Say it ain’t Rus-so! Not even a hug from Jack Reacher’s comically large arms could heal this wound! With as many books as there are in this series, I feel like I’ve known the Reacher characters all my life. Because I could spend the rest of my life reading them all. Which made Russo’s fate hurt that much more.
What’s the status of Gaitano Russo?
Gaitano Russo is an NYPD detective played in the Prime Video series by Domenick Lombardozzi. He’s tough, hard-boiled. Like an egg! But he’s also got a soft side, like an egg! And he’s bald. Also like an egg! His ornery personality makes him tough to swallow. Again, like an egg.
Russo is investigating the murder of Calvin Franz, a Major in the U.S. Army whose corpse was found in the Catskill Mountains. Through his top-notch sleuthing skills, he’s able to help the 110th (Reacher’s former unit) track down Franz’s killers. In a tear-jerker of a season two finale, Russo lays down his life in order to protect the daughter of a key witness in the investigation. In case I wasn’t clear: yes, Gaitano Russo is dead.
The final moments of the detective turned out to be some of the most touching in the show. The witness’s daughter Neagley is haphephobic—she fears touching other people. Throughout the show, she avoids touching other characters entirely and refuses to even shake hands upon greeting. However, in Russo’s final moments, after he’s been shot in the chest, she holds his hand as he slowly succumbs to his wounds. It was the least, or rather, the most she could do.
(featured image: Prime Video)
