"I'm strong. Ask Paulie": That Reacher line was more of sarcasm than an acknowledgment of his own strength

Reacher Season 3 reeks more of Reacher's quick wit and presence of mind rather than the strength of our titular hero. The introduction of a character as intense as Paulie in the third chapter poses a serious threat to Reacher as he has, so far, never come across such a strong antagonist.

Time and again, it has already been proved that Paulie is ahead of him when it comes to physique - not to mention his huge stature. But does being strong (without knowing how to use the strength) give Paulie an upper hand? Or does Reacher's confidence and intelligence give him a headstart at the much-anticipated face-off? Let's find out more.

One such instance on the show is the iconic Bavarian Arm Wrestling scene in Episode 2 where we see Reacher knock Paulie off, again by using his wit. Later when Angel Doll (who grew suspicious of Reacher's involvement) confronts him and asks how he broke into the mini-van while saving Richard Beck, Reacher sarcastically (and not as an acknowledgment of his strength) replies:

"I'm strong. Ask Paulie."

Disclaimer: This article contains the author's opinions. Reader discretion is advised.

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Reacher makes a sarcastic comment and we cannot get enough of his sense of humor

Reacher's above-mentioned dialogue indicates how he wants to portray himself as the stronger guy to his fans. Though he is aware of the fact that he will probably not survive a one-on-one fight with Paulie, Reacher seems to not left it affect him in any way.

This takes us back to the early part of Reacher Season 3 Episode 2 where Paulie was training at the gym and Reacher makes an entry. The very next moment Paulie challenges Reacher to bench press but the former (not at all intimidated by his presence) denies to take it up.

Reacher then talks about Bavarian arm wrestling which is a contest that defines a person's forearm and upper arm strength. As mentioned by Reacher in Episode 2, Bavarian Arm Wrestling is the best test of resilience when it comes to one-on-one combat.

In this form of arm wrestling, one contestant needs to sit down in the old-school stance and stretch his arm out (fist closed and in a mode of resistance). The other one will be face-to-face and grip his opponent's fist trying to pull his arm down by using all the strength.

After Reacher explains the rules, he and Paulie engage in a round of Bavarian Arm Wrestling at the gym. We see our titular hero struggle initially to pull Paulie's arm down as the latter resists. Just when Paulie is about to come in full force, Reacher uses his presence of mind and lets go of his fist. Paulie, in what appears to be a funny moment, knocks himself down with his fist.

So when Reacher says "ask Paulie" to Angel Doll, he is being sarcastic and referring to the moment when he beat the big guy with just his quick wit. It is symbolic of the fact that Lee Child's Reacher cannot take Paulie down in a face-off but still is ahead of him in ways. Though he mentioned that he is strong (in what appeared to be a comparison to Paulie's physique), Reacher was just giving us a taste of his sarcastic and humorous side.

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Reacher is not just strong by physique but also has a firm sense of determination, resilience, and intelligence - not to mention his subtle sense of humor. He also wanted his fans to know that Paulie, despite being well-built and strong, could not beat him in a simple match of arm wrestling.

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