Every Major Death In Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Explained

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Contains spoilers for “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning”

In a nutshell, Looper’s critique of “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” was somewhat divided, yet the movie delivers an exciting finale for dedicated fans due to its impressive stunts. However, it’s undecided whether there will be more “Mission: Impossible” films, but this installment certainly has a conclusive feel. The title itself suggests finality, and the mission at hand is the most critical and significant in Ethan Hunt’s (Tom Cruise) career so far. He aims to prevent an advanced AI, known as the Entity, from launching the world’s nuclear weapons with the intention of wiping out humanity. Consequently, the survival of the planet hangs in the balance, and regrettably, not everyone gets to witness the resolution.

In the “Mission: Impossible” series, death is not uncommon. In the latest movie, “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning”, Ilsa Faust (played by Rebecca Ferguson) meets her end. In the storyline, she gives up her life to rescue Grace (Hayley Atwell). However, in reality, Ferguson chose to leave the franchise as she felt that Ilsa’s character arc was concluded and she preferred focusing on other projects rather than committing to another long-term production cycle.

In “Mission: Impossible – Fallout,” not only do anonymous henchmen die, but also notable characters such as General Sidney (portrayed by Nick Offerman), who meets his end after being shot by a traitorous agent working for the Entity. This scene underscores how the AI’s doomsday cult has managed to penetrate high-ranking government positions. Moreover, there are two other pivotal deaths that warrant closer examination.

Luther’s death occurs at the beginning of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning

Apart from Ethan Hunt, Luther Stickell (played by Ving Rhames) is the sole character who has appeared in all eight “Mission: Impossible” movies, even with a brief appearance in “Ghost Protocol.” He’s been a crucial element to the series, and in “Final Reckoning,” it demonstrates that they mean business when Gabriel (Esai Morales) kidnaps Luther and traps him in a cell with a nuclear device at the film’s outset. Although Luther can disarm the device’s nuclear capabilities to save countless lives, the bomb will still explode. Unfortunately, there’s nothing Ethan can do to save his friend, so he flees as the bomb detonates, taking Luther’s life.

It’s a painful turn of events, as Luther meets his end prematurely in the film, leaving him unable to aid Ethan against the Entity later on. Yet, this underscores the ambition of this sequel. Whether it marks the conclusion of the “Mission: Impossible” series or just Tom Cruise’s last outing as Ethan Hunt remains uncertain. Nevertheless, it seems like we are nearing the end of an era, and Luther’s demise serves as a reminder that no one is invincible.

Though his demise might appear unexpected, it serves as a foundation for Ethan’s narrative, providing clarity on his relentless pursuit to prevent anyone from seizing control of the Entity. Gabriel may have been responsible for Luther’s explosion, but this was merely part of his scheme to assert control over the Entity. Such immense power should not be concentrated in one hand, which is why Ethan and his crew take extraordinary measures to keep anyone from claiming dominion over the nearly omnipotent AI.

Gabriel gets an anticlimactic villain’s death in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning

In the movie “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning,” Gabriel is initially depicted as the principal antagonist working alongside an enigmatic force known as The Entity. However, in “The Final Reckoning,” his motives undergo a transformation. He seeks to gain control over The Entity and demands that Ethan Hunt surrender the source code retrieved from a submerged Russian submarine to facilitate this ambition. Consequently, the story unfolds into an exhilarating airborne sequence where Ethan and Gabriel clash high above the ground, culminating in an unforeseen (and somewhat amusing) end for Gabriel.

As the plane plummets, Gabriel boasts to Ethan about having the only parachute. However, his victory is short-lived as he crashes into the rudder upon jumping out and falls disastrously to the ground below. Although Gabriel’s demise might seem anticlimactic for the movie’s primary villain, it’s crucial to recall that despite his inflated ego, Gabriel isn’t truly the chief antagonist. That title belongs to the Entity, and Ethan must urgently escape the plane and eradicate the Entity’s code so that Grace can confine it in a place where it cannot wreak havoc.

Gabriel’s demise underscores how insignificant he truly was. The conclusion of “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” finds Ethan safeguarding a unique flash drive with the Entity, ensuring no single person or global power can manipulate it for their dominion over the Entity. Essentially, Gabriel turned out to be just another villain who got swept up in events beyond his personal influence.

“Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning” is playing in theaters now. 

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2025-05-23 21:30