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Mission: Impossible is a wonderfully entertaining action franchise that always finds new ways to thrill and entertain its audience. Unfortunately, it also has a massive problem with the way it handles its female characters. In short, Mission: Impossible sees women as being disposable.
It would be fine to write off this trend as an homage to spy thrillers like James Bond, but each of the Mission: Impossible films feel fresh and modern upon their arrival in cinemas. As a producer, Tom Cruise goes out of his way to cast the best up-and-coming actors and each film’s tone reflects the trends of the year it came out in. What’s worse is that over the years, Ethan Hunt has solidified a solid support team. Ving Rhames’s Luther Stickell, Simon Pegg’s Benji Dunn, and Jeremy Renner’s William Brandt have all wiggled their way into becoming franchise regulars. So far, not a single female character has appeared in more than one film (excepting Michelle Monaghan’s brief cameo at the end of Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol).
Whenever female characters do make it onscreen in a Mission: Impossible film, they are usually either seductive traitors, seductive helpers, or damsels in distress. Vanessa Redgrave’s “Max” might be the one exception to this rule, but by and large, the women in Mission: Impossible seem to there as long as Ethan has use for them, and then they’re gone. This includes Ethan’s wife. What’s perhaps most frustrating is that all of the female characters in Mission: Impossible have the potential to be more than just plot devices that aid or hinder Ethan in his missions. They are often expert spies, lethal warriors, or brilliant leaders. Even Julia, Ethan’s damsel-in-distress wife (played by the aforementioned Monaghan), is a capable nurse and can stay calm in the face of danger.
Early reviews of Mission: Impossible: Rogue Nation single out Rebecca Ferguson’s performance as one of the best parts of the film. She’s proven that she can be beguiling in titles like The White Queen, but she apparently also brings the pain as Ilsa Faust. People are calling her a total badass. Maybe if she’s popular enough amongst fans, Cruise will consider bringing her back in Mission: Impossible 6. There are also rumors that he might get Maggie Q and Paula Patton to return, but for now, Mission: Impossible’s most impossible task seems to be figuring out how to give women the same respect as the men in the series.
At first, it looks like Claire is also murdered in the trap that eliminates all of Ethan’s team, but she comes back from the dead. Later, she is killed saving Ethan.Everett Collection
Sarah is one of the IMF agents who is murdered in the first fifteen minutes. Which...uh...seems like a big fat waste of Kristen Scott Thomas.Everett Collection
Max is an arms dealer who teams up with Ethan to expose the IMF mole. She is perhaps the most interesting female character in the entire series - because she has her own wants and needs independent of Ethan or IMF or murdering people - and we never hear from her again.Everett Collection
She’s a gorgeous professional thief who is enlisted to help seduce her evil ex. She is Ethan’s love interest, and though she survives, she is never heard from in the series again. Everett Collection
Julia is Ethan’s wife. She works as a nurse and has no idea that he was once a spy. The bad guys kidnap her and he must save her. Later, they get married, but it’s revealed in the next film that she is murdered in a revenge plot (and then it’s revealed that she wasn’t murdered, but must now stay away from Ethan forever so no one does murder her).Everett Collection
Lindsey is a talented young agent whom Ethan trained. He gets pulled back into IMF so he can rescue her. Unfortunately, there’s an explosive charge in her head and she dies.Everett Collection
A gorgeous member of Ethan’s IMF team who is lethal, but also useful as a “honey pot” decoy. She’s never heard from again after the film.Everett Collection
Jane Carter is a new member of Ethan’s team who is lethal, beautiful, and, yes, useful as a “honey pot.” She’s never heard from again after the film.Everett Collection
Sabine is a ruthless assassin obsessed with diamonds. Jane shoves her out of the window of a skyscraper and she falls to her death.Everett Collection
A beautiful and deadly double — triple?? — agent who teams up with Ethan and his gang (Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, and Jeremy Renner). Critics have been nearly universal in their praise of Ferguson's performance. Does that mean Cruise might actually bring her back?!?!?! Everett Collection
Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation is in theaters now, but you can stream the first four at home.
[Watch Mission: Impossible on Netflix]
[Watch Mission: Impossible II on Netflix]
[Watch Mission: Impossible III on Showtime on Hulu]
[Where to Stream Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol]
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