Ethan Hunt's fate REVEALED in 'Mission: Impossible – The final Reckoning'
As ' Mission: Impossible – The final Reckoning ' hits theatres in the US today, the biggest question on every fan’s mind is whether this marks Tom Cruise ’s final bow as the legendary Ethan Hunt.
After more than two decades of adrenaline-pumping action, explosions, impossible stunts and world-saving missions, Cruise has hinted this instalment could be Hunt’s swan song. But does the fearless IMF agent survive his most dangerous mission yet? And who doesn’t make it out alive? According to a report by Variety, Hunt survives but not everyone is so lucky.
The film dives headfirst into Hunt’s mission to dismantle a rogue AI system known as the Entity, which threatens to gain control over the globe’s most critical technology including nuclear weapons. But in typical 'Mission: Impossible' fashion the stakes skyrocket as his longtime adversary Gabriel (played by Esai Morales) sets a devastating plan into motion.
As the team races against the clock, Ving Rhames’ character, Luther Stickell sacrifices his life to disarm a nuclear device hidden in the heart of London. Luther’s death marks one of the most emotional moments in the franchise as he builds a self-destructive device, dubbed the “poison pill” that is designed to permanently disable the Entity. However, the device is stolen by Gabriel, setting off a thrilling global chase.
A race through bunkers, biplanes and near-apocalypse
Hunt retrieves the Rabbit’s Foot, a nod to 'Mission: Impossible II' from a submerged Russian submarine and tracks Gabriel to a fortified digital bunker in South Africa. In an epic sequence involving hijacked planes and last-second heroics, Hunt defeats Gabriel who perishes in a parachuting mishap. The final nail in the Entity’s coffin comes during a tense moment when Grace (Hayley Atwell) has just milliseconds to trap the AI inside the poison pill device before it seizes global control.
As Benji (Simon Pegg) bleeds through a makeshift surgery performed by Paris (Pom Klementieff), he guides Grace through the intricate steps. In a blink and you’ll miss it a moment, she succeeds in containing the Entity, ending the threat once and for all.
What lies ahead for Cruise and the franchise?
The film concludes on the streets of London, with Hunt, Grace, Benji and the surviving team members parting ways where each one is heading toward new paths and Ethan holding the secured poison pill in his hands. Whether this means a peaceful retirement or another secret mission down the line remains uncertain.
Though no one concerned hasn’t confirmed any future 'Mission: Impossible' instalments, Cruise is shifting gears. As reported by Variety, he’s currently working on a high-concept comedy with 'The Revenant' director Alejandro G. Inarritu, set for release in October 2026. Additionally, he’s preparing to make history by filming scenes for an upcoming space project with Doug Liman, potentially becoming the first actor to perform a spacewalk on camera.
While the door may be closing on Ethan Hunt’s story, Cruise’s adventure-driven legacy is clearly far from over.
After more than two decades of adrenaline-pumping action, explosions, impossible stunts and world-saving missions, Cruise has hinted this instalment could be Hunt’s swan song. But does the fearless IMF agent survive his most dangerous mission yet? And who doesn’t make it out alive? According to a report by Variety, Hunt survives but not everyone is so lucky.
The film dives headfirst into Hunt’s mission to dismantle a rogue AI system known as the Entity, which threatens to gain control over the globe’s most critical technology including nuclear weapons. But in typical 'Mission: Impossible' fashion the stakes skyrocket as his longtime adversary Gabriel (played by Esai Morales) sets a devastating plan into motion.
As the team races against the clock, Ving Rhames’ character, Luther Stickell sacrifices his life to disarm a nuclear device hidden in the heart of London. Luther’s death marks one of the most emotional moments in the franchise as he builds a self-destructive device, dubbed the “poison pill” that is designed to permanently disable the Entity. However, the device is stolen by Gabriel, setting off a thrilling global chase.
A race through bunkers, biplanes and near-apocalypse
Hunt retrieves the Rabbit’s Foot, a nod to 'Mission: Impossible II' from a submerged Russian submarine and tracks Gabriel to a fortified digital bunker in South Africa. In an epic sequence involving hijacked planes and last-second heroics, Hunt defeats Gabriel who perishes in a parachuting mishap. The final nail in the Entity’s coffin comes during a tense moment when Grace (Hayley Atwell) has just milliseconds to trap the AI inside the poison pill device before it seizes global control.
As Benji (Simon Pegg) bleeds through a makeshift surgery performed by Paris (Pom Klementieff), he guides Grace through the intricate steps. In a blink and you’ll miss it a moment, she succeeds in containing the Entity, ending the threat once and for all.
What lies ahead for Cruise and the franchise?
The film concludes on the streets of London, with Hunt, Grace, Benji and the surviving team members parting ways where each one is heading toward new paths and Ethan holding the secured poison pill in his hands. Whether this means a peaceful retirement or another secret mission down the line remains uncertain.
Though no one concerned hasn’t confirmed any future 'Mission: Impossible' instalments, Cruise is shifting gears. As reported by Variety, he’s currently working on a high-concept comedy with 'The Revenant' director Alejandro G. Inarritu, set for release in October 2026. Additionally, he’s preparing to make history by filming scenes for an upcoming space project with Doug Liman, potentially becoming the first actor to perform a spacewalk on camera.
While the door may be closing on Ethan Hunt’s story, Cruise’s adventure-driven legacy is clearly far from over.
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