Who is in the blue Nissan at the end of Fast X could top F9's ambitiousness.
However, while F9 has so many unanswered questions, ones that weren't even answered in Fast X, the biggest mystery is much more grounded. At the end of F9, Dom's invited everybody back to his newly rebuilt house for a barbecue. Dom points out that there's an empty chair, to which Mia confirms, "he's on the way." Dom looks behind him and smiles when he hears a car speed along the street. Though it isn't confirmed, the presence of the blue car from Fast and Furious hints at the arrival of another beloved character who has been off-grid for a while.
Brian Was In The Blue Car In F9
The blue car in F9 is a Nissan and suggests that the identity of the driver is none other than Brian O’Connor, who watched over his and Dom’s kids in F9 but was noticeably absent. While Brian O'Connor's cars have multiplied and grown into an impressive collection over seven films, he is mostly known for driving blue Nissan GT-Rs. This means that the appearance of this exact car in the F9 ending confirms Brian is still around. The Fast and the Furious franchise has been without the late Paul Walker since Furious 7, following the actor’s untimely and tragic death before the 2015 movie had wrapped production.
Furious 7, which he was filming at the time of his ing, was dedicated to Walker’s memory and officially retired the character from the adventures Brian and Dom so often got up to. The way the studio chose to retire Brian instead of killing him off suggests he can always return in the future. The blue Nissan didn’t need to be seen in F9, but it's definitely a distinct teaser for what’s to come. This could mean bringing Brian back digitally for Fast and Furious 11. Brian has always been a part of the family, and the filmmakers perhaps wanted to remind the audience that he was still central in their lives despite not being able to show him.
For those who have been watching the series from the start, the blue Nissan's appearance is an obvious and direct callback to Brian (and Walker’s) time with The Fast and the Furious franchise. And Brian pulling up just as his family and friends are about to eat makes it seem like he is simply late to the party, but is still a crucial part of the crew. It’s a brief moment, but the decision to have it in the movie ensures that Brian’s presence in F9 is still felt no matter what.
Brian's Blue Nissan Is More Tasteful Than A CGI Comeback
The blue car in Fast and Furious 9 was the best way for Brian O'Connor to return, especially considering how Brian's comeback could've been a CGI disaster. Curiously, this implies not only that The Fast Saga's releases will continue to involve Brian, but that any other future scenes involving the character will also avoid the use of CGI, which is good news for the franchise. Notably, expensive CGI was utilized in Furious 7 to complete Paul Walker's scenes after he died.
Despite the attention to detail by filmmakers and the Weta VFX team, they still only barely pulled off using CGI to resurrect the character. Apart from the risk of inadvertently disrespecting Paul Walker's memory by evoking the Uncanny Valley phenomenon, another CGI Brian comeback could be perceived as unnecessary by long-time audiences and might even be seen as a cash grab. Indeed, CGI Brian from Fast and Furious 7 was a necessity for finishing the movie, not a completely pointless return in a different film.
Thankfully, Brian's signature blue Nissan in F9 suggests that the franchise will handle any future scenes involving Paul Walker's character with the same symbolic awareness and respect. As any future Fast and Furious movies can't just keep using blue Nissans to confirm Brian's presence, it will be interesting to see how they can pull off more scenes with the character. In lieu of expensive CGI, Brian's next "outings" will most likely involve more practical effects or clever nods to the character instead.
Brian Was In Fast X Too (Sort Of)
Though there was no overt reference to Brian in Fast X like the appearance of a Nissan Skyline, Brian was still in Fast X in some capacity. Just like how Brian was cleverly incorporated into F9 without the need for CGI, the same was done in the tenth installment. As Fast X is so closely tied to Fast Five with Dante Reyes being the son of Hernan Reyes, Fast Five's villain, Fast X has a prolonged flashback to the fifth movie's epic finale.
The flashback is of the ambitious heist where Brian and Dom attach a vault to two muscle cars and are then chased through the whole of Rio. It was the perfect way to briefly bring back Brian - by reminding audiences of one of his great and most heroic action sequences. At this point, Brian returning in CGI form in the future almost seems like a certainty, which will undoubtedly be polarizing, but the way Universal is incorporating the character into each movie without digital effects, such as the blue car in F9 is continuously clever and tasteful.
