Let’s Talk About That ‘F9’ Credits Scene And What It Means For The Series
Major spoilers forF9follow.
Almost as loud as the screams for therocket carinF9were the demands for #JusticeforHan, the campaign to bring backSung Kang’s Han Lue, who made his debut inTokyo Driftbefore looping back around and becoming a beloved member of theFast and Furiousfamily.
But the franchise’s embrace of his killer, Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) inFate of the Furiousincited the whole #JusticeforHan movement, which brings us toF9, the movie thatbrings Han back from the dead. How? Who knows, it’sFast and Furious!But the more important question is: will justice be served?F9directorJustin Linspeaks about about how he plans to serve justice for Han, and what theF9post-credits scene means for the characters involved.
What Happens in the Post-Credits Scene
In the post-credits sequence, Deckard Shaw is training with a punching bag in a dim, industrial-looking room. But that punching bag is oddly shaped and moist-looking, leading Shaw to unzip the bag to reveal a very bruised and battered man trussed up inside. It’s just another day at the office for Shaw, who is interrogating the man for some unnamed reason. But he’s interrupted by a knock at the door, which he opens to reveal…a smug-looking Han. Shaw’s eyes widen in fear, and the film cuts to black.
The scene suggests that we’ll get to see Han finally confront his “killer,” who was accepted into the family and theFast and Furiousfranchise with frightening ease. In an interview withGames Radar, Lin spoke about how he felt the need to bring the two face-to-face in the post-credits sequence:
“Justice for Han is not something you serve as just by bringing him back for one film, it’s how we treat Han and all our characters from this point on out. And so, it just felt very organic that, with the real estate that we had, at some point, I do want to see him face to face with Shaw.”
“It was a great call with Jason,” Lin continued. “He’s like, ‘Hey man, you called me the last time to do the tag. I did it and you left. This time, you’re not gonna leave? Right?’ It was a great moment of connection for me.”
We’ll Always Have Tokyo
InFast and Furious: Tokyo Drift, Han is killed in a fiery collision that appeared to be a tragic accident. But the end tag ofFast & Furious 6reveals that Han was actually murdered by Owen Shaw’s brother Deckard Shaw, seeking vengeance against Dominic Toretto’s (Vin Diesel) crew in a scheme that plays out over the course ofFurious 7.
Which is why it’s so jarring whenFate of the Furiouscame around, and Deckard Shaw — who again, tried tokillhalf of Dom’s crew just one movie ago, and had apparently succeeded with Han — was suddenly a member of the family. Well, he was a reluctant member of the crew, but one that was invited to the cookout nonetheless and who got to win the audience over with a delightful fight scene in which he protected a baby. But those who weren’t won over were the ones who remembered that Shaw had killed Han, and the#JusticeforHan campaignwas born.
The Future of Justice for Han
In myinterview with Lin, the director spoke about how he learned about #JusticeforHan, and how he was just as “baffled” as fans of the franchise at the treatment of Han’s death and his legacy. “I think if anything, I maybe was a little hurt,” Lin told me. “I think that he was such a beloved character, the way he was treated it was almost like he was just dismissed.”
Spurred on by the social media campaign, Lin brought Han back inF9(in a plot that involvesKurt Russell’s Mr. Nobody, who is revealed to have orchestrated the whole thing — though Shaw doesn’t know that), but the filmmaker assures that won’t be the end of “justice” for the character. He told me in our own interview:
So we can likely expect more than just a fun post-credits confrontation between Han and Shaw. But to see Han back in the flesh, you’re able to seeF9in theaters now.
