Buckle up, action fans! Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning (2025) is not just another spy thriller — it’s a high-stakes, globe-trotting adrenaline rush that pushes Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his team to their absolute limits. From breathtaking stunts to shocking betrayals, this full plot summary dives deep into the chaos, danger, and impossible choices that define the franchise’s most ambitious chapter yet.
Ethan Hunt and the Mission to Save the Digital World from the Entity
The movie Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning 2025 begins with an encrypted message arriving to Ethan Hunt from his direct superior, displayed on an old video device to avoid any modern technology. The message thanks him for 35 years of dedication and sacrifice in the Impossible Missions Force to save humanity. It asks for his help one last time, as the digital world faces a significant danger due to the spread of the artificial intelligence virus known as The Entity. The world is currently suffering from widespread chaos due to The Entity's control, where no one, not even governments, can distinguish between truth and illusion. A cult emerges, believing in what The Entity is doing, thinking the world needs a complete purge, even if it means starting anew, citing the story of Noah and the flood. The message reveals that The Entity has infiltrated the ranks of leaders and officials. The message emphasizes the necessity of controlling The Entity and eliminating its original source, indicating that the only person who knows its location is being held by Austrian authorities. Ethan remembers this person because he had previously saved them when he was collecting The Entity's key.
The Entity Key and the Trust Struggle in a Troubled World
Ethan Hunt holds The Entity key, fearing to hand it over to any party due to his distrust of how it might be used. The message asks him to surrender the key to avoid the responsibility of destroying the world. After the message ends, it self-destructs. Ethan leaves his hideout to meet his friend Benji in a subway tunnel, where they are taken to their secret lair. There, they meet Luther, and they talk about the Russian submarine Sevastopol, which disappeared on its maiden voyage. The submarine was undetectable by sonar or radar, making it a "ghost." The secret to its disappearance was the Partakhov device, located inside a fortified sphere within the submarine. The Entity tricked the submarine crew, causing them to self-destruct with a torpedo. They explain that The Entity can only be destroyed by its original source code, the Partakhov, which is inside the capsule in the sunken submarine. The capsule's cover will explode if anyone tries to open it, but the key Ethan possesses is the only one that can open it safely. Ethan says, "So we must find Gabriel."
Chasing Gabriel and the Emergence of New Characters in Ethan's Mission
In Austria, we see Ilsa Faust, Gabriel's assistant, recalling the day she turned on him after Ethan saved her. She was walking under heavy guard with two international police officers. Two guards burst onto the scene, attempting to free her from the police. The Interpol officers resist. When Ilsa intervenes and decides to end their lives, a guard, who is Ethan, stops her. Ilsa recognizes him. When Steve asks for backup, Ethan stops him, saying, "Not your time, the end of the world is coming, and there's no time to explain." He adds, "If you hand us over, no force on Earth will be able to disable The Entity." Steve looks at his colleague, and Ethan says, "Don't worry about him." Indeed, both lower their weapons. The first thing Ethan says to Ilsa is: "Where is Gabriel?" Ilsa directs him to a concert where Gabriel will be present. Ethan appears at the party and talks to Benji, who is sitting in his car outside, surrounded by secret intelligence agents. Benji says, "Gabriel couldn't possibly be here," but Ethan is sure he is. Two intelligence agents, who know Ethan, appear and ask him to stay put. A woman passes between them before they can report, and it is Grace, who has joined the Impossible Missions team. The moment she passed, she stole their radios and pistols. Ethan takes them to a side room and knocks them unconscious. But Ethan is surprised by two other people who take Grace and drug Ethan, informing him that they know Gabriel wants him for a special mission. When Ethan wakes up, he finds himself tied up, as is Grace, who asks him what they will do. As Ethan tries to regain consciousness, he sees someone approaching them, so he asks Grace to pretend to be dead, because they are about to enter a detention center.
Confronting Gabriel and Unveiling The Entity's Secrets
Men enter on Ethan Hunt and Grace, and the first one hits Ethan. Gabriel comes from behind and tells them, "No one touches him." He turns to Grace and says to Ethan, "What do you say we do to her what we did to your wife Julia when you were on the Shanghai mission, called Operation Rabbit's Foot?" He adds, "Of course, after your government handed over Rabbit's Foot, they didn't know exactly what it was." He tells him that the "Rabbit's Foot" he stole from Shanghai and handed over to his government was the basis of The Entity that now terrifies them. He asks him, "Where's the key?" Ethan replies, "Let her go first, then we'll talk." Gabriel says, "We don't have time to talk." He also tells him that someone dear to him will die tonight. Grace intervenes and tells Ethan the same thing he said on the train when he came to take the key. Ethan says, "Surely The Entity abandoned him after he failed to return the key." But Gabriel tells him that his team is infiltrated and he knows what they are planning, and that Ethan will lose a lot if he resists. But if he cooperates with him, nothing may happen to him or his team. Ethan looks at Gabriel and takes a tooth out of his mouth, making him understand that the tooth is fake and if he presses it, he will die within 60 seconds, and then there will be no key. Gabriel tells him, "Stop the nonsense and take it out of your mouth first." Ethan refuses, and indeed, he breaks the fake tooth and swallows it. Convulsions appear immediately, so they rush, untie him, and use electroshock to revive his heart. But he tricks them, takes the defib, hits one of them, and pushes the other away. At this moment, Grace takes the key. A large man arrives, and Gabriel says, "Don't kill Ethan, but kill Grace." While Grace was trying to untie herself, Ethan protects her with his body. Gabriel begins to escape. As soon as Grace unties herself, Ethan engages the large man. One of those who were hit initially gets up, but Grace deals with him this time. Ethan turns in the other direction. Even she is captured, but Ethan sees a large hammer in front of him. Suddenly, the woman holding Grace pulls back and stops to watch the carnage in front of her. The fight continues until Ethan defeats them without us seeing the details. He tells her, "Come on, let's catch Gabriel before he escapes." Gabriel escapes, followed by Ethan and his team.
The Entity's Secrets and the Journey to Congo in Ethan Hunt's Mission
Steve stops Gabriel and asks him to stand still, calling out to Ethan. But Ilsa comes from behind him, and as soon as Gabriel sees her, he escapes in the other direction. Ilsa shoots at him, but Benji tells her that Ethan wants him alive. They all go after him, but they see a large box. Ilsa says that Gabriel was communicating with The Entity through this box. They open the door and enter. As soon as Ethan touches it, the box opens, and inside he finds a strange-shaped mask connected to the box. Ethan wants to discover what this mask is, but everyone warns him. Nevertheless, Ethan enters the box, which closes on him while he is wearing the mask. As soon as the box closes, Ethan is tied up and The Entity communicates with him, showing him his location and saying, "Surely you know this place." The Entity tells him, "Its name is Doomsday Vault, and it is located in the Congo." The Entity asks him, "Will you go to this place and make The Entity start from there?" Ethan replies, "Impossible." The Entity then tortures him and says, "Inside the box, there are no secrets." The Entity displays parts of Ethan's memories, and it seems to know what he is planning. Ethan is shown holding a large memory stick, and Luther tells him that the algorithms contained within it, if merged with The Entity's original code, will surely destroy The Entity. The Entity tells Ethan, "You are planning to reach the original code and destroy me." The Entity displays visions of the future, telling Ethan, "You are risking everything you loved." The Entity returns to ask Ethan to go to the Doomsday Vault in Congo and do what it asks of him. The Entity tells him he has only two choices: "A future with The Entity or no future at all." The Entity tells him that Gabriel has become an outcast because he wants to control The Entity, and that he is on his way to kill his friend Luther. The Entity gives him a deadline of four days to carry out its request, otherwise, it will turn the entire planet Earth into ruins. Ethan's restraints are released, and he emerges from the box, unsure if what he experienced was a dream or reality. When he regains consciousness, he tells them he knows everything and asks them, and writes to them, to go to the Arctic. Ethan rushes to catch up with Luther, who is in his private intensive care room. But Gabriel reaches him, while Ethan races against time to catch him. Gabriel sees the memory stick around Luther's neck, so Luther wakes up but finds no one next to him, but he sees the nurse killed. He leaves his place and sees a strange device and does not understand what it is. But Gabriel appears, locks the door on him, and chains him. He shows him the memory stick and asks him to tell Ethan that he will be waiting for him. Gabriel leaves, and the device is a large bomb with less than four minutes remaining. Ethan arrives and sees Luther trying to defuse the bomb. Luther is very calm as usual, and Ethan tells him it's a Nawab bomb, and if it explodes, the entire city will turn to ashes. Luther says he is trying to separate the core from the internal detonator. Ethan tells him that Gabriel took the memory stick and asks him to go after him. Ethan says, "What about this bomb?" Luther says, "I'm trying to keep the city from exploding," but he indicates that the tunnel network he is in will surely collapse, meaning he will die. Luther asks him to go after Gabriel and leave him to complete his last mission. Ethan cannot leave his lifelong friend and go. Luther says, "You go, there are many more lives on your neck." Indeed, Ethan bids him farewell and goes after Gabriel. Luther disconnects the wires connected to the core. Ethan tries to get out of the tunnel as fast as he can. And indeed, the explosion occurs, and Luther surely dies. Ethan emerges saddened by his friend. He reaches the international police, who take the key from him, arrest him, and take him on a private plane for deportation. Jim asks Ethan about his colleague Steve, and asks him, "Is he dead or not?" Ethan replies, "No." Jim tells him he knows him and knows his father, Phillips, who was once the head of the Impossible Missions Force. Jim says, "Exactly, he was your boss on the mission where your entire group was killed, and you claimed he was a traitor and that he was the cause of your team's death." Ethan speaks and tells him, "I'm sure The Entity knew how to reach him and brought you to this state of hatred within you." He tells him, "There's only one way for us two to defeat it." Jim asks him, "What is this way?" Ethan extends his hand and tells him, "To cooperate." But Jim refuses and says, "This is definitely one of your tricks." He leaves him and departs.
Ethan's Fate and the Confrontation with The Entity at Intelligence Headquarters
Indeed, Ethan Hunt is taken to Intelligence Headquarters in Virginia. He is escorted from the plane, and they speak with the head of intelligence, who tells him, "While you were hiding and conducting your personal operations, The Entity seized control of all nuclear bases around the world, and only four countries have not yet been infiltrated: Russia, America, and China." They hold Ethan responsible for everything that has happened and is happening. They take him to his quarters and distribute his file to the investigation committee, informing him that one day he broke into the state's black vault and stole the files of all agents working for the state, that he was responsible for the Kremlin bombing, and that two months ago he stormed a high-level meeting at the Directorate of National Intelligence. They talk among themselves and say, "Willingly or unwillingly, he is our last chance to stop this madness that is happening." But their meeting is interrupted by the arrival of a high-ranking official. She looks at the key and asks Ethan, "What will you need to complete your mission?" He replies, "First, the key. Second, I want a nuclear aircraft carrier." He stipulates that the ship's captain must respond to any request he makes, in other words, be under his command. When she tells him, "Your requests are a bit exaggerated," he tells her, "It's better than waking up to nuclear missiles launching from everywhere on Earth randomly." He tells her, "You will abandon anything rational and trust in it, and this will certainly be the opposite of what The Entity planned." In the middle of their conversation, they receive news that the United Kingdom has also been infiltrated and no longer controls its nuclear missiles. She looks at Ethan and tells him, "Your request is denied," and orders him to be imprisoned. And indeed, the guards take him, but he is surprised when he finds them taking him out a back door, where a plane is waiting for him. They have sent him the key, and a message reaches him stating that she trusts him indeed, but she reminds him that he has 72 hours to carry out his mission. They give him a sealed envelope and tell him that he knows what to do when the time is right. Ethan arrives at the aircraft carrier he requested and hands the envelope to the captain, who opens it and finds the President's signature. She meets with Ethan and informs him that she will fulfill all his requests, but she also tells him that there is a Russian aircraft carrier in the sea as well, and she makes him understand that the slightest mistake could start a new global nuclear war in a second.
Ethan's Bold Plan to Reach the Partakhov
Ethan Hunt meets with the captain and explains his plan, which is to locate the submarine, which will most likely be in the Arctic, specifically in the Bering Sea region. While they are talking, his team is heading to the Arctic. And presumably, as soon as they reach the coordinates of the submarine's location, they will send them to Ethan, and then he will be able to reach the submarine and extract the Partakhov from it. And if all that happens and they manage to do it, they will return and send him his location coordinates so they can rescue him. The plan seems crazy and reckless to everyone who hears it, but there is no alternative. The Impossible Missions team arrives in the Arctic indeed, and they are joined by a person named Donlow, who is responsible for the earthquake center in the Arctic. They want to see the audio recordings that occurred on the day the submarine sank to pinpoint its exact location. But they are surprised to find that Russian soldiers control the center. At the same time, the pilots tell Ethan that the Russian carrier is present and they are entering its restricted area, and they make him understand that their situation is dangerous and that the fuel they have is only enough for the return journey. Ethan asks them if any coordinates have reached them on their radios, and they tell him that the entire area has a jamming wave and they cannot receive any messages. Ethan asks them to stop for at least five minutes. And when they comply, Russian fighter jets fly in front of them, which is considered a warning message. And they tell him that if anything goes wrong, World War will begin in 10 minutes. Ethan makes a suicidal decision as usual and jumps from the plane and lands in the water. Indeed, he sees the plane that was with him moving away and the fighter jets accompanying it. Ethan descends in the middle of the sea without anything to help him, but he is surprised by divers emerging from underwater who knock him unconscious and take him to a submarine. Ethan is on the verge of freezing from the cold, but he discovers, fortunately, that it is an American submarine, and presumably it is tasked with taking him to the Russian submarine. They tell him, "Surely you are crazy to do what you did." They ask him about his mission, but he says it is classified information. Ethan asks them to take him north, and he tells them that his team will send coordinates to the exact location he will go to.
Searching for the Russian Submarine and Diving into the Depths
The divers understand that everything Ethan Hunt is asking for will upset the "Russian Bear." While Donlow is talking to everyone present, he tells them that the specific time they are asking about his recordings, even if these recordings still exist, the device that plays them is not there. Benji understands that the Russians are also looking for the submarine's location just like them. Meanwhile, the diving team explains to Ethan the danger of the idea he wants to carry out, telling him that if he comes out alive, which won't happen, it will be a miracle. Benji sits with Donlow, who tells them that they will never find the recordings, but he informs him that he knows the coordinates of the submarine's location by heart. Donlow calls his wife and tells her it's time for their dogs' dinner. She asks for Grace's help, who goes with her under guard. Ethan prepares himself physically for his mission, but one of The Entity's supporters and proponents of human purification tries to kill him. But Ethan notices him and manages to escape, engaging him at the same time as Donlow's wife hits one of the guards. Grace immediately enters the battle, but gunfire erupts. And without thinking, Ilsa decides to eliminate those next to her. Thus, the Russians fall into American hands, and fires break out in the place. Donlow rushes to send the coordinates from his radio. And indeed, the submarine receives the message. Ethan tries to end the fight he is in, but one of the submarines ends it for him. On the other hand, the war is still ongoing, but the Russians manage to escape from the place, and the situation returns to normal. But the problem now is that the coordinates that arrived point to a completely different location, 1000 miles away via the Cape of Good Hope, meaning from the other side of the Earth. But Ethan understands that the coordinates are reversed. When he corrects them, he can pinpoint the correct target. And immediately, the submarine's course is adjusted to the correct direction. And indeed, Ethan prepares to descend to the sunken submarine, and they try to explain everything he needs to know. And indeed, he leaves the submarine and begins his impossible mission. He continues to descend to the depths, which are assumed to be 500 feet. Ethan reaches the submarine and enters it, which still contains areas not submerged in water. Of course, this leads to a change in the weight of the submarine, which is on the edge of a trench, and it begins to move. And indeed, he manages to reach the capsule in time as the submarine continues to descend gradually. He enters the sonar capsule, takes out the key, opens the cover, and takes the Partakhov which contains the code. He tries to get out, and the submarine is stopped in a place where there is no light. And unfortunately, a missile closes the door on him. So he returns and tries to get out through the torpedo tube, but it is narrow, so he has to take off his suit and take it with him. At the moment the submarine actually descends into the trench, but he gets out of it at the last moment. But his suit gets caught on the submarine, which pulls him down. He realizes that he will surely die. He leaves the suit and gets out without it. But it is natural that the distance is far, and his body will not be able to bear it. So he loses consciousness, and his body floats and sticks to the ice on the surface of the water. He dreams of his wife saving him, but it is Grace who is trying to bring him back to life again. And indeed, she succeeds in reviving his heart again. As soon as he regains consciousness, he asks for the Partakhov, and Grace gives it to him and says, "What do we do now?" He tells her, "We will look for Gabriel."
The Final Battle with The Entity and the Fate of Ethan Hunt and His Team
The team moves, and all they need to destroy The Entity is the poison piece or the memory stick that Gabriel stole from Luther before he died. Ethan Hunt's plan is, as usual, illogical and unreasonable; he wants to make Gabriel one of his team without him realizing it, and hand him the Partakhov to merge it with the poison piece, and then they will intervene and destroy The Entity. But everyone with him on the plane tells him that he is risking the lives of millions of people. But he tells them his usual phrase: "You have to trust me." And indeed, they arrive in the Congo, but they find everything empty. They move cautiously and enter a tunnel, at the same time realizing that Russia has also been infiltrated and is at The Entity's mercy. Everyone gathers around the President and makes her understand that Ethan has disappeared, if he hasn't died or fallen into Russian hands. They begin to think about what they will do, how the nuclear strike will be, and what losses might occur if that happens. At this time, Ethan and his team are still walking in the tunnel. Ethan tells them that the server that The Entity wants to use is close to them. They divide themselves into two teams. Ethan and those with him reach the server's location, so he asks them to return to the others. When Grace warns him about Gabriel, he tells her, "Don't worry, I want him alive." And indeed, they return, and Ethan sees a large group of bombs similar to the bomb that killed his friend Luther. Gabriel appears with his men, and he tells Ethan, "I told you I would win in the end." He asks for the Partakhov. And indeed, Ethan takes it out, but a surprise occurs, and Jim appears with his men. Gabriel's men activate the bomb, and Ethan sees his team captured, and thus Ethan's plan has completely failed. The head of intelligence appears, and he is the one behind the whole night. He tells Ethan, "What is your plan then?" Ethan tells him, "I was going to give the Partakhov to Gabriel and let him destroy The Entity." There is a person killing the guards upstairs without anyone noticing. And it seems our friend is talking a lot and he doesn't know that the Partakhov, to destroy The Entity or even control it, needs the poison piece that Gabriel has, and suddenly his men open fire and scatter everyone present. The Partakhov returns to Ethan's hand, but Gabriel tries to escape. Benji tells Ethan to go after him, and that they will enter the server. Even when Grace asks him about the bomb, he tells her, "Don't worry, you go after Gabriel." And indeed, Ethan rushes to the car and flies with it. Benji is injured, but he assures Grace that he will know what to do. There is a fierce chase inside the tunnels, and Gabriel's men try to eliminate Ethan, and both cars overturn. Ethan gets out and leaves the tunnel, and sees Gabriel flying the plane. Another plane comes after him and catches up with him. But Ethan clings to it and struggles to climb up. And the rest are trying to control the bomb, but the same thing, they can remove the detonator from the core, but the bomb will explode on its own. So Donlow decides that he will carry out this suicidal operation, and Steve decides to stay with him, and the rest will enter the control room, so they can control The Entity when Ethan completes his mission. At the moment Ethan reaches the pilot and hits him and knocks him unconscious, and the plane descends towards the ground, but he manages to change its course. And then Gabriel sees him, and the pilot falls from the plane. Ethan enters and takes control of it. At the moment Benji is explaining to Grace what to do on the control panel, and Ilsa makes a hole in his lung so he can breathe. And the men outside are still disarming the bomb. As for the other side, they are about to start a nuclear war, but the President, before giving the order for the nuclear strike, retracts her decision. But one of her ranks, a follower of The Entity, appears, but they subdue him and kill him, and the Secretary of Defense dies. At this time, The Entity also infiltrates America, and thus it has taken control of all nuclear reactors in the world, and it begins its journey of destruction. At the moment Grace is ready to contain The Entity, but this only happens if Ethan does his part, and then the signal will turn green. All this happens, and there is a war in the air between Ethan and Gabriel. But Ethan manages to cling to Gabriel's plane, who begins to torture Ethan and flip him to drop him from his plane, but Ethan holds on as much as he can and manages to reach him and hit him. Gabriel spins the plane to drop him, but Ethan manages to reach him, hit him, and take the poison pill. He unbuckles Gabriel's seatbelt and makes the plane spin, and Gabriel falls from it, clinging to the plane, and tells him, "Only one of us has a parachute." He lets go of his hand to descend, but he hits the plane's propeller and dies. Ethan returns inside the burning plane, and every team is in the final countdown for the mission assigned to them. Ethan puts on the parachute and descends from the plane. As soon as he opens the parachute, he tries to insert the poison pill into the Partakhov, but his parachute burns and he gets rid of it. 30 seconds left... 10 seconds left... And suddenly the green light turns on, and Grace manages to contain The Entity. Power goes out for the whole world, but everyone is fine. Power comes back on again, and all countries regain control of their weapons. Ethan appears, having descended with the emergency parachute, and he hears a recorded message from his friend Luther that was in the memory stick, in which he tells him that he never doubted that he would be able to carry out his mission and save the world.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
About Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning (2025):
1. Is Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning (2025) the final film in the franchise?
While it was initially announced as the conclusion of Ethan Hunt’s journey, Tom Cruise has hinted in interviews that this might not be the definitive end. If box office numbers are strong, more sequels or spin-offs could follow.2. What is the Entity in Dead Reckoning, and why is it so dangerous?
The Entity is a powerful, self-aware AI system capable of infiltrating and manipulating global intelligence networks. It poses a catastrophic threat by destabilizing world powers, manipulating data, and acting without human control.3. Does Ethan Hunt die or retire at the end of Dead Reckoning Part Two?
Ethan Hunt survives the mission, but the film ends on an emotional note, suggesting he may be stepping away from fieldwork. However, his fate is left open-ended, teasing potential future appearances.4. What’s the significance of the submarine and the cruciform key?
The submarine contains the physical core of the Entity, which can only be accessed using the mysterious cruciform key. It symbolizes control over the AI, making it the central objective of multiple factions.5. What’s the history between Ethan Hunt and Gabriel?
Gabriel is revealed to be a dark figure from Ethan’s past, responsible for a traumatic incident that shaped Ethan’s path into the IMF. Their rivalry is deeply personal and serves as a key emotional thread in the film.6. Why is Shea Whigham’s character revealed as Jim Phelps Jr.?
In a surprise twist, Shea Whigham’s character is identified as the son of Jim Phelps, the original IMF leader who betrayed Ethan in the first film. This connection adds a generational layer to the film’s legacy and tension.7. What happens to Luther in Dead Reckoning (2025)? Is he sick?
Luther chooses to go off-grid to analyze the Entity without being tracked. Though fans speculated he might be ill due to his limited screen time, there is no confirmation of illness in the film.8. Why wasn’t Ilsa Faust’s death fully addressed in the sequel?
Many fans expected a deeper exploration of Ilsa’s death, but the film moves forward quickly. Some speculate her fate could still be part of a larger twist or that scenes were cut during editing.9. What is the “Poison Pill” used to trap the Entity?
The "Poison Pill" is a metaphorical backdoor inserted into the Entity’s code. It allows the team to lure the AI into a confined environment—namely, the sunken submarine—where it can be isolated and neutralized.10. Will there be a spin-off or new film starring Grace (Hayley Atwell)?
While no spin-off is officially confirmed, Grace’s character arc suggests she could lead future IMF missions. Her development and chemistry with Ethan hint at a potential continuation of the franchise through her.Sources:
-
You can check the full list of cast and crew on the IMDb – Full Cast & Crew page.
-
For detailed information about the movie, visit the Wikipedia – Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning article.
-
Discover critic ratings and audience reviews on Rotten Tomatoes – Cast & Reviews.
-
Read an in-depth review and analysis at RogerEbert.com – Movie Review.
-
Follow community discussions and spoilers on the Reddit – Discussion and Spoilers Thread.