Where ‘The Terminal List: Dark Wolf’ Fits the Original Show's Timeline

Updated Nov 1, 2026, 5:14 PM EST Michael John Petty is a Senior Author for Collider who spends his days writing, in fellowship with his local church, and enjoying each new day with his wonderful wife and precious daughters. At Collider, he writes features, reviews, recaps, interviews, and breaking news on select occasion. In addition to writing about stories, Michael has told a few of his own, from supernatural thrillers to historical fiction. His Western short story, The Devil's Left Hand, received the Spur Award for "Best Western Short Fiction" in 2025 from the Western Writers of America, of which he is a member. Michael currently resides in North Idaho with his growing family. If you're done binge watching Season 2 of Chris Pratt's hit series The Terminal List and you need something else to watch, it's time to binge the prequel series, The Terminal List: Dark Wolf. Not only does the show bring back James Reece (Pratt) during his days as a Navy SEAL, but it also highlights the journey of Taylor Kitsch's Ben Edwards, who would become a part of the conspiracy that plagued Reece during the original Prime Video show. But with a prequel sandwiched between two seasons, when exactly is Dark Wolf meant to be set in the grand scheme of things? 'The Terminal List: Dark Wolf' Is Set Seven Years Before the Original Series Given that both Edwards and Reece are major players in this seven-episode series, it's obvious that Dark Wolf is supposed to take place before the original show — aka before Reece kills Edwards at the end of Season 1 of The Terminal List. Edwards was executed by Reece for the role he played in his family's death, leading to a shocking plot twist and a devastating loss for Reece. Dark Wolf expands on Edwards' backstory, giving us further context for how the character got involved in the conspiracy that would claim the lives of those Reece cared about most. The show is set seven years before what happens to James Reece in the first episode of The Terminal List. This would be back when Reece and Edwards served together alongside the likes of Raife Hastings (Tom Hopper) and Ernest "Boozer" Vickers (Jared Shaw) as SEALs. The series not only goes over Edwards' last mission as a Navy SEAL but also the events that led to his eventual discharge (alongside Hastings). After leaving the SEALS, both men are approached by Jed Haverford (Robert Wisdom), a CIA agent, for the two men to join his CIA-Mossad joint mission. If you're a fan of Reece, then Dark Wolf is a perfect follow-up whether you're returning for a rewatch or finally getting around to understanding just what happened all those years ago. Those who saw how complicated Edwards was got to see how he went from the good soldier to someone with a decidedly much darker path. The Prequel Takes a Deeper Look at Ben Edwards' Slow Corruption Image via Prime Video The Ben Edwards who we meet in the Terminal List television adaptation is a bit different from the one we encounter in Jack Carr's thriller novel. If you've not read The Terminal List, you're likely unaware that the book version of Edwards is far more manipulative and unrepentant by comparison to the character played by Taylor Kitch. On the Prime Video drama, Edwards doesn't just regret his role in Senator Hartley's (Jeanne Tripplehorn) Capstone conspiracy, but he actively helps Reece take vengeance on those responsible for the deaths of his wife and daughter. It's not until the end of the first season that Edwards and Reece confront the elephant in the room that is the former's involvement, concluding with Reece killing his best friend in an intense moment that we all wish could've been avoided. This is not so in the book, as Edwards is instead killed alongside several others, seemingly showing no true remorse for his actions. Because Dark Wolf follows the chronology of the television series, fans of the Carr novels get a deeper look into Edwards' past and how he becomes the complicated agent who we meet in Season 1 of The Terminal List. For those who loved all the bonding moments between Reece and Edwards in the original series, this show will likely expand on the beginnings of that friendship, reinforcing the bond we saw in The Terminal List, set many years later. The show is also the first on-screen introduction of Reece's longtime ally Raife Hastings, who was teased at the end of Season 1 and is set to be a major character in Season 2. This means that Dark Wolf is more than just a simple character study on one of the first season's most complicated individuals, but requires viewings for fans of the franchise who want the full story after watching Season 2. 'Terminal List' Author Jack Carr Has Ideas for More 'Dark Wolf' Seasons But if you're worried that Dark Wolf is going to be a one-and-done type of military thriller, don't lose hope quite yet. Speaking about this, The Terminal List author Jack Carr told ComicBook that, "My plan was to write a novelization based on the scripts and figure out that piece and have the book launch in conjunction with the show." Carr wanted a novel prequel to flesh out the character further, perhaps tying directly to the book version of Edwards and giving him more depth. However, Carr admits that he's moved on from this idea, though he still holds out hope for the future of the prequel series. "[I have] a new plan as we move towards a possible second season of Dark Wolf," the author explained. "Because once you get to the end, you realize there’s more road to go down as we explore the Ben Edwards character." While there's no sign of a Season 2, there's still seven fantastic episodes for all Prime Video fans to dig into, so what are you waiting for? The Terminal List: Dark Wolf begins on August 27 on Prime Video. Release Date August 27, 2025 Network Prime Video Directors Fred Toye, Liz Friedlander Writers Max Adams Franchise(s) The Terminal List Creator(s) Jack Carr, David DiGilio