Reacher: Why does he cover the peephole with a hanger? Details revealed

Reacher Season 3, Episode 1 shows Jack Reacher doing something unusual when DEA agents come knocking at his motel door, he covers the peephole using the motel’s “Do Not Disturb” hanger. This small action plays a big role in Reacher’s decision-making and highlights his sharp instincts. But why does he do it? Let’s break it down.

When Reacher hears knocking on his door, his first instinct is to be careful. He doesn’t immediately trust that the people outside are real federal agents. Instead of looking through the peephole right away, he places the paper hanger over it.

If the visitors were assassins pretending to be agents, they might have shot through the peephole the moment they noticed movement behind it. By covering it first, Reacher cleverly tests their intentions. When no bullets come flying, he feels safer to take a look himself.

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Who are these agents?

The people at his door turn out to be Guillermo and Sam, who work with Susan Duffy, a DEA agent. However, Reacher isn’t interested in talking to them at first. Even though they identify themselves as federal agents, he isn’t convinced that’s enough reason to trust them.

Reacher has spent years dealing with all kinds of dangerous people, and he knows that “anyone can be anything.” Just because someone claims to be a federal agent doesn’t mean they truly are.

Since he doesn’t want to take any risks, Reacher quickly grabs his toothbrush and sneaks out through the bathroom window instead of answering the door. He’s always been a lone wolf, avoiding unnecessary trouble.

Later, by the motel’s dirty pool, he tells Duffy that he didn’t trust them right away because he had no way to confirm if they were real feds or impostors looking to harm him.

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A mutual mission

At first, Reacher has no interest in what Duffy and her team are working on. But everything changes when she mentions Warrant Officer Powell. That’s when Reacher realizes they may have a common enemy, Xavier Quinn.

Quinn is someone from Reacher’s past, and Reacher wants to settle unfinished business with him. Meanwhile, Duffy and her team are investigating Zachary Beck’s so-called “Bizarre Bazaar” rug business, which seems suspicious.

This shared goal leads to an unexpected partnership, as Reacher teams up with Duffy, Guillermo, and Sam. To get inside Beck’s circle, they stage a fake kidnapping of Reacher, making it look like he was attacked, so he can infiltrate their operation.

Reacher’s decision to cover the peephole with the hanger wasn’t just random, it was a strategic move to test whether the people outside were dangerous. If they had fired a shot through the door, he would have known right away that they were threats. Since they didn’t, he could take a calculated risk.

This moment proves once again that Reacher is always one step ahead, thinking like a true survival expert. His instincts and experience help him navigate dangerous situations, ensuring that he stays alive and in control.

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