Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One!Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One introduces a new part of Ethan Hunt's life and backstory by showing Gabriel kill a woman close to him, and here is what we know about her. The Mission: Impossible movies have long kept their focus on Ethan Hunt and the current missions at hand. It has only been in more recent entries that information about his past has been introduced as a way to further flesh out the character. That continues in Mission: Impossible 7 with new revelations about why Ethan decided to work for the IMF and the life events that led him to this decision.
The crux of this information is based on the actions of Mission: Impossible 7's villain Gabriel and his past with Ethan. The movie uses a flashback scene to establish that this is not the first time that these two agents of chaos have crossed paths. Their race to acquire the key in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One's ending is a long-awaited rematch for both men, as Gabriel is responsible for inflicting plenty of pain on Ethan's life. This includes killing a woman in Ethan's past years before Mission: Impossible 7. Here is what we know about the woman that Gabriel killed in Ethan's past.
Marie Is The Woman From Ethan's Past That Gabriel Killed
The identity of the woman from Ethan Hunt's life that Gabriel killed in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One is eventually revealed to be Marie. She is played by actress Mariela Garriga and is only shown momentarily as part of the flashback scene. The movie shows Gabriel killing Marie as part of Ethan Hunt's origin story, as Ethan is seemingly accused of being responsible for her death once police come to the scene. This leads Ethan to choose to the IMF instead of prison, presumably with the hope that he could one day find Gabriel using his spy resources and get revenge on him for killing Marie.
Based on how little screen time Marie has in Mission: Impossible 7, much of her story is left a mystery for now. Considering the scene takes place before Ethan s the IMF, the possibility of Marie being an agent of the Impossible Mission Force can likely be ruled out. She instead appears to be an early romantic interest of Ethan's. Gabriel killing Marie is now a defining part of his origin story after Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning's reveal.
Was Marie In Any Other Mission: Impossible Movies?
The flashback sequence might leave some confused about if Marie was in any other Mission: Impossible movies. However, the potential confusion about if viewers missed her in the latest Mission: Impossible rewatch can be laid to rest. Marie is a brand-new Mission: Impossible 7 character for the purposes of the story who has not appeared in any of the previous six installments. It is Mariela Garriga's debut appearance as Marie. Despite the currently limited screen time she receives, her importance in Ethan Hunt's past is still made clear.
The good news is that more of Marie's story and history with Ethan before Gabriel kills her appears to be on the way. When Christopher McQuarrie originally announced Mariela Garriga's addition to the Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One cast, it was suggested that she would appear in both the seventh and eighth installments. This should mean that Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part Two's story includes more flashbacks. These will help flesh out the character and allow audiences to learn more about her before Gabriel kills Marie.
Marie's Death Begins A Horrible Cycle For Ethan Hunt
The effects of Marie's death are evident in Ethan's life, but the woman Gabriel kills in his past is also the start of a horrible cycle. It now represents the beginning of a trend where those closest to Ethan Hunt have their lives ruined in some way by being associated with him. This is done to specifically draw a parallel to Ilsa Faust's Mission: Impossible 7 death. She becomes the latest example of the vicious cycle repeating itself in Ethan's life, especially since Gabriel is responsible for killing both Ilsa and Marie.
Marie and Ilsa are hardly the only people who have been caught in Ethan's horrible cycle. Julia Meade married Ethan Hunt only to learn the truth about his job and get kidnapped, leading to her and Ethan eventually splitting up for her safety. Lindsey Ferris is another casualty of this cycle, as her training under Ethan led to her death. Arguments could also be made for Luther and Benji's lives becoming more difficult through their association with Ethan over the years. Now, Grace is the latest person caught in Ethan's cycle based on their growing relationship in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One.
