ending of Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning, and features much of the same cast. However, one surprising cast addition, and several twists and turns concerning the movie's villain, are referenced in important ways to two earlier films.

The Christopher McQuarrie as an uncredited scriptwriter. From there, McQuarrie took the reins of the series and has found a more consistent tone. However, the latest film does call back to films from before his time.

Mission: Impossible Makes The First And Third Films The Most Important In The Series

The Final Reckoning Ties Into Various Details From Previous Films

While Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning feature references to details from throughout much of Ethan's past, the film especially focuses on tying up details from the first and third films. One of the most apparent of these details concerns Briggs, an agent who seems to dislike Ethan greatly. It is revealed in the film that this is because he is actually the son of Jim Phelps, the villain from the first film, and does not believe Ethan's of what occurred. In addition to this, another minor character from that film plays an important role.

Shea Whigham's Jasper Briggs, later revealed to be James "Jim" Phelps, Jr., appears to be named after Dan Briggs, the original protagonist of the 1966 television series. Briggs was replaced as the series lead with Jim Phelps in the show's second season.

More than that, the new film is wound up in the story of Mission: Impossible III in some important ways. That film saw Owen Davian as one of the most fearsome foes that Ethan had yet faced, who complicated his entire personal life and set him on a path where he could not have a real romantic relationship. However, it is the story of the Rabbit's Foot, a maguffin introduced by J.J. Abrams without much explanation, that ties into the new film, with the details of what that device is and its consequences finally being shared.

Final Reckoning Turns A M:I 1 Minor Character A Vital Hero

William Donloe Plays A Major Role In The New Film

CIA analyst William Donloe played a minor part in one of the greatest scenes in the first Mission: Impossible and recurs in the new film. In one of the earliest and best Mission: Impossible stunts, Ethan and his team must break into a CIA site in Langley, Virginia to steal the NOC list. The scene is intense and involves them having to drug William Donloe to keep him out of the room for long enough for them to access the computer and the necessary files.

In a surprising move, The Final Reckoning brings back Donloe in an important ing role. After being held at least partially responsible for what Ethan did following that theft, Donloe was shipped out to Alaska to live out the rest of his days in a distant, undesirable post. However, because of this, Donloe is not only able to meet the love of his life, but is able to serve as an excellent addition to the team, working to defuse the bomb in the climax of The Final Reckoning.

Ethan Hunt Set Up The Creation Of The Entity In M:I 3

This Shocking Revelation Ties The Stories Of The Mission: Impossible Films Together

In Mission: Impossible III, Ethan is tasked with stealing the Rabbit's Foot to save his wife. He does this, and in the end, after Davian's defeat, it winds up in the hands of the IMF. These events are given new context in the new film, which reveals that the Rabbit's Foot is actually the precursor to the AI villain that hangs over the events of the last two films. The Rabbit’s Foot contains source code which, when used by Denlinger, can evolve and become the villainous Entity that must be taken down in the new film.

Tying the story of the Rabbit's Foot in with the new movie makes sense. While the item was shown with a biohazard symbol, and was speculated to be some kind of doomsday or war weapon, the device was never fully explained. Allowing the new films to take what occurred in the past, and to tie it in with the relevant threat of artificial intelligence, is an exciting way to make the villain feel contemporary and important. While the Entity itself does not have much screen time in the new film, it is a frightening prospect that hovers over every event.

Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning does a great deal to tie the franchise together and make all of these disparate moments feel important to the story. In this, it is a very special entry in the popular action franchise. Ethan has grown so much as a character throughout the series, and seeing how that same kind of growth has happened with other characters like Donloe or objects like the Rabbit's Foot helps to make each entry feel that much more essential. The new film makes the first and third franchise installments absolutely necessary to the series.