Warning! This article contains spoilers for Reacher season 3’s episode 4.
Reacherseason 3’s episode 4 not only reveals the origins of one of Jack Reacher’s most iconic rules but also highlights why he always diligently follows it. Since season 1, theAmazon Prime Video detective serieshas established that Jack Reacher follows a fixed set of principles and rules that guide his actions and moral compass. He finds order and certainty even during the most chaotic and dangerous situations because his rules help him determine his next course of action.
Although he follows a long set of rules, there is one that he keeps repeating almost throughout seasons 2 and 3: “In an investigation, assumptions kill.” Till season 2, it was hard not to believe that Reacher came up with that rule based on his previous investigative endeavors. However, by delving intoReacher’s military backstory, season 3 finally confirms where he gets that rule from and why he never dares to break it.
Reacher Season 3, Episode 4 Reveals “Assumptions Kill” Came From Garber
Reacher Has Learned A Lot Of Lessons From The Senior Officer
When Reacher and Kohl begin their investigation into Quinn’s case in season 3’s episode 4, Reacher does his best to equip Kohl with everything he has learned over the years. He even repeats his iconic season 2 line, “Assumptions kill,” reminding Kohl that she must rely on facts and certainties instead of jumping to conclusions. Kohl, too, agrees with him and acknowledges that it is a good rule. In response,Reacher reveals that he learned the rule from Leon Garber, his senior officer from the military police.
Reacher Season 3’s Garber Explained: His Relationship To Reacher & What Happened To Him
Reacher season 3’s episode 4 brings a new character, Leon Garber, to the mix, who has a long-standing military history with the titular character.
As the episode progresses, it becomes evident that Jack Reacher has learned a lot from Garber. For instance, when he realizes the truth about Kohl’s abduction inReacherseason 3’s episode 4, Garber reminds him how he taught him to “never get distracted from the job at hand.” When Reacher later tells him that he will kill Quinn once he finds him, Garber asks him to “do it once, do it right.” Reacher and Garber’s interactions in season 3 make it evident that theAlan Ritchson characterlooks up to Garber, explaining why he diligently follows the “assumptions kill” rule.
Reacher Unknowingly Broke The Rule While Dealing With Quinn
Image via Prime Video
Reacherseason 3 episode 4’s flashback reveals that when Jack Reacher first caught Quinn, Quinn tried to trick him by claiming that Kohl was secretly working with him. Although Reacher trusted Kohl, he gave Quinn the benefit of the doubt because “assumptions kill.” To test whether he was lying, he asked him what Kohl’s first name was. After failing to answer Reacher’s question, Quinn proved that he was lying about his relationship with Kohl, which helped Reacher kill all assumptions.
Reacher seems to do everything right in the flashback but ends up assuming that Quinn is dead after he shoots him in the head. This assumption costs him dearly because he later learns that Quinn somehow survived. He realizes that his bullet might have gotten lodged in Quinn’s skull instead of reaching his brain, which might have helped him survive. His survival serves as a stark reminder for the Alan Ritchson character inReacherseason 3 that making assumptions can, indeed, lead to disastrous consequences in a criminal investigation.
Reacher
Reacher follows Jack Reacher, a former military police investigator, as he navigates civilian life. Without a phone and carrying minimal belongings, Reacher drifts across the country, experiencing the nation he once served, and encounters intriguing challenges along the way.
