The dramatic conclusion to Fast X delivered in demented action, Shakespearan-level dialogue (almost entirely performed by star Vin Diesel, who is clearly operating in a completely different, po-faced movie to everybody else), but also delivered in major surprises as arguably the two biggest names to appear in the franchise returned during the film's dénouement, setting up the finale to the story.
Having been bested constantly by Jason Momoa's psychopathic prancing peacock Dante Reyes, Diesel's Dominic Toretto faces being drowned with his son at the base of a dam which has been blown up, while in Antarctica, Michelle Rodriguez's Letty - along with Charlize Theron's Cypher - attempt to escape from a black site with the help of Gal Gadot's Gisele, who was thought dead after the events of Fast and Furious 6.
Not just that, but in a post-credits sting, Reyes - who had targeted the entire family, including appearing to blow up a plane carrying numerous others - tracked down Dwayne Johnson's Luke Hobbs, with Johnson returning to the fold after missing out on F9 due to a feud with Diesel.
Bringing Back the Star Power
Responding to Variety on the Fast X red carpet, Diesel confirmed co-star Rodriguez's comments that Gadot had previously filmed scenes for other movies, which ended up not making the final cuts of those particular installments of the Fast franchise.
"We have shot other things with Gal, a long time ago, that might not have fit for that specific movie as a finale. Doing tags is a very tricky thing, you want this great talent but you have to be very careful to maintain the emotional state of your audience at the end of the movie. That's what you're juggling. Having Gal and Dwayne back is so exciting, we're so happy to have them back home.
We're really lucky to have it work here, this is the first time we've ever released a movie where the audience has said 'we see your bet and we raise you'. They are walking out of the movie because it's a cliffhanger, with a different kind of deal. When you see this movie, you know we have to deliver this conclusion, because we've never done anything like this before.
Although Fast has lost John Cena in the dramatic conclusion to Fast X - although, we never see a body and, given that it's Cena, we never even see him - it has gained two heavyweights in Gadot and Johnson for the final installments of the Fast family feast.
You can check out Rodriguez praising Momoa's performance in our interview down below.