Robert McCall is a former agent of a shadowy, unnamed government agency, who is trying to make up for the unspoken sins of his past. His atonement comes in the form of an advertisement in a New York newspaper that features the quote: "Got a problem? Odds against you? Call the Equalizer." McCall uses his finely honed skills and occasionally the agents and resources from his old agency to combat the injustices perpetrated against those who can't seek protection from the law.