The True Motive Behind Dixon's Offer to Kill Swan in Reacher Season 2

Dixon's Understanding of Reacher's Moral Dilemma

In Reacher season 2's episode 6, Dixon tells Reacher that she will kill Swan, making it hard not to wonder why she made that offer. Although Reacher season 2's episode 6 has a slow start where the titular character and his team struggle to learn the truth about Swan's involvement in New Age's schemes, the episode picks its pace halfway through its runtime and drops several significant revelations about Swan's potential whereabouts and Langston's imminent plans.

Alan Ritchson as Reacher and Serinda Swan as Dixon in Reacher season 2 collage

However, in all these moments of revelation and action, Reacher season 2, episode 6 also features a scene where Dixon assures Reacher that she will be killing Swan if he turns out to be the traitor. This scene leaves one curious about why Dixon would make such a promise to Reacher despite knowing its moral repercussions. At the same time, it also discloses some crucial details about Dixon and Reacher's dynamic and what Dixon feels about Reacher.

Serinda Swan As Karla Dixon, Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher, and Shaun Sipos as David O'Donnell in Reacher season 2.

Dixon's Understanding of Reacher's Moral Dilemma

Dixon understands Reacher's dynamic with the 110th Special Investigations Unit's members. In Reacher season 2, episode 6, Dixon assures Reacher that she will kill Swan if necessary because she understands it would be hard for Reacher to do it. Like the other members of the 110th Special Investigations Unit, Swan and Dixon were also close. However, Reacher was more like an elder brother figure to all the members of the military group, making it difficult for him to believe that any one of them would betray him. Reacher's military backstory also reveals that the Alan Ritchson character did not randomly select people from the army to be a part of his team.

Serinda Swan as Dixon googling on her phone on Reacher season 2 episode 4

He meticulously determined everyone's character and only then concluded whether they were moral enough to join forces with him. Owing to this, killing someone for betraying him would not only hurt his feelings but also make him question his own sense of moral judgment. A flashback in season 2 also reveals that Swan had once taken a bullet for Reacher. Since Swan had put his own life on the line to protect Reacher, Reacher feels obligated to do the same for him. Reacher has always had a strong sense of justice, but Swan's suspected betrayal put him in a vulnerable position. Dixon realized this and, therefore, offered help.

Dixon smiling in Reacher season 2, episode 2

Dixon's Loyalty and the Unfolding Truth

Reacher season 2 proves Swan is innocent. Although many initial hints suggested that Swan was the traitor, Reacher season 2, episode 6 confirms that he got involved with New Age to stop Langston from making a deal with AM. When Reacher and his team confront Marlo in episode 6, she reveals that she recruited Swan after learning about New Age's malicious behind-the-scene activities. He joined the company as a double agent to get to the bottom of what New Age was planning to do and to figure out a way to stop Langston. He even got Franz, Sanchez, and Orozco involved in the case, but Langston murdered them before they could put an end to his illegal weapons-trading mission with AM.

Karla Dixon talking to Jack in Reacher season 2

Marlo's claims are further cemented when Langston tries to get her killed towards the end of Reacher season 2's episode 6. This confirms that Reacher's sense of judgment was always right on the money, even though several early red herrings suggested that Swan was the traitor. By confirming that Swan was one of the good guys trying to stop Langston, Reacher season 2 establishes that Dixon will not have to kill him. While this allows Dixon to rest assured that she will not have to bear the heavy burden of taking a former teammate and friend's life, her commitment and loyalty to Reacher is concerning.

Serinda Swan as Karal Dixon, Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher, Shaun Sipos as David O'Donnell, and Maria Sten as Francis Neagley in Reacher season 2