Cars 3 is the lowest-grossing entry in the series, but there's a big reason to love it. The film fell short of any expected audience reception by confirming the retirement of Lightning McQueen to introduce Cruz Ramirez. Yet, Cars 3 arguably has the strongest plot of all three Cars Pixar films. The final installment is an exceptional conclusion to the trilogy and a fitting end to McQueen's character growth. Cars 2The weaker narrative highlighted the difficulty of bringing the franchise to a satisfying conclusion in Cars 3.
The last chapter remains faithful to the roots of Cars franchise and focuses on the rapidly changing racing industry and his indifference to race cars - which he is determined to retire on his own terms. The film also has remarkable visuals with greater depth than its counterparts, which is one of the defining things Cars 3 in addition to the other two films. Although it is not clear whether Cars 4 happens, a new addition could undermine the impact of Lightning McQueen's character growth.
Cars 3 showed that a legacy character doesn't need to be killed or replaced
Cars 3 concluded Lightning's story without closing the door on the franchise
From the first Cars movie, Lightning has been struggling with aging and what that means for his standing in future races. In the third film, Lightning is worried that he won't be able to race or risks continuing until he sees newer models begin to replace him. When he suffers a near-fatal accident, Cars 3 explores the legendary pilot's internal battles alongside his new coach, Cruz. In a surprising twist, their dynamic reverses and Lightning becomes a mentor to Cruz, which is a fitting conclusion that stays true to the essence of Lightning's character.
Cruz has plenty of ability to race competitively, but has been limited to training other cars. If Pixar simply eliminated Lightning from the franchise, it would undermine the purpose of building the franchise around him. Instead, Lightning encourages Cruz to finish the race with his famous '95'. This way, he remains in the franchise, but Lightning can evolve into the next phase of being a hero - a mentor. It's an extremely smart choice by Pixar that allows Cruz to carry on the mantle and continue his legacy without replacing the infamous Lightning McQueen that audiences have become familiar with.
Cars 3 was the perfect ending to the franchise
Cars 3 reflected the events of the first film
Cars 3 is the culmination of Lightning McQueen's internal battlesespecially with the bolder introduction of newer models like Jackson Storm. It's incredibly rewarding to witness Lightning's progression not only as a pilot, but as a friend. He learns that defeat is not giving up, but using his talents elsewhere, which is very different from Lightning McQueen in Cars. Cars 3 it is a wonderful lesson that physical limitations are opportunities for growth and strength.
The callback to the original Cars enhances his character and sets the stage for McQueen to follow in his mentor's footsteps.
Most importantly, the film's ending was reminiscent of Lightning's final moments with Doc Hudson in Cars. Doc's influence on Lightning is profound. The King's return to the Piston Cup as Lightning's mentor was a pivotal moment which echoed the dramatic change in Lightning's racing career. The callback to the original Cars enhances his character and sets the stage for McQueen to follow in his mentor's footsteps. This sees Lightning finally realize her full potential and confirm her status as one of Pixar's best characters.
Cruz Ramirez was a welcome addition to Cars 3
A Heroine was a big step for Pixar at the time
Cars 3 Introducing a female protagonist to carry Lightning McQueen's torch was a bold decision for Pixar. Cruz's introduction to the franchise is still impressive and it says a lot that the Lightning don't question his ability. He sees her untapped potential and sees her as his equal. This is made stronger because Cruz doesn't need to ask Lightning for guidance, he simply imparts his knowledge to her for when the opportunity arises. This was opposed to many of the traditional sports mentor-mentor relationships that were in the media at that time, and Cruz represented a new take on sportsmanship tropes.
Part of the journey in Cars 3 is accepting that Lightning is not the heroand watching as he realizes this too. It is important to recognize Cars 3 received backlash for the inclusion of the women's car. However, the risk of dedicating so much of the story to Cruz was worth it, as it was a crucial element in the conclusion of Lightning's journey. Furthermore, Cruz is a strong character who naturally fits into the Cars world. Without his involvement and his strong relationship with McQueen, Cars 3 It wouldn't have been as strong an ending to the series.