Mission Impossible – The Final Reckoning Killed The Wrong IMF Agent

This post contains spoilers for "Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning."

It wouldn't be a franchise's closing chapter without one central character biting the bullet in an act of noble heroism. In the case of "Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning," it had to be one of the longest-running characters in the series. After giving Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) the runaround, his old foe, Gabriel (Esai Morales), makes one power move that Ethan can't win against – he traps Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames) with a bomb that can't be stopped, but can be minimized as long as it takes him with it.

With that, Ethan has no choice but to run off and pursue his foe, forcing his longtime friend to make the ultimate sacrifice. While it's a fitting exit for the Phineas Phreak, it, like a lot of dramatic beats in Hunt's final mission, doesn't make the kind of impact it's clearly aiming for — perhaps because in picking which member of Hunt's team met their end, a different keyboard cowboy should've taken the fall instead.

The stakes in the "Mission: Impossible" universe have never been higher than they are in "The Final Reckoning," with an artificial intelligence and a puppet controlling it all, setting the world on course to meet its end. That's why, if the film was hoping to show just how deadly serious this mission was compared to those that came before, snuffing out Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg) wouldn't have just been a cheap move but the gut punch the movie desperately needed.

He might be two "Mission: Impossible" films shy of Ving Rhames' scorecard, but there's no doubt Simon Pegg's jittery British tech guy has been a highlight of the franchise ever since he arrived in "Mission: Impossible III." Since then, Pegg has funnelled his signature comedic tone into the character that's as essential to the series as Tom Cruise hanging off things, or tapes self-destructing in discreet but stupidly cool ways. Imagine, if you dare, how the dynamic in "The Final Reckoning" would've shifted then, if Benji had gone out like a hero? Not only would it hit like a truck seeing a teary-eyed Pegg wish Ethan the best of luck, it would've also done their latest nemesis a huge favor.

There's no doubt that one of the biggest issues with the final two films in the "Mission: Impossible" series is the villain causing all the trouble. Esai Morales has enough work under his belt ("Ozark" specifically) to prove that he can be a scene-chilling antagonist when given the right material to work with, but unfortunately, he didn't receive it for either of the films in which he appeared. Even killing Luther isn't enough to get the job done, but being responsible for Benji's death would have certainly checked the box, transforming him into a character worth hating and adding a bit more emotional heft to the story. 

While it might feel like the end of an era with "The Final Reckoning," it's worth noting that Hunt is saving the day with a practically all-new team on his last mission. Following the death of Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) and now Luther, Ethan is left with Grace (Hayley Atwell), Paris (Pom Klementieff), and Theo Degas (Greg Tarzan Davis). It's an incredibly ill-fitting squad we've only known for one film, and therefore have no real attachment to, but if there's anything would make us root for this ragtag bunch, it would be avenging the beating heart of the team that was so close to their fearless leader.

This wouldn't mean sidelining Rhames' character, either. Luther is still a fan favorite that needs some love, but one that stepped back further with every chapter. It's what makes his exit so confusing and downright lackluster when he could've still been put to use by the end. Having him still bedridden and helping Grace over the film's final act might've helped. It may have played similarly to "Mission: Impossible – Fallout" (the best of the bunch), but by that point, it wouldn't have mattered because we'd be set on bringing down the guy who killed the best IMF agent after Ethan Hunt. Ultimately, this latest world-ending mission was lacking a bit of humanity or significant stakes. Sure, Tom Cruise hanging off plane brings the tension, but perhaps Benji bowing out would've done so much more. It's just a shame that the final "Mission: Impossible" chose not to accept that.