Mission: Impossible characters that could return, Ilsa was the one audiences hoped for most. Built up as a major character with a great dynamic with Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt, Ilsa's death in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning was a harrowing moment that many hoped would be undone.

While The Final Reckoning does not give a definitive conclusion to Ethan's story, suggesting that more films could be planned for the franchise if he comes out of hiding. Following a great set of stories under the direction of Christopher McQuarrie, the series has become one of the most important action series in modern filmmaking, and the latest film’s ending may set up Ilsa’s return.

Rebecca Ferguson Didn't Return As Ilsa Faust For Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning

Ferguson Was Contracted For Three Films And Decided Not To Extend Her Contract

Rebecca Ferguson did not appear in The Final Reckoning, which disappointed many. She discussed her reasons behind this. Ferguson spoke about the evolution of her Mission: Impossible character, and how, earlier in the franchise, "Ilsa was naughty. Ilsa was unpredictable,” but had become more of a team player in recent films. This, combined with how much the film was an ensemble, taking up so much of her time but only giving her so much to do, led to Ferguson not wishing to return beyond her three-film contract.

This makes sense, especially considering how chaotic making a Mission: Impossible movie can be. While Cruise and McQuarrie have found a great system for crafting excellent action movies, their process can be very taxing on the performers. Following this, Ferguson's absence from the film was mostly based on personal choices. Still, with a wealth of flashbacks from previous installments, her face does appear in the movie, although only as an archival scene. Ferguson did not film any new material for the eighth installment.

Theory: Ilsa Is With Ethan In The Final Reckoning's Final Shot

Ethan Can Be Seen Disappearing Into A Crowd With A Woman Beside Him

At the end of The Final Reckoning, as Ethan disappears into the crowd, there is a notable moment that some eagle-eyed audiences have noticed. In the scene, Ethan can be seen walking beside a woman with flowing hair who is never seen from the front. Calling to mind comparisons to the ending of The Dark Knight Rises, where Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) has faked his death to appear alongside Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway), many have decided that the woman in that frame is Ilsa Faust, and she and Ethan are going off together into the sunset.

The relationship between Ethan and Ilsa carried some great tension for some time before becoming more direct in Dead Reckoning. However, Ethan's love interests and his inability to have a relationship in his line of work have been important details throughout the series, especially explored in Mission: Impossible III. However, by providing an ending that allows both characters to move outside their line of work, and to share a life together in peace, this theory actually suggests a possible happy ending for both that is hard not to hope for.

I Really Want To Believe This Ilsa Faust Theory For The Final Reckoning

The Character's Death Did Not Feel As Conclusive As It Could Have

I loved Ilsa Faust, and I wanted her to return in this new movie. Following the release of Dead Reckoning, I believed that Ilsa was still alive. Her death scene seemed sudden, and the execution called to mind many of the faked deaths from the first Mission: Impossible film, including that of Jim Phelps. Her relationship with Ethan was just becoming something sustainable and real, and to have that ripped away immediately afterward was an upsetting choice that seemed ripe to be undone.

Ethan has been through a lot in the series. His relationships were given a direct look in Mission: Impossible III, where the dangers of Owen Davian and the Rabbit's Foot made it clear that his life would not allow him to have a sustainable relationship. Following the death of Marie by Gabriel, shown in a flashback from Dead Reckoning, he has experienced so much pain and loneliness through the years. With all of this considered, I really wanted him to have a happy ending with a person that he loves.

The Biggest Problem With The Final Reckoning's Theory That Ilsa Is Alive

Death In The Mission: Impossible Franchise Needs To Be Permanent

Deaths in giant franchises like this are often undone, and Mission: Impossible likely could have found a believable way to do so. However, unlike the Fast & Furious franchise and its approach to death, Mission: Impossible has tended to keep character deaths permanent. This made moments like the death of Luther in The Final Reckoning so much more impactful. Still, there were many clues and reasons that Ilsa could have been brought back in The Final Reckoning, and despite this theory giving some hope, it’s disappointing that it didn't happen in a more obvious way.

McQuarrie made it clear that Ilsa would not return, largely because of the importance of retaining stakes in the series. Her story concerning Ethan was a slow burn that was given an ending thematically in the previous film, and bringing her back would have undone some of that resonance. The franchise has brought in and taken out main of the cast over the years, and it is important that Ethan's work feels dangerous but necessary. Allowing Ilsa to come back in the latest film could have jeopardized this.

The Mission: Impossible franchise is one of the best currently running, and Ethan's team of charismatic heroes goes a long way in making it so. Characters like Benji, Luther, and Ilsa have been important components of the long-running franchise, with each one bringing something special to the series. Losing characters like these can be heartbreaking, although sometimes it is necessary. Still, if Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning winds up being the last in the series, there is at least some hope that Ethan and Ilsa wound up together.