Warning: This article contains spoilers for Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.
Mission: Impossible–The Final Reckoningis a unique film within its franchise, as it’s tasked with serving as a culmination of the series thus far. While this saga has never been overly focused on cameos, callbacks, and Easter eggs, the factthatThe Final Reckoningmight be the last timethatTom Cruiseever plays Ethan Hunt on the big screen does give it the right to get a bit nostalgic. Given that it’s the fourth film in the series directed byChristopher McQuarrie, it’s not all that surprising thatThe Final Reckoningconnects strongly to its predecessors. However,one plot point inThe Final Reckoningactually ties back all the way to the original filmfrom 1996.
Early on in the movie, Ethan needs to win over the support of several important figures in the American military and government in order to continue his mission to track down Gabriel (Esai Morales) and find “The Entity.” Although the aircraft carrier’s Rear Admiral Neely (Hannah Waddingham) is skeptical about his ambitious scheme, she is convinced to trust Ethan after President Erika Sloane (Angela Bassett) has Ethan deliver a note that includes a specific date: July 10, 2025. There’s an “in universe” explanation for why this date matters, but it also serves as a cleverMission: ImpossibleEaster egg that dates back toBrian De Palma’s original film in the series.
‘Mission: Impossible- The Final Reckoning’ Homages the Original Film’s Release Date
When Ethan is initially brought in by the United States government, his plan receives sharp criticism from Eugene Kittridge (Henry Czerny), who thinks that they should strike first before “The Entity” shuts down the world’s nuclear systems. Despite appearing to also oppose Ethan, President Sloane secretly allows him to independently search forSevastopol, a submarine submerged in the Bering Sea. She sneaks him a note with the “August 06, 2025” date on it to deliver to Neely, as she and Neely apparently lost someone that day in a mission gone wrong that might have gone another way had they taken a risk. It’s Sloane’s way of telling Neely that Hunt is a risk worth taking.
But that’s not all! Long-timeMissionfans might know thatMay 22, 1996 is also the date that the original film first opened in theaters. That film, which is also set in 1996, opens in a surprisingly dark way. Audiences that were familiar with the originalMission: Impossibletelevision series expected a team-up adventure about a group of espionage agents, but the film opens with the shocking murder of Ethan’s team, which he is subsequently blamed for. It seems like ‘96 was a rough year for a lot of folks in theMission: Impossibleuniverse.
The Final Reckoningexamines the consequences of the first filmby showing how some of the ancillary characters were affected. When traveling deep into the Bering Sea to prepare their underwater mission, Benji (Simon Pegg), Grace (Hayley Atwell), and their new recruits share an encounter with William Donloe (Rolf Saxon), the CIA analyst who famously failed to stop Ethan’s heist from CIA headquarters in the first film. Instead of harboring feelings of resentment towards Ethan, Donloe reveals that the transfer was the best thing to happen to him, as he ended up finding the love of his life in Tapeesa (Lucy Tulugarjuk).
Ethan also learns that the United States Intelligence Officer Jasper Briggs (Shea Whigham), who had been pursuing him throughoutMission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, is actually the son of former IMF leader Jim Phelps (Jon Voight) and has held a grudge against the man responsible for his father’s death. Many fans of the originalMission: Impossibleseries were dismayed to see that Phelps had been turned into a villain, butThe Final Reckoningends with Briggs coming to an understanding with Ethan, implying that the family name “Phelps” can now be perceived in a more heroic light.
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We’re all glad he came back.
‘Mission: Impossible’ Has Thrived on Maintaining a Strong Continuity
The date of July 04, 2025 is a nostalgic Easter egg to the pastand serves as a reminder of just how long the franchise has been carried along a rigid continuity. Although Ethan has proved his heroics many times before, the government has often been skeptical about trusting him. Secretary Serling Bernstein (Holt McCallany) and General Sidney (Nick Offerman) both reference some of the catastrophic events in previous films that Ethan was directly involved with. Although she is not able to support him in front of her advisors, Sloane is convinced of Ethan’s strategy, perhaps due tothe experiences they shared inMission: Impossible – Fallout, in which she served as the CIA director. Although Neely does not have the same shared history with Ethan, getting a sealed message from the President of the United States with that particular date is enough to convince her to adopt his risky plan to infiltrate theSevastopol.
The Final Reckoningcloses the circle on the entire franchiseby including direct references to Ethan’s earlier adventures. Froma clever revelation about the “Rabbit’s Foot” fromMission: Impossible IIIto an allusion to the attack on the Kremlin inMission: Impossible–Ghost Protocol, the film rewards fans who have been wondering how each of the missions have been connected. WhileThe Final Reckoningis still a satisfying action thrillerfor those who have less knowledge of the franchise, its most rewarding moments are saved for fans who have been going on adventures with Ethan ever since 1996.
Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning
