This article, “Who is KJ Kliner” contains spoilers regarding Amazon’s Reacher season 1.
KJ Kliner is a secondary villain in the new Amazon Prime streaming series Reacher — until he isn’t. That’s because we are made to think his father was the villain when in fact, KJ had been the biggest offender of them all. So, this begs the question:
Who is KJ Kliner in season 1 of Reacher?
This sniveling, pale, poor excuse for a man is the son of Mr. Kliner, the owner of Kliner industries. His father started a counterfeiting ring and brought the business to Margrave, Georgia. Why? Because this is the center of the Southern United States that can smuggle anything in and out of the area without using federal highways. Thus, they virtually avoid federal law enforcement and pay off any local police they can handle.
KJ is learning the family business, but he has behavioral stability issues his father was concerned about. He allows KJ ownership to clean up the mess of Joe investigating their criminal empire.
What does KJ Kliner?
However, things go south quickly for KJ. He leads, and his fellow Kliner family member Dawson and the rest of the kill squad kill most of the people who could sing about their operation. KJ also has a thing for Roscoe, so he immediately squares off with Reacher to establish male dominance. He harrassed Roscoe by writing “WHORE” on the side of her truck. This was all a way to provoke Reacher to be arrested. He cannot follow through.
However, when Reacher finally catches up with KJ later, he holds a gun on Finlay, along with Mayor Teale and Agent Picard. He demands that Reacher locate Paul Hubble or kill Roscoe but let Charlie Hubble and the kids live (cough, bullshit, cough). He also admits that he killed his father, Kliner Sr., because his Dad wanted to end the family business and cut his losses.
The last time we see KJ, Reacher kicks him into a pile of burning boxes after soaking him with flammable chemicals.
Good riddance.
