Reacher easily punches his way through most problems on Amazon's series, but there was one vicious fight that showed his vulnerable side.
One brutal fight from Reacher proved the titular character isn't invulnerable after all. The creation of author Lee Child, Jack Reacher is a hulking avenger who roams America righting various wrongs. In essence, he's Sherlock Holmes with the body of Dolph Lundgren, a combination that made finding the right actor for the 2012 movie adaptation a long process. The eventual casting of Tom Cruise caused howls of derision from longtime readers, and it's a call that remains controversial. Amazon's Reacher stayed true to the source by casting Alan Ritchson, who was a much better fit for Child's literary creation.
While having a tall, muscle-bound hero who wins every bout might sound dull to some, part of the enjoyment of the Reacher books and its TV counterpart is that power fantasy. He confronts bullies, criminals and killers alike and - almost always - wins every fight. In one novel, Reacher even bearhugs a villain to death. The first episode of Reacher saw the title character punch his way through a gang of prisoners with ease, and while he took some blows throughout season 1, there was little doubt he'd emerged victorious. That said, episode 7's "Reacher Said Nothing' had one fight he nearly didn't walk away from.
For context, "Reacher Said Nothing" sees Jack luring the Kliner hit squad that's been terrorizing Margrave to a remote house. Reacher plans to lay a trap and kill them all, and while he employs stealth and cunning for the first few, final henchman Dawson Kliner (A.J. Simmons) manages to get the drop on Reacher. This leads to arguably the most brutal battle of Reacher, and while Dawson is much smaller and skinner, his unexpected speed, relentless energy and crowbar make it an even match. This sequence also sees Ritchson's Reacher take his only sustained beating.
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