Your A-to-Z guide to ‘The Fast and the Furious’ movies

It all started with an article about street racing in the May 1998 issue of Vibe magazine.

Three years later, that story inspired “The Fast and the Furious,” which has spawned six sequels that have so far raked in nearly $2.4 billion.

It’s one of the biggest franchises in movie history.

It’s also one of the most convoluted.

What was once the relatively simple tale of an undercover L.A. cop trying to bust a gang of thieves who drove flashy, souped-up cars has morphed into an action extravaganza involving tanks, cargo planes, arsenals of weapons, exotic locales and, as one character described the most recent installment, “some 007-style (excrement).”

Then there are the titles. “The Fast and the Furious” was followed by “2 Fast 2 Furious,” “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift,” “Fast & Furious,” “Fast Five” and “Fast & Furious 6” leading into this weekend’s “Furious 7.”

Adding to the confusion, characters were killed off only to reappear in future movies. The sequels even were reverse engineered so that the bulk of “Tokyo Drift” — the bastard child that didn’t star the late Paul Walker, featured Vin Diesel only in a cameo and nearly killed the franchise — takes place between the end of “Fast & Furious 6” and that movie’s postcredits scene.

With all that in mind, whether this serves as your introduction or a refresher course, here’s an A-to-Z guide to the franchise:

A

American muscle: What Letty can’t resist, referring to both the movies’ cars and stars.

B

Bikini bottoms: An acceptable method of collecting and transferring handprints that can then be used to unlock a high-tech vault, as seen in No. 5.
Brazil: Setting for No. 5.
Brian: Former L.A.P.D. detective, former FBI agent and former fugitive, portrayed by Paul Walker, introduced in No. 1. His relationship with Dom forms the heart of the franchise.
Buster: Derogatory nickname given to Brian by Vince. It’s one of the worst things you can be called in the world of street racing, at least in a series of PG-13-rated films.

C

Charger, 1970 Dodge: Dom’s muscle car of choice that, if rear-ended, will totally flip a prison transport bus, as seen in No. 5.
Corona: Favorite beverage of Dom and his crew.

D

Dialogue: The real enemy of the franchise. Honestly, Daniel Day-Lewis wouldn’t be able to make most of those sentences sound believable.
Dom: Mechanic, street racer and leader of the franchise’s de facto family, portrayed by Vin Diesel, introduced in No. 1.
Dominican Republic: Where Dom, Letty and their new crew hijack oil tankers in No. 4.
DVD players: What Dom and his crew stole by the truckload in No. 1, leading to Brian’s investigation. (For you kids out there, DVDs were these little round discs your parents watched movies on.)

E

Elena: Rio police officer, portrayed by Elsa Pataky, introduced in No. 5. Hunted Dom, fell in love with Dom, was dumped by Dom when he learned Letty was alive. She’s now a member of Hobbs’ DSS team.
England: Setting for the majority of No. 6.

F

Forty-nine kilos: Weight of $1 million in twenties, according to No. 5. (And you thought you wouldn’t learn anything.)

G

Gisele: Weapons expert and former Mossad agent, portrayed by Gal Gadot, introduced in No. 4. Had a crush on Dom and dated Han. Presumably killed in No. 6.
Goatee: Style of facial hair favored by Hobbs, which you must focus on to tell the bald, glistening Hobbs from the bald, glistening Dom during their poorly lit brawl in No. 5.
Grace: Said before group meals, usually by whomever was the first to reach for the food.
Grilling out: Usual method of preparing those group meals.

H

Han: Friend of Dom and mentor to Sean, portrayed by Sung Kang, introduced in No. 3. Killed in both No. 3 and No. 6.
Hobbs: Diplomatic Security Service agent, portrayed by Dwayne Johnson, introduced in No. 5 as the man seeking to bring Dom, Brian and Mia to justice. Now an ally of their crew.
Hongry: State Roman always claims to be in, blamed on his high metabolism.

I

Immunity: What everyone who’s ever known Brian is eventually in search of. See also: Pardons.

J

Ja Rule: Rapper who co-starred as a racer named Edwin in No. 1 and had four songs featured in the movie, which should give you an idea of just how long this franchise has been going.
Jack: Rarely seen child of Brian and Mia, born in No. 6.
Juvie: Where Brian met Roman.

K

Killed: Presumed fate of numerous innocent drivers and countless bystanders during the franchise’s many stunt sequences.

L

Leon: Dom’s childhood friend, portrayed by Johnny Strong, introduced in No. 1 then never seen or even mentioned again.
Letty: Dom’s tough-as-nails girlfriend, portrayed by Michelle Rodriguez, introduced in No. 1. Killed off at the beginning of No. 4, then resurrected at the end of No. 5.
Lompoc: Prison where Dom was sentenced to serve 25 years to life in No. 4; he never made it there.

M

Mexico: Setting for No. 4.
Mia: Dom’s sister and Brian’s girlfriend, portrayed by Jordana Brewster, introduced in No. 1.
Multicultural: What the franchise prides itself on being. Key characters have been black, white, Asian, Hispanic and Pacific Islander. If the producers could just add an American Indian or Alaska Native, they’d be able to check off all the boxes on the census form.

N

Newton, Sir Isaac: 17th century scientist who published his theory of gravity as well as his three theories of motion, all of which are gleefully ignored — scoffed at even — by the franchise’s writers.
NOS: Brand of nitrous oxide used by street racers to make their cars reach insane speeds.

O

One hundred-eighty kilometers per hour: Speed at which Tokyo cops won’t even bother to chase you, according to No. 3.

P

Panama: Where Dom hides out in No. 4.
Pardons: What everyone who’s ever known Brian is eventually in search of. See also: Immunity.

Q

Quarter Mile at a Time, A: How Dom lives his life.

R

Roman: Big-mouthed ex-con and Brian’s childhood friend, portrayed by Tyrese Gibson, introduced in No. 2.
Runway, World’s Longest: Where the ridiculous climax, involving all sorts of cars dangling from a cargo jet, takes place in No. 6. Honestly, that runway must have stretched all the way from Spain to somewhere in Lithuania.
Russia: Where Hobbs brutalizes a suspect in No. 6.

S

Samoan Thor: Tej’s nickname for Hobbs.
Sean: American teenager, portrayed by Lucas Black, introduced in No. 3. Sent to live in Japan after a series of reckless driving arrests, he’s befriended and mentored by Han.
Shaw, Deckard: Owen’s brother, portrayed by Jason Statham, introduced in No. 6 after killing Han. He’s the main villain in No. 7.
Shaw, Owen: Criminal mastermind, portrayed by Luke Evans, introduced in No. 6. Presumably killed when he was thrown out of that cargo plane.
Spain: Setting for the beginning and end of No. 6.
Suspension: Automotive system that would be ruined by most of the movies’ stunts.
Suspension of disbelief: Literary device that’s ruined by most of the movies’ stunts.

T

Tej: Mechanic and technical expert, portrayed by Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, introduced in No. 2.
Tuna on white, no crust: Brian’s favorite meal, which Mia repeatedly serves him at the family’s garage/market/diner in No. 1.

U

Under Armour: The official sponsor of Hobbs’ massive torso.

V

Valiantly: How those Under Armour T-shirts struggle to contain that massive torso.
Vault: What Dom and Brian’s cars drag throughout Rio, destroying half of the city’s downtown, in No. 5.
Vince: Dom’s childhood friend and Brian’s antagonist, portrayed by Matt Schulze, introduced in No. 1 and killed in No. 5.

W

Wheelies: Dom’s signature race move, he pops them in No. 1, No. 5, No. 6 and twice in No. 4.
Wrench: What Dom wielded when he nearly beat a man to death, causing Dom to serve hard time and be banned from racetracks for life.