Photo: Paramount Pictures
It’s a conspiracy bigger than Ethan Hunt could ever face when he was confronted with the Syndicate. It’s been a looming question for Mission Impossible fans ever since the franchise concluded with Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning. It’s something that could only be confidently answered by Rebecca Ferguson herself (which was.) However, I still feel unsatisfied because the idea of Ilsa Faust being somewhere hidden in Final Reckoning would be the perfect sendoff for the series.
Where did this thought even come from? To put it simply, when fans saw Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning in theaters, the ending saw Hunt and his team finally sealing the Entity off. With Hunt’s team coming back together one last time, it was a satisfying conclusion that resolved nearly 30 years of death-defying stunts. Although, there was one figure who passed right by Hunt.
In the last few moments before Hunt leaves, there’s a woman that comes up, but never faces the camera. Many have assumed (or have high hopes) that this figure is, somehow, Ilsa Faust. The former partner to Hunt before Grace came along in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Faust was one of the more memorable characters Hunt ever met.
So, why do Mission Impossible fans, and viewers in general, hope that Faust is here at this moment? To be clear, audiences did see Faust get killed at the hands of Esai Morales’ Gabriel despite her originally faking her own death at the beginning of Dead Reckoning. However, there is an interesting saying: “If it works once, it works twice.”
Supposing that Faust actually survived her encounter with Gabriel, it’s still very unlikely she’d show up in the end. Otherwise, she’d be pulling some really heavy cover both to not be tracked down by MI6 or Hunt in the inevitable case they figure it out. However, it should still be mentioned that, in the canonicity of things, Faust is dead.
With this being the case, why do we want Ilsa Faust to be alive? Is it because of some need to hold onto that nostalgia? Is it because Ferguson gave an unforgettable performance Faust across the modern Mission Impossible films? Is it simply because Final Reckoning might actually be the finale despite McQuarrie and Cruise stating they’d want to explore more of it in the future?
To be honest, the answer feels like it’s all of the above. That’s also for good reason.
Given how much time we’ve spent with Ilsa Faust and how memorable of a performance Ferguson gave, there’s no doubt that we’d want her to still be alive. Not only was Faust an incredibly important character in stopping Solomon Lane and the Syndicate’s plans, but also in how Hunt would grow that closer bond to his team.
Essentially, Faust was the emotional core of Hunt’s team in the modern era. Whenever Hunt was in trouble following his ventures, she was nearly there, every time, to reassure him about their mission to protect whatever was out there. Sure, she’s not actually Hunt’s lover, unlike Julia, but she still helped keep Hunt grounded as much as possible.
From saving Hunt and Benji during their time at the opera in Rogue Nation to helping Luther deactivate the nuclear bomb and stopping Lane in Fallout, this capable character is nothing short of being one of the most beloved characters of the franchise.
Yet, our grasp to hold on to what was lost, in a time filled with remakes of classics and callbacks to past films, remains firm. Nowadays, audiences, both general and hardcore, want to see these elements from the past come back in faithful ways and hope studios will do so (like with the recent Lilo & Stitch live-action film).
With Final Reckoning being perhaps the final modern era film in the franchise, we would at least hope Faust was mentioned or shown in some way. Since this didn’t happen, in both the flashbacks or the Entity’s recollections, fans have made it their prerogative to hope Faust’s presence was somewhere else in the film.
So, our need for nostalgic reflections push us to believe that some character could indeed be Ilsa Faust, still somewhere out there. Sure, some may be joking in believing that Faust is alive, but there are others who are deeply entrenched in this idea. We can only hope that she’s alive, perhaps off-screen, even though her status is already concrete.
Still, Ferguson’s performance as Ilsa Faust is one that will be remembered for years to come when the Mission Impossible franchise is explored in the future.
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is now playing in theaters.
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Christopher Gallardo is a freelance entertainment writer and critic. While not running The Reel Roller, Chris can be found writing reviews and breakdowns on all things films and TV. Outside of entertainment writing, he’s currently taking classes for a Bachelor’s of Science with a minor in Digital Media & Journalism. Plus, he loves Percy Jackson, animated films and shows, and Fallout! Follow Christopher on Instagram & X.