Fast & Furious 9 leaves a trail of unanswered questions that are expected to be addressed in The Fast Saga’s upcoming sequels. Directed by Justin Lin, who returns to the car-centric franchise after several years, F9 is the first movie in the series’ final trilogy. With the filmmaker set to also helm both Fast & Furious 10 and 11, which are scheduled to film back-to-back, it’s reasonable to assume F9 left some plotlines unresolved so that they could be explored in the subsequent films.
The main story of F9 focused on Dom’s past. In the present, he retired from his dangerous life to focus on raising his son, Little Brian. Together with Letty, the family of three lived on a secluded farm until their peaceful lives were disrupted when Mr. Nobody’s plane crashed. Dom was understandably hesitant to take on a new mission at first, despite his wife and the rest of his crew gamely tackling the matter. It’s only when he discovered that his estranged brother, Jakob, was involved in the chaos that he decided to come out of hiding.
The Torettos’ family issues, unfortunately, were tied to global peace: Jakob, financed by Otto, was going after a piece of technology known as Ares that would allow him to hack into any computer system around the world — and even start a war, if he wanted. Dom’s “la familia” succeeded in preventing massive chaos, but while the ending of F9 wrapped up another successful mission, there are several lingering questions left unanswered. These queries are set to be eventually addressed in either Fast & Furious 10 or 11.
Is Mr. Nobody Dead?
The events of F9 were kicked off by Mr. Nobody’s distress call. While Dom’s team surveyed the plane’s crash site, there was no sign of the mysterious figure. Since his remains weren’t recovered, chances are that Mr. Nobody is still alive, only waiting to return when the time is right. It was also revealed that the character not only helped Han prepare for Deckard’s attempted murder in Tokyo, he also kept his survival a secret for years — even from Dom and his Japan-based crew. This proves that Mr. Nobody is capable of faking deaths — even his own, if it’s a matter of safety. At this point, he’s potentially watching on the sidelines, and gauging when he can come out of the shadows.
Will Jakob Return?
Jakob was set up as the primary villain of F9, with his complicated dynamic with Dom being the movie’s central conflict; however, after Cipher successfully manipulated Otto into betraying the younger Toretto, Jakob found himself with no ally in the middle of a dangerous car chase. Without so much as a proper conversation about their ugly past, Dom instinctively knew that he needed to help his brother. Together, they were able to stop Otto and Cipher’s plan in utilizing Ares. By the end of F9, Dom provided Jakob a getaway car, aiding him in his escape before both the authorities and Cipher actively hunt him down. While Dom and Jakob’s relationship still isn’t fully healed, at least they no longer despise each other. This opens up the possibility of the younger Toretto coming back to The Fast Saga and properly teaming up with the “la familia.”
Seriously, How Did Han Survive?
Aside from Dom and Jakob’s fight, another big talking point coming into F9 was the revelation that Han is still alive. The character was presumed dead for several years now, after Deckard Shaw planned his fatal car crash in Tokyo. Naturally, everyone was interested in learning how he survived the wreckage; Han revealed that Mr. Nobody helped him fake his death and kept his status hidden to keep him safe. But, while flashbacks showed him and Mr. Nobody’s watching the tragedy unfold, it didn’t show how Han escaped the totaled car. He also didn’t get into specifics about how exactly they pulled off the ruse, still leaving it as a big question moving forward.
What Happens Between Han & Deckard?
Lin’s return to The Fast Saga came with a promise that justice for the murder of Han, and the subsequent handling of his character after his death, will be accomplished. While there were doubts that this will be done in F9, the film’s post-credits scene sent a clear message that the filmmaker is committed to delivering on the matter. In it, Han finally came face-to-face with Deckard who was surprised to see the man he supposedly killed in Tokyo years ago. The tense encounter, however, was cut short, with the rest of their conversation more likely saved for Fast & Furious 10.
Will Hobbs Appear in Fast & Furious 10?
F9 is the first film in The Fast Saga that Dwayne Johnson’s Luke Hobbs didn’t appear since joining the franchise in Fast Five. After Fate of the Furious, the character found himself teaming up with Deckard for the spin-off Hobbs & Shaw. But, with F9‘s post-credits scene effectively setting up Deckard’s return in the mainline movies, what are the chances that Hobbs too will follow suit? Despite the behind-the-scenes drama between Johnson and Vin Diesel, it seems that they’ve both moved on from their feud, making Hobbs teaming back with the “la familia” in the future more possible.
How Will Cipher Get Revenge In Fast & Furious 10?
Introduced as the main villain of F. Gary Gray’s Fate of the Furious, Cipher was mostly sidelined in F9 with the focus on Jakob, instead — until the final act of the movie when she successfully manipulated Otto into betraying his original partner. At this point in The Fast Saga, it’s safe to say that she will be the overall big bad of the franchise’s final trilogy. With Otto dead, Cipher will likely take over his operations, equipping her with the necessary manpower and resources to go after Dom and his team. It’s still uncertain how she’s planning on defeating the rag-tag crew, but, given her frustration at the end of F9 after the “la familia” once again foiled her plans, expect her to be more ruthless and nefarious in her next scheme.
Will Brian O’Conner Appear Again In Fast & Furious?
After Paul Walker’s tragic demise, The Fast Saga decided to keep his character, Brian O’Conner, alive in the franchise. In Furious 7, he retired with Mia as they opted on living a quiet life with their kids. With Dom’s sister back in action for F9, not to mention the subtle reference to her husband at the end of the movie, there are questions on whether or not a proper re-appearance from Brian is in the cards. Despite Walker’s death, Furious 7 proved that it’s still possible to bring him back, albeit in a limited capacity, with the involvement of the actor’s brothers. With Universal having this option, it will boil down to whether or not the character’s re-emergence services the story. But for what it’s worth, it seems only fitting to have Brian return for the Fast & Furious‘ ending, considering how pivotal he had been in its overall narrative.
How Will Fast & Furious 10 Beat F9’s Space Travel?
The Fast Saga is known for its over-the-top stunts and action sequences. Fast & Furious 9 delivered on this with various kinds of thrilling set pieces, which included Roman and Tej going to space after they strapped a rocket to a car with the help of Sean Boswell, Twinkie, and Earl Hu from The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. But, this is only the beginning of the franchise’s galactic adventures with Fast & Furious 10 expected to see more of the team exploring the cosmos. The question now is, how will the upcoming sequel beat its predecessor’s initial trip and who will be up for the journey this time?
