"A pissed-off drifter with nothing to lose": When this Alan Ritchson line in Reacher summed up the iconic Lee Child character

Prime Video's Lee Child adaptation Reacher has seen a major streaming success over the years. Our titular hero (portrayed by Alan Ritchson) is a character that has multiple layers but the arc has been consistent for the three seasons so far.

He is introduced as a 'drifter' in Reacher Season 1 - someone who always lands up in trouble. And in the next two seasons, we don't see a lot of evolution in the protagonist's journey (except the fact that the premises are different).

Lee Child's iconic character is a man of moral values who likes to remain detached from the society and even his close ones. So in Reacher Season 1 Episode 3, when our beloved antagonist pays a visit to a person of interest to get crucial information and is asked about who he actually is, Reacher replies(and it makes quite sense):

"I am a pissed-off drifter with nothing to lose."

Jack Reacher is a drifter and a lone wolf but a hero with a heart of gold

Jack Reacher is an ex-army who remains off the radar moving from one place to another with just a toothbrush and a few dollars in his pocket. Reacher tries to steer clear from trouble but trouble always seems to find him. That explains why he always puts up a 'pissed off' aura and even though he appears like a bully, he is soft on the inside and kind towards good people.

Reacher's tough appearance hides his inner turmoil despite which he always strives to serve the society and help the ones in need (one instance is from Reacher Season 3 where he acts like a father figure to Zachary Beck's son and even protects him). Being a war veteran, his experience gives him an advantage during combats but his presence of mind is also worth the mention.

That is what helps him to deal with situations (like we see in the scene from Reacher Season 1 Episode 3 where he manipulates a man called Zacarias Perez investigating the Margrave murders) by playing mind games and sometimes using force. Reacher's strength gives him the upper hand but his intelligence adds beauty to Lee Child's iconic creation.

The "nothing to lose" part signifies that he has no family or close ones as such. Reacher has been close to his only brother Joe Reacher since childhood.. However, over the years, the two of them eventually grew apart - probably because of Reacher's aloof nature.

So when Joe gets murdered right in the first season of Reacher, the shock of the incident sends him down a dangerous path of vengeance and the search for truth. Reacher does not think twice before taking risks as he has no one to provide for or support except himself.

He is a lone wolf but when a need arises, he's always there looking out for the people around him (like the time when he got his whole team together including Frances Neagley in Reacher Season 2 when one of them gets murdered). Even his love life keeps moving to and fro which is probably another consequence of him being a drifter.

Trending

Stay tuned to Soap Central for regular updates on daily soaps, TV shows and movies.

Also Read: Reacher Season 4 might fulfill major fan wish from Lee Child’s novels

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback