Mission Impossible: What Happened to Ethan Hunt’s First IMF Team? (And How It Changed Him Forever)

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Approximately three decades ago, a movie ignited the spark that started a series of films we know as the Mission: Impossible franchise. In the 1996 installment, Tom Cruise portrays Ethan Hunt, an agent from the Impossible Missions Force, who becomes embroiled in a perilous plot where not even his superiors can be relied upon. The film’s success catapulted Mission: Impossible into the ranks of the greatest spy-thriller franchises ever made. Now, the series is coming to an end with its eighth and final chapter, titled Mission: Impossible The Final Reckoning.

In the face-off between Ethan Hunt and a renegade artificial intelligence entity called The Entity, Ethan won’t be fighting alone. His dedicated team of IMF operatives will stand by his side on their final mission. Over three decades, Ethan has molded this team, relying entirely on each member. Yet, this is not the first time Ethan has had a team; his initial group of IMF agents faced an altogether different destiny, leaving a lasting impact on Ethan.

Ethan Hunt’s First IMF Team All Died on a Mission

A Mission Gone Wrong Resulted in Almost Everyone’s Death

The story commences with Ethan Hunt in a unique role contrasting his later appearances. Unlike his leadership positions in subsequent films, here he’s just another agent within the IMF team. Ethan operates under Agent Jim Phelps’ command, alongside Sarah Davies, Hannah Williams, Jack Harmon, and Claire (Jim’s wife). They undertake a perilous assignment in Prague, aiming to apprehend a renegade agent peddling the CIA’s NOC list, which unveils the identities of all covert agents in Europe. Unfortunately, this seemingly routine operation spirals out of control when the list gets stolen, resulting in the gruesome deaths of each team member. Ethan can only listen helplessly as Jack is impaled, Hannah and Claire are apparently blown up by a car bomb, Sarah is stabbed, and Jim is shot. In a tragic turn of events on a single night, Ethan Hunt’s original IMF team is brutally wiped out, leaving him as the sole survivor.

Alone and pursued, Ethan finds himself in need of help, which comes from an unknown ally at a city restaurant. There, Ethan suspects that Kittridge intentionally let his squad be wiped out to expose a mole leaking IMF secrets to their adversaries. Consequently, Ethan is framed as the culprit and must elude Kittridge, who sets an IMF team after him. The remainder of 1996’s “Mission: Impossible” chronicles Ethan’s desperate search for the actual traitor responsible for his team’s demise. The revelation turns out to be more startling than he ever could have imagined.

Who Was Really Behind the Deaths of Ethan’s Team Members?

A Mole in the IMF Caused the Death of Ethan’s Team

It transpires that Jim Phelps and his spouse Claire were actually responsible for the demise of Ethan Hunt’s initial IMF team. As a seasoned agent of the Impossible Missions Force, Jim became disillusioned with saving the world without any acknowledgement or compensation. After years of risking his life, Jim spotted an opening to sell the exceptionally valuable NOC list to a global arms dealer. In the mission in Prague, Jim and Claire swiped the NOC list and staged their own deaths. To further conceal their escape, the Phelps duo also engineered the deaths of the other IMF agents, with Ethan being the exception. By leaving Ethan as the sole survivor, their strategy was for him to bear the blame for the mission’s collapse. They then intended to sell the list to Max, Jim’s arms dealer connection, and vanish with all the wealth they could ever dream of spending.

Unfortunately for Jim and Claire, their scheme encountered a setback when they discovered that the NOC list was counterfeit. Under the suspicion of a traitor within their ranks, Kittridge made certain the NOC list in Prague was false. This necessitated Claire to resurface, asserting she had managed to flee the car bombing before it exploded and offering her assistance to Ethan with the remainder of the mission. She assisted him in obtaining the authentic NOC list from the CIA headquarters. However, Ethan ultimately uncovered the truth, realizing that the Phelpses were the actual moles. This leads to a climactic showdown at the end where both Jim and Claire are slain. Ethan thus seeks vengeance for his fallen IMF colleagues, but remains solitary and forlorn.

How Did the Death of Ethan Hunt’s Team Change Him?

Ethan Fights Hard to Protect the People He Loves

Despite three decades having passed since the disastrous Prague mission, Ethan Hunt continues to bear the emotional scars of his team’s tragic loss. From then on, Ethan becomes incredibly vigilant about safeguarding his teammates, going to great lengths to shield them from danger. Although it remains unspoken, Ethan’s fierce protection is a direct result of the guilt he carries for failing to save Jack, Hannah, and Sarah. Over time, he forms strong bonds with Luther Sickell and Benji Dunn, often working alongside them on missions. He would go to great lengths to ensure their safety and rejects any scenario that might put them in harm’s way.

In the movie “Dead Reckoning,” Ethan Hunt’s protective nature becomes quite clear as an old enemy threatens his current team members. Recalling the loss of his initial IMF team, Ethan takes a firm stand against any potential losses, refusing to accept even the slightest danger to a friend. Regrettably, one member meets their end at the hands of the antagonist Gabriel in Venice. This death leaves a profound impact on Ethan, who is aware that more of his team may be in danger. Despite this, he reinforces his commitment to safeguarding everyone, stating that their lives are more important than any mission.

Despite three decades passing since Ethan Hunt experienced the loss of his team in Prague, their deaths continue to cast a shadow over him. In Mission: Impossible The Final Reckoning, Ethan might be compelled to make a decision between shielding the people he cherishes and safeguarding the world. Yet, the weight of guilt from that thirty-year-old incident remains heavy, making Ethan’s choice far from straightforward for the IMF agent.

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2025-05-12 04:53