WARNING: The following contains spoilers for F9, now in theaters.
F9 reunites Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) with many of their former allies, including Roman (Tyrese Gibson), Tej (Ludacris), Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel) and even the long-believed dead Han (Sung Kang). With Mia (Jordana Brewster) returning to the action as well, there's one major character who can't return to the franchise -- Brian O'Conner, played by the late Paul Walker. However, that doesn't mean that Brian is completely gone, with F9's plot finding a way to quietly confirm the character is still around.
Brian O'Conner was the first major hero of The Fast & The Furious franchise, introduced in 2001's titular film. Beginning the series as an undercover officer, Brian was tasked with infiltrating Dominic Toretto's crew, who were then primarily committing heists and taking part in the underground drag racing scene. Developing a romantic interest in Mia Torreto and forging a surprising bond with Dom, he ultimately allowed Dom to escape the authorities. After working with Roman in 2 Fast 2 Furious, Brian returns in Fast & Furious. He once again becomes entangled in the Toretto crew, resuming his romance with Mia and even having a child. Later, the character was effectively written out of the series following the events of Furious 7.
After helping deal with the threat of Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham), Brian and Mia decide to leave the crime world to pursue a quiet life. This storyline was created due to the death of actor Paul Walker. Instead of recasting the character, the franchise gave Brian an emotional send-off with Dom. Although Mia returns in F9 to assist in the battle against her and Dom's estranged brother Jakob (John Cena), Brian remains off-screen. He serves as the guardian for Jack and Dominic's infant son (who was discovered and named Brian in honor of him in the previous film).
When the victorious Toretto family enjoys a barbecue together at F9's end, there's one notable open seat at the table. The movie's final shot features Brian's distinct blue car driving onto the scene, suggesting that he's come to join them. All of this confirms that Brian is still alive instead of being fully written off. It feels like a soft tribute to the actor and the character, allowing him to live on without interfering with Walker's memory.
It's a clever way to also keep young Jack and Brian as far removed from the active conflict as possible, leaving the young children in the hands of someone the characters trust to protect them, without having to spend time diving into where and how they're watched over. But while this works for F9, there's a question of how long the creators can maintain this illusion -- and if Brian will truly just remain on the sidelines in the upcoming two final films.
Directed by Justin Lin, F9 stars Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, John Cena, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jordana Brewster, Sung Kang, Helen Mirren, Kurt Russell and Charlize Theron. The film arrives in theaters now.