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In the closing moments of F9, we get a massive emotional throwback to Dom Toretto’s past to understand where his famous catchphrase came from.
WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for F9, now in theaters.
In the Fast & Furious series, the main theme is family, as evidenced by Vin Diesel’s Dominic Toretto mentioning it any chance he gets. He always uses the phrase to inspire teammates to stick together and never give up in the face of adversity. Dom also uses it to remind his enemies of his crew’s resolve and why they’ll forever be difficult to take down. Now, come F9, fans discover the origin of Dom’s famous catchphrase and it’s a very emotional one.
In this film, the major bombshell is that Dom’s little brother, Jakob (John Cena), is the villain, working to give Otto and his terrorists access to the world’s weapons systems. Fans didn’t ever hear about Jakob in the previous films, but it turns out Dom banished him after he discovered Jakob rigged their dad’s car, causing the accident that killed the patriarch on the track.
F9 does reveal, though, that their dad made Jakob do it, as he was trying to throw the race to clear up family debt. This adds some nuance to the Toretto saga and Dom starts tossing the idea of blame away at the end of the film. And this is where the mantra “family” comes in.
As dusk hits on the track, a younger Jakob sits outside, crying. He’s upset because Dom just lost his temper and beat the driver who nicked his dad’s car, causing the explosion. With sirens swirling around, it’s clear Dom will be taken into custody, thus beginning his prison stint. But before he gets arrested, Dom has a heartfelt moment with Jakob, not realizing his brother’s sinister role and overall culpability.
“We’ve got some rough times ahead,” he says to Jakob as he kneels beside him, “but we’re gonna get through it. Because we’re family.” As they embrace, it brings Dom’s story full-circle, as fans have always known the term came from a place of endearment. Now, it’s clear that as much as it’s about love, this mantra is also about Dom’s fear of losing more loved ones in his life. And it’s ironic that he first said it to someone who ended up betraying him in the worst way possible.
Nevertheless, this is why he doesn’t beat or verbally abuse Jakob when he gets out; he just races him, wins and exiles him from town. Sadly, Dom sticking to his code and honoring his dad is what breaks up the family and ultimately puts Jakob on the path to self-destruction. Luckily, Mia and the crew spiritually remind Dom that while he’s used the phrase time and time again, a major part of it has been leaving the door open for reconciliation.
As Dom almost drowns in one scene while trying to escape Otto’s thugs, he remembers the times they spent as a family, which proves to be the catalyst for forgiveness. And in F9‘s finale, as he takes his son, Brian, back to the track to remember the grief he and his kid brother shared, Dom finally forgives Jakob and accepts that it wasn’t his fault, as it’s what his dad and Mia would want: a family reunited.
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 is in theaters now.
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