The Reacher season 2 trailer promised a lot of action and another more subtle clue that resurfaced in the show’s penultimate episode.

Alan Ritchson as Reacher pointing a gun at someone off-screen

SUMMARY

 The Reacher season 2 trailer included a cryptic clue that pays off in the penultimate episode, adding to the anticipation and intrigue of the upcoming finale.
 Tony Swan, a key member of the 110th Special Investigations Unit, is shown playing “Crazy on You” by Heart, the song featured in the trailer, highlighting his importance to the plot and foreshadowing his pivotal role in the narrative.
 The choice of “Crazy on You” as the theme song holds deeper meaning, as the lyrics reflect the violence and militaristic threats faced by the 110th, suggesting that the action is set to reach its peak in the season finale.

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Reacher season 2.The Reacher season 2 trailer managed to capture all the action and excitement that’s featured so far, but it also contained a cryptic clue that paid off in the penultimate episode. The release of a trailer is an important hallmark in the build-up to a new season, and while some of the events and themes a trailer can tease are glaringly obvious, others can hide in plain sight.

Reacher season 2 focuses on the main character’s reunion with his old military unit. Reacher‘s 110th Special Investigations Unit has been on the run for the majority of the show’s latest installment as they formulate a plan to ensure their survival. However, not every member of the Reacher season 2 cast has been shown during the present-day sequences. While the fate of every member of the 110th isn’t yet known, season 2, episode 7 has provided a clue that harks back to the trailer.

Tony Swan Plays “Crazy On You” By Heart In Reacher Season 2, Episode 7

The song serves as a hidden clue

Shannon Kook as Tony Swan smiling and holding a guitar in Reacher Tony Swan playing guitar in Reacher as Dixon and Reacher watch him David O'Donnell holding his face in Reacher as Neagley laughs in the background
 Serinda Swan smiling as Karla Dixon and Alan Ritchson's Reacher standing behind her in Reacher Shannon Kook as Tony Swan playing guitar and singing in Reacher

Shannon Kook’s Tony Swan is a key member of the 110th, and so far, he’s only featured during the Reacher flashback sequences. Although Swan does seem to be involved in the Little Wing weapon conspiracy that’s threatening Reacher and the others, the extent of Swan’s involvement has yet to be confirmed.

However, his time in the 110th has shown him to be not only a capable soldier, but also a musician. Following the Unit’s success with Operation Kite Runner, Swan leads the group in a rendition of Heart’s “Crazy on You” – the song that accompanied the Reacher season 2 trailer.

The singalong scene is a rare moment of levity in a show like Reacher, as it shows the 110th enjoying the controversial success that went against the orders of the Unit’s superiors.

While the song choice may seem fairly benign and random, its return to the franchise after its appearance in the trailer for season 2 comes with a deeper meaning. While the meaning may bypass the show’s characters, the track may be especially relevant for Reacher viewers.

The Choice Of “Crazy On You” For The Reacher Season 2 Trailer Foreshadowed Swan’s Importance To The Plot

The lyrical content of “Crazy on You” has more than one meaning

Shannon Kook as Tony Swan looking concerned in Reacher

The return of “Crazy on You” from the trailer is more than just a nod to the show’s promotional material. There are parallels between the trailer itself, Tony Swan, and the presence of the Heart classic.

For instance, Swan is missing from the Reacher season 2 trailer completely, as he is missing from all the present-day scenes in the show so far. The fact that Swan plays the song from the trailer within the show is an artistic acknowledgment of this shared absence.

As such, “Crazy on You” featuring in the trailer acts as a form of foreshadowing, retroactively teasing that Tony Swan will become a pivotal character within the show’s narrative.

Swan’s involvement in the case hasn’t been confirmed yet, but it’s safe to say that he is tied up in what’s going on in one way or another. The use of the song is enough of a reference to create intrigue, but not nearly enough to provide anything approaching a spoiler.

Reacher’s Musical Flashback Teases The Coming Violence In The Season 2 Finale

The action in Reacher season 2 isn’t over yet

Alan Ritchson as Reacher with his superior pointing at him in the chest

Heart’s Ann Wilson, one of the writers of the 1976 single, has spoken of the meaning behind the lyrics to “Crazy on You” during an interview with Louder.

During the exchange, Wilson stated the song was about, “Bombs, and devils, and the Vietnam War and the gas crisis.“ This shows the lyrical content of “Crazy on You” is at least partially reflective of the violence going on in the world at the time, some of which was militaristic.

As such, the theme of the track fits the content of Reacher season 2, with the 110th stumbling into threats involving military-grade weaponry. Swan himself also admits in the show that he chose the song due to its violent connotations.

After the 110th is shown in a particularly bloody and high-octane altercation, Kook’s character explains his choice of song is, “Because we sure did go crazy on those sons of b**ches, didn’t we?” The live performance of the song from the trailer could signal the beginning of the action shown in the promotional footage for Reacher season 2.

The placement of the scene after the success of Operation Kite Runner is another clue that is difficult to ignore. All the hints may be cryptic and even a little vague, but they also go beyond mere coincidence. So, for all the action-packed sequences in Reacher season 2 so far, Tony Swan’s musical recital could serve as a warning that the violence is set to hit its peak in the finale.