Lee Child’s Planned Dark Ending for Jack Reacher Perfectly Fits The Show

Lee Child had once planned a dark ending for the Jack Reacher books, which surprisingly seems to be the perfect way for the Prime Video show to end.

Jack Reacher’s larger than life personality always leaves viewers with a feeling of awe every time they watch him on the big screen or read about him in Lee Child’s books. In every town he visits and every person he crosses paths with, he seemingly leaves a faint echo of his own strength and strong sense of justice.

However, despite the positive impact he leaves behind on so many lives, his narrative was initially planned to end on a heartbreaking note. Lee Child was on the verge of closing his journey with a surprisingly dark ending. Although the author’s plan never materialized, it is hard not to see how his vision could work well in the Prime Video detective series.

Lee Child Almost Killed Jack Reacher In The Books

Reacher (Alan Ritchson) with his hands behind his head in Reacher season 1, episode 1.

Lee Child had almost reached the end of the line with Jack Reacher. He was on the verge of pulling the plug on the book series for good with one last book titled Die Lonely. As he explained himself (via Bruce Whitfield), he considered giving Reacher a dramatic final arc where he would bleed to death on “a filthy motel bathroom floor.“

For a while, the author was determined to end the series with the heartbreaking conclusion he had envisioned. However, he soon realized that his readers really admired the character. With this, he understood that killing him off would be “gratuitously cruel to the reader.” He even considered metaphorical death for Reacher where he would “adopt a dog,” “rent a house,” and settle down for good.

That, too, did not make sense, though, because it would have given Reacher a rather typical Hollywood-esque closure. When none of the endings sat too well with Child, he decided to pass on his legacy to his younger brother, Andrew Child, allowing him to write the follow-up books.

The ending Lee Child had envisioned for Jack Reacher would have undoubtedly been incredibly tragic. It likely would also have left his fans divided, given how many would never want to see Jack Reacher die. However, a closer look at his vision suggests that the Prime Video show might actually benefit from it.

Lee Child’s Canceled Reacher Death Plan Can Be The Perfect Conclusion For The Show

Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher in Reacher season 2

According to Lee Child’s canceled plan, Reacher was supposed to die after taking a bullet to save someone else. Considering how Reacher keeps confessing that trouble always finds him even when he is actively trying to avoid it, his eventual sacrificial death would be quite fitting. Many characters, like Guy Russo and Zachary Beck, have died after crossing paths with Reacher.

They, arguably, have become victims of Reacher’s moral gravity. In a bittersweet ending arc, Reacher could realize that he cannot let anyone else die because of his own presence. As a result, he would put his life on the line to save an innocent soul.

Even if the show does not actually kill him, it could settle for Lee Child’s alternative conclusion. Alan Ritchson’s character could get a metaphorical death in Reacher‘s closing arc where he finally decides to settle down. Aging eventually has to take a toll on the character, forcing him to stop his crime-solving endeavors. This, in the Prime Video show, could give him a good reason to hang up his boots.