Ferdinand Kingsley’s AM is the arms dealer villain at the center of Reacher season 2’s plot, but question marks remain over his real name.

Warning: spoilers ahead for Reacher season 2.

SUMMARY

 AM’s true identity remains a mystery, with multiple aliases and no confirmed real name, adding to his enigmatic and menacing presence in Reacher season 2.
 The name “Mahmoud” is suggested as a possible real name for AM, but it is highly likely this is just another alias used by the character.
 The unknown nature of AM’s real name and his ability to disappear without a trace contribute to the elevated stakes in Reacher season 2, distinguishing him as a more formidable and comic book-like villain compared to previous adversaries.

AM remains in the shadows throughout Reacher season 2, and even his real name is not completely clear when the story ends. Alongside Robert Patrick’s Shane Langston, AM serves as the primary antagonistic force of Amazon’s Reacher season 2.

Portrayed by Ferdinand Kingsley, AM is both a ruthless killer and an arms dealer looking to acquire Langston’s hijacked Little Wing weapons system, but rarely pokes his head above the parapet. Indeed, the only time AM directly interacts with a member of Reacher season 2’s main cast is when he gets executed by the Special Investigators.

So elusive is AM, even his real name stays obscured. The villain is known by a variety of aliases, including Adrian Mount, Andrew McBride, Alan Mason, and Alejandro Mendez. Homeland Security has an active file on AM, but no idea of what his true background or nationality might be.

That becomes academic after the gang gun AM down mid-sentence during Reacher season 2’s ending, but while his ghost-like existence meets an abrupt end, the question of what AM’s name actually is remains unanswered.

AM’s Real Name Likely Isn’t “Mahmoud” In Reacher Season 2

AM is referred to as “Mahmoud” during Reacher season 2’s final episode. Langston offers information on where he’s meeting “Mahmoud” before Reacher tosses him from a helicopter, and this is the same name Homeland Security has also been calling their phantom criminal, which suggests “Azhari Mahmoud” might actually be AM’s real name.

While it’s the only alias with any sticking power in Reacher season 2, Azhari Mahmoud is very unlikely to be what AM’s mother calls him.

When Reacher and O’Donnell met with Homeland Security in season 2, episode 5, the agent admitted, “Mahmoud… or whatever his name is.” This line confirms the authorities have no evidence to suggest Azhari Mahmoud is AM’s real name.

Similarly, it would make no sense for AM to trust Shane Langston – a man AM himself complained was a newcomer to arms dealing – with his true identity. “Mahmoud” is almost certainly another alias. AM’s real name is likely never uttered in Reacher season 2, staying a long-buried secret from his unknown past.

Rumors that AM goes by “PM” after midday remain unconfirmed following Reacher season 2’s finale.

Reacher’s AM Name Mystery Made The Villain Scarier

The mystery behind AM’s name sets him apart from other Reacher villains. The Kliner family from season 1 and Langston from season 2 are cut from the same cloth – corrupt opportunists who delve deeper into the world of criminality when the allure of big money gets too strong to resist.

AM is – appropriately, considering his preferred reading material throughout Reacher season 2 – more akin to a comic book villain. He has no obvious legitimate background, doesn’t show up in records or searches, and disappears without a trace. This spooky anonymity gives Reacher season 2 a darker edge, and represents a big step-up in stakes compared to season 1.