The Terminal List: Dark Wolf - How Chris Pratt's James Reece fits into the prequel, explained

Amazon Prime Video's latest action thriller, The Terminal List: Dark Wolf, premiered on August 27, 2025, with three episodes. This series is a prequel to the 2022 hit show, The Terminal List, starring Chris Pratt as James Reece. The Terminal List was based on the life of James Reece, a US Navy SEAL officer whose entire platoon was ambushed during a mission. As he investigates and digs deeper into this, he faces new challenges and dangers that not only put his life but also his family's life at risk as well.

However, in The Terminal List: Dark Wolf, Reece's story takes a backseat, and instead, it focuses on Taylor Kitsch's Ben Edwards. It is set seven years before the events of The Terminal List, when Reece and Edwards were each other's strongest confidants.

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How does James Reece's storyline fit in The Terminal List: Dark Wolf?

Even though The Terminal List: Dark Wolf does not centre on Chris Pratt's James Reece, he plays a pivotal role in Ben Edwards' backstory. Set in 2015, seven years before the events of the flagship series, The Terminal List: Dark Wolf gives us a Reece who has not yet been scarred by betrayal and loss. He's a disciplined Navy SEAL. The viewers would get to witness the early days of his career.

At this stage, Reece is the steady hand among brothers who are grappling with shifting allegiances and murky missions. We see Reece as a mentor, friend, and teammate in The Terminal List: Dark Wolf. The bond between Edwards and Reece is heartwarming, and it is this established relationship that makes the betrayals and fractures more tragic.

In the premiere episodes of the latest series, we see a softer and more human side of James Reece. In a quiet campfire scene, he gifts personal tokens to his teammates. He gives a fresh copy of Once an Eagle, a novel on military leadership, to Edwards and gifts Raife Hastings a compass from his father's time in Vietnam. While Boozer also receives a photograph of Reece's daughter.

While the plotline majorly revolves around Ben Edwards, Reese's role is critical a well. He's present for the high-stakes operation in Mosul that unravels into disaster. He stands firmly with Edwards during the choices that push him out of the SEALs. Most importantly, Reece stands in solidarity when Edwards and Raife are stripped of their Tridents, even offering to share their punishment.

Chris Pratt on playing James Reece in The Terminal List: Dark Wolf

Reece's limited screen time is intentional. The Terminal List: Dark Wolf uses him as a bridge between the past and future. For fans waiting for Season 2 of The Terminal List, the prequel sets the stage. Reece doesn't dominate the narrative, but his presence deepens it. By showing him before the tragedy, the series reminds us why his later quest for revenge carried emotional weight.

Speaking to UPI about his character in The Terminal List: Dark Wolf, Chris Pratt teased,

"This is the lightest version of Reece you'll probably see, because it's seven years before, of course, he loses his entire team, before he loses his family. Reece is still a commander in the SEALs. He is a Mustang lieutenant who's on the edge of life and death every single day, so the stakes are high."

Talking about James Reece's relationship with the platoon during such chaotic times, Pratt revealed

"You will see a level of very authentic camaraderie that happens between these guys. They're giving each other [expletive] and they're having fun and there is a special bond of love and a real brotherhood that even when I watch it, I'm kind of jealous of it. I'm like, 'Man, that's so cool.' These guys are like the coolest fraternity in the world."

The Terminal List: Dark Wolf Episodes 1, 2, and 3 are available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.

Also read: The Terminal List: Dark Wolf cast and character guide- Who plays whom in the Prime Video thriller

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