Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One Kills a Major Character Way Too Soon

A major character's death in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One comes as a big surprise, but the character still has a lot to offer.

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One offers not only the franchise's most incredible stunt but also the unexpected death of a major character. Ethan Hunt is the sole force that has kept the Mission: Impossible franchise alive for so long, although each movie gives more and more space for supporting characters to shine. While it's great to see Hunt springing into action with the help of his friends, their presence also elevates tension as they're constantly putting their lives at risk. Hunt takes advantage of an essential plot armor; on the other hand, his allies are just as vulnerable as the bad guys.

Mission: Impossible - Fallout shows Hunt sacrificing a mission to save his long-term friend Luther Stickell. In Mission: Impossible 7, things don't go nearly as planned. Gabriel, a dangerous person from Hunt's past, returns and forces the hero to make an impossible choice. Unable to save everyone he loves, Ilsa Faust is the major character who suffers the consequences, dying after intense combat with Gabriel. However, there's an argument to be made that Ilsa died way too soon, as the character still had a lot to offer to the franchise.

Ilsa and Hunt Had Unfinished Business

Ilsa quickly proved herself to be a unique addition to the cast of Mission: Impossible in the fifth movie due to the duality the character brought to the table. She's a ruthless assassin and dangerously impulsive, yet a strong sense of morality turns her into a crucial yet unexpected Ethan Hunt ally.

Ever since Ilsa's first appearance, the heated sexual tension between her and Hunt was a big part of why their chemistry together worked so well. Additionally, the fact that the two care so much about each other, even with so many conflicting interests, was precisely what made her stand out compared to the other women that crossed paths with Hunt. What always haunted Hunt about Julia, his ex-wife, was the fact that she was vulnerable to being used by his enemies to get to him. On the other hand, Ilsa led a life of danger of her own. Although Hunt wanted to protect her at all costs, he knew he couldn't stop her from doing what she does best for the same reason IMF couldn't stop him.

Hunt and Ilsa were perfect for each other because they were in it together. In Mission: Impossible 7, while a platonic relationship was equally suggested, they were closer than ever. Their passion for each other could easily be spotted in any of their gestures or the way they looked at each other. However, they never get to talk about their feelings -- their romance will forever remain a suggestion because her death at the hands of Gabriel leads to unfinished business between the two. Just as the audience is left unsure whether they were meant to be friends or a couple, Ilsa's premature death leaves Hunt in the same spot, unable to know the answer.

How Ilsa's Death Changes Hunt's Arc Completely

Hunt always feared that the worst could happen to Ilsa, but he could never have imagined that it would happen because of his mistake. He was never the same after the tragedy of the first movie, in which an unforeseeable betrayal cost the lives of all his teammates. The death of his friends left him with serious trust issues and caused him to renounce the love of his life, Julia. With Benji, Luther, and Ilsa joining him for good, the same fear of losing his loved ones enveloped him once again.

In Mission: Impossible 7, Ethan Hunt is faced with an impossible choice: Ilsa, one of one his closest allies and a dear teammate, or the person who knows the whereabouts of both keys that can change the course of the world. On the other hand, Gabriel's intentions were beyond simply hurting Hunt, which only makes Ilsa's death all the more infuriating. By killing her, Gabriel ensured Hunt would face another dilemma in case the agent defeated him: Hunt could either kill Gabriel and get his revenge but never know what the key opens, or he could spare Gabriel's life, consequently offering the villain a chance to escape unscathed.

At the end of the film, the situation changes. While Gabriel manages to escape, Hunt no longer has to put the mission ahead of his feelings. By learning what the key opens from Paris, Gabriel's former ally, Hunt might as well give in to his thirst for revenge, for better or for worse. The truth is that the Ethan Hunt that viewers witnessed sparing the life of one of his most dangerous enemies might never return -- he now has blood in his eyes.

To see how Ethan deals with Ilsa's death, Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One is currently playing in theaters.