Some book lovers may disagree, but Reacher Season 2 may be considered a success. There may be some ridiculous moments, and the action may take up more space than in Season 1, but the narrative was well-balanced with riddles and turns, and the message was intriguing. Besides, the soundtrack was great. Music had an important role in each episode, with numerous songs serving as protagonists.
There are several examples of the intimate connection between Reacher Season 2 and its music. Tony Swan’s love of music was the glue that held everything together, and the scene in which Neagley performs Jefferson Airplane’s White Rabbit was the most fitting tribute to their late comrade. Sure, Jack Reacher has diverse preferences. Indeed, the song that accompanied him to Langston’s refuge was a different type of classic: the “Let the Man Go Through” song, which we covered in the next piece.
Watching the finale of Reacher Season 2, however, we had to acknowledge how another lovely song matched the series’ purpose with the actions we witnessed. While Jack Reacher begins his bus journey to an unknown place, after saying an emotional goodbye to his friends and soldier, we hear a profound music in the background that mentions “a simple kind of man.” The music that concludes Reacher Season 2 is Simple Man by Lynyrd Skynyrd, which you can listen to in full streaming below.
It’s not hard to see why Simple Man is the ideal song to end Reacher Season 2. The old 110th Special Investigation Unit successfully halted Langston’s missile sale to terrorists. They lost several companions on the quest, including Calvin Franz, Jorge Sanchez, Manuel Orozco, and Tony Swan, as well as Detective Guy Russo, who died trying to stop Langston. At the end of Season 2, Reacher completes his mission and retains the $65 million intended for the missile sale.
Jack Reacher will determine how to spend that money, and how he does so is significant: he will donate millions of dollars to the family of all of his deceased comrades while saving significant wealth for his surviving troops, their families, and companies. When Dixon asks him what he purchased for himself, he answers, “I need a new toothbrush,” suggesting that he didn’t intend to save money for personal expenses. After all, his lifestyle is unusual: he has no house, travels around America with no place to call home, and carries just a toothbrush in his pocket. That is the “simple kind of man” to which the final song alludes.
The lyrics of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Simple Man depict a discourse between a mother and her son: an encouragement to pursue a life based on real principles. Don’t chase after frivolous things or squander your time on Earth. Be a simple guy, as Jack Reacher is: someone who does not accumulate riches or prepare ahead. He lives each day as it comes, motivated by his conscience and dedication to justice.