Warning! SPOILERS about Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan season 3 ahead.Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan season 3 episode 8 had the titular character in hot water with the Navy, but the reason behind USS Roosevelt’s Captain Bennett having issues with Jack Ryan had a lot to do both with the story of Jack Ryan season 3 and, more generally, the Jack Ryan franchise. Jack Ryan’s season 3 plot distanced itself from seasons 1 and 2, bringing John Krasinski’s titular character partially on the run from the Central Intelligence Agency. However, Amazon Prime Video’s political spy thriller also had Ryan rely on the U.S. Navy’s help to continue pursuing his plan despite CIA director Miller being against it.
Although USS Roosevelt’s Captain Bennett (Marc Menchaca) already appeared in Jack Ryan season 3 episode 1 offering his vessel as a base from which Ryan’s recon mission in the Black Sea could start, his attitude shifted completely in Jack Ryan season 3 finale’s ending. Indeed, the situation changed, as Bennett now had to guide his ship through confrontation against the Fearless, led by rogue Russian captain Rolan Antonov (Derek de Lint). However, despite Ryan’s timing appearing terrible to Bennett considering the impending crisis, Bennett’s dislike of him seemed to hinge more on what Ryan symbolized and his role rather than just his timing.
Why The Navy Hates Jack Ryan In Season 3 & Red October
Bennett’s distaste for Jack Ryan in Jack Ryan season 3 episode 8, “Star on the Wall,” had a lot to do with how the USS Roosevelt captain perceived Ryan’s intrusion as disinterest from him as a CIA officer and the intelligence community. Not only did Bennett reiterate his intention to care for his crew and follow the “standing rules of engagement” he had, but he also despised Ryan’s insistence in trying to convince him to follow his suggestions, as he felt the CIA was overstepping their bounds. Bennett even tried to rein Jack Ryan, season 3’s main character, in by reminding him of his inferior Navy rank, ending up following his lead instead.
However, the Navy’s adverse reaction to Ryan’s plan in Jack Ryan season 3 mirrored The Hunt for Red October’s. Bennett’s distaste for Ryan’s actions echoed Captain Davenport’s (Daniel Davis) opposition to Ryan pursuing the Red October, along with his resistance to Ryan appearing in a Navy uniform. While Admiral Painter (Fred Thompson) eventually convinced Davenport to give him a chance by explaining Ryan’s previous involvement with the Marines, the reasoning behind Bennett’s refusal to let Ryan take over his mission in the Baltic and Davenport’s opposition to Ryan’s presence could all be traced back to Ryan representing the CIA there, which shouldn’t have had any business in the Navy affairs.
Jack Ryan’s History With The Marines
Different versions of the Jack Ryan franchise analyzed Ryan’s time with the Marine Corps. However, none went as far as John Krasinski’s Jack Ryan version, which was established in Jack Ryan season 1 as having been part of the Marine Corps for six years before his helicopter accident. On the contrary, Tom Clancy’s book series that inspired the Amazon Prime TV show and other movies like The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, and Clear and Present Danger all recounted Ryan’s accident as quite early with the Marine Corps, mentioning a NATO exercise accident involving Ryan’s helicopter crashing in the Mediterranean.
The helicopter incident’s impact on Jack Ryan could be seen in many films in the franchise, albeit differently from how it was portrayed in the Amazon Prime series. However, Ryan’s history with the Navy doesn’t stop there, nor in his clashes with them in The Hunt for Red October or Jack Ryan season 3. Indeed, Tom Clancy’s book series, Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger, all mentioned Ryan’s career as a professor of history at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Despite these differences, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan made a point to underline how Ryan’s life is undoubtedly linked to the Navy, whether they hate him or not.
