Ethan Hunt
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Ethan Matthew Hunt (portrayed by actor Tom Cruise) is the central fictional character from the Mission: Impossible film series.
Little is known of Hunt's upbringing. In the first movie, it was mentioned that his parents owned a farm, and that his father died of illness, after which time an uncle named Donald moved in to help with the farm. Both Hunt's mother and uncle were taken into police custody and charged with smuggling narcotics as part of a C.I.A. strategy to flush Hunt out of hiding in Europe while he was suspected of treason. In the third film it was mentioned that both his parents were deceased.
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[edit] Mission: Impossible
During the first Mission: Impossible film, Hunt was an I.M.F. point man who was framed for the murder of his team during a mission in Prague. Hunt is disavowed, and is forced to go rogue in a quest to find out who set him up. He set up a rogue team including computer expert Luther Stickell (who has appeared in all three films in the series).
[edit] Mission: Impossible II
In the second film of the series, Hunt is on vacation engaging in his hobby of rock-climbing when he is contacted by I.M.F. to retrieve a deadly virus from a rogue I.M.F. agent, Sean Ambrose (Dougray Scott). During this mission, Hunt had become much more combat-oriented, fighting his battles with martial arts and firearms rather than cerebral tactics. During the film, Hunt had a passionate relationship with Nyah Nordoff-Hall, a beautiful thief and one-time lover of Ambrose.
[edit] Mission: Impossible III
In the third film, Hunt is no longer a field operative, although he still works for I.M.F. training new agents. He is living with his fiance, Julia (a nurse), and planning a quiet life with her (although she thinks he works for the Virginia Department of Transportation). Hunt is reluctantly called back into service to rescue a former student of his who has been captured during a mission in Germany. He does this, but at great personal cost as Julia is captured by a ruthless arms dealer in league with a corrupt I.M.F. official.
[edit] Other media
Aside from the three Mission: Impossible films, Ethan Hunt has appeared in other media such as comic books and video games such as the 2003 video game Mission: Impossible Operation Surma.
[edit] Character development
The character of Ethan Hunt evolves throughout the series. In the first movie, Hunt is a master of disguises, stealth, espionage tactics and according to his profile he has been taught capoeira (Brazilian martial arts). He shows limited fighting ability, kicking a CIA employee while stealing the NOC list but later he is knocked out in a confrontation by the elderly but experienced Jim Phelps. As for other facts, his usual weapon of choice are two Beretta 92FS semi-automatic handguns.
As the series progresses, however, Hunt abandons many of his stealth tactics in favor of force. He uses various kicks, holds, and flips during attacks on terrorist personnel during the next two movies. Furthermore, the Hunt character was subdued in the first movie, but he becomes more extravagant and extroverted during the next two.
