The third season of Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan was released on Amazon Prime Video at the end of 2022 to major viewership numbers, becoming the number one most-watched show on the popular streaming service. John Krasinski returns as the title character audiences have missed for more than three years.

This time around, the intelligent and tactically efficient CIA agent finds himself investigating Russia and encountering evidence signifying that there are villains attempting to wage nuclear war on the U.S. and the rest of the world. Ryan also has his reliable allies, James Greer and Mike November, assisting him on this dangerous mission, along with some new faces. Here are the best characters in season three.

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Elizabeth Wright

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One of the new characters introduced to the show is Elizabeth Wright (Betty Gabriel from Jordan Peele's Get Out), the CIA Station Chief in Rome. Wright has a no-nonsense attitude and is very stern with Jack when listening to his reports and analysis concerning Russia. She also appears to have some personal history with James Greer due to their chemistry and argumentative discussions regarding Ryan's activities.

At the start of this season, Wright is skeptical about Ryan's theories regarding nuclear aggression in Russia, even telling him that she doesn't believe in heroes. However, when Wright realizes that Ryan is right about his mission, she slowly but surely believes in the agent and his persistence to deliver credible information. Wright is also capable of holding her own next to powerful individuals, including the CIA director and the President of the United States.

Petr Kovac

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One of the villains this season is Petr Kovac (Peter Guinness from the HBO series Chernobyl), whose daughter is Alena (President of the Czech Republic). Petr is a father who loves his child but has malicious intentions to resurrect the Soviet Union by relaunching a secret nuclear project called Sokol. The show effectively uses flashbacks to display Petr's past as a Russian soldier who disagreed with the order to murder Russian scientists who were working on the Sokol Project.

Due to his expertise as a soldier, Petr is efficient with guns, including a sniper rifle for hunting (which he uses to kill a man for insulting his daughter Alena). Petr is also sneaky with a knife, using it to kill an enemy who infiltrates his home. Petr is a complex villain due to the love he has for Alena, but is evil for wanting to bring back the Soviet Union in Russia and cause another world war.

Alena Kovac

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Similar to Gloria Bonalde (who defeated the corrupt Venezuelan president in season two), Alena Kovac (Nina Hoss from the Cate Blanchett drama Tár) is a strong and inspirational leader who understands how to run her presidency for the people of the Czech Republic. Alena also knows how to stand her ground when negotiating with the Russian government, especially since her goal is to encourage peace over war.

Alena has a loving bond with her father Petr until she learns about his treacherous plans to revamp the Sokol Project. She is also cooperative with new allies (including Ryan and Greer) and is upfront and diplomatic with Russia's president (providing him evidence regarding who is responsible for the Sokol Project and the murder of the Russian Defense Minister).

Alexei Petrov

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Another formidable villain this season is Alexei Petrov, a corrupt Russian politician who works with Petr Kovac to launch the Sokol Project. On Petr's orders, Alexei has the Defense Minister of Russia assassinated during a meeting with Alena Kovac so that Alexei can take over that position and make it seem like there are tensions between Russia and the Czech Republic.

Alexei conducts himself like a suave gentleman and politician, but he is actually a ruthless man who, like Petr, intends to overthrow the members of his own government so that he can obtain power and control over Russia, wage war against the world, and revitalize the ideals of the Soviet Union.

Jack Ryan

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John Krasinski continues to deliver a versatile, charismatic, and energetic portrayal of Jack Ryan, a diligent CIA agent who always knows when he's right about imminent attacks going on around the globe, particularly concerning Russia. His camaraderie with Greer and November is also natural and slightly comical due to the dangers and near-death experiences they face together here and during previous seasons.

Ryan also gains new partnerships with Elizabeth Wright and Luka Gocharov (a Russian informant) in order to help build his case regarding the Sokol Project, and works well with military support since he's an ex-soldier. Ryan also has a powerfully dramatic moment in a submarine (reminiscent of The Hunt for Red October) where he has to convince a U.S. Commander not to attack a Russian ship for the sake of preventing World War III.

Luka Gocharov

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Jack Ryan may be the protagonist of the series, but the most intriguing character of season three is Luka Gocharov (well-played by veteran actor James Cosmo from Game of Thrones and Troy). Gocharov is a former Red Army officer and a Russian spy who initially appears to be a villain, but he is actually an informant who intends to help Ryan take down the culprits responsible for revamping the Sokol Project.

Gocharov is a valuable asset for Ryan and the CIA because he has plenty of resourceful information about the Sokol Project, along with info on Russians who want to battle the U.S. and Europe. There are also key flashbacks that reveal the horrible acts he committed as a Red Army officer, including the order to kill the scientists who started the Sokol Project. Unlike Petr Kovac who was upset over the deaths of the scientists since it prevented the start of a world war, Gocharov feels guilt and remorse for what he did and wants to do right by making sure nuclear war doesn't happen. Gocharov is also an elite marksman who knows how to quietly sneak around and disappear.

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