Warning! This article contains spoilers for Reacher season 3’s episode 7.
Reacherseason 3’s episode 7 interestingly features a joke that seemingly has a long cinematic history. Based onLee Child’sPersuader,Reacherseason 3 is far darker than its predecessors. In one of its early episodes, it unfolds a disturbing arc from theAlan Ritchson character’s past to reveal how Quinn murdered one of his military police allies, Dominique Kohl. The season takes an even darker turn when one of Quinn’s bodyguards ruthlessly kills DEA Agent, Elliot, in a desperate effort to escape law enforcers.
The third installment of theAmazon Prime Video detective seriesbecomes even more grim when Paulie shows no qualms about killing an undercover ATF agent who disguised herself as a maid in Back’s mansion. However, in these harrowing story developments,Reacherseason 3 always tries to balance its tone with a little bit of humor. While Reacher’s over-the-top quotes and awkward one-liners are enough to add a layer of lightheartedness to the series, Duffy, too, proves to be a valuable source of comedy in the season. One of her jokes also serves as a massive cinematic easter egg.
Duffy’s “What Are You, A F**king Owl?” Joke In Reacher Season 3 Is A Cinematic Easter Egg
The Joke Has Been Featured In Several Movies
When Reacher and Duffy drive to Los Angeles inReacherseason 3’s episode 7, Duffy takes an unknown turn, prompting Reacher to ask her where they are going. Duffy claims she wishes to meet someone before they get to business. Curious about where they are going, Reacher asks her “who” they are going to meet.Since owls are known to make “whooing” sounds, she funnily jokes by asking him if he is “a f**king owl.“As unique as Duffy’s joke inReacherseason 3’s episode 7 may seem, it serves as a major cinematic easter egg because of how many times it has appeared in movies.
Reacher Season 3’s Main Villain, Xavier Quinn, Explained
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In an iconicWolf of Wall Streetscene, Margot Robbie’s Naomi splashes water on Leonardo DiCaprio’s character’s face and asks him about a woman. He wakes up yelling, “Who? Whoo?” This is when Margot Robbie’s character cracks the same joke by asking him if he is an owl. Michael Shannon drops the same pun inNocturnal Animalswhen his character, Bobby Andes, confronts Karl Glusman’s Lou for asking him “who” Ray Marcus is. The owl joke has also been featured in several other films, likeHeatandSea of Love, which almost makes it a full-fledged cinematic trope.
Duffy’s Humor Has Been A Breath Of Fresh Air For Reacher In Season 3
Her Involvement Adds Some Levity To An Otherwise Serious Series
The source of humor inReacherseason 1 revolved around the titular character’s constant arguments with Finlay.Reacherseason 2 switched things up a little by using Reacher and O’Donnell’s buddy cop dynamic as a source of comedy. While Reacher kept picking on O’Donnell for settling down after being a womanizer during his military years, O’Donnell kept teasing Reacher by trying to convince him to settle down and get married like him. Instead of treading the same path as its predecessors,Reacherseason 3 introduces Duffy as a fresh source of humor in the series.
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Her sharp wit and quirky humor perfectly contrast Reacher’s dry and no-nonsense demeanor. The fact that most of her funny one-liners are directed towards Reacher adds another layer of charm to their dynamic, making her a unique addition to the series.Reacherseason 3’s creators could have easily written her like the Alan Ritchson character’s previous love interest. However, instead of playing it safe, they chose to take a different approach to her characterization, which allows her to shine in her limitedReacherseason 3 screen time.
Reacher
Reacher follows Jack Reacher, a former military police investigator, as he navigates civilian life. Without a phone and carrying minimal belongings, Reacher drifts across the country, experiencing the nation he once served, and encounters intriguing challenges along the way.
