No ‘Deadpool’ After Credits Scene Will Beat the Original That Paid Homage to ‘Ferris Bueller’

As you sit in the movie theater, waiting for the Deadpool & Wolverine after credits scene—and rumor has, there is indeed, a Deadpool & Wolverine after credits scene, so you should stick around—you should be mindful of the fact that, whatever happens, nothing will ever top the original Deadpool after credits scene. I don’t care if Robert Downey Jr.’s shows up to bring Iron Man back from the dead! The 2016 Deadpool end credits scene was the perfect, cheeky movie reference that encapsulated the spirit of the Merc with a Mouth. It simply cannot be beat.

In case you’ve forgotten, here’s how the first Deadpool end-credits scene goes down. After all the credits have finished rolling—after the production company logos and the very special thanks—Deadpool appears back on the screen, peeking his head down a hallway, wearing a fluffy bathrobe over his suit. In a typical, fourth-wall-breaking, Deadpool way, he notices the camera.

As he approaches the camera, Deadpool says, “You’re still here? It’s over. Go home.”

Younger viewers may not have caught the reference, but anyone who loves ’80s movies knows that this is a near-exact recreation of the 1986 Ferris Bueller’s Day Off post-credits scene, in which a robed-up Matthew Broderick glibly tells audiences to go home.

Of course, in Deadpool‘s homage to this iconic joke—which was a fourth-wall breaking end credits scene back in 1986, long before it was cool—star Ryan Reynolds added a little something extra, to reference the now-tiresome expectation of an after-credits scene on every Marvel movie.

After he tells audiences to go home, Wade goes on to say, “Oh, you’re expecting a teaser for Deadpool 2. Well, we don’t have that kind of money. What were you expecting, Sam Jackson show up in an eye patch and a saucy little leather number? Go. Go.”

Deadpool is, of course, referencing the famed Iron Man after-credits scene, in which Samuel L. Jackson appeared as Nick Fury, to invite Tony Stark to the Avengers Initiative. Some might call the scene infamous, for the way it created an expectation for every superhero film to include a game-changing coda to tease future films. In fact, even the first Deadpool—despite all its mockery—wasn’t immune to this pressure.

At the end of the 2016 Deadpool after credits scene, Wade Wilson pops back onto screen one last time. This time, he has some actual sequel information to share.

“Oh, but I can tell you one thing, and it’s a bit of a secret. The sequel? We’re gonna have Cable,” Deadpool says. “Amazing character. Bionic arm, time travel. We have no idea who we’re going to cast yet, but it could be anybody. Just need a big guy with a flat top. It could be Mel Gibson, Dolph Lundgren, Keira Knightley? She’s got range, who knows. Anyway, big secret. Shhh. Oh, and don’t leave your garbage all lying around. It’s a total dick move. Go.”

True to this teaser, Deadpool 2 did, indeed, have Cable. He was played by Thanos actor Josh Brolin. Then the Deadpool 2 after credits scene featured Deadpool killing the X-Men Origins: Wolverine version of Deadpool (also played by Ryan Reynolds), and telling Hugh-Jackman-as-Wolverine that, “”One day your old pal Wade is gonna ask you to get back in the saddle again, and when he does, say yes.”

This, too, came true, as evidenced by the movie you probably just finished watching: Deadpool & Wolverine. Look, that was a pretty good after-credits scene. And I have no doubt that the Deadpool & Wolverine after credits will also be pretty good. But what made that first end-credits scene so great was the low-effort, fourth-wall-breaking, winking pop culture reference. That’s what Deadpool should really be about. Not A-list cameos and cinematic universes!

And of course, the original Deadpool after-credits scene had to end with one last nod to Ferris Bueller: “Chicka-chicka!”