There are plenty of theories floating around the internet regarding Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Twobut the truth remains that very little is actually known about this movie, which could end up being the final installment in the franchise. The series has never allowed itself to be predictable before, always facing audiences with countless twists and turns that nobody could see coming – so predicting the ultimate conclusion is an extremely difficult game. That being said, there are certain clues that audiences have picked up on that seem to point toward certain plot points.
Dead Reckoning: Part One featured some of Mission: Impossible’s most tragic deaths and most exhilarating stunts, successfully getting audiences excited about how the eighth movie in the franchise could possibly top those highs – but there’s still plenty that needs to be explored before the story is over. From a narrative perspective, it’s very clearly the first half of a bigger story: there are multiple plot lines that still need to be resolved, countless questions that need to be answered, and undoubtedly several things that audiences still don’t know are coming. However, the first part did a great job of foreshadowing the future and certain theories have been drawn from that.
Ethan Hunt Will Retire From The IMF In Mission: Impossible 8
The idea that Ethan Hunt will retire from the Impossible Mission Force at the end of Dead Reckoning Part Two has always been a popular theory, but the first part of this story seemed to tease that even further. The agent has been through so much in his life, and the previous movie really focused on how much he’s been affected by all the loss and grief that he’s been forced to deal with – so this could be the end of the road for Hunt. Particularly after Faust’s death, it’s hard to imagine he’d want to continue for much longer.
Henry Cavill’s John Lark Will Return Through Flashbacks
Henry Cavill’s character from Mission: Impossible – Fallout was undeniably a fan favorite, bringing so much charisma and personality to what could’ve otherwise been a pretty generic role. Dead Reckoning Part One already proved that this story wants to bring back as many iconic characters as possible, and while John Lark can’t return (thanks to his death at the end of Fallout), there’s still plenty of room for flashbacks. Everything seems to be connected in these movies, so it would make complete sense if Lark’s backstory came back to bite Hunt in his final mission.
Rebecca Ferguson’s Ilsa Faust Is Still Alive
Ilsa Faust’s death in Dead Reckoning Part One was undeniably the biggest surprise in the movie. Rebecca Ferguson has become such an integral part of this franchise since her first appearance in Rogue Nation that almost nobody was expecting her character to be written off so early. Ultimately, Ilsa’s death sets the stage for some kind of revenge arc from Ethan Hunt, giving him personal stakes in this battle and raising the tension even higher – but it’s hard to imagine that such an iconic character would really be wasted like that. Given how unpredictable Mission: Impossible has always been, there’s every chance that Ilsa Faust is still out there somewhere.
Hayley Atwell’s Grace Will Betray Ethan Hunt
The character of Grace was one of Dead Reckoning Part One’s best introductions, but there’s still so much about the new recruit that audiences don’t know. Her backstory is shrouded in mystery, and while Ethan Hunt has decided to place his trust in her, Grace’s motivations are still somewhat unknown. An alternate cut of Dead Reckoning Part One saw Grace betray Hunt toward the end of the story, and despite the decision to rewrite the story at the last minute, this still feels like something that could happen.
Ethan And Grace Will End Up Together
On the other hand, it’s also possible that Grace’s motivations are pure, and she’ll stick around to save the day at the end of Dead Reckoning Part Two. If this is the case, she seems like the natural candidate for Hunt’s new love interest now that Ilsa is seemingly gone. The pair have already been through so much together, with Hunt risking his life several times to save Grace – they’re bound to grow closer in the next movie, so a romantic relationship seems inevitable at this point. Perhaps she’ll be the reason that Hunt decides to leave the IMF, finally learning to be happy with a normal life.
Gabriel’s Key Was A Fake
One of the biggest criticisms against Dead Reckoning Part One was the story’s simplicity. It’s a very basic structure, with two different characters racing to acquire a significant object before the other gets their hands on it – but there’s one twist that Part Two could make in order to really turn the tables. If Gabriel’s key was revealed to have been a fake all along, this would completely rewrite the first movie and leave audiences completely in the dark again. Dead Reckoning Part One seemed to end with a very specific goal in mind for the next installment, but if the key’s fake, everything has to change.
Jeremy Renner’s Agent Brand Will Come Back Into The Field
There are constant updates being released for Dead Reckoning Part Two, but the film’s cast hasn’t been officially announced yet. It’s certain to bring back some old characters from earlier in the franchise, and Jeremy Renner’s Agent Brand would be a perfect candidate to get audiences excited. The character stepped back from fieldwork after Rogue Nation due to the actor’s scheduling conflicts with the MCU, but the conditions are totally different now and there’s no reason Renner shouldn’t be able to come back. It would be a great way to link the Dead Reckoning storyline to the earlier movies, tying together this franchise as a complete whole.
Vanessa Kirby’s White Widow Will Join The IMF
The fate of Vanessa Kirby’s White Widow is another plot thread that’s completely up in the air, as she’s constantly switching sides and changing her allegiances. The character was first introduced in Mission: Impossible – Fallout as a friend to Ethan Hunt, but after turning against him in Dead Reckoning Part Oneit’s totally unclear where she’s going to end up. However, there were several moments in the previous movie that displayed her hesitation to work alongside Gabriel, so it’s extremely possible that she’ll have a change of heart in the future and turn to Ethan (or perhaps the IMF as an institution) for help and find her new home.
Luther Or Benji Won’t Survive
Luther and Benji are two of the only characters who’ve been around in the Mission: Impossible franchise for almost as long as Hunt, and their friendship has grown stronger with each passing installment. Unfortunately, this also makes them perfect candidates for a shocking death in the final movie. Dead Reckoning Part One proved that it’s not afraid to take big swings by killing Ilsa Faust in the second act, but the death of Benji or Luther would really be a turning point for Hunt. Simon Pegg has even addressed Benji’s potential death in the future, acknowledging that it’s not as unlikely as it seems.
Ethan Hunt Will Die
The biggest surprise that Dead Reckoning Part Two could give to its audiences would be the death of protagonist Ethan Hunt. It would be an incredibly bold and drastic way to bring this franchise to a close, but it would effectively shut the door on Tom Cruise’s involvement in Mission: Impossible for good and really mark the end of an era. Audiences have recently seen something similar with James Bond in No Time To Diewhich was praised for its bravery in killing the protagonist and definitively ending the story – so it wouldn’t be too surprising for Mission: Impossible to do the same.
