Jack Reacher Exists In The World Of A Stephen King Sci-Fi Epic

In Stephen King’s 2009 sci-fi novel “Under the Dome,” a strange phenomenon plagues a small town in Maine. On October 21, 2017, the town of Chester’s Mill gets separated from the rest of the world by an invisible, dome-shaped barrier. This abrupt structure has no discernible origin and causes several fatalities, leaving the local government and the town’s populace in complete disarray. Only Dale “Barbie” Barbara and Jackie Wettington, who have strong ties to the Army, have the wherewithal to navigate the situation from within and arrive at a solution. Other players contribute to this situation as well, but their personal motivations often interfere with the greater good, making an already dire crisis even worse. King drives the immediacy and the helplessness of the situation home with multi-character perspectives, creating a character-dense story about fear in the face of the unknown.

What does this tale of human perseverance and isolation have in common with the fast-paced, action-packed world of Lee Child’s “Jack Reacher” novels? Well, at first glance, nothing. Child’s Reacher is the peak of hypermasculine power fantasy, cushioned by a personal moral code that affirms that bad guys should always be punished. This former military policeman towers over everyone and beats up thugs like he means it, and is trained with such precision that he fares even better in an unarmed fight. This near-invulnerability is complemented with an ability to adapt to insane scenarios, making him a formidable undercover agent who goes to any lengths to not blow his cover. More importantly, Reacher is the definition of a chill dude who minds his own business unless you’ve done something horrible to deserve a beating (or worse).

Surprisingly, Reacher’s military background ties into King’s “Under the Dome,” as King presents Jack Reacher as a real person in this fictional world, even though he’s not physically present during the events. Let us take a closer look at this connection.

In “Under the Dome,” Col. James O. Cox (who is stationed outside of the Dome) explains that one point that Jackie Wettington was recommended by Jack Reacher himself, which makes her competence unquestionable:

“Wettington was given a citation for helping to break up an illegal drug ring operating out of the Sixty-seventh Combat Support Hospital in Würzburg, Germany, and was personally recommended by a man named Jack Reacher, the toughest god**n Army cop that ever served, in my humble opinion.”

Cox’s assessment of Reacher is correct, of course. Reacher’s physical strength is only rivaled by his mental fortitude, and his reputation precedes him. Later, Cox tells Jackie that “Jack Reacher says hello,” implying that she worked alongside Reacher at some point, while highlighting that “a recommendation from Reacher goes a long way.” This is also true: Reacher is not one to be easily impressed, as he gauges people’s strengths along with their intentions. After all, Reacher only takes pride in people who are extremely competent at their jobs and do not shy away from doing the right thing when their backs are pressed against the wall.

While Reacher doesn’t show up in King’s novel to punch and shatter the Dome with his bare hands (which would probably have worked in Lee Child’s heightened, adrenaline-soaked fictional world), the references to him in “Under the Dome” are pretty cool. What’s more, both Child and King seem to have great mutual respect, with the former providing an enthused pull-quote for later editions of “Under the Dome.” The quote reads: “The best yet from the best ever,” which can also be gleaned as an endorsement from Child for Reacher’s presence in King’s fictional universe. Here’s hoping that someone from King’s fantastical multiverse will show up during one of Jack Reacher’s adventures someday.