The Rambo franchise has lasted so long because of John Rambo’s seeming invincibility, but potentially killing off the action hero in Rambo 6 would be a grave mistake. Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) started out as a misunderstood war veteran in First Blood, but has since grown into a one-man super-soldier who can survive attacks against any number of opponents. Watching Rambo go from fighting a group of cops in the wilderness to single-handedly taking out an army of mercenaries in 2008’s Rambo is pure Hollywood bliss.
Rambo is the ultimate underdog, having gone from a struggling veteran to an unbeatable war hero. His backstory is realistic and violent, and he immediately evokes sympathy for the way he is mistreated in the original First Blood. Rambo seeks to help others who are not doing well; he is on a mission to help a prisoner of war in Rambo: First Blood Part II because he knows the horrors of capture and torture. As cruel as he is, Rambo always fights for what is right and always helps those in need, even as his actions become more and more excessive.
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Rambo’s extreme methods lead to even more extreme situations that portray him as an invulnerable one-man army, a quality that Rambo 6 could potentially squander by killing John Rambo. There is an increasingly popular trend in modern films to make sequels that bring back old characters and kill them off after they pass the baton to a new generation of heroes. This works for realistic characters like Rocky, who is in danger in Creed III, but a character like Rambo is irreplaceable and works best when he’s a mysterious figure.
Rambo 6 will also miss the chance to pit Rambo against an even more staggering number of opponents, which the series has succeeded in doing so far. In 2019’s Rambo: Last Blood, Rambo follows a path of vengeance as he battles a drug cartel, proving that even in his old age he can still take on more enemies. Rambo as a hero naturally developed throughout the series, and his death in the new part would not fit the theme of the series. And if the series is to continue, it would be better to leave Rambo’s fate ambiguous than to kill him explicitly.
John Rambo was a beacon of hope for an invincible war hero. His evolution from the beginning of First Blood to the most recent Rambo: Last Blood has been increasingly extreme, and would-be Rambo 6 is in danger of making the mistake of killing him and his legacy. John Rambo is a tragic figure who has endured countless incredible hardships but always emerges alive. Rambo is one of the old characters who must live to see his legacy continue.