In this upcoming adventure, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning sees Ethan Hunt and the Dead Reckoning crew return for one final mission. However, will Tom Cruise’s character ultimately face his end?
It’s interesting to note that Cruise’s debut mission dates back to 1996, where he led his initial IMF squad to frame Ethan as a potential informant. Since then, the missions have grown increasingly complex, dangerous, and erratic.
In the thriller Dead Reckoning, we encountered an autonomous artificial intelligence known as The Entity. This AI possesses self-awareness and harbors intentions to annihilate mankind through continuous cyber-assaults. Tracing its origin code became challenging when the Russian submarine Sevastopol sank at the onset of the seventh film, leaving its coding in obscurity.
To obtain the source code (referred to as Podkova) in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is crucial for preventing global annihilation. This movie will be released in the UK on May 21, 2025. Will Ethan Hunt manage to secure it and survive, or does he meet his end during this mission? Proceed with caution – spoilers lie ahead!
Ethan takes down The Entity in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning ending
Following the successful integration of the Podkova along with Luther’s ‘deadly trap,’ Ethan and his crew managed to trick The Entity into entering a 5D drive that mimicked the Doomsday Vault, thus averting human kind from a catastrophic cyber-attack.
To fully grasp this two-part narrative, it’s beneficial if you’ve recently watched Dead Reckoning. If not, The Entity provides a quick recap. Here’s the gist: The self-aware AI has escalated its human overthrow, leading to martial law in many countries. Now, its focus is on specific nuclear weapons control centers worldwide: UK, France, Israel, Pakistan, India, North Korea, and the USA (France appears twice in the list).
Ever since we last met him, Ethan has been lying low, safeguarding the Cruciform key which opens The Entity’s Podkova from falling into harmful hands. You may recall that antagonist Gabriel (Esai Morales) aims to exploit it for personal advantage, while the U.S. government desires to be the dominant force controlling it globally. Presently, President Erika Sloane (Angela Bassett) doesn’t assign Ethan a mission but instead issues an ultimatum: he must surrender and hand over the key.
In an attempt to outsmart the US government, Ethan teams up with Benji (Simon Pegg) and Luther (Ving Rhames). Their mission involves strategically targeting certain officials at London’s US Embassy. Grace (Hayley Atwell) comes into the picture, helping Ethan when he finds himself in a tricky situation. However, both Ethan and his partner are subsequently captured by Gabriel, who pressures Ethan to retrieve The Entity’s source code for personal gain. Yet, The Entity itself is pursuing Ethan as it seeks to communicate with him. Why should Ethan comply? If he doesn’t, someone dear to him—Luther—will meet a tragic end.
In the scenario where Luther is jailed with a ticking bomb, Ethan attempts, unsuccessfully, to save him. Luther informs them that he can confine the blast to the interconnected tunnels they’re in, but this would mean his own sacrifice. Gabriel had previously ingested a ‘self-destruct algorithm’ created by Luther, intended to disintegrate its code source. With no other option, Ethan manages to escape from the tunnels moments before the explosion, only to be greeted by US military personnel outside.
Instead of taking him directly to Erika, they transport him there instead, where he lays out his strategy. Accompanying him are Grace, Benji, Degas (Greg Tarzan Davis), and Paris (Pom Klementieff) – these individuals were enlisted from Paris’ detention. The objective is to acquire the Podkova, a task they plan to accomplish using an American submarine. Their destination: the Sevastopol wreckage in the Arctic. Once there, they aim to recover the Podkova, obtain a mysterious pill from Gabriel, and combine them, which could potentially erase the global digital infrastructure, leading to catastrophic consequences.
Although she publicly expresses her opposition, Erika secretly grants Ethan a three-day pass and permission to access the USS Bush to carry out his task. On the ship, Officer Neely (Hannah Waddingham) hesitantly allows Ethan access to the submarine closest to the last known location of the Sevastopol. There, he remains in anticipation for updates.
As the team’s new guide, I’ve been tasked with locating the nearest SONUS spot, which serves as our listening posts. The coordinates for this secret hideaway are said to be etched there, and I’m supposed to transmit them to Ethan through Morse code using the SONUS radio frequency. Once he receives the signal, we’ll rendezvous with him at the specific spot where he’s due to emerge from the ice. We’ll then free him from the icy prison, transfer him into a decompression chamber, and start our mission to ensure his safe return.
Upon reaching St. Matthew’s island base, the team discovers that Russian troops have preceded them. It is then uncovered that Mission: Impossible 1’s William Donloe (Rolf Saxon) resides there, and in 2012, unknown authorities erased all records from his previous home. The Russians assert they possess a duplicate key, compelling Donloe to construct a new drive. As he feigns compliance, he confides the coordinates to Benji, passing them on to his wife Tapeesa, who departs to “feed the dogs” with Grace. A brawl ensues, culminating in Donloe’s house being set ablaze; however, before this occurs, Donloe manages to transmit the coordinates to Ethan.
As Grace makes her way to the location using a dog sled, Ethan initiates his descent towards the wreckage following orders to divert an approaching Russian ship from Sevastopol given to Commanding Officer Bledsoe (Trammell Tillman). Upon locating the wreckage, a perilous and near-fatal circumstance arises for Ethan as he retrieves the Podkova. Fortunately, Ethan regains consciousness in a decompression chamber alongside Grace. Meanwhile, Benji arrives at a hangar, where it’s disclosed that everyone managed to make it through the base fire safely.
Next, the plan progresses to its next phase. The Entity has informed Ethan about the ‘final confrontation’ happening at the Doomsday Vault in South Africa, a place where Gabriel anticipates their presence. However, what Ethan is unaware of is that Kittridge (Henry Czerny) is shadowing him, harboring doubts about Ethan’s loyalty towards the US.
Since The Entity aims to take over international nuclear facilities (it already has control of all except the US), Ethan’s strategy to confine it within the 5D drive becomes relevant. In this scenario, Grace must precisely time cutting the vault’s main power and ejecting the drive. If she does it too early, The Entity won’t be contained; if it’s too late, it will trigger nuclear explosions worldwide.
In the United States, Erika comes very close to endangering approximately 100 million lives by initiating a nuclear strike against every base overrun by The Entity, including a U.S. city as a potential casualty. At the critical moment, she shuts down all power sources, making it impossible for The Entity to seize control of them. As Ethan and his team approach the vault, they run into Gabriel who unveils a bomb placed right at its core.
In a different scenario, Gabriel is urging Ethan to hand over the Podkova, as Ethan initially intended for Gabriel to merge the two during his getaway so the team could utilize the drive as planned. However, with conflicting desires between them, neither makes significant progress – until Kittridge intervenes and attempts to seize the Podkova himself. A shootout ensues, causing Gabriel to flee, while Ethan pursues closely behind, with Kittridge not far off. Meanwhile, Donloe, Tapeesa, and Degas volunteer to disarm the bomb, leaving Grace to manage the drive. Paris attends to Benji, who’s been injured in the gunfire, and guides Grace on her next steps.
Standing at the game’s threshold, I know none of us would make it through the explosion, but if I swiftly disarm three wires simultaneously, we’ve got a precious ten seconds to sprint towards the vault door. Inside the vault, Paris is performing surgery on Benji while commanding Grace to stay alert until we’re all set for Ethan. Meanwhile, Gabriel escapes in a compact aircraft, and somehow, Ethan manages to hold on, allowing him to trail after Gabriel.
Does Ethan Hunt die?
Fortunately, Ethan manages to survive another day as he successfully combines the Podkova with the toxic capsule during a mid-air plane explosion.
OR
It’s a relief that Ethan lives on because he skillfully merged the Podkova and the tainted pill during an airplane accident.
Both sentences convey the same meaning while sounding natural and easy to read.
In a thrilling manner reminiscent of Mission: Impossible, an aerial conflict erupts, culminating with Ethan scaling onto Gabriel’s aircraft. A fierce duel ensues between them, ending just as Ethan seizes a crucial pendant from around Gabriel’s neck in the nick of time. As Gabriel attempts to escape using a parachute, his plane malfunctions, causing him to accidentally pierce his own head on the wing while leaping for safety. With no other choice, Ethan locates another parachute in the cockpit to ensure their safe descent.
Only when Ethan leaps does he attempt to combine the Podkova and pill, his parachute igniting as the plane behind it explodes. He plummets, struggling to deploy the safety chute. The scene switches to Grace, who observes a green light illuminate on the control panel – Ethan has succeeded. She removes the drive, with The Entity now glowing within. Simultaneously, Donloe, Tapeesa, and Degas arrive, having sprinted the ten-second dash following the bomb timer.
As I floated down under my parachute, watching the flames consume Podkova and the mysterious pill, I handed them over to Kittridge below. Briggs was by my side, and it seemed like we were mending our relationship fences.
After the global security risk is effectively managed and there are no nuclear explosions, Ethan gathers with the team for the final time at Trafalgar Square, London. Grace hands him the USB stick with The Entity, and each of them goes their own way.
Is there a post-credits scene?
There are no post-credits scenes for Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.
It’s not surprising for fans since this franchise has never included any post-credit scenes whatsoever.
In Mission: Impossible 8, various homages to earlier movies are integrated throughout the storyline. However, unlike previous installments, there are no additional tributes or scenes during the end credits.
Will there be a Mission: Impossible 9?
After Ethan’s last judgment, it remains a mystery what follows next for him and his team. There’s no sign that they reunited or Grace became Ethan’s usual romantic interest. It seems likely that Ethan decides to retire at this juncture, but one can never predict the actions of such an unpredictable man!
Discussing the conclusion of the franchise at the premiere of Final Reckoning during Cannes, Cruise expressed, “I prefer people to simply watch it and appreciate it. I’ve poured all my efforts into it, and it’s a delight working on it. I can truthfully say that there wasn’t a single day when I didn’t give my best.
At the gathering, Cruise conveyed to director Christopher McQuarrie, “It’s truly an honor and a delight. I eagerly anticipate collaborating on various film projects with you. I’m thrilled already.
It appears that Tom Cruise’s current movie might mark his last in the series, but there’s no indication that the franchise will end permanently. If it does come back after some time, it could potentially feature a brand new leading actor.
As a dedicated gamer, I’d say it’s quite probable that Glen Powell could step into the role next, given his noticeable performance in Top Gun: Maverick which has definitely caught Tom Cruise’s attention. With roles in movies such as Hit Man and Twisters under his belt, and even producing the former, much like Cruise himself, he seems to be a perfect fit.
The much-anticipated “Mission: Impossible – The Last Stand” will hit UK theaters on May 21, 2025, and US cinemas two days later on May 23, 2025. For fans of the Mission: Impossible series, don’t miss our compilation of top-rated Mission: Impossible films, spy movies, and action movies overall. Additionally, stay updated with our 2025 movie release schedule to see what else is in store this year!
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2025-05-21 10:25