Spoilers are ahead for Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.

George Miller’s fifth installment in his long-running Mad Max franchise, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga centers on a younger version of the beloved character who was first introduced in 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road. In that outing, Furiosa was played by Charlize Theron, but in the prequel, Anya Taylor-Joy dons the character’s iconic war paint and scowl. Set in a post-apocalyptic version of Australia that sees most of the continent turned into a Wasteland, Mad Max delights in seeing humanity pushed to its limits in the face of scarcity.

Warlords and biker gangs dominate the Wasteland, laying claim to water, oil, and other people. While few have morals, Furiosa stands out in the Mad Max timeline as someone who is trying to do right by those with less power. One of cult leader Immortan Joe’s most trusted soldiers, Furiosa leaves the Citadel — Joe’s comparatively well-appointed stronghold — to return to her childhood home, the utopian Green Place. In the process, Furiosa hopes to liberate Immortan Joe’s enslaved wives. While Furiosa’s utopia is merely a distant memory in Fury Road, the prequel takes viewers back to the beginning.

Mad Max: Fury Road’s Story Is Furiosa’s Real Post-Credits Scene

Fury Road Provides A Satisfying Conclusion To Furiosa’s Arc

In many ways, Furiosa doesn’t need a post-credits scene thanks to Mad Max: Fury Road. While the 2024 blockbuster serves as an origin story for its titular character, Fury Road extends her story just enough and, in doing so, becomes the perfect coda. In Fury Road, a road-weary and fed up Furiosa decides to betray Immortan Joe, liberate his enslaved wives, and journey home to the Green Place. The film throws viewers into the plot without giving them much backstory on Furiosa. Instead, Fury Road trusts that audiences will understand Furiosa’s position and fill in the narrative gaps.

After weathering some of the Wasteland’s harshest obstacles, Immortan Joe’s fleet of battle-hardened allies, and even Max’s Rockatansky’s (Tom Hardy) issues, Furiosa and the former wives arrive in the Green Place — or the former site of the utopia, anyway. Devastated to learn that the soil has soured and turned her childhood paradise into yet another stretch of Wasteland, Furiosa seems almost ready to give up — almost. Max convinces her to make one last stand against Immortan Joe and claim the Citadel. Given Furiosa’s journey in the prequel, Mad Max: Fury Road‘s triumphant ending is even more satisfying.

Every Mad Max: Fury Road Scene Shown In Furiosa’s Credits

Furiosa Provides Some Fury Road Fan Service

The Furiosa end-credits sequence is the antithesis of all Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) post-credits scenes. Instead of teasing a future franchise movie or setting up a new thread, Furiosa‘s end-credits scene brings some closure to the character’s story by showcasing a Mad Max: Fury Road montage. Initially, Miller had wanted to film both movies back-to-back. If anything, the prequel proves how much the two narratives feed off one another. In addition to flashing glimpses of Immortan Joe’s War Boys and over-the-top explosions, Furiosa boasts scenes that were cut from Fury Road.

Furiosa Turns Fury Road Into The Perfect Epilogue

Miller’s Furiosa-Starring Films Form A Cohesive Whole

While Mad Max: Fury Road is still an incredible movie in its own right, it feels like a perfect epilogue in the wake of Furiosa‘s release. Abducted from the Green Place as a child, Furiosa is constantly thwarted by characters like Immortan Joe and Chris Hemsworth’s Warlord Dementus. The powerful and terrible men who operate in Furiosa’s orbit view her as collateral or a pawn, making the character’s fight for her agency and identity in a Wasteland bereft of morals more compelling. As encapsulated by the Fury Road montage, Miller’s 2015 movie ties up the loose ends in Furiosa’s story.

Furiosa Makes Mad Max: Fury Road Even Better

The Prequel Film Enriches Miller’s 2015 Hit

Oftentimes, prequels released after the fact don’t have a huge impact on a series’ story as a whole. After all, viewers already know who a character is and where they’re headed, so seeing how they became the person on screen isn’t always satisfying (or even necessary). However, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga makes a strong case for prequels. While Fury Road provides just enough insight into its characters, the prequel lends more depth to both Furiosa and the Mad Max universe. Instead of feeling superfluous, Furiosa enriches Mad Max: Fury Road, which is the best possible outcome for a prequel.