Pratik Handore
Netflix’s ‘FUBAR’ follows CIA Agent Luke Brunner, who hides his spy life from his family. However, Luke is drawn into an unprecedented situation after learning that his daughter, Emma Brunner, is also a CIA Agent. The situation becomes even more complicated and awkward when Luke and Emma are assigned to work together on the same mission. Given the series’ family-themed narrative, spy elements, and explosive action, its title seems like an odd choice. As a result, viewers must be looking for the meaning of ‘FUBAR’ and how it connects to the show’s plot.
What Does FUBAR Mean?
In ‘FUBAR,’ Luke Brunner (Arnold Schwarzenegger) appears to be a normal man running a small-scale gym equipment business. However, unbeknownst to his family, Luke is a CIA Agent who works on secret missions to protect his nation. Luke is on the verge of retirement when he is roped in for a special mission in Guyana. Luke’s life turns up and down when he learns that his daughter, Emma Brunner (Monica Barbaro of ‘Top Gun: Maverick), is also a CIA Agent. As a result, Luke and Emma end up in a conflict that jeopardizes their relationship and mission.
The show’s title perfectly captures the jeopardy of Luke and Emma’s situation as the revelation of their lives as secret agents changes their relationship forever. The term “FUBAR” is an acronym that describes a situation that has gotten out of hand with little to no hope of remedying it. FUBAR stands for Fucked Up Beyond All Repair. In some cases, it can also mean Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition. It is a military slang coined during the Second World War, and its first recorded usage occurred in 1944.
The military slang was crafted to describe a mission that had been severely messed up. It was also used to describe an event that leads to complete chaos or loss of several lives. In broader terms, FUBAR is slang used to reference missions with terrible outcomes that seemingly have no remedy. FUBAR was famously stated several times by Captain Miller (Tom Hanks) in the 1998 American epic war film ‘Saving Private Ryan’ directed by Steven Spielberg. Its meaning is later explained by Lieutenant Dewindt (Leland Orser).
Although the term is never mentioned in the initial episodes of the eponymous show, FUBAR can be used to describe Luke and Emma’s first mission together as it escalates in their status as CIA agents being exposed to arms dealer Boro Polonia and the latter escapes, resulting in the mission’s failure. Countless other “FUBAR” situations arise during Luke and his team’s missions. However, the group successfully navigates these complications, overcoming them and inching closer to catching Boro.
In the finale, Luke and Emma face an unprecedented situation that we won’t spoil for you. However, the situation results in Luke describing it as “Fucked Up Beyond All Repair.” Luke saying FUBAR is the final line of the first season, which ends on a cliffhanger and signals that Luke and his family find themselves in a truly irreparable situation. Thus, the title does not necessarily relate to the show’s characters, themes, or even narrative, yet holds an understated significance in the story.
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