‘Fast X’ ending explained: What 3 jaw-dropping twists mean for saga’s final chapter

Need a road map to navigate all 10 films and 22 years of twisty, soap operatic, Diesel-fueled lore in the “Fast & Furious” franchise? Still sorting through the seismic surprises and colossal cameos dropped like muscle cars out of the sky in “Fast X,” the penultimate entry in Universal’s hit film series? Dante is revealed to be the previously unknown son of Hernan Reyes, from 2011’s “Fast Five,” and is now seeking vengeance on Dominic Toretto for his daddy’s demise five movies back. Because the ex-Mossad agent and CIA operative perished tragically — and, some might argue, quite definitively — in “Furious 6” after being introduced in “Fast & Furious.” She then joined the Toretto crew to take down Reyes in “Fast Five” and began a romance with teammate Han, whom she sacrificed herself to save before plummeting to her doom from an airborne Range Rover tethered to a speeding plane in “Furious 6.” Sung Kang as Han, left, and Tyrese Gibson as Roman in the movie “Fast & Furious 6.” Gisele’s fate remains one of the series’ most romantic and consequential gestures: After witnessing her death, Han became so distraught he moved across the world in his existential grief, got tangled up with the Yakuza and died in his own fiery collision in 2006’s “Tokyo Drift.” Han’s own demise, akin to Letty’s before him, was rewritten many films later so he could re-join the squad in 2021’s “F9.” Gisele’s “Fast X” resurrection echoes the game-changing surprise at the end of “Fast Five,” when Letty was revealed to be alive one movie after her own presumed death. Undercover cop Brian investigates rival street teams including leader Dominic in the original “The Fast and the Furious.” And every narrative twist and casting coup is designed to tap into fan obsession for every detail of “Fast & Furious”es past, says “Fast X” director Louis Leterrier, from loaded glances between characters to new ones like Rita Moreno’s Abuela Toretto, seen holding court at a family barbecue early in “Fast X.” “It’s all geared towards the ending,” he told The Times while discussing his entry into the director’s chair for the 10th and 11th films.