Reacher Season 3: Who is Richard Beck's bodyguard, and could he create a huge problem if he escapes?

Reacher Season 3 has landed on Amazon Prime and it has since become the talk of the town. We are just four episodes in and the season has already given us a lot to think about.

Season 3 begins with Reacher saving a young lad from being kidnapped. He even shoots a cop while doing so. But as everyone starts to believe in the expertly crafted fake kidnap-rescue scene, we find out it's all part of a bigger plan.

It turns out Reacher staged it all to get into Zachary Beck's organization. And the guy he just saved is Zachary Beck's son, Richard.

However, there was a bodyguard with Richard when the fake kidnapping happened. His name is John Cooper. Played by Ronnie Rowe, not much is known about him. But what we do know is that he’s one of Beck’s men and has a history of domestic abuse and aggravated assault.

Read on to know more.

Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers for Reacher Season 3. It also reflects the author's opinion. Readers' discretion is advised.

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Reacher Season 3: John Cooper

John Cooper is the bodyguard of Zachary Beck's son, Richard. His backstory is not known yet as the show hasn’t explored it. There may or may not be one.

The only insight we get about him is from Duffy. She interrogates Cooper about Teresa’s whereabouts. That's when she tells:

"I ran your jacket, John Cooper. A year for domestic abuse. Four years, aggravated assault. Not someone I'd hire to babysit."

He’s certainly one of Beck’s men. Though he's in a much lower rank. He is taken hostage by the DEA agents after the incident.

At the beginning of the season, we see Reacher in a vinyl shop. Just then a car suddenly speeds up and crashes into another. Inside that car are Cooper and Richard.

Reacher grabs Richard and flees the scene after shooting a supposed cop who, as we later learn, is DEA agent Guillermo Villanueva. He fakes his death as part of the big plan. The kidnapper and the cop, everyone is in on it.

Later, we find out that John Cooper has been held hostage by the DEA agents led by Susan Duffy.

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Cooper's desperate attempts to break free

There are some hints in the show that tell us that Cooper is trying to find a way to free himself. Agent Eliot is in charge of him.

In one of the scenes in Episode 3, Cooper intentionally bangs his head on the sharp point of the chair he's tied to. He injures himself while Eliot is on a call with Duffy in the other room. When Eliot returns, Cooper screams, pointing out that he's bleeding and that he needs to be "patched up" to avoid an infection. Eliot agrees.

Then, Cooper tries to connect with Eliot. He thinks he might be the weakest among the three DEA agents. So he could probably get him on his side. He tells him:

"Cops usually don't give a sh*t. They don't care if you're hurt and bleeding or freezing your balls off. Just saying, appreciate it."

He further says:

"I feel for you. Low man on the pole. Stuck playing babysitter. Sh*t, I get it. I'm stuck watching the Beck kid everyday. Not the career choice either of us imagined, I bet."

But Eliot isn't easily fooled. He immediately catches on to what Cooper is trying to do and tells him to cut to the chase. Cooper then asks for a smoke, but Eliot won't allow it. It’s against the rules.

As the scene ends, the camera is on Cooper. His eyes are locked on the bottle of rubbing alcohol on the table. His expression is full of intent. Could this be a setup for his next move? Will he use it to escape? If he does, Eliot's life might be in danger.

A lot can happen if he manages to escape. He could run straight to Beck and reveal Reacher’s true identity. And that will undo everything Reacher has achieved so far, including Beck’s trust. McCabe, aka Quinn, would also find out and might come after Reacher and the DEA agents.

If Cooper gets away, the whole operation could crumble. It might leave Reacher and the DEA agents in serious danger.

But for now, nothing is certain. We'll have to wait and see how the story progresses.

Also read: Reacher Season 3, Episode 5: What could be next after Quinn’s shocking reveal in Episode 4?

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