Prime Video’s Dark Wolf Makes Reacher Look Tame: A Morality Comparison
As brutal and dark as Reacher may seem in some of its most memorable story beats, Prime Video‘s new action thriller surprisingly makes it look tame in one intriguing way. In its opening season, Prime Video’s Reacher initially portrayed the titular Alan Ritchson character as a typical heroic figure who carried a sense of moral clarity and restraint.
Although Reacher’s approach towards crime-solving was still aggressive in season 1, he did not leave a trail of blood behind him in Margrave. In season 2, however, some shades of greyness started emerging in his characterization when he not only ruthlessly murdered but even tortured several bad guys.
Reacher season 3 seemingly doubled down on this by showing how the character mindlessly murdered just to ensure he did not blow his cover. His growing willingness to embrace violence shows a disturbing evolution that arguably makes him an antihero. However, he comes nowhere close to being as morally skewed as the protagonist in Prime Video’s new action thriller.
If You Think Jack Reacher Is An Anti-Hero, You Should Follow Ben Edwards’ Story In Terminal List: Dark Wolf
Taylor Kitsch looking into the distance on The Terminal List
Oftentimes, Jack Reacher seems to take justice a little too far by brutally killing his enemies instead of handing them over to the authorities. His approach usually blurs the lines between justice and vengeance, but his heart is always in the right place. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about The Terminal List: Dark Wolf‘s Ben Edwards.
Played by Taylor Kitsch, Edwards’ story in the new Terminal List spinoff show begins with him getting discharged from the Navy SEALs for defying direct order. After leaving the SEALs, Edwards ends up becoming a CIA operative, which gradually leads him down a dark path.
In The Terminal List: Dark Wolf‘s episode 4, it becomes evident that Edwards is slowly losing a grip on his morality, as he constantly goes against his friend and does his own thing. As the parent series, The Terminal List, reveals, Edwards’ gradual descent eventually leads him to help cover a pharmaceutical conspiracy that gave his military comrades brain tumors.
Instead of accepting his mistake, he brushes it off by claiming that his action helped his former teammates “die with their boots on.” Alan Ritchson’s Jack Reacher crosses many moral boundaries in his pursuit of justice, but never betrays his friends. Edwards, however, abandons loyalty altogether, proving his actions stem from a place of self-preservation.
Compared To Ben Edwards, Reacher Seems Far Less Morally Grey
After seeing Ben Edwards’ story, it is hard not to perceive Jack Reacher as a more traditional hero, even though he often operates outside the law. However, given how The Terminal List: Dark Wolf is walking through all the complex decisions and circumstances that led Edwards down a dark path, he will likely seem a lot more sympathetic and layered as the spin-off progresses.
Unlike its parent series, The Terminal List: Dark Wolf does not adapt a specific Jack Carr book.
Viewers familiar with what he does in The Terminal List may still find it hard to root for him in the spin-off. However, instead of solely seeing him as a traitor, many will likely see him more as a tragic figure who was shaped by impossible choices. He will still seem far more morally skewed than Reacher, but it would be more understandable why his moral compass faltered in the Prime Video series.
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