Warning! This article contains spoilers for Reacher season 3's episode 5.

After watching the big villain twist in Lee Child's Persuader, Reacher season 3 effectively immerses viewers in Jack Reacher's undercover operation by keeping them as clueless about the nature of the villains' illegal business as the titular character. Many initial details about Zachary Beck's connection with Xavier Quinn seemingly hint that the two antagonists are involved in a drug trade.

Reacher and the DEA agents he works with also suspect the same but struggle to find any solid leads to bury their doubts. In an early Reacher season 3's episode 5 finally confirms that the show's villains are illegal arms dealers, which makes them seem a little too familiar.

Reacher Season 3's Villains Being Arms Dealers Makes The Story Very Similar To Season 2

Reacher & His Team Stopped An International Arms Deal In Season 3

A twist in Reacher season 3's episode 5 reveals that, along with Jack Reacher, an ATF agent disguised as a maid, was also undercover in Zachary Beck's home. The involvement of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) confirms that Zachary Beck and Quinn's business has nothing to do with drugs but involves the trade of arms. The villains being arms dealers in Reacher season 3 makes them a little too similar to season 2's antagonists, Langston and A.M., who were also involved in a weapons deal.

Reacher season 3's episode 5 also features a scene in which Duffy preaches how guns falling into the wrong hands could lead to disastrous consequences. Her whole conversation about the dangers of the illegal gun trade seems reminiscent of the Special Investigators' season 2 concerns about what Langston was planning to sell to A.M. Owing to these glaring parallels between Reacher season 2 and season 3's villains, it would be fair to say that season 3 is repeating is predecessor's formula in more ways than one.

How Reacher Season 3's Villains Are Still Different To Season 2's

The Main Villain Has A Long History With Jack Reacher

Despite sharing quite a few similarities with season 2's antagonists, Reacher season 3's villains stand out in more ways than one. For instance, season 3's main villain, Xavier Quinn, has a long history with Jack Reacher. During their last encounter, Reacher had shot Quinn in the head for killing his military police colleague, Dominique Kohl. However, to Reacher's surprise, Quinn somehow survived the brutal gunshot wound and lived to claim a new identity and start another illegal business.

While Quinn is portrayed as a vicious, merciless killer, even his giant henchman, Paulie, is an imposing figure in his own right.

Compared to season 2's antagonists, the ones in Reacher season 3 also seem way more ruthless and dangerous. While Quinn is portrayed as a vicious, merciless killer, even his giant henchman, Paulie, is an imposing figure in his own right. Paulie is also the first villain in the Amazon Prime Video detective series with a major size advantage over Jack Reacher. Paulie's size and superhuman strength make him a formidable villain in Reacher season 3, which potentially makes his inevitable one-on-one showdown with the Alan Ritchson character one of the most exciting action scenes in the series.