Fast and Furious 9 is bringing back a lot of characters from Tokyo Drift, which means that some of the film’s biggest questions can finally be answered. Han’s return from the dead has been pitched as a central part of F9: The Fast Saga and other members of his former drift crew are returning as well, including Sean Boswell, Twinkie, and Earl Hu. Though Tokyo Drift has never been one of the most important movies for the overall Fast and Furious story, it will be thrown back into the spotlight in F9.
The third Fast and Furious film produced but the sixth chronologically, Tokyo Drift is set between the events of Fast & Furious 6 and Furious 7. Because none of the stars from the past two films were available, Tokyo Drift introduced a new cast of characters led by Sung Kang’s Han, who then continued to feature as a major character in the next few films. Han’s death in Tokyo Drift was retconned at the end of Fast & Furious 6, changing it from an accident to a murder by Deckard Shaw.
F9 is retconning Han’s death again by revealing that he never actually died at all. He’ll return to the core crew in the upcoming film, along with several of his friends from Tokyo. Now, after a decade and a half, Fast and Furious 9 can finally answer some lingering questions from The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.
How Did Han Survive The Crash?
Obviously, the biggest Tokyo Drift question F9 needs to answer is how Han managed to survive being trapped underneath an exploding Mazda RX7. When Dom meets with Sean in Furious 7 to discuss what happened, Sean shares a few items that were recovered from the crash site, claiming that there “wasn’t much left.” That doesn’t leave a ton of room for Han to have survived. Or does it?
Because his car burned, Han could have escaped from the wreckage just before the explosion and still have been presumed dead. The lack of a body wouldn’t have been too suspicious because of the explosion and the fire, meaning that if Han managed to roll away in the split-second before the boom, he could have snuck back into the shadows without anyone being the wiser. The only hole in that theory is why he wouldn’t have then come back right away.
It’s possible that, even in the event of a successful escape from the crash, Han was injured enough that he had to lay low and recuperate. It’s also possible that he wanted Shaw to believe he was dead, though it’s unclear how he would have known Shaw was the one who hit him. Han’s feud with the yakuza could also have been enough reason for him to remain in hiding. There’s no simple explanation to justify Han’s return, but it should certainly be fun to see what crazy story F9 comes up with to bring the drifter back.
Is Sean Still The Drift King?
After beating Takashi at the end of The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Sean Boswell officially becomes Tokyo’s new Drift King – a title he still holds when Dom comes to visit. But does he manage to keep the title in perpetuity? The Fast and Furious 9 trailers show Sean in America, hanging out with Dom and the rest of the family. He could be there on a simple visit, or he could have given up his Drift King title to return to the states. Why exactly he leaves Tokyo and what his status is in the street racing scene remain unclear.
What Happened To Neela?
Most of the core Tokyo Drift crew has been confirmed for Fast and Furious 9, with one notable exception – Neela. A skilled street racer, Neela became a core member of Han’s racing gang over the course of Tokyo Drift, and she’s still in the scene when Dom visits the city in Furious 7. Her absence is likely due to Nathalie Kelley simply not being able or interested in returning to the role, but if that’s the case, F9 still owes an explanation for where Neela is. It could be something as simple as “She’s back in Tokyo,” but it should be addressed. Or, maybe Neela will be in the movie and is simply being saved for a reveal in theaters.
Who Won Sean And Dom’s Race?
Dom and Sean race each other at the end of Tokyo Drift, but it isn’t made clear who wins. Sean compliments Dom afterward for being faster than he expected, and given Dom’s status as the series’ lead protagonist, it seems unlikely that he would have lost. However, Sean’s car is far more tailored to the mechanical demands of drifting, which is what they would have been doing. This is a less urgent question and one that may not be answered in F9, but it would be fun if the new film brought it up.
Is The Yakuza Still Involved In Drifting?
Han’s Tokyo was an underworld of street racing and extortion rackets run by the yakuza. Takashi, the Drift King before Sean and the film’s main antagonist, is the nephew of a prominent yakuza boss, and his loss at the end of the film is clearly incredibly shameful for his family. The core Fast crew appears to be returning to Tokyo in Fast and Furious 9, where Han seems to have been hiding out since the crash. Is the Yakuza still after him for stealing from their operations? Is that why he’s stayed in hiding? Are they still involved in the street racing scene? Could Han be working for them this time around?
What Happened To Sean’s Mustang?
The end of The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift sees Sean, his dad, and the rest of the gang build a truly ridiculous car to beat Takashi – a 1967 Ford Mustang Fastback, engine-swapped with a Nissan Skyline and modified for maximum drifting capabilities. It’s an absurd and incredible car, but one that Sean isn’t seen driving in his race against Dom at the end of the film. It’s unlikely that the drift-stang would be brought back in F9, especially considering that Sean probably won’t have a huge role in the movie, but it would be great to see the car thrown into one of the franchise’s ludicrous actions sequences.
What Happened To Han’s Garage?
Han wasn’t just a racer in Tokyo Drift. He owned a sizable garage and employed his own team of drivers and mechanics, establishing himself as a major figure in the city’s racing scene. It’s unknown what happened to all that after Han’s encounter with Shaw, but if the old crew does find him hiding in Tokyo in F9, that could finally be explained. Will Han return to his old life as a drift mentor? Or will he once again become a full-time member of the family? Hopefully, all these questions will be answered when F9: The Fast Saga releases.
