John Krasinski’s Jack Ryan will return in 2023 for its fourth and final season. Fans who have read the books know that Jack is a man of many accomplishments, including becoming the President of the US. While this hasn’t been explored in any of the movies, some viewers wonder if the TV show will depict it before it ends.
So what’s the verdict: Will Jack Ryan become the US President in Season 4?
It is unlikely that Jack Ryan will become the US President in S4. While this is a major milestone in the Tom Clancy novels, the show has built no foundation to carry forward this plotline. It is possible that Jack will become the CIA’s Deputy Director in S4.
To understand why exactly the show may not adapt this storyline, let’s look into how Jack becomes the President in the first place and how that can be explored in the TV show.
How does Jack Ryan become the US President in the novels?
Jack Ryan becomes the US President at the end of the seventh novel, Debt of Honor. This happens after he leaves the CIA and starts working as the National Security Advisor at the White House. During this time, the White House officials are attacked, putting Jack directly first in line to become the US President.
As we all know, Jack starts off as a CIA analyst in most renditions—the novels, films, and even the Amazon Prime TV show. During the course of the six books, Jack leaves the CIA after finding it too corrupt and then joins the White House as the National Security Advisor.
By the end of Debt of Honor, the US president is impressed by Jack’s work and nominates him to fill the vacancy of the Vice-President mid-term.
Right after his confirmation, a foreign pilot flies his empty 747 plane into the capital, killing most of the elected officials — including the President. Jack survives, as he is not in the vicinity. He is the immediate next-in-line to become the President, and that’s when the “Ryan Administration” begins.
Will Jack Ryan become the US President in the show?
It is unlikely that the TV show will adapt the Jack Ryan presidential storyline. Jack only gets the position after he leaves the CIA and starts working at the White House. Since this has not been depicted in the show yet, it’s unlikely that Jack will become the US President in S4.
Let’s give you an understanding of why. In the novels, Jack Ryan goes through multiple dangerous international missions, which is how word gets to the White House. By the time he gets nominated for the Vice-President vacancy, he’s older, mature, and more seasoned.
So far, we’ve only seen three major missions in the TV show. Besides, S3 inexplicably showed how Jack was cut off from the CIA and had to work off-grid. So, to bounce back into the CIA and immediately win the president’s favor seems like a lot to depict in one swan song season. Plus, to hold the presidential position, Jack Ryan has to be well-versed in a different type of diplomacy that hasn’t yet been explored in the show.
Had there been more seasons, the presidency plotline could definitely be worked towards. But Seasons 1 to 3 have not laid any foundation to make this decision even plausible.
To continue Jack Ryan’s story as a grounded yet innovative piece, S4 should definitely tackle a mission closer to home before going out with a bang.
Does Jack Ryan become the CIA Director in the novels?
Jack Ryan does not become the CIA Director. However, in the sixth novel, The Sum of All Fears, he becomes the CIA Deputy Director. He is promoted to this position because due to his boss, Greer, stepping down to take care of his health.
This is also the highest position he attains at the CIA, as he does not go on to become the Director. Instead, after this, he leaves the CIA and goes on to become the National Security Advisor at the White House.
It is possible that instead of the presidential storyline, the TV show will adapt Jack’s promotion as the CIA’s Deputy Director. Or they may depart completely from the novels and give him a fresh storyline — only time will tell!
About Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan
Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan (also known simply as Jack Ryan) is an American political action thriller television series based on characters from the fictional “Ryanverse” created by Tom Clancy that premiered on Amazon Prime Video.
The first season follows the CIA analyst as he discovers a string of dubious bank transfers carried out by a rising Islamic extremist named Suleiman. The second season sees Jack in the middle of political warfare in a corrupt Venezuela. The third one will see Jack on the run and in a race against time.
Carlton Cuse and Graham Roland created the series, and Cuse serves as an executive producer alongside John Krasinski, Michael Bay, and Mace Neufeld, among others. Krasinski also stars in the series as the title character.
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