#dead reckoning part 1 spoilers

[fire-of-the-sun]

Ilsa and Ethan: There's Still Hope

Spoiler Warning for M:I7!

I'm sure a ton has already been said about Ilsa in the new movie, whether it be lamenting her loss or developing theories as to her potential return in the next film, but here are some contributions I've been mulling over. This isn't going to be an exhaustive list of reasons why she's still alive, but I will try to address some and add my own thoughts into the mix.

I agree with the discussion that one of the best clues of this all being a fake out lies in Ethan and Ilsa's reunion near the beginning of the film. Ilsa plays dead during the fight and Ethan momentarily believes it before she attacks him and reveals herself to be alive. As it stands, this looks like a foreshadowing to her eventual, real death, however, I think it instead acts as setup to her still being alive. I think it's clear that her death fakeout exists to give us clues to her eventual return as well as deflect audiences from even considering it as we're trained to accept that foreshadowed events that transpire in most stories would simply be the end of it, but this isn't a typical story, this is Mission: Impossible, and nothing is as it seems and this film establishes that that's more true now than ever.

And if you're really going to kill Ilsa off, why do a fake-out at all? Why not just have her die later without warning and really shock the audience? Why already have the fans ruminating on the possibility early on and telegraph it long before it actually happens? Consider Julia's "death" in M:I3. The film starts in media res and there's a strong sense of tension throughout the whole film knowing that that's going to happen. Julia is going to get kidnapped and possibly die no matter what, but it's okay to spoil this scene in advance because she doesn't die. Because why would you tell the audience that's going to happen right away unless there's going to be some kind of twist where she lives? What's the point in watching the movie if you know that Ethan is ultimately going to fail and it's going to have a tragic, unsatisfying ending? Julia's death fakeout is a tactic meant to trick him and the audience and make him feel like he's lost only for the twist to be that he ultimately wins and Julia remains alive. I believe a similar tactic is being used with Ilsa which has the potential to be a very well-executed plot twist rather than a disappointing one if done correctly and not completely abandoned in the next film. I actually think that without the fakeout and just a sudden and completely unexpected death I'd feel more worried but, as it stands, I think the choice (among many others) actually serves to legitimize this all being fake.

After all, the best twists are ones that you can see coming if you're really looking for it and that's okay. It's okay that we've figured it out - that means the director ultimately did their job right. Some viewers, especially more casual fans, are taking what they were shown at face value and not considering there's any more to it. They're falling for the trick and that's fine too, because a good twist is one that is set up in a way that leaves clues but also remains largely hidden especially as the audience isn't looking for it. A magic trick that deflects us from seeing what the magician is actually doing. When Ilsa shows up in the next film, some people will feel rewarded for their observations and others will finally see all the pieces click into place that they disregarded before and both be satisfied, but I digress...

Another huge scene to look to for clues lies in the team discussing the severity of the threat and really cementing just how difficult it's going to be to trick the Entity before the party. I think it's very possible that there are missing conversations here that we will not be privy to until the next film as Ethan would never let his friends be in such danger without having a real plan on how to protect them and the audience always knows what the plan is so when things go awry we're aware the complications were unprecedented. In this case, we really have no idea what they're walking into, nor do we see them effectively prep for it. Unless I'm forgetting something, why did Ilsa need to be at the party at all? Why would Ethan put Ilsa in danger like that for no real reason especially after already enduring those brief, agonizing moments earlier when he truly believed she was dead and had to consider a world without her in it and knowing that Gabriel has taken someone from him in the past? Ilsa is her own woman and can do what she wants, but we don't see him even trying to protest her inclusion and voicing fear for her safety for her to even refute.

The scene where Ilsa meets Ethan on the balcony afterward is incredibly short and could feel tacked on given that there's no real lead up to it, but it could very well be the aftermath of a heavy conversation where - feeling burdened by the weight of what must be done - Ethan leaves the room to think and Ilsa follows. She looks particularly chipper here despite the seriousness of what's going on and I believe her benign comments about Venice are purposefully meant to distract Ethan in an attempt to cheer him up. Notice how he shakes his head a little after he answers, like he knows what she's trying to do before giving into her and hugging back. She's calm because she has faith in the plan while he's nervous about it. As a side note, I think it was a touching detail to have Ethan return to this same balcony to grieve (publicly).

We also see Ethan and Ilsa looking at each on the boat before he takes her hand on their way to the party. This, of course, acts as yet another sweet gesture to showcase how strong their relationship is at this point but, again, Ethan doesn't seem that happy. This isn't a relaxing date (which they deserve), he looks tense as he takes her hand. Notice how he's fidgeting as he strokes her fingers and rubs his own fingers together in his free hand. It's like he's trying to hold onto her as much as he can knowing what's going to transpire and, once again, Ilsa looks like she's trying to comfort him by stroking his hand back, never taking her eyes off him. It's a nice continuation of the dynamic of their previous moment together.

And, if this is truly Ilsa's last outing? Why hold back on basically every aspect of it? If it's truly Ilsa's last fight, why not make it her biggest, baddest fight yet that showcases all of her skill but also begins to feel truly unwinnable? We've seen her face intimidating foes before, so if she's truly going to meet her match, you really need to sell to the audience that all her usual tricks aren't working and let us see on her face that she knows she's losing this fight, which would also help build a sense of dread. I've only seen the film once at this time, but I don't recall her looking too worried at any point at the party or during her fight with Gabriel. She's a brave and skilled woman of course, but she seemed incredibly unfazed by it all, almost like she knew how it was going to go. I want to add that there's no way of knowing for sure when entering into any fight that you're guaranteed to survive. Gabriel could have stabbed her anywhere and there'd be no way to anticipate that beforehand but, as I've seen pointed out, her hand is also on the knife when it plunges into her chest. The only way to know for sure where the blade would go to look deadly but still survive it would be to guide it there herself and that seems like something the skilled Ilsa would be able to pull off.

And if it's truly Ilsa's end, why not go out of your way to make it as sad as possible? What if Gabriel leaves her just alive enough for Ethan to find her and they have a heartbreaking final moment together where they perhaps exchange a line or two before he watches her die? Of course, to add insult to injury, the grieving process is pitifully brief, focusing more on Grace's reaction than Ilsa's own friends. Why not have a stronger reaction from Ethan, Benji and Luther that absolutely breaks the audience's heart? Just compare Ethan's reaction to Ilsa's death to the assumed death of Julia in MI3, the other love of his life. Yes, technically, that was a very different situation and Julia was his wife after all and Ilsa isn't, but they don't even compare. Heck, we even get to see Ethan mourn Lindsey, a friend, in M:I3 longer than Ilsa. I understand that the movie can't languish in sorrow for too long and Ethan is used to compartmentalizing to get the job done, but this is also one of the biggest losses he's suffered and right on the heels of proclaiming to his friends how he'd never let anything happen to them. This is also the longest movie in the series so far and it has no excuse for skimping on the aftermath of the death of one of its biggest and most beloved characters. Ilsa's death is sad but leaves you feeling more empty and disappointed than utterly devastated - at least for me.

We've also seen Ethan act before, as is a necessary skill for a spy, and I think the fairly subdued reaction to her death speaks to his ability to act realistically sad (he's had practice for this exact situation too as he's probably channeling all the awful things he felt when he believed her to be dead at the beginning of the movie) but also speaks to the fact that it's not actually real because if it was I think it'd be a far stronger reaction. Yes, Ethan could just be becoming desensitized to losing people after enduring it so many times but I don't think he'd hold back for Ilsa. His partner. His equal. Someone he loves deeply and offers his only chance at a life beyond this. That chance, that love, that happiness, are now gone forever and that's not something you just take in your stride.

And yes, maybe Rebecca needed or wanted out of this franchise to film other projects but that's only more reason to give her the best sendoff you possibly can and I don't think anyone, not even the director himself would be able to admit that this was worthy enough of her character and respectful to Rebecca. If even her final fight was, for whatever reason, purposefully undercut, then what else did the director choose to take away despite having so little to begin with and why? If, historically, it's not in his nature to pull something like this based on his previous work in the series and his own passionate comments regarding the character, why would he now? It's the overall lack of care in regard to her character all of a sudden that makes it all feel fishy.

And if this is it for Ethan and Ilsa, why not push the romance? Instead of just a hug on the balcony, why not feature their first kiss or, at least, a much longer conversation that cements where they really are before it all gets taken away? If the director attempted to include a kiss in the past but scrapped it because it wasn't the right time, he probably intended it to happen eventually. Why not sneak it in right before she dies if these are their last scenes together anyway? Maybe a kiss would only serve to telegraph her demise further by making the audience more nervous about her fate, but it also would have made it even sadder knowing they had finally reached that point right before she died. If the intention of all of this is truly just to make Ethan and the audience sad and it's going to hurt one way or another, you might as well push it as hard as you can to achieve the desired effect. Regardless, I believe that when she comes back in Part 2, they'll finally get that well-earned kiss and that's what the director is waiting for.

But why have Ethan lose another woman he loves at all? Why watch him go through an entire series where all he does is lose lovers only to have him ultimately end up alone especially after developing the perfect romantic partner with him and getting audiences on board with it over the course of multiple films? It all just feels unnecessarily cruel and, as it's nothing new for him, what is it really adding to the story or his character? Losing another lover is predictable at this point but bringing one back and actually letting him be happy? Now that would be a twist! What a triumphant moment it would be for Gabriel to see Ilsa return in the next movie (and perhaps have a rematch) and realize that he's the one who'd been duped? That the Entity is not infallible? That Ethan has been one step ahead of him this whole time?

I don't think I'm alone when I say that the best possible ending for the series and Ethan's story is to get to live his life with Ilsa given he wasn't able to with Julia, trusting the IMF in the hands of new operatives like Grace to carry on in their stead (notice how they focused on that other new recruit during Ethan's introduction as well like they're preparing him to pass the torch). He finally gets to go with Ilsa like she asked him in Rogue Nation and in Fallout and they both finally get out of the game and live happily in the peace that they helped ensure and so deeply deserve. Ethan has sacrificed his own happiness to save the world so many times, why can't he and Ilsa finally get to find some happiness with each other? This series has had it's bittersweet moments but it's never been a tragedy. The conflict is meant to feel insurmountable (it is called Mission: Impossible after all) but the heroes still win and get to be happy and I expect that to continue to be the case in the very end.

Now, I understand and agree with confronting real consequences as we face our final antagonist of the series, but I would honestly predict an actual death from Luther or Benji in the final film - staples of the series and longtime friends of Ethan - that would hurt the audience too but not steal a future from him and perhaps Ilsa's "death" is also meant to deflect from the real death that's coming which would still, naturally, makes things very bittersweet. That being said, if this series wanted to continue to lean into happy outcomes over sad ones, then simply having Ethan get to live peacefully in the knowledge that he was able to keep all of his friends safe would be enough for him and for me.

As of now, I'm actually feeling hopeful about the potential for Ilsa to return. I think there are currently more viable reasons for why she could still be alive than dead and I think it would vastly improve the story they're telling rather than take away from it or feel forced because, as it stands, the execution of her death does feel less than the caliber of what this series is capable of and a surprise return would certainly remedy that. It wouldn't feel like a gimmick given the nature of the series, nor do I think it would undermine the death scene we got since it didn't have any impact on the plot and barely any on the characters anyway. Ilsa returning would improve things, not take away and if this all works to bring her back, it will take what was a lackluster plot point and unceremonious exit of a major character to a brilliant showcase of subterfuge both for the characters and the audience and the latter sounds more like the Mission: Impossible I know.

The first time Ethan faked the death of a woman he loved to protect her; he lost her. Now he's had to do it again and this time, he'll get her back. There's still hope.

[chanse-mccrary]

⚠️ MISSION IMPOSSIBLE SPOILERS ⚠️

just watched dead reckoning p 1 and ilsa played dead in the first half hour and gave me a heart attack but then came back to life and i thought she was gonna be fine the rest of the film and actually got stabbed later on damn it 😭😭 first maria hill now ilsa

[honey-lets-fucking-run]

My thoughts exactly, yup. It's a ploy. Also, they never actually show her dead; all the cam angles are extremely tricky.

Dead Reckoning SPOILERS

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[albaharu]

local man loves his friends and doesn't want to die

[twelverriver]

Ilsa Faust + being a ghost (or why I think she's still alive)

Fallout Script / Dead Reckoning Part One / Dead Reckoning Part One Soundtrack / Dead Reckoning Part One / Mission: Impossible (1996) / Light The Fuse Podcast: Interview with Christopher McQuarrie / Dead Reckoning Part One

[awashut]

Simon Pegg on the Empire Film Podcast, discussing Benji's cut PTSD character arc and a last minute change to the airport bomb sequence.

[forumsdackel]

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning - Part 1 Italian Lawyer Ethan Hunt A gifset. Stillpost x

More gifsets and stills on my blog/mostly focusing on TG and M:I. Any gif or still suggestions? Ask Box is open

[cruisepilled]

[badgerhuan]

Pom Klementieff in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1 Trailer

for @ilsastrenchcoats

[commanderpeggymcgee]

Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1 (2023)

[sylvermage]

I'm not the biggest Mission: Impossible fan, but Dead Reckoning Pt 1 has given me feelings about something (Benji, okay, it's Benji) and I need to talk about them.

Spoilers and ramblings under the cut.

So, while the Entity definitely fears Ethan and the rest of IMF for being the only people with enough braincells to want to KILL the Entity instead of use it (honourable mention to Degas; please join IMF, dude), it strikes me that right from the beginning, it's gone after Benji.

We start with the bomb. The Entity knew Benji would be the one to come looking for it. Why? Because Benji is usually Ethan's eyes (noticing the suspicious bag), and it's a pattern that when Ethan is in danger or out of reach, Benji takes to the field.

Of the team, Benji is most likely to be susceptible to the psychological prodding from the bomb's questions. He doesn't compartmentalize the way the others do; he brings his whole self to every mission, and that makes him a good agent; it's why he babbles when he's nervous, cries openly, complains about the sheer insanity of what they're attempting to do, and then walks straight into the fire without hesitation.

So right away, the Entity wants Benji to know that it knows him. And by doing so, it's letting US know that it knows who Ethan's lynchpin is.

Then it takes it a step further: it steals Benji's voice. Listen to the commands it's giving Ethan through the comms, they're disjointed, haphazard, but Ethan never stops to question it. Why? Because it's Benji's voice. Ethan has always given himself completely over to Benji's directions (Benji told him to jump off a mountain onto a speeding train, and Ethan's thought process isn't nope, find something else, it's how in the goddamn hell am I going to do this. Because if Benji says it's the only way, then that's good enough for Ethan.)

And this hurts Benji. You can see the panic in his face, because he knows Ethan will trust his voice, and he's completely helpless. The Entity has attacked him psychologically, it's undermining his greatest skill (working with tech), and now it's taunting him with the trust Ethan places in him. It's slowly rendering him powerless.

Even though the line of self-harming was removed from the final product (and personally, I don't mind, but that's another discussion), we know Benji has his demons. He's had a bomb vest strapped to him, and he's nearly been hung (which is a TERRIBLE way to die) and both situations rendered him totally helpless.

But I think it's interesting that the Entity never asked him what it was he most feared, because we already know, we've already been shown what it is: Benji fears being a liability.

Specifically, a liability to Ethan.

And although I'm hoping against hope that they WON'T kill off Benji, because he's my favourite and because I think the MI world would be so much darker without him, I can think of no better way to push Ethan into despair than to put Benji in a situation where he has to sacrifice himself for Ethan. Because Benji is the only one that Ethan has repeatedly promised, with words, 'I will not let anything happen to you'. He couldn't even make that promise to Grace, because he's not sure anymore that he can keep it. But he HAS made that promise, repeatedly, to Benji. And Benji knows better than anyone how far Ethan will go to protect someone, how far Ethan has pushed to protect HIM specifically. He has sat there with a ticking timer among innocents completely aware that Ethan is not going to walk away, because abandoning his friends and partners (abandoning Benji) doesn't even appear on Ethan's radar. And that's a lot of weight to carry.

Of course Benji is afraid to die; he's stared death in the face many times. But he's more afraid of being a liability to Ethan. Of being the thing that leads Ethan to fail.

And the Entity is SHOWING him this, it's showing US this. And it scares the hell out of me. Because the one thing that could break Benji, is the one thing I can think of that would break Ethan. Forcing Benji to choose between death and Ethan's failure…and Ethan being forced to watch him make that choice.

Killing Benji before Ilsa might have struck a stronger blow against Ethan; the only reason to hold off is to make it even more painful. Show Ethan he can't keep his promises to protect those closest to him, put the doubt in his mind…then make it a reality. Destroy the one person he's always promised to protect, right in front of him.

And even if they don't kill him off (plzdon'tilovehim), even if they find a third option, the amount of damage being in that situation would do to both Ethan and Benji would be catastrophic.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have made myself sad, so I'll just be over here, writhing in agony until 2024.

[youronebraincell]

You’d think a broker who got played would be somewhat satisfied hearing such reassuring words. But Alanna says nothing.

Because it involves Grace, the woman she herself handpicked for some reason.

[izzypuppybutt]

MI7 Thoughts - spoilers

you've been warned

Actually not just MI7 but pairings in general.

Why are people, both audience and film producers so afraid of or despise romance so much these days? Like, just for the sake of hating it and to be different or sth?

This also applies for happy endings.

And also pairings getting together and the story still continues instead of going down the road of "will they/won't they" / "are they/are they not" trope. Once people become a couple there are still SOOO many issues that can be explored through stories and that would have sooo much potential. Couples fighting, couples going through stressful times, working out trust, communications, etc there are tons of possibilities for further character development!!! They shouldn't overcomplicate when the characters reach a particular point where it makes sense if they get together. Case in point is Chris McQuarrie saying in an interview he didn't want it too simple for ilsa x ethan and once they get together it's kinda over (or sth similar along that line I can't be bothered to find the actual vid sorry). But I'm like!?! No?!?! There's sooooo much you can doooo, the possibilitiesssss!! 😭

If it's done right and if that's what makes sense for the characters and if they have so much chemistry, why not? Why are people seeing characters finding love/getting into a romance as a weakness? I'm seeing this reaction with female characters. Look, I agree that female characters shouldn't be brought in JUST to be a love interest, I very much agree on that 100%. But finding someone in life to love and settle down and build a family together (or even just go through life with, whatever) is very much a humanly relatable thing. I'm saying this with a strong condition: ONLY if it makes sense and if it's done right. I'm saying a female character wanting that or doing that doesn't undermine their strength or story. But if it doesn't make sense for the pairing to get together, for sure don't do it. One particular case I agree with is Gamora x Quill in GOTG3. THAT is an excellent move. They didn't end up together at the end (at least not yet) because this is a different Gamora and it doesn't make sense if they got together as quickly as that and as simple as that. I'm so glad James Gunn did that. I applaud this decision.

In terms of happy endings, I particularly hate it when filmmakers/writers make sad/tragic endings for all the wrong reasons such as "to be different / non-mainstream".

Bring back producers not being afraid of happy endings/romance. If they don't give happy ending for ethan x ilsa, idk bruh. They have gone through so much, they deserve that happiness, come on.

[iinsawdious]

i've thinking about how the entity used benji's voice and decieved ethan, luring him into a trap and killing ilsa. something about that is sticking with me.

losing your voice due to deceit, and the thing wearing your skin, bearing your voice is leading your loved ones awry... there's something about a simulacrum of you. there's something about something stealing your identity and parading around while you're helpless, while you can't get through.

there's just something about that that's a kind of horror.

[ohvienna]

Love makes work impossible…

I Remember Damage | An Ilsa Faust x Ethan Hunt Fan Edit | Mission: Impossible Movies | Words and music from Station Eleven | ao3 + DL

[rudikawhy]

Just some thoughts after watching Mission:Impossible - Dead Reckoning, Part 1 tonight...

***SPOILERS***

Okay, first of all: I absolutely LOVED it! Like the whole movie and I know that I will watch it multiple times in the cinema. I mean, yes, it was exciting, of course, it's M:I, but also really funny. My friend and I had to try so hard sometimes not to laugh out too loud. The car race? Amazing. Probably because I love car races in movies in general (even though I am always sorry for all the innocent cars and other things that get destroyed), there are always many funny one-liners, this time no exception.

But let me come to the point that is the reason why I'm writing this. Ilsa. My beloved. I have so many questions (Why the eye patch in the beginning?, for example) but first: No, you can't tell me you're really FUCKING dead!! There were a lot of reasons why I wasn't really, really sad when she "died". One was because so many things were happening immediately after that, there was no time to be sad, even for the audience. Another is; I don't really believe she's dead. I was always half expecting she'd appear in the next second. Like Paris. Apparently, she's not really dead either. And now I have one year, in which I can keep on believing she's still alive.

I mean, I finally get a few (very few) beautiful Ilsa/Ethan moments (this hug, when she realised it's Ethan in the dessert!! was my favorite because unexpected, because not in the trailer, iirc; but also the little looks they give each other), and then this happens!! AHHH. I'm sorry, I just can't handle this Ilsa-loss

Even though it meant less Ilsa, I was positively surprised by Grace. When the movie was promoted and Hayley Atwell seemed more important than Rebecca Ferguson, I was seriously disappointed, partly upset. But Ilsa aside, was Grace actually a really good character. She made me laugh, I didn't want her to die (nor Ilsa), and I the end in the train I wasn't just concerned about Ethan but also about her.

What I did realize was that Grace is kind of like Ilsa was in the beginning. Or at least similar. I realized it when Grace wanted to leave the party, was attacked by two men, and Ethan came to help her. The moment she was free and the men fought with Ethan, she left the scene instead of now helping Ethan. I feel like this is something Rogue-Nation-Ilsa would have done too.

I'm glad that Benji had his bomb defusing scene. When he's under pressure he often has funny lines, and while I know that Benji isn't just there for the funny lines, I appreciate and love them. Also I love that we had multiple (at least two??) times when Benji gave Ethan directions while Ethan ran/drove. My immediate comparison was "like in MI3", one of Benjis first actions, but then I realized that he also does it in Fallout, and it's even more iconic there.

I was seriously confused by Paris. It's probably due to something I missed at one point, but like, what does she even do (aside from having too much fun when driving a car that is too big through streets that are too small, with the intention of apparently killing two people in a yellow Fiat 500, while looking like a maniac)?? I really didn't get it.

Okay, I would love to say more about Ilsa but also about everyone and everything else, maybe another time, I need to sleep...