If Reacher shot Quinn, how is he still alive? Here's what Episode 4 revealed

Reacher
Francis Xavier Quinn survived a gunshot (Image Source: Prime Video)

Since its debut, fans cannot wait to see more of Reacher Season 3 as each episode offers action-packed sequences and dives into the past of the former U.S. Army Military officer. At its core, the third season not only brings back Jack into action but also a ghost from his past.

Well, by ghost we didn't mean an actual ghost, but "the single worst person" Jack Reacher has ever known and was presumed dead. Jack teams up with DEA agent Susan Duffy to break into businessman Zachary Beck’s organization to rescue an informant working inside.

However, Jack soon realizes that Beck's business is more than just illegal imports, and a past enemy, Francis Xavier Quinn, whom he once thought he eliminated, is tied to Beck’s dealings. So does that mean Quinn made it out alive despite his confrontation with Jack?

Yes, as seen in Reacher Season 3 Episode 4, the titular character says "small round was the problem", which means the gun he used to shoot Quinn didn't reach his brain. Instead, it just damaged his skull, and Quinn eventually recovered.

The episode dives into the flashback scene when Jack confronts Quinn for killing Dominique Kohl. The military investigator almost exposed Quinn's crime but eventually got killed.

Continue reading to learn more about the show's leading antagonist and his revival.


Who is Xavier Quinn aka Julius McCabe in Reacher Season 3

As seen in Reacher Season 3, Jack Reacher believed he ended Quinn’s reign of terror by shooting him in the head and leaving him for dead. However, little did he know that the small caliber bullets from Quinn's gun wouldn't cause much damage, not as fatal as death.

Before delving into the revelation in Episode 4, here's a brief introduction about who exactly is Francis Xavier Quinn. Played by actor Brian Tee, Quinn is one of the most formidable and ruthless foes in Lee Child's seventh book Persuader.

Similar to Jack, he was once connected to the police force as he worked as a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army. However, Quinn wasn't true to his job. He wasn't just corrupt and enjoyed hurting others but was also diagnosed with a malignant narcissistic personality disorder.

His health crisis eventually transformed Quinn into a criminal whose sinister activities were discovered by Dominique Kohl. The investigator learned that Quinn began selling classified military secrets for money and is involved in illegal activities.

Also Read: Reacher Season 3: Will Oscar Finlay return in future episodes? Here’s what we know so far


How did Quinn survive the gunshot in Reacher Season 3?

Jack might again have to shoot Quinn (Image Source: Prime Video)
Jack might again have to shoot Quinn (Image Source: Prime Video)

When Jack learns about Quinn's brutality and the murder of Dominique Kohl, he decides to take revenge. As seen in the Season 3 Episode 4 flashback scene, Quinn is at gunpoint, offering all his money to Jack and warning him about getting caught for murder.

However, Jack didn't use his gun but Quinn's .22 to shoot him, hoping to end his life. The second before Jack shoots Quinn, he tells him that "Dominique was her name" and pulls the trigger. The former U.S. Army Military officer witnessed Quinn falling into the water and assumed he was dead.

But in reality, the bullets weren't capable of damaging Quinn's brain, as Duffy explains "The bullet lodged in his skull and never got to his brain". Realizing his mistake, Jack says that he has "learned not to make assumptions in an investigation".

It's revealed that Quinn was found washed up on a beach, and spent six months to recover. He then faked amnesia to avoid suspicion but doctors always doubted his claims.

After his complete recovery, he started working under the alias Julius McCabe and has now become a powerful arms smuggler using Zachary Beck’s rug business as a front. Since Jack Reacher's mission is to uncover Beck's illegal business, his new mission brings him closer to his old enemy.


Also Read: Neagley: Everything we know so far about the upcoming Reacher spin-off

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Edited by Zainab Shaikh
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