The Mission: Impossible franchise is one of the greatest action movie series of all time. What started out as a fun spy thriller has continued to grow over the years, delivering increasingly insane stunts and Cruise's most iconic role as Ethan Hunt. And while the set pieces tend to steal the show, the series has some great lines, most of them coming from Cruise.
Ethan is a man of pure dedication. With each movie, he finds himself in a no-win situation and then proceeds to put himself through hell in order to save the day. He is not a talkative man but when he does speak he's blunt and to the point which makes for some pretty great quotes. Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning - Part 1 is one of the most anticipated movies of the year and fans can expect more of Cruise's memorable quotes in the franchise.
"I Am The Storm."
Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018)
The intensity of Ethan Hunt as a hero is part of the reason he has become so iconic. Throughout his various world-saving missions, he has grown into something of a myth within the world of these movies and Mission: Impossible - Fallout communicates that with one line.
As part of the cryptic messages and espionage in these movies, Ethan is delivered a message with the messenger quoting Jake Remington, "Fate whispers to the warrior, 'You can not withstand the storm. The warrior whispers back…" and Ethan finishes the quote with this epic line. It communicates that Ethan can withstand just about anything and deliver in back with even more power.
"I'm Jumping Out A Window!"
Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018)
One of the things that makes Ethan a great action hero compared to some other modern-day rivals is his vulnerability. Despite his nearly inhuman determination, he is very much a man who can get hurt. And even with all the stunts in the Mission: Impossible movies, Ethan still gets scared.
During the iconic foot chase in Mission: Impossible - Fallout, Benji relays directions to Ethan. But when Ethan pauses for too long, Benji asks him what the hold-up is causing Ethan to frustratingly explain that he has to jump out of a window and would like a moment to prepare.
"Mr. Lane, Meet The IMF."
Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (2015)
Solomon Lane is one of the best villains in the franchise who Ethan and his team first encountered in Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation. This cunning and ruthless villain always seems one step ahead of the heroes, until the final moments.
Lane pursues Ethan into a tunnel only to find himself trapped in a glass container. Even without an action-packed showdown between Ethan and Lane, this is a thoroughly satisfying end as Ethan and his team greet Lane who can do nothing but accept his defeat.
"What's Done Is Done When I Say It’s Done."
Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018)
It seems like sometimes Ethan is able to save the day through sheer willpower. With all the odds against him, he still seems like the one who is calling the shots to some degree. So when Mission: Impossible – Fallout reveals a nuclear attack has occurred, fans might have suspected Ethan wouldn't let that happen.
When Debruuk, a man linked to the attacks, sees the newscast on television, he gleefully boasts that "What's done it done" and happily gives the IMF the information they want as it is too late to stop anything. But Ethan assures him he is the one who decides when it is done, revealing the clever ruse.
"I Let You Know Where I'm Going, I Won't Be On Holiday."
Mission: Impossible II (2000)
Fans have gotten a few glimpses of what Ethan Hunt's life is like outside of his extremely dangerous job. As the movies goes on, it becomes clear that he's not a man who can really have a normal life and he needs to dedicate himself fully to saving the world.
However, the opening of Mission: Impossible II is a pretty believable depiction of what he does in his free time. Rock climbing without a rope is not everyone's idea of a good time, but it makes sense for Ethan who considers this vacation.
"Throw The Switch On And Off. Don't Forget Off."
Mission: Impossible III (2006)
With all the intensity of these movies, there are still some moments for surprising funny quotes in Mission: Impossible adventures. This is even true when Ethan is in danger of dying in the final moments of Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation.
After having an explosive device activated in his head, Ethan convinces Julia to electrocute him and deactivate the device. With time running out, he quickly shows her how to flip the switch to shock him but is sure to point out the importance of turning it off.
"Now I'm Out."
Mission: Impossible III (2006)
In Mission: Impossible III, Ethan returns from retirement to go on a rescue mission to save his protégé. Despite being out of the game for a while, Ethan doesn't seem to miss a beat. As he and Lindsey (Keri Russell) make their escape, they run into some bad guys and get into a gunfight and Ethan proves that a single bullet is all he needs.
Unlike some other action heroes, Ethan doesn't get the tough guy lines too often in these movies but this one is a killer.
"We Just Rolled Up A Snowball And Tossed It Into Hell. Now Let's See What Chance It Has."
Mission: Impossible II (2000)
Ethan may be willing to put his own life on the line again and again in order to save the day, but he is never willing to put an innocent life in jeopardy no matter the stakes. That is a theme seen from him several times, but it becomes most personal in Mission: Impossible II.
Though Nya only appears in one Mission: Impossible movie, she makes a big impact. After developing a relationship with her, Ethan is reluctant to include her in the latest dangerous mission. His assessment of the risk they are putting her in and his guilt over it reveals a lot about Ethan as a hero.
"That's The Wrong Door!"
Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (2015)
Another of the most jaw-dropping stunts from his franchise was when Cruise hung on the outside of a military plane as it took off. The sight of seeing one of the biggest movie stars in the world dangling from a plane was an unforgettable sight.
As Ethan is hanging on for dear life, Benji attempts to open the door for him. Unfortunately, it takes him a couple tries to get the right door. To Ethan's credit, he was patient given the circumstances.
"The Countdown Is Not Helping."
Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)
The ticking clock is a big part of the Mission: Impossible franchise. Most of Ethan and his team's missions come down to the last second. As the stakes get bigger, being on the clock can really put the pressure on.
The excellent fourth movie of the series, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol features what could be the series' most harrowing stunt as Ethan (and Cruise himself) scales the Burj Khalifa building in Dubai. As Ethan continues to nearly fall to his death, Brandt continues to remind him how much time they have. Probably not the thing Ethan wants to hear at that moment.
"Kittridge, You've Never Seen Me Very Upset."
Mission: Impossible (1996)
The first mission fans see Ethan on goes poorly and it leaves him in a very vulnerable situation. His entire team is seemingly wiped out, leaving him as the only one left. This leads to Ethan being suspected as a mole. As IMF watchdog confronts Ethan about the awkward situation, he begins to unravel.
Ethan isn't always great at keeping his emotions in check but when he is truly angry, that's usually when he is the most dangerous to his enemies. With this intense line, Ethan shows he's ready to go out fighting.
"We'll Burn That Bridge When We Get To It."
Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018)
Despite how long he's been in this job and how many times he has succeeded, the insanity of the situation is never lost on Ethan. However, he does trust himself and his team enough to know that, even without a plan and against ridiculous odds, they still stand a chance.
In Mission: Impossible – Fallout, Walker points out a foreseeable problem but Ethan is taking it one disaster at a time. It's a funny line but it also perfectly encapsulates the series and Ethan's jumping from one impossible situation to another.
"Light The Fuse."
Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)
The burning fuse is an iconic image of Mission: Impossible going back to the original television series. The opening credits featured a burning fuse going across images from the show, foreshadowing the high stakes of the missions.
While the fuse has been a part of the credits from the beginning, Ghost Protocol brilliantly worked the fuse into the cold open of the movie. Ethan gives the iconic command and the audience follows the burning fuse throughout the credits right up to the explosion.
"Mission Accomplished!"
Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)
Somehow, they avoided using this line for three whole movies until Ethan finally used it as his big line in Ghost Protocol. After a brutal and desperate fight with the madman villain, Ethan is severely injured. He crawls his way to the nuclear detonator, pausing long enough to deliver this line, then hits the button.
Yes, it's a bit corny, but given the ironic title of the movies, it was only a matter of time before this line came. After what Ethan had been through, this moment seemed fitting. And to make it more bearable, Luther ridicules Ethan for using such a cheesy line.
"Red Light! Green Light!"
Mission: Impossible (1996)
The Mission: Impossible franchise has always had a lot of fun with its gadgets. The subtle and hidden tech that looks like ordinary objects is then used by Ethan and the team in their missions. And one of the first and most memorable is the chewing gum which is actually a small explosive.
As his teammate Jack explains, the red and green parts of the gum get mashed together to arm the explosive. Ethan manages to keep the gum with him the entire movie and brings it out as the villain makes his escape, with an intense closing line saves the day again.