Editor’s note: The below recap contains spoilers for Reacher Season 3 Episode 7.
Season 3 of Reacher has one week to go, tragically, and the only thing more inevitable than Reacher (Alan Ritchson) getting into another life-threatening situation is the fact that none of his enemies seem to realize they are, in fact, up against a walking wall made of muscle and violence. Episode 6 left Reacher exposed after his cover was blown, running for his life, and throwing a wrench into Julius McCabe’s (Brian Tee) plans—resulting in Zachary Beck (Anthony Michael Hall) and his son, Richard (Johnny Berchtold), sitting smack-dab in the middle of a metaphorical (and soon to be literal) firestorm. Meanwhile, Reacher and Duffy (Sonya Cassidy) were trying to track down Teresa Daniels, but because life just can’t be simple, she had already been moved to a new location where McCabe could personally keep an eye on her, because nothing screams “trust issues” like a psychotic arms dealer needing to babysit his own hostage.
At the conclusion of the episode, Reacher told Duffy they were headed for Los Angeles for something important — but of course, we weren’t told what it was because we aren’t important. Why won’t he trust us? Sorry, we may have trust issues ourselves. He’s got a lead that could crack this case wide open—but as always, there’s a catch: they need solid proof before making any moves. The real question is, will Reacher be able to save Teresa and take down Quinn, or will he have to make the impossible choice? Let’s break it all down.
Neagley Follows a Deadly Lead in ‘Reacher’ Season 3 Episode 7

Reacher and Duffy, the world’s most violent tag team, kick us off by stopping off in Boston to visit the grandmother of Teresa Daniels, since she’s someone who’s sure to be able to give them insight into just where the hell she is. Reacher listens, absorbing every detail with that usual intensity that makes you wonder if he actually is listening or if his CPU is updating, while Duffy does her best to keep things professional—at least until Grandma starts nudging them about whether they’re romantically involved. Fair question. They attempt to brush it off, but Grandma totally isn’t buying it. Before they head off, she begs them to find Theresa and bring her some answers. And you know Reacher will. Don’t you?
Meanwhile, Neagley is off in Chicago, doing what she does best: looking for cool locations for her spin-off tracking down people who wish they were anywhere but in her crosshairs. She corners Costopolis, the man ordered to take her out, in a dark alley like a scene straight out of an action-thriller, except it’s even better because Neagley does not have time for nonsense. With a gun in his face and nowhere to run, Costopolis spills the truth: Julius McCabe put the hit out. But what really rattles him is when Neagley calls McCabe by his real name: Frances Xavier Quinn. Turns out, she knows way more than he expected. Of course she does; she’s getting her own show!
Costopolis, suddenly realizing his days are numbered whether he talks or not, confesses that Quinn started his Chicago empire by wiping out a stubborn family business that refused to bend the knee. After securing his spot at the top, he slithered over to Maine, using Zachary Beck’s Bizarre Bazaar rug company as a front for his latest illegal arms operation. The kicker? If Quinn is ordering hits again, things are about to get very, very bad. Neagley lets that sink in for a moment before coldly clocking him in the face and walking away. Nice.

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Reacher Traps a Middleman and Beck Wises Up (Sort of) in Season 3 Episode 7

Image via Prime Video

In Los Angeles, Reacher and Duffy start pulling at threads, and it leads them straight to Darrien, a middleman for McCabe. Darrien, clearly believing he’s got all the leverage, scoffs when they try to bring him in, saying they don’t have a warrant. That’s cute. Reacher gives him a choice: come quietly, or get arrested for assaulting a DEA agent—a felony, by the way. That’s enough to shut him up. They drag him to his gallery, but Reacher, ever the overachiever, decides to really twist the knife, threatening to expose Darrien’s little medical fraud situation.
Apparently, he strong-armed a doctor into falsely diagnosing him with arthritis to avoid certain legal troubles, and if Reacher has his way, that lie will collapse in a very public, very career-ending fashion. Darrien folds like a cheap chair and calls Beck, setting up a meeting while believing he’s dodged a bullet. Spoiler: he has not. Moments later, DEA agents flood his gallery, and his day officially goes from bad to catastrophic.
Meanwhile, Beck meets up with Neagley and makes it abundantly clear that he’s not thrilled with Reacher. Something about how Reacher put his family in danger—like that wasn’t already the situation before he showed up. Neagley tells him point blank: Reacher is the only person who can save him and his son. Reluctantly, Beck gives up one crucial piece of intel—buyers from Yemen are flying in for an arms deal. Neagley tells him to dig deeper if he wants to survive this mess, and just before parting ways, Beck makes one final request: leave his son out of it.
Quinn Is Always One Step Ahead in ‘Reacher’ Season 3 Episode 7

Image via Prime Video

Beck, suddenly realizing his father-of-the-year aspirations might not work out if he’s dead, asks McCabe for details on the exchange. McCabe, paranoid as ever, immediately questions why Beck is asking so many questions. Beck clumsily deflects, but it’s clear that trust is running low. Once he’s out of earshot, he makes the only move he has left—he calls Reacher and tells him the deal is going down at Bullhead Salvage Yard. Oh, and also, if this doesn’t get handled, he and Richard are toast. No pressure.
Duffy, presumably because she forgot who she was talking to, suggests bringing in the ATF. Reacher, predictably, is not thrilled about that, mostly because he’s not here for bureaucracy—he’s here to personally dismantle Quinn and crush his bones into a fine powder. Guillermo tries to remind him that justice needs to be served properly, but Reacher isn’t looking for justice. He’s looking for revenge, and patience isn’t exactly his strong suit. The ATF gets briefed, and in a shocking turn of events, they also don’t want Reacher going rogue with a high-powered rifle. That doesn’t go over well.
The episode ends with everyone in position at Bullhead Salvage Yard. The ATF is focused on securing Teresa, while Reacher, predictably, has something much more direct in mind—eliminating Quinn. Duffy warns him not to do anything reckless, but Reacher, already lining up his sniper shot, tells her the only way she’s stopping him is by putting a bullet in him first. As he locks in, something dawns on him. He calls Neagley, who confirms his worst suspicion: the real exchange isn’t happening at the yard—it’s going down at Beck’s house. And Beck has no idea what’s about to hit him. That’s one heck of a birthday party. Cue the credits. If you thought this episode was intense, buckle up, because the finale is going to be one hell of a ride.
Reacher’s Season 3 finale premieres next Thursday on Prime Video.

Reacher

Reacher and Duffy head for Los Angeles to track down a lead that could crack Season 3’s case wide open.

Release Date

February 3, 2022

Pros & Cons

The setup for the finale is in place.
We get more Neagley!

The episode is slightly light on action.
The pacing is slightly slower than normal.