Fast & Furious 11 is set to end the iconic movie franchise, and while it would be great to have a happy ending, the final film needs to ensure that not everyone survives. Having been going strong for well over two decades, there is no denying the Fast & Furious formula has worked despite its flaws. Although some people have criticized its over-the-top action, the franchise has grown into a box office giant and become globally recognizable, but this will make it challenging to nail Fast & Furious 11‘s final scene and give the series a proper send-off.

There have already been rumors of various spinoffs being discussed and while these could still work even after the main narrative has come to a close, the last movie needs to be definitive. Ending Fast & Furious 11 with a Toretto family barbecue does seem like the obvious choice given it has become a staple of the saga, and while this would be fitting, I think there should be a few empty seats. As much as I don’t look forward to seeing some of my favorite characters die, F&F undoubtedly needs some big deaths to properly conclude the story.

The Fast & Furious Franchise Has Always Had A Problem With Character Deaths

Various Characters Have Returned After Supposedly Being Killed Off

Considering Fast & Furious has so many high-stakes action moments and dangerous villains, it only seems natural that there would be a fair number of major deaths, but this hasn’t been the case. While some characters have remained ᴅᴇᴀᴅ in the franchise, far too many have returned after supposedly being killed off. Letty’s Fast & Furious return kickstarted this trend, as after seemingly dying in the fourth installment, Fast Five‘s post-credits scene teased she was still alive, which Fast & Furious 6 confirmed by having her team up with the movie’s main villain, Owen Shaw.

Speaking of Owen Shaw, he was also killed off before managing to return in The Fate of the Furious, while his brother, Deckard Shaw, also experienced a more minor fake-out death. The most recent examples of characters coming back from the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ are Han and Gisele, who missed several movies between them. They have each been a major part of the franchise for many years and their deaths held a lot of weight, so bringing them back has significantly lowered the stakes for the main characters, and it makes it feel like there will always be a way back.

Had the likes of Gisele and Owen stayed ᴅᴇᴀᴅ, characters like Letty and Han returning would feel more special; however, the franchise has really struggled to keep their fan favorites buried and has frequently retconned their heroic sacrifices. As a result, it only ever feels like villains or supporting characters are really on the chopping block, which is a problem heading into Fast & Furious 11 since the final outing needs to have a real sense of jeopardy.

Fast X’s Cliffhanger Is The Perfect Place To Raise The Stakes

The Fate Of Several Fan Favorites Were Unknown, Meaning Fast & Furious Could Kill Some Off

Although fans may be skeptical about Fast & Furious 11 having real stakes, Fast X‘s cliffhanger ending offers the chance to divert these expectations. At the end of the previous movie, several characters’ fates were unknown, and while the general consensus is that they’ll all survive one way or another, it would be a heartbreaking but necessary shock if this wasn’t the cast. Given how Fast X ended, it seems like Jakob Toretto won’t return for Fast & Furious 11 and may really be ᴅᴇᴀᴅ, which would be sad, but not enough of a surprise to really up the ante.

Jakob is still a relatively new addition to the series, and despite John Cena being extremely popular, he wouldn’t be an irreplaceable loss, especially with The Rock returning. However, Roman, Tej, Han, and Ramsey were all onboard a plane that was sH๏τ down by Aimes, giving Fast & Furious the chance to do the unthinkable. Considering Han hasn’t long returned, he’s probably safe, but revealing one of the other three died and sticking to this decision would change the tone mᴀssively and prove that the final entry isn’t going to be quite as light-hearted as everyone expects.

Fast & Furious 11 certainly shouldn’t abandon its humor and all the aspects that make the franchise so fun, but capitalizing on Fast X‘s cliffhanger and killing off some fan favorites would make everyone more driven as they attempt to stop Aimes and Dante, helping the stakes feel bigger than before.

Actually Killing Off Fast & Furious Characters Will Help Close Out The Series

Some Major Deaths Would Provide A More Definitive Ending & Prevent Countless Spinoffs

Opting to kill off some major characters won’t just help create more drama, but it will be a solid way of giving the series a more conclusive ending. Given the franchise has grossed over $7 billion at the box office, it’s hard to imagine Fast & Furious 11 will truly be the end, but it seems like it will finish Dom, Letty, and a few other characters’ stories. Therefore, killing off Roman or Tej would give the other a more conclusive ending, rather than setting up a spinoff series following their chaotic adventures, despite it being a fun concept.

Likewise, having someone like Cipher or Deckard Shaw die while protecting a former enemy would be great full-circle moments for them, even though they could both thrive in spinoffs, as Shaw has already proven. Whether Fast & Furious 11‘s overall ending is happy or more somber, having the Toretto saga end with some familiar faces missing would be a great way to ensure some characters retire and cherish what they have. It would also allow the more modern characters to grab the spotlight and take the franchise forward without future installments simply feeling like a continuation of the main series.