comes across his first love interest, Roscoe, once again (from Season 1, with whom he has chemistry, has been the best so far), and decides to embark on a new journey with his own family.

Losing his mother to illness and his brother to an untimely encounter, Reacher's chronicles have been heartbreaking so far, not to mention the periodic PTSD of war. I think he is probably always scared to death about losing someone close to him again.

That is why he is fierce when it comes to protecting his loved ones, and that might lead him to a brand new journey - he also might finally get those dogs he has always been talking about (Reacher wanted to have four or five of them, which he mentions in the second season). Also, before parting ways in Season 3, Reacher gets closure from Susan Duffy about their relationship, and this time it was different.

He is usually the one to call things off with his love interests and get on with his life. Does this mean the tables have turned on him now? Will the realization of finally settling down with someone dawn on him?

That might be the case, and it would also make sense. So, I believe Reacher going somewhere quiet, marrying a woman he loves, and starting a different chapter (for good) would be the best conclusion to his story - even though it will not be the way we know him from Lee Child's book.

That is why I think Reacher Season 3 hits a different note from the previous chapters. It is definitely not a conclusion to his story yet, but it might be the point in the timeline from which his character starts evolving.

Also, the way he advises Richard Beck to take whatever is left of his father's wealth and be gone for good clearly indicates his concern about the young boy. Reacher did get involved in a nasty operation that also had to do something with personal vendetta, but he did not lose his innocence in the process, not to mention that it also highlighted a 'never-seen-before' shade of the character.

So, I am convinced that the final fate of Reacher will be different from the books, and it will not be that bad. For a person who has always been on the run, saving lives, fighting, and moving on every time, he deserves the comfort of home. Though he is scared of being attached, Reacher needs the love of a family, and I would say that he will do good at living life differently for a time.

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Also Read: Quinn's death in Reacher Season 3 finale has me convinced that it all wrapped up too hasty