Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan character Mike November’s name has a clever meaning that hints at something more. The Amazon Prime series introduces Mike November (Michael Kelly) in season 2 as a valuable aid to Jack Ryan (John Krasinski). Although the character is not a Tom Clancy original, Mike November may be inspired by another one of Jack Ryan's allies. As is the case with many elements of the espionage genre, there’s more than meets the eye to Mike November.
Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan season 2 follows the titular character on a mission to Venezuela, where he becomes embroiled in political warfare while investigating an international arms deal. Recurring character Mike November works as a CIA field officer stationed in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas who assists Jack Ryan on his mission. Mike November becomes a valuable ally for Ryan throughout seasons 2 and 3 - though the clever meaning behind Mike November’s name raises the possibility that the identity Jack Ryan knows him by may in fact be a pseudonym.
Jack Ryan's Mike & November Names Are Code Words
“Mike” and “November” are code words in the NATO phonetic alphabet used for communicating the letters with which they begin. The (International) Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet, more commonly known as the NATO phonetic alphabet, has been the international standard since the mid 1950s, and its code words for communicating the letters of the Roman alphabet remain the most widely used. The alphabet’s traditional military usage and adoption by the United States Federal Government makes it the perfect source for a Jack Ryan character.
The “Mike” and “November” code words add an interesting layer of mystery to Jack Ryan's sidekick. Not much is known of Mike November’s background other than his extensive experience in the CIA and two failed marriages to Lisa Calabrese (Susan Misner), the U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela. As a former CIA Operative, perhaps working under a different name, November could have been involved in operations directly impacting the international conspiracy web in which Jack Ryan finds himself entangled. If Mike November’s name is, in fact, a pseudonym, it begs the question of what else the CIA field officer has to hide.
Mike November’s Tom Clancy Inspiration
While there isn’t a Mike November in any Tom Clancy books, Clancy did create many CIA officers on which the character could be based. The most likely character to inspire Mike November is John Clark, a former Navy SEAL turned CIA operations officer who works alongside Jack Ryan in Tom Clancy’s Ryanverse novels. Without Remorse explains how Clark changed his name from John Kelly, a fact that bears resemblance to the possible pseudonym of Mike November. Furthermore, November goes on a mission in Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan season 3, episode 5 that sets up the forthcoming Rainbow Six spin-off series, which is based on the second John Clark-centered novel.
In the plot of Amazon Prime series Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan, CIA field officer Mike November has become an important ally to the titular character. As such, November’s growing role in Ryan’s missions combined with the Rainbow Six series set up in season 3 hints at a possible connection to Tom Clancy’s novels. Whether this comes to fruition for the character or not, Mike November’s possible pseudonym based on NATO code words certainly adds to the mystery behind the man.