'Fate Of The Furious' Adds A Pint-Sized Hero To The Family

Family has always been a major part of the Fast and Furious franchise and it looks like that sentiment is growing bigger with every successive installment. In the newest film of the series, The Fate of the Furious, family plays a huge role — in the sense that (spoiler alert!) the reason Dom has gone rogue against his family is because his son, Brian, is being held hostage. In case you're confused about the fact that Dom has a son in this movie or what that kid's deal is, don't worry — you're supposed to be taken by surprise. Just who Brian is in The Fate of the Furious, and why he has that name, is a significant part of the new film.

First things first: that name. The most important detail about the introduction of Dom's son is the fact that he's called Brian. It's actually an incredibly sweet gesture in remembrance of Brian O'Conner, one of Dom's oldest friends in the franchise. Naming Dom's baby Brian also pays homage to the late Paul Walker, who played Brian in the previous seven Fast and Furious films. In real life, Walker and Vin Diesel were actual BFFs, and it's so sweet that the late actor, who passed away in a 2013 car accident, is honored in the movie.

Now comes the confusing part. When the eff did Dom have time to have a baby? It's been three years since Furious 7, so it stands to reason that Dom could have had a baby in that amount of time. What throws a wrench in this line of thinking is the fact that Brian's mom is Elena and not Letty. I'll let that sink in for a hot sec because yes, it is actually pretty mind-boggling.

So, according to The Fate Of The Furious, Dom and Elena are Brian's parents. The duo first got together when Dom thought Letty was dead; as you'll recall, in Fast & Furious 6, Letty returned from the dead and effectively put an end to the Dom-Elena relationship. I know that's just totally crazy, but when it comes to maintaining continuity, the Fast and Furious franchise has always played fast and loose, so it kind of makes sense the logic was left by the wayside.

At the end of the day, the fact remains that the newest member of the Toretto family — and the Fast and Furious family — is adorable and, because he is Dom's son, is probably destined to be featured in future movies. Welcome to the family, Brian.