In Horizon: The Terminal List – Dark Wolf, viewers are plunged into the fraught world of covert operations through the eyes of Ben Edwards, a former Navy SEAL turned CIA paramilitary operative. Set roughly five to seven years before the events of the original 2022 series, this prequel illuminates the descent of a trusted comrade into the morally murky realms of intelligence work.

From the opening scenes, the narrative charts Edwards’ transformation. Once bound by the strict codes of SEAL brotherhood, he becomes entangled in clandestine missions that push him further from his moral center. The story intricately layers his recruitment into the CIA with mounting tension, suggesting that every covert assignment chips away at his convictions.

The emotional stakes are deepened by his bond with James Reece, played again by Chris Pratt. While Reece appears in only a modest capacity, their friendship forms the backbone of the drama—one that will later shatter under the weight of betrayal.

The cast expands Ben’s world with characters like Raife Hastings (Tom Hopper), CIA figures such as Jules Landry (Luke Hemsworth), and operatives Mohammed Farooq, Eliza Perash, Jed Haverford, and Boozer—most played by actors with real military or intelligence backgrounds, enhancing the show’s gritty realism.

Tactically and stylistically, Dark Wolf aims for authenticity. With former SEALs and Army Rangers contributing as writers, advisers, and producers, the series promises to foreground the psychological cost of secret warfare as much as the action.

Tracing a slow-burning arc, the plot weaves flashbacks to Edwards’ SEAL days with tense CIA missions, gradually unmasking the choices that steer him toward betrayal. Through this layered storytelling, the series seeks to humanize a man who felt compelled to cross lines that once seemed inviolable.

The narrative stakes are high, positioning Dark Wolf not just as a backstory retelling, but as pivotal groundwork for the larger saga. The plotlines and characters introduced here—especially figures like Farooq—echo forward into the upcoming Season 2 of The Terminal List, reinforcing the interconnectedness of Edwards’ journey and Reece’s future missions