The Terminal List spoilers ahead
Marvel actor Chris Pratt's latest project, The Terminal List, is an intense bloodbath that starts with a cluttered mind and ends with revenge.
Based on a novel of the same name by Jack Carr, Pratt's character James Reece is on a mission to find the truth after returning home from a Navy SEALs operation gone wrong. Unfortunately, the mission led to the death of his whole platoon, leaving him as the sole survivor.
What to Read Next
MAJOR SPOILER AHEAD
Reece's memory of the events are unreliably and sketchy. However, he suspects foul play. He becomes convinced that his team were purposely fed incorrect intel to wipe them out during Operation Odin Sword.
His suspicions are heightened when he is attacked during a hospital check-up. He survives, but his wife and daughter are murdered at home. The grieving Reece then has only one thing on his mind. Payback.
After making his kill list and checking it twice, he plans to hunt down his enemies with the help of his best friend and fellow Navy SEAL Ben Edwards (Taylor Kitsch) and reporter Katie Buranek (Constance Wu).
What follows is a murky and merciless revenge tale, with more twists and turns than Chris Pratt's exhaustive exercise regime, so... you're going to need us to explain it.
The Terminal List ending explained
As we reach the closing chapter, things are heating up for Reece. He blows up Admiral Pillar, who was complicit in both Alpha Platoons' deaths and murdering his family, so he's now a wanted man.
A manhunt has been issued for the Navy SEAL. Along the way, he has learnt that he and his fellow troops were part of a trial experiment for an unlicensed drug, unbeknownst to any of them.
They were given pills as part of their health care programme, which was designed to prevent PTSD in soldiers, but the experiment failed to provide all of Alpha Platoon's fatal tumours. The squad were then slaughtered on the mission to get rid of the evidence. However, Reece and one other named Ernest 'Boozer' Vickers survived.
Boozer's death on land was made to look like suicide, while Reece's never materialised because he survived the attack on him.
Having slaughtered almost everyone involved, Secretary Lorraine Hartley (Jeanne Tripplehorn) is now top of Reece's list. He knows she was involved in the trial, as does reporter Katie Buranek, whose investigations have made her suspicious of Hartley's actions.
Katie believes that Hartley has received a payout for the coverup under the shell company Oberon Analytics as an unnamed beneficiary intends to send her story to print.
Hartley prevents her from publishing her 'libellous' and 'inaccurate' story and instead persuades her to come to her home to find out the truth of what happened. Katie's thirst for the story compels her to do just that.
Meanwhile, FBI agent Tony (JD Pardo) - who was previously gung-ho about securing Reece's capture - begins to doubt who the real villains are. Now believing Reece to be the victim, he's determined to see this through, despite being called off the case.
Back at Hartley's, Katie deduces something odd about the Secretary's recounting of Operation Odin Sword. The timeline of events isn't adding up, and a persuasive Katie needles Hartley further.
Katie's interrogation forces Hartley to admit the truth. She knew about the tumours and the plan to wipe out the troops but chose to remain silent to protect her reputation and the drug trial which she intends to continue.
During a heated discussion with Katie, she argues that any one of those men killed would have willingly given up their lives, knowing the part they would play in ending post-traumatic stress for their comrades.
Katie is less than convinced and vows to publish the truth. Hartley detains her, but Katie becomes the least of her worries. Reece has arrived and is intent on killing her.
Hartley tries to escape - with Katie in toe - and almost does, thanks to Tony and the rest of the military reigning gunfire on Reece. But, unfortunately for Hartley, Reece catches up to her.
Despite her initial good intentions with the drug trial, he has every intention of showing her no mercy, but before he can do anything, she shoots herself.
Reece goes to escape but is spotted by Tony, who tries to capture him, but in the end, his sympathy towards the broken and hobbling Navy SEAL wins out, and he lets Reece go.
Three weeks go by, and Katie's story has been published, exposing the truth about Operation Odin's Sword to the world.
Reece ceases all communication with Katie, but not before she gives him the final piece of the puzzle. Her information helps him to work out who the unnamed beneficiary behind Oberon Analytics was and, in turn, the mole that leaked bad intel that set up Odin Sword.
The heartbreaking discovery points to Ben.
Ben admits to Reece that he'd only gone through with it, believing that the tumours would kill them. He tells Reece, "I thought, let them die with their fucking boots on" rather than in a hospital bed.
Reece questions the truth behind this and asks if the money was the real reason for Ben's action, to which she replies:
"Maybe both?" Oof! A blow for Reece, who will undoubtedly feel this betrayal even stronger given the journey they've just been on together.
Ben denies any involvement in the death of Reece's wife and daughter Laura (Riley Keough) and Lucy (Arlo Mertz), adding that he's sickened by what happened to them and also sought revenge. He knows this will make little difference to Reece, telling him: "It's OK. Let's finish the list."
The camera switches to the view of his boat where their conversation had been taking place, and as it pans out, gunshots can be heard in the distance.
Through all the blood and loss, Reece is able to find peace because he was able to make all those responsible pay. Soon after, he can fully recall the memory he has been struggling to remember all along.
One where he is trying to find the words to prepare Lucy for the possibility that he could die on the job. With both her parents by her side Lucy is able to accept the harsh realities of his job.
Ironically, it is at this moment that Reece accepts their death, symbolised by him dropping his kill list into the water on the back of Lucy's drawing of her family.
A somewhat peaceful end to a tale bathed in blood, but apparently Reece has some unfinished business because a season two seems more and more likely.
Pratt told Deadline:
"To the rabid fans of The Terminal List out there, you have nothing to worry about… We love you and appreciate your support. It's our life's mission to make sure you can come back to the well. We are working away."
Despite Reece's seemingly closed chapter, this is not a completely shocking move from the creators. Carr has written a whole host of books for them to draw upon.
Pratt added: "There may be some cool stuff on the horizon being discussed."
For more of an update on the future of The Terminal List, read our everything you need to know about a potential season two.
All episodes of The Terminal List are available to watch now on Amazon Prime Video on July 1.
![Marvel Studios: The Infinity Saga - Collector's Edition [Blu-ray, region-free]](https://hips.hearstapps.com/vader-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/1592930246-51rTY4QSSxL.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top&resize=980:* "Marvel Studios: The Infinity Saga - Collector's Edition [Blu-ray, region-free]")
Funk Pop! Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 Rocket Raccoon Pop! Vinyl Figure
Funko Pop! Marvel Guardians of the Galaxy Dancing Groot Pop! Vinyl Figure
Hollywood Records Vol 2 Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol 2 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Funko Pop! Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 Star-Lord Pop! Vinyl Figure
Funko Pop! Marvel Infinity War Young Gamora with Dagger Pop! Vinyl Figure
Hollywood Records Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Funko Pop! Marvel Infinity War Groot with Stormbreaker Pop! Vinyl Figure
TV writer, Digital Spy Janet completed her Masters degree in Magazine Journalism in 2013 and has continued to grow professionally within the industry ever since. For six years she honed her analytical reviewing skills at the Good Housekeeping institute eventually becoming Acting Head of Food testing. She also freelanced in the field of film and TV journalism from 2013-2020, when she interviewed A-List stars such as Samuel L Jackson, Colin Firth and Scarlett Johansson. In 2021 she joined Digital Spy as TV writer where she gets to delve into more of what she loves, watching copious amounts of telly all in the name of work. Since taking on the role she has conducted red carpet interviews with the cast of Bridgerton, covered the BAFTAs and been interviewed by BBC Radio and London Live. In her spare time she also moonlights as a published author, the book Gothic Angel.
