Summary

• Ilsa Faust's death in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One is the most tragic in the franchise, leaving audiences shocked and wanting more of Rebecca Ferguson's character.
• The death of Alexander Golitsyn in Mission: Impossible is a tragic twist, as he dies trying to expose a villainous plan instead of being a traitor.
• Trevor Hanaway's death in Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol is emotionally impactful and fuels Jane's quest for revenge, despite his small role in the film.

The Mission: Impossible movies have killed off a number of characters over the years, but some of these deaths are more tragic than the rest. Tom Cruise's action movie franchise is known for giving audiences a thrilling experience with unbelievable practical stunts as Ethan Hunt and the Impossible Mission Force race to protect the world from various threats. While the Mission: Impossible movies always end on a hopeful note with Ethan and the IMF winning, the paths to get there are not always easy.

Mission: Impossible deaths have been a big part of the franchise from the very beginning, as heroes and villains have repeatedly been killed in various scenarios. Ilsa Faust's Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One death became the latest in a long line of tragedies that have befallen Ethan Hunt and the IMF. The decision to kill Rebecca Ferguson's character brought an emotional response from viewers and raised questions about the franchise's future. However, it also provides a chance to reflect on the most tragic Mission: Impossible deaths that have happened across the franchise.

10 Alexander Golitsyn – Mission: Impossible

Alexander Golitsyn's death in Mission: Impossible is likely only to be considered tragic after the complete picture comes into play. While he is thought to be a traitor responsible for stealing the NOC list at the beginning of the movie, he is actually a secret IMF agent attempting to expose Jim Phelps' plan. Tragedy strikes when Marcel Iures' character dies after being stabbed by Franz Krieger. Instead of Golitsyn dying as a traitorous agent, his death comes as he is trying to be the best he can be and risks it all to do so.

9 Trevor Hanaway – Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol

One of the most tragic Mission: Impossible deaths belongs to IMF agent Trevor Hanaway in Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol. He is killed during a mission by the assassin Sabine Moreau (Léa Seydoux) after she shoots him in the chest, leaving Jane Carter (Paula Patton) to find him. Although Trevor Hanaway has a very small role in Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, his death is still tragic due to the circumstances of it. His death fuels Jane's quest for revenge against Sabine, as the incident leaves a big mark on her emotionally. The Mission: Impossible death is also sad considering how little screen time Josh Holloway was given.

8 Hannah Williams – Mission: Impossible

Hannah Williams' death in 1996's Mission: Impossible is quite tragic when audiences really think about it. Ingeborga Dapkūnaitė does not get a huge role in the franchise starter, but she is tasked with monitoring a suspected mole to try and retrieve the NOC list. It is only after she begins to realize the mission has gone awry that Hannah flees to an IMF car and waits for other team to re her. This is when the car explodes and Hannah Williams dies. Since she thought she was safe and is ultimately a death to come from Jim Phelps' villain turn, this is certainly a tragic Mission: Impossible death.

7 Marie – Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One delivers a big death through flashbacks by showing Mariela Garriga's character dying. Marie is the woman from Ethan's past that Gabriel killed. She is shot by Gabriel and left for dead by the villain, leaving Ethan to be framed for the murder and forcing him to the IMF. Although Mission: Impossible 7 does not show much of Marie, the impact her death had on Ethan is substantial. Knowing that Tom Cruise's character has been carrying around this pain and guilt for all these years is part of the reason why this Mission: Impossible death is so tragic.

6 Jack Harmon – Mission: Impossible

Another Mission: Impossible character death that is quite tragic comes with Jack Harmon. Emilio Estevez's character is the technological expert on Jim Phelps' team during the Prague mission. He tragically died when the controls of the elevator he's on top of are hijacked, sending him racing toward the ceiling and the spikes on them. Jack dies after being stabbed in the face and electrocuted. Part of the reason why this Mission: Impossible death is so tragic comes from the brutal nature of it and the fact that the movie does not shy away from showing it. Furthermore, it shockingly meant killing Estevez's character early on.

5 Sarah Davies – Mission: Impossible

Sarah Davies' death is arguably the most tragic to occur in the Prague mission in Mission: Impossible. Kristin Scott Thomas got a slightly larger role than others in the cast to bring Davies to life, as she is the one responsible for following Golitsyn at night. Not only is she also stabbed to death by Krieger, but Sarah is the only Mission: Impossible IMF agent death Ethan witnesses in some fashion. He finds her dying in the alley as Krieger escapes. The shock to audiences and Ethan of seeing Sarah die in this fashion and the betrayal she is part of through Jim's plan make her ing even more tragic.

4 Claire Phelps – Mission: Impossible

One of the final Mission: Impossible deaths in the original movie comes with Claire Phelps. Emmanuelle Béart's character is found out to be part of Jim Phelps' plan, which is exactly why her death is so devastating. Claire is Jim's wife and co-conspirator and was working with him all the way up until she died. The reason that Claire's death hits so hard is that she dies after being shot by Jim, meaning her death comes from her husband's betrayal. Considering the great lengths that Claire went through to remain loyal to Jim and make his plan work, it is a horrible way for her life to end.

3 Alan Hunley – Mission: Impossible - Fallout

Another tragic Mission: Impossible death occurs with Alan Hunley in Mission: Impossible - Fallout. Alec Baldwin's character quickly became an important character in the franchise after his debut in Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation, elevating to a trusted advisor for Ethan. The tragedy comes in Mission: Impossible 6 when August Walker/John Lark kills Alan Hunley. The secret IMF secretary died because he was attempting to stop Walker/Lark from escaping IMF custody. Considering Hunley originally wanted to shut down the IMF, his death coming as part of the team is quite tragic.

2 Lindsey Farris – Mission: Impossible III

One of the most devastating deaths in any Mission: Impossible movie comes with Mission: Impossible III. The opening mission sees Ethan try to save Lindsey Farris, a trusted IMF agent he helped train, from an overseas mission. It tragically goes awry when they discover that Lindsey has a small explosive implanted in her head and the team fails to discharge it. Lindsey Farris' death in Mission: Impossible 3 is quite rough in of what the movie shows and the emotional impact it has on Ethan. The flashbacks to Ethan and Lindsey training together only further solidify the tragedy that came with killing Keri Russell's character.

1 Ilsa Faust – Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One

There is not much debate that Ilsa Faust has Mission: Impossible's most tragic death. Rebecca Ferguson turned the character into a fan-favorite and someone audiences wanted to keep seeing more of, so her unexpected demise fighting Gabriel and protecting Grace came as quite a shock. That is why there has been a call to undo Ilsa's Mission: Impossible 7 death and reveal she is still alive, even though that would ruin the franchise. It might be another example of Hollywood fridging a prominent female character, but Ilsa's death is tragic for the characters, given the circumstances, and more.