Diksha Sundriyal
In Prime Video’s ‘Reacher,’ we follow the eponymous character who is entangled in a web of danger and lies when one of his friends is brutally killed. This case is miles away from what Reacher handled in the first season and establishes that the show will feature a different case every time, which will continue building upon the changing relationships and circumstances in Reacher’s life. Still, there are some things that remain the same, and Reacher’s love of the Clark bar is one of those things.
Reacher Has a Sentimental Connection to Clark Bars
A Clark Bar is known for its crispy peanut butter with caramel or spun taffy core coated in milk chocolate. It was originally manufactured in 1917 by the D.L. Clark Co., based in Pittsburgh, and is available worldwide, making its mark in military bases, especially around World Wars. Its manufacturer was changed after the previous one (Necco) went bankrupt, and its products, like the Clark Bar, were acquired by Boyer Candy Company in Altoona in 2018, which brought the production back to Pennsylvania and the Clark Bar returned to the shelves soon after.
When Prime Video started production on the ‘Reacher’ series, they turned towards Boyer to ask for the Clark Bars to be featured in the show. One of the reasons why this candy bar was specifically chosen was its military connection. Considering that Reacher himself has a military upbringing as well as a career in it, it made sense to choose a candy bar that would represent that connection in the show.
The Clark Bar made its appearance on the TV series in the first season, which focuses on Reacher’s past, especially his relationship with his parents and his brothers. We see a young Reacher growing up in military bases around the world, and while the location changed, there were a few things that were always the same— the Clark bar being one of them. Over the years, Reacher developed an affinity for the candy bar not just because he liked its taste but also because it subconsciously reminded him of his childhood days.
Following his retirement from the military, Reacher leads a nomadic life and doesn’t own many things. He also doesn’t form any lasting connections with people, which means there is nothing that tethers him anymore. Because he moves around so much and Clark bars are still present everywhere, they give him the comfort of familiarity that rarely anything else can give him. All of this combined makes him choose the Clark bar over any other candy every time.
Due to his love for the candy, the Clark bars are also used in the show to emphasize or underline important and emotional moments for Reacher. For example, in the final episode of Season 1, when Roscoe and Reacher bid each other goodbye, she gives him her number written on the wrapper of a Clark bar, which is a way to show the sentimentality and affinity that Reacher also has for Roscoe, who might someday return in the ‘Reacher’ universe. The second season as well builds upon this, making the Clark Bar (like Neagley) one of the few constants and dependable things in his life.
