Fast X: John Cena's Action Scenes Finally Allow Him To Be An Unmitigated Badass

Contains spoilers for "Fast X"

John Cena has finally assumed his final form as the "Fast and Furious" franchise's badass.

The WWE wrestler first joined the franchise with 2021's "F9," which saw him shake the Fast Fam's foundation up as Jakob, Dominic Teretto's (Vin Diesel) brother. The ninth entry in the ever-expanding series saw Jakob as an unhinged villain, ready to destroy everything his brother holds dear. For Cena, joining the franchise was an absolute dream come true. "I've never had anything like this, to be invited into a legacy body of work that is already successful and the world already anticipates," the actor told Entertainment Weekly while doing the press rounds for "F9."

For a legacy to remain relevant, it has to evolve. With "Fast X," Cena's Jakob is doing things differently, disrupting the Toretto legacy with a change of heart. Done with the world of deceit and revenge, Jakob joins the Toretto clan as a savior, rather than a disruptor. In one of the most pivotal moments in the film, Jakob is asked by his brother to protect his son (Leo Abelo Perry) and their sister Mia (Jordana Brewster) from the Agency. As agents invade the Toretto home, Jakob comes in guns blazing, stopping the home invasion. 

While speaking with Fandango, Cena gleefully opened up about how this scene allowed him to be a total action hero. "Very rarely do I get full badassery," the actor said. "So to be able to get into a fight where, you know, I take my lumps and you save the day, thank you very much, but usually I'm getting my ass kicked and trying to come out alive."

It may be surprising to hear John Cena open up about how he rarely gets to play a badass but it is true. The wrestler-turned-actor has mostly populated his CV with comedic efforts like "Blockers" and action films where he appears as a supporting player, such as "Bumblebee." His work with DC Studios and James Gunn as Peacemaker has mostly been reflective and empathetic. With Jakob Toretto, Cena has pretty much received the opportunity to play a character who is totally, no questions asked, a true badass.

But Cena doesn't just pretend to be a badass for the big screen. While speaking with TODAY, Cena casually dropped how he did some of his own stunts for "Fast X," saying, "there's some physical stuff in there... I was very proud to be able to know that I still got it."

What's next for Cena's Jakob? "Fast X" ends with the character seemingly dying, sacrificing himself to protect Dom and his nephew. Despite that shocker of an ending, this is "Fast and Furious," where everyone can return. In a separate interview with Extra, Cena expressed interest in reprising his role as Jakob for "Fast and Furious 11," which is set to debut in 2025. Here's hoping the "Fast" pipeline has more in store for Cena.