As Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning gears up for its theatrical release on May 23rd, fans are preparing to say goodbye to Tom Cruise’s iconic character, Ethan Hunt. Since the franchise's debut in 1996, the Mission: Impossible movies have delivered high-octane action, emotional stakes, and a rotating cast of key players, including Ving Rhames as Luther Stickell, Simon Pegg as Benji Dunn, and Rebecca Ferguson as Ilsa Faust.
Over seven films, Hunt has endured the loss of mentors, teammates, and loved ones, each death leaving a mark on the veteran IMF agent. From shocking betrayals to heartbreaking sacrifices, these deaths have transformed Hunt from a relatively green field agent into the haunted, determined operative seen today.
Here's a look at every major character death in the Mission: Impossible franchise, how it impacted Ethan, and what it means as he heads into his final mission; Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning arrives in theaters on May 23, 2025.
Mission: Impossible (1996) - The Betrayal That Started It All
Jim Phelps
The first film delivered a shocking twist when Jim Phelps (Jon Voight), Ethan’s mentor and team leader, was revealed as a traitor who orchestrated the deaths of his own team members.
As the original hero from the television series, Phelps’ betrayal and subsequent death aboard the Eurostar train represented more than just the loss of a mentor. It was the moment Ethan’s worldview shattered completely.
Sarah Davies & the Prague Team
Before learning of Phelps’ treachery, Ethan watches helplessly as his entire IMF team is systematically eliminated during what should have been a routine mission in Prague. Most devastating is the death of Sarah Davies (Kristin Scott Thomas), who dies in Ethan’s arms after being brutally stabbed in an alley.
These deaths establish the emotional template for the entire franchise: Ethan Hunt as the lone survivor, carrying the weight of his fallen comrades while fighting to complete seemingly impossible missions.
Mission: Impossible III (2006) - Personal Becomes Professional
Lindsey Farris
Portrayed by Keri Russell, Lindsey Farris was Ethan’s protégé, someone he personally trained and mentored. Her horrific death via an explosive implanted in her brain by villain Owen Davian (Philip Seymour Hoffman) represents Ethan’s failure to protect someone he was responsible for.
The anguish on Hunt’s face as he frantically tries to save her in the helicopter sequence remains one of the franchise’s most gut-wrenching moments.
Ethan then transforms from a professional agent to a man on a personal vendetta.
Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011) - The False Death That Changed Everything
Julia Meade (Faked Death)
While not an actual death, the orchestrated “killing” of Ethan’s wife Julia (Michelle Monaghan) between the third and fourth films represents a pivotal sacrifice. To protect her from his enemies, Ethan allows the world—including his IMF colleagues—to believe Julia has been murdered.
This decision shows how isolation has become Ethan’s default protection mechanism. By Ghost Protocol, he has fully embraced the idea that attachment equals vulnerability, setting up his reluctance to form deep bonds with his new team.
Trevor Hanaway
Though Ethan doesn’t witness it firsthand, the murder of IMF agent Trevor Hanaway (Josh Holloway) by assassin Sabine Moreau sets the plot of Ghost Protocol in motion and establishes the film’s emotional stakes.
His death particularly affects team member Jane Carter (Paula Patton), whose personal vendetta mirrors Ethan’s own history of seeking justice for fallen comrades.
Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018) - Losing a True Ally
Alan Hunley
The death of IMF Secretary Alan Hunley (Alec Baldwin) in Fallout represents the loss of one of Ethan’s few remaining authority figures who actually had his back.
After initially hunting Hunt as a rogue agent in Rogue Nation, Hunley became one of his strongest advocates within the intelligence community.
Hunley’s murder by double agent August Walker (Henry Cavill) reinforces a recurring theme: those who stand with Ethan Hunt often pay the ultimate price.
This loss is particularly significant as it comes at a moment when Ethan had finally found someone in leadership he could trust.
Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (2023) - The Ultimate Sacrifice
Marie
Through flashbacks in Dead Reckoning (which received favorable reviews upon release), audiences learn of another significant death in Ethan’s past. Marie (Mariela Garriga) is a woman from his life before the IMF. Her murder by Gabriel and the subsequent framing of Ethan for the crime became the catalyst that pushed him into joining the IMF in the first place.
This retroactive addition to Hunt’s backstory adds another layer of motivation to his final confrontation with Gabriel and the Entity in The Final Reckoning, making the upcoming finale not just about saving the world, but about finding closure for decades of accumulated loss.
Ilsa Faust
Dead Reckoning had a packed cast of characters, but perhaps no death has impacted audiences—or Ethan Hunt—more than the shocking demise of Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson). After joining the franchise in Rogue Nation, Faust became Hunt’s equal, confidante, and potential romantic interest.
Her death at the hands of Gabriel (Esai Morales) while protecting Grace (Hayley Atwell) delivered an emotional gut-punch that altered the trajectory of the entire two-part finale.
In an interview with Empire, director Christopher McQuarrie said that Ilsa’s death "is not in any way, shape, or form disposable. It’s a noble and heroic death."
The relationship between Ethan and Ilsa was always about two people who recognized themselves in each other. Ferguson’s portrayal of Ilsa also brought depth and complexity to the franchise, making her loss all the more devastating for both fans and Ethan.
The Weight of Loss in The Final Reckoning
As The Final Reckoning approaches, these deaths collectively represent the emotional stakes for Ethan Hunt’s ultimate mission. Each loss has stripped away pieces of his humanity while simultaneously reinforcing his determination. The Final Reckoning is about confronting those ghosts once and for all.
With the Entity threatening global security and Gabriel still at large after Ilsa’s death, The Final Reckoning promises to be not just a physical battle, but an emotional reckoning with the trail of bodies that have marked Ethan Hunt’s extraordinary career.
For longtime fans, these accumulated losses add profound weight to what Cruise has confirmed will be his final outing as the character who redefined the modern action hero.
