‘Jack Ryan’ Recap: ‘Running With Wolves’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 303 of ‘Jack Ryan’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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There are a great many reasons to love the Prime Video series, Jack Ryan. For not only is this show a delightful iteration of a character that could easily be considered to be America’s version of James Bond, but it features fine acting and wondrous action and plots that consistently engage us and leave us on the edge of our seat. But of the many reasons we tune in, there is one above all that truly keeps us eager for more. In that, this is that rare action and adventure and espionage series, that is brave in nature. For this show isn’t keen to just follow formula and give us a by the numbers problem for Jack to solve on the fly. It will in fact, offer up bold stories that are unconventional in nature, as evidenced by the show’s next episode.
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For ‘Running With Wolves’ is a story that should have seen Jack Ryan assembling deep data and intel and perhaps an Army to bring down Sokol whilst being hunted. But instead, this particular tale shook that up and went into world-building. For a fair chunk of this tale instead took place in the Czech Republic, wherein James Greer spent time with President Alena Kovac, to see where her country stood on potentially inviting NATO weapons onto their soil. Which at first, seemed to be an afterthought for Alena. Since she really wanted her country to be impartial. But Greer knew that danger was lurking for this nation and set out to prove that it was and did, since it became clear to him that the assassination was staged and that certain parties were planning to use it as a reason to interfere, prompting those weapons to make their way to the republic.

Which should have been nothing less than good news in this story, since it seemed as though Greer headed off disaster and brought security and safety to a potentially scary situation. But instead, this was nothing more than part of a grander plan. Since we came to learn that Petr is in fact, working against his daughter. Since he was aligned with the cabal of leaders that want a Red Russia to move across Eastern Europe once again, and he knows plenty about Sokol and where it is at and the plan in general. Which entails the Czech Republic receiving NATO assistance to set the stage for a standoff and potential conflict, giving these shady fellows the perfect moment in which to unleash Sokol and their plans, giving rise to real tension here. The kind that left us wondering if there was going to be any hope to stop the plan since it was playing out as they hoped.  

Thankfully however, hope arrived in the form of Jack’s journey. For he and Mike made their way to Vienna to speak with Zoya and setup a meeting with her contact so Jack could have concrete evidence of the plan to present to the United States Government, which was still hot on his trail in this tale, and so he could figure out how best to stop the madness, and he got his wish. For Zoya set up the meeting on a train, one that Jack made sure he was on and for a time… it seemed as though painful trouble awaited him as well. Since his Russian nemesis was on the train, as was a suspicious stranger that appeared to have machinations to bring him harm. But instead, the stranger revealed himself to be Luka, and saved Jack and explained that they had limited time to fill him in and plan for tomorrow, giving rise to a future story that would resemble a more traditional tale.

Since this one… was all about setup and what makes that so unconventional is that usually the beginning of the spy story is where we play catch up and cat and mouse games and enjoy setup, then the action comes in. But this season of the show… has flipped all that. Since the tension and doom was in episode one, and the rest has been filtering in ever since and well, this works. Because the answers are just making this whole situation nightmarish in nature, and the tension is beginning to rise and it is also teaching us, to expect the unexpected from this story. Since it seems now that anything could happen, thanks to the stakes being so high and once again, we are compelled to continue the journey. To see what other surprises await us and see how Jack is going to save the free world from perhaps its biggest threat to date. Until next time. 

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