Fast & Furious: If Han Can Come Back, So Should Jesse
Han (Sung Kang) is essentially returning from the dead for F9, and the Fast & Furious franchise should use the same tactic to bring back Jesse. Chad Lindberg played the original member of Dominic Toretto's (Vin Diesel) crew in Rob Cohen's The Fast and the Furious. The 2001 film ending launching a full-fledged action series that now consists of eight movies, a spinoff, and an animated TV show thus far. Lindberg's presence in the franchise, of course, was short-lived seeing as he was killed off in the first installment.
Jesse served as a supporting character in The Fast and the Furious as the crew's mechanic and resident computer whiz. Rather than partake in the group's truck hijackings, Jesse covered the behind-the-scene logistical aspects. After helping Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker) fix a car, a 1994 Toyota Supra, Jesse also decided to join Race Wars, betting his father's prized Volkswagen Jetta. After losing to Johnny Tran (Rick Yune), Jesse drove off with the car in a panic. Tran later found Jesse, killing him during a drive-by shooting at the Toretto house.
Jesse certainly wasn't the only vital member of Dom's crew to be killed during the events of the Fast & Furious franchise. Han was killed at the end of The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, but a shift in timeline allowed the character to appear in three subsequent sequels. When his death came back into focus at the end of Fast & Furious 6, the grief felt by his loved ones was used as motivation for revenge. The trailer for F9, however, revealed that Han is very much alive and he's rejoining his old team for another special mission. How exactly he survived an explosive car crash is unclear, but it's clear deadly situations in Fast & Furious aren't so black-and-white. In that case, Jesse could have plausible survived the shooting by franchise standards, opening a door to Lindberg's return.
Ever since Fast & Furious rearranged the timeline of films to allow Kang to return after Tokyo Drift, it was implied that the series plays by its own rules. The same goes for how they handle the deaths of major characters. While Han looked as good as gone, there was never a body or direct confirmation of his demise. Gal Gadot's Gisele falls under that same category after her heroic sacrifice during Fast & Furious 6's runway scene. Despite her alleged death, many fans still believe that Gisele will return before the Fast & Furious franchise concludes. Jesse, by the same token, could have survived the drive-by from a bulletproof vest, the bullets not hitting vital organs, or a combination of both.
Lindberg himself has shown interest in returning to the Fast & Furious franchise. While it would retcon a heart-wrenching moment from the debut movie, the series has transformed so much since then that it wouldn't tarnish the story. Bringing back Jesse wouldn't hurt the narrative if a semi-plausible explanation was presented. Jesse's return subsequently wouldn't stir up the same kind of controversy as it would with bringing someone back like Brian. Walker's death was a tragic and unique situation that the cast and crew had to face, and any form of his return would result in ethical discussions. Lindberg, on the other hand, could essentially reunite with his old family after a long retirement without pushing the boundaries.
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