Reacher Season 3's Most Inventive Death Scene Wasn't Paulie's - It Happened 6 Episodes Earlier

By Padraig Cotter

Published Apr 6, 2025

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Image via Prime Video

Warning: Major spoilers for Reacher season 3 below!Paulie vs Reacher battle was just as epic as d, with the former being almost Terminator-like in his quest to bring Jack down.

Reacher is finally able to kill Paulie by jamming a bullet down the barrel of a massive machine gun and tricking Paulie into pulling the trigger. The exploding gun fatally wounded Paulie, though Reacher didn't have the time to celebrate as he still had to take down Quinn (Brian Tee). In keeping with the Lee Child Jack Reacher books, the deaths of the villains on show typically aren't that inventive; a headshot or necksnap are two of Reacher's go-to moves. He tried a spiker move on Angel Doll (Manuel Rodriguez-Saenz) in episode 2, "Truckin'," though.

Alan Ritchson as Reacher with a motorbike in Reacher's season 3 finale

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Angel Doll's Death Was The Most Inventive Of Reacher Season 3

Angel Doll failed to see Reacher's point

Reacher rams a paper spike through Angel Doll's head in episode 2 — Image via Prime Video

Angel Doll was another of Quinn's men and accompanies Reacher on a mission to identify the vehicle used in the attempted kidnapping of Richard Beck (Johnny Berchtold). The more they work together, the more Angel spots holes and inconsistencies in Reacher's cover story, and at the end of "Truckin'," he confronts him about it. Things get very tense indeed, as Angel Doll points out all the issues with Jack's cover. When he threatens to go to Beck's head of security, an angry Jack slams Angel's head on a paper memo holder, killing him instantly.

This was the funniest and most inventive death of Reacher season 3 for a few reasons. The first is just how unexpected it is; it plays like a jump scare, where Angel is getting in Reacher's face before the latter impulsively slams his head. There's also Reacher's own reaction, where he is instantly annoyed at his own decision and the realization he'll have to clean up the body. There's also just the use of the paper memo itself since Jack usually resorts to guns, knives, or his bare hands to take care of business.

The Reacher Vs Paulie Fight Was Still The Action Highlight Of The Season

It might be the action highlight of Amazon's Reacher so far

Angel Doll might win in the inventive Reacher deaths category, but the Reacher vs. Paulie bout is still the season 3 highlight. Sure, it was wildly cartoonish and over the top, but it was also immensely cathartic and entertaining. Unlike some action stars, Ritchson had no issue with letting Reacher get his ass kicked, and the ebb and flow of the battle between these two human kaijus was perfectly balanced.

Considering how Paulie seemed to love his gigantic machine gun, it made sense for that to be the tool of his destruction...

Their battle ended differently in Lee Child's Persuader, where Reacher ended up emptying two Magnums into the evil bodyguard at close range. Considering Paulie seemed to love his gigantic machine gun, it made sense for that to be the tool of his destruction. Sure, Paulie's demise isn't as funny as Angel Doll's, but it sure was a fitting end.