Jack Reacher and John Wick are two of the most invincible fictional human characters of all time. Both characters are almost mythical figures in their respective worlds, which has prompted many viewers to discuss who among them would win in a one-on-one showdown against each other. It seems Reacher season 4 settles this debate with one brutal scene.
Throughout the John Wick movie series, the Keanu Reeves character achieves some insane feats during action sequences. He shows incredible durability during fights and single-handedly takes down many men with his gun fu and close-rage combat skills. The assassin character has even mutilated his own finger, endured hits from cars, and stood up after falling down 222 steps at the Sacré-Cœur.
As impressive as all these feats may seem, however, his iconic "Baba Yaga" legend is associated with one hilariously badass piece of lore. In the world of John Wick, it is well-known that the titular assassin once killed three men with a graphite pencil. John Wick: Chapter 3 featured another similar scene where he used a library book to take down an assassin.
While Jack Reacher's overall kill count in the Prime Video series seems significantly less than John Wick's, one action scene from Reacher season 4 proves he is no less lethal when pushed to his limits.
John Wick’s Pencil Legend Is Great, But Reacher Uses Chopsticks To Kill A Man
Killing three competent assassins with a pencil is certainly not an easy feat. However, to John Wick's benefit, a pencil at least has one sharp end. Like John Wick, Jack Reacher, too, improvises a seemingly harmless object into a deadly weapon in season 4. However, his weapon of choice proves to be even more hilariously badass.
In Reacher season 4, Alan Ritchson's Jack Reacher finds himself trapped in a journalist's home when a group of CIA agents block the premises' entrance. However, soon, the CIA agents are overpowered by a group of ruthless hitmen who easily ambush all of them outside the building. Reacher looks for weapons inside the journalist's home, but, to his dismay, finds nothing.
This is when he picks his weapon of choice: chopsticks.
The Alan Ritchson character sneaks behind one of the mercenaries and stabs him in the eye with the chopsticks to instantly kill him. While his allies distract the rest of the hitmen, he takes all of them down with ease. Compared to a graphite pencil with one sharp end, a chopstick is undeniably an even more absurdly improvised weapon, making Reacher's feat even more impressive.
Considering how both John Wick and Jack Reacher now have an established history of making some of the most random day-to-day objects look lethal, it is hard not to imagine them in an absurdly gripping one-on-one showdown. If Reacher gets chopsticks and John Wick gets his iconic pencil, who will make it out alive in a fight?
Reacher’s Near-Superhuman Feats Of Strength Arguably Make Him Stronger Than John Wick
Unfortunately, since Jack Reacher and John Wick belong to two distinct fictional universes, one can never truly expect them to have an official on-screen showdown. However, considering their histories and feats of strength, it is hard not to believe that Jack Reacher might have an edge in a speculative fight. Jack Reacher stands at 6 feet 5 inches and weighs over 250 pounds, which gives him a size advantage.
Given how John Wick has overpowered men double his size, Jack Reacher's massive stature alone will not be enough to give him an easy advantage.
Apart from merely being a big guy, though, Reacher has also displayed superhuman feats of strength. In season 2, he hilariously kicked a car to trigger its airbag. Season 1's best action sequences also showed how he effortlessly took down a group of heavy-hitting prisoners.
He even flipped a car upside down in season 3 with little help from another man. Lee Child's Tripwire features a ridiculously badass story beat where Reacher's chest muscles grow so thick and dense that he manages to stop a .38 caliber bullet from reaching his vitals. In 61 Hours, he even squeezes a man to death.
John Wick, too, has quite a few ridiculously impressive feats of strength and durability throughout the franchise. His speed and technique might even catch Jack Reacher off guard. However, in a fair hypothetical fight, Reacher might take the win, albeit with a considerable amount of damage.
Alan Ritchson Effectively Seals Reacher’s Long-Term Fate On Prime Video
A surprise move from Alan Ritchson effectively seals the long-term fate of Reacher on Prime Video. Following its successful debut in 2022, the action-adventure series immediately became a hit for the streamer. This is despite being burdened by the previous big-screen adaptation of Lee Child's novels. Tom Cruise's movie take on Jack Reacher had its fans, and it remain enjoyable upon rewatch now. That said, it's safe to say that Ritchson's portrayal as the former military-turned-wanderer is widely regarded as its definitive version, especially after three seasons of Reacher.
While its sophomore year wasn't able to be as universally beloved as its freshman year, it never really impacted the public's interest in the Prime Video series. Reacher season 3 posted the highest viewership for the show in its history and considering the hype surrounding what's next for the character, the wait for season 4 has been frustrating for some. Based on "Gone Tomorrow," the next installment of the Prime Video project has long finished production, with a release date supposedly sometime this year. Beyond that, however, Ritchson has effectively confirmed Reacher's long-term fate thanks to a new update.
Alan Ritchson's First-Look Deal With Prime Video Solidifies Reacher's Future
Proof of Prime Video's confidence in the series is the fact that it has already renewed for Reacher season 5 before it could even come back with new episodes this year. Admittedly, that's unsurprising, considering the show's popularity. Looking after that, however, the fate of the project is still uncertain. That said, Ritchson's new three-year first-look television deal with the studio via his production company, Dancing Skeleton (via Deadline), effectively solidifies Reacher's return throughout the terms of that new agreement.
This means that if the show maintains its yearly release, it can run for two to three more seasons after Reacher season 5. Obviously, that doesn't factor in the possibility that Prime Video and Ritchson will extend their current deal, or that the streamer will renew the show even after the first-look agreement is done. However, considering that there are about 30 books in Child's novels, Reacher can definitely stay on the air for more years to come.
Why Reacher Has Resonated With The Public
Reacher is arguably the biggest breakout hit of the last few years. Granted that it had built-in fans, thanks to Child's novels and Cruise's films, it would be hard-pressed to find anyone who could have predicted just how big it was going to be. Streaming and traditional broadcasters have their respective action-adventure book adaptation shows, but very few come close to the success of the Prime Video series. The project has been so popular, the streamer has started to expand the franchise via its very first offshoot, Neagley.
What sets Reacher apart from its peers is how it has been able to perfectly balance being faithful to its source material while also offering viewers something new. This way, fans of the books can still enjoy them without being able to predict every single twist that's coming their way. Beyond that, the fact that Reacher has also made sure to have a yearly release despite being on streaming somehow helps in keeping it relevant amid an influx of other shows in the genre.
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