Reacher season 3 episode 3 ending explained: How does Reacher secure his position and uncover the truth behind Beck’s criminal empire?

Reacher season 3, based on Lee Child's 2003 novel Persuader, premiered on February 20, 2025, on Prime Video. As always, the season has the intense action and thrilling suspense that fans have come to expect from the show.

The ending of Reacher season 3 episode 3, Number 2 with a Bullet, changes the investigation's path. Jack Reacher gets closer to finding out about Zachary Beck's criminal empire. He is on the lookout for Teresa and planning to avenge Quinn is another purpose of Reacher in season 3.

Reacher's role in the group has changed a lot by the end of the episode, and he is now ready for a more dangerous mission than ever. Reacher has been able to trick the system, gain trust, and get closer to Julius McCabe, who truly is behind the operation.

Reacher secures his position in Beck’s criminal world by killing Duke, and gradually he moves closer to McCabe’s deadly network.

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Disclaimer: The following article contains spoilers from Reacher season 3. Reader's discretion is advised.

Looking into Reacher season 3 episode 3 ending

A still from Reacher season 3 (Image via Prime Video)

The ending of Reacher season 3 episode 3, titled Number 2 with a Bullet, significantly escalates the tension in the series, with Jack Reacher making bold moves that bring him closer to the criminal empire. The third episode also shows Richard and Reacher getting into an amicable relationship where Richard offers a lavender-flavored ice cream to him.

Richard also gets a secure feeling with Reacher after he saves Richard from getting bullied. Reacher becomes more involved in Zachary Beck's business by the end of the episode and positions himself as an even more important member of the organization. Reacher's actions have big effects, and the ending makes people nervous as Reacher takes on a role that is even more dangerous.

Reacher's deceptive plan to eliminate Duke

Reacher season 3 episode 3 sets up an essential chain of events that will determine how Reacher moves up in Beck's organization. After earning Beck's trust in the first two episodes, Reacher has already set himself up as someone they can trust.

But if Reacher wants to really get a higher rank and get inside Beck's operation, he needs to do something aggressive that makes Beck see him as extremely important. In this episode, Reacher wants to get rid of Chapman Duke, who is Beck's head of security and is in the way of him becoming more powerful.

With the help of DEA agent Susan Duffy, Reacher sets up an ambush while pretending to find the people who want to kidnap Richard Beck. Reacher sets up a firefight very carefully at an empty DEA safehouse so that Beck and his friends think the fight is real.

This makes it look like there was a serious attack when he shoots Beck in the head. Reacher needs to make this play in order to move up in the company, even though it is risky. Reacher shows Beck how valuable he is by carrying out this plan.

Reacher’s promotion within Beck’s operation

Reacher's success depends on how Beck reacts to the fake attack. Watching the plan go through and his security chief "die," Beck is shaken, but he sees Reacher's potential. In an unexpected turn of events, Beck immediately promotes Reacher because he sees him as an asset to his operation.

This promotion helps Reacher move up in the company and get more information, which puts him on a direct path to finding out the secrets of the criminal enterprise.

Duke refuses to give Jack Reacher any information about Teresa because he is afraid of Julius McCabe, so Jack Reacher kills Duke. Duke gets in the way of his plan to win Zachary's trust, which is another reason.

Knowing that his boss trusts him, Reacher can move around the company more freely from now on. At this point in the episode, things also change because Reacher's job within the operation becomes even less secure.

The revelation of Julius McCabe

Reacher gets used to his new job, and Richard Beck tells him that Zachary's criminal empire is only a small part of a much bigger picture. Richard tells everyone that his father, Zachary, is not really running things and he is just a pawn in Julius McCabe's hands.

Reacher is shocked to learn that McCabe is the mastermind behind the network and has been using Zachary to get him to share his criminal empire for his gain.

At this point, Reacher's investigation into Beck's business takes a big turn. It turns out that McCabe is much more dangerous than Beck, and his reach is much wider than Reacher first thought.

Reacher's mission is made harder by McCabe's control over Beck's illegal activities, which forces him to rethink how he plans to do it. The fact that McCabe helped kidnap Richard Beck makes things even more dangerous. Reacher now has to deal with a new enemy that is much more dangerous.

Reacher’s role in exposing McCabe

A still from Reacher season 3 (Image via Prime Video) \Enter caption

Now that he has been promoted and McCabe's role is known, Reacher has to deal with a more powerful criminal network. His job has changed from just looking into Beck to trying to get inside McCabe's business.

Reacher's change from a lone investigator to a trusted member of Beck's group makes the story more complicated. This move to get rid of Duke and set himself up for a bigger role is just the start of a bigger plan. By the end of episode 3, Reacher is ready to face McCabe head-on, even though it's more dangerous than ever.

Reacher’s dangerous path ahead

Reacher is in Beck's world more now, but the story doesn't slow down. Reacher will have to find his way through a more complicated web of danger because of the links between Beck and McCabe. In the last scene of the episode, Reacher is on a mission that will test his mind and body to the limit.

He has taken his position, but now he has to fight and outsmart the enemies surrounding him to stay alive.

To sum up, the end of episode 3 sets the stage for the rest of Reacher season 3. Reacher's actions—getting promoted, killing Duke, and finding out about McCabe's power—set the stage for the future conflict.

As the season goes on, the tension keeps building, and as Reacher faces stronger enemies, it's clear that the real battle is just getting started.

The dramatic buildup in Reacher season 3 episode 3 was carefully set up in the first two episodes, making a smooth link between them. Even though each episode has its own plot twists and problems, they all work together to make Reacher more involved in Zachary Beck's criminal empire and prepare him to face more severe threats.

Reacher season 3 is available to stream on Prime Video.

Edited by Bharath S