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The Terminal List: Dark Wolf Series Recap & Review - Episode 101: Inherent Resolve

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"In death as in life, we stand together, always a family, always a team. The brotherhood never dies." - Marcus Luttrell


I’ve heard series like this referred to as “dad shows.” Prime Video’s Reacher, FX’s Sons of Anarchy, The Shield, and Justified. All “dad shows.” The characteristics often consist of action, violence, crime, and justice. Vengeance is a big theme in these kinds of series as well. They often satiate an internal desire for heroism at any cost, especially at the defiance of authority. The main character is usually an anti-hero or rather a morally conflicted hero willing to bend and or break what they hold to be true if it means their foes fall as a result. 


In Reacher the titular character is a walking wall of justice using everything from his fisticuffs to firearms and explosives. He is an incorruptible force, singularly focused on bringing his enemies to justice, whether that’s in handcuffs or in a body bag is entirely up to them. He is a nearly indestructible giant who either has the upper hand or has the means to get there. Always. And of course all the ladies want him. This is vicarious viewership at its most emphatic. 


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Prime Video’s The Terminal List is a Navy SEAL fueled thriller brimming with action, military tactics, weaponry, murder, betrayal, and perhaps most alluring, vengeance. Chris Pratt plays James Reece, a broken but still highly efficient and extremely deadly SEAL determined to uncover a conspiracy that began with the betrayal of his unit and ended with his own wife and daughter murdered. And to add insult to injury, no one believes it’s really happening. He’s just suffering from loss and possible PTSD. Reece knows better and anyone, everyone, involved will meet their maker at the hands of the frogman with nothing to lose. 


At his side every step of the way is CIA operative, Ben Edwards. Loyal as they come, Ben will go to any length to help his friend fight some very real demons. But before he became CIA, he was of course a frogman just like Reece. Dark Wolf is the journey Ben goes on leading him from the rigid, team oriented SEALs to a more wild west, a no holds barred approach to fighting the enemy. The only problem is in this world, everyone begins to look like the enemy making it nearly impossible to trust anyone. This is Ben’s story before the events of Reece’s revenge odyssey. 


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The Terminal List: Dark Wolf premieres on Prime Video, Wednesday, August 27, 2025 with three new episodes. A new episode will then premiere every subsequent Wednesday until the September 24th season finale. 




Episode 101 - Inherent Resolve


No technical spoilers, however each recap addresses what happens in each episode. If you don't want to be spoiled, watch the coinciding episode first and then come back to my recap and review.


Ben Edwards is a SEAL. He is a proud serviceman who would willingly give his life for the man next to him. And that’s the point. For many the questions of war come up and why the special few choose to fight. For the men Ben Edwards fights next to, it’s all about the brotherhood. They take the fight to anyone willing to threaten their country and its interests

all with the mindset that everyone comes home. 


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In the beginning it was about the joint forces of countries with similar goals, in this case, Mosul, Iraq. Edwards, Reece and the other teams are present for training of the local forces and for added security until they are no longer needed.


The first time we see Edwards and his team in action, they are sent on a mission consisting of a prisoner exchange. Isis forces will receive one of their leaders, Hamid Al-Jabouri. For his release, Iraqi forces will be given several captured ISF family members. Of course it all goes to shit in a massive fire fight on a narrow bridge. Not exactly ideal but they make do with minimal damage and injuries. An ISF member and friend to Edwards, Amiri suffers a leg injury that costs him his lower leg. But he stands tall, still determined to bring the fight to the enemy. Edwards admires him. 


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When on mission several months later, Edwards receives a call from Amiri, sounding distressed and skittish. Knowing something is wrong, Edwards cuts the mission short and hauls ass back to the FOB. He knows Amiri is going to do something drastic. And he’s right. In the aftermath of Amiri’s actions, Edwards suspects Amiri was coerced by threat of death of his family, including his two children and wife. He becomes determined to find out who forced Amiri’s hand. In the midst of finding who the culprit is, they discover their former prisoner, Al-Jabouri’s location. They suspect he had something to do with Amiri’s actions. 


Edwards and his team are on the hunt. During the mission, Edwards makes a life altering decision that changes the trajectory of everything he knows or will ever know. But he regrets nothing. It was for Amiri and it was for his kids. Judgement for his choices be damned. 


Out of 10

Story: 9/ Acting: 9/ Directing: 9/ Visuals: 8.5

OVERALL: 9/10


Overall thoughts on Episode 101: Inherent Resolve

I love The Terminal List and have been itching for more of this world. I love the tactical aspects and the themes of brotherhood and fighting for something other than yourself. It’s the bigger picture on a small scale. Dark Wolf is the continuation of those themes and episode 1 establishes the darkness and complexities of war and terrorism wonderfully. It promises lots of chaos and moral quandaries to come.


Season 1 Trailer:


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