Top Gun: Maverick Can Perfectly End 3 Original Movie Storylines

Top Gun: Maverick is set to be released in May 2022, and despite the time that has passed since the original Top Gun was released in 1986, the much-anticipated sequel can do the cult classic justice and conclude three of its most important storylines. Tom Cruise is reprising his role as the hotshot fighter pilot, Pete Mitchell, who is aptly identified by the call sign “Maverick.” There will be a host of new recruits at TOPGUN, an elite Naval fighter weapons school, in Top Gun: Maverick, but as its title suggests, it will continue the original film’s focus on Maverick, potentially giving the perfect end to the storylines that developed the character’s unique personality.

Maverick is defined by his skillful, but at times, reckless, manner of flying. The instructors at TOPGUN appreciate Maverick’s impressive ability as a pilot but often condemn his aptitude for danger and disregard for cooperation. As Maverick vies with Tom “Iceman” Kazansky (Val Kilmer) for the top spot at the school, Maverick’s Radar Intercept Officer and best friend, Nick “Goose” Bradshaw (Anthony Edwards), dies as he ejects head-first into the aircraft canopy, following the aircraft going into an unrecoverable spin. An inquiry clears Maverick of wrongdoing, but subdued with guilt and missing his friend, his piloting abilities diminish. Iceman ends up taking home the TOPGUN Trophy, but Maverick does manage to revive his aptitude for flying and consequentially saves Iceman on their first operation following graduation. Top Gun ends with Maverick, given free choice of service, deciding to return to the titular school as an instructor.

The Top Gun: Maverick trailer indicates that Maverick will predominantly feature in the film as an instructor. His personality is somewhat unchanged, and despite distinguished achievements in his career, he seems to have avoided promotion. Portraying the iconic character in a largely unchanged situation after so much time has passed presents an opportunity that does not solely rely on the nostalgia of the 1986 film but sews up its most engaging storylines. By paying attention to the continuing relevance of Goose’s legacy, the comparability of Iceman to Maverick, and the essentially unresolved topic of Maverick’s father, Top Gun: Maverick can provide the perfect conclusion to its titular character.

How Top Gun: Maverick Can Address Goose’s Death & Legacy

While the final scenes of Top Gun saw Maverick throw Goose’s dog tags into the water, resembling a sense of acceptance, it is a tragedy that will nevertheless continue to influence Maverick. Top Gun portrayed Goose’s death in a manner that made Maverick conscious of the gravity of his piloting style. The tragic event grounded Maverick and made him appreciate the dangers of egotistical flying, but the film showed that Maverick still needed to maintain a certain amount of personal flair to be as good as he is.

The topic will be revived in Top Gun: Maverick, as Miles Teller portrays Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw, Goose’s son. The character of Rooster will highlight the impact of Goose’s death beyond its effect on Maverick. Maverick’s reputation often precedes him, and so, despite being officially cleared of wrongdoing, it is possible that Rooster will see Maverick as culpable for his father’s death.

The prevalence of Rooster will also serve as an active reminder to Maverick of Goose’s death. While Maverick is an exceptional pilot, he must appreciate the responsibility of his position as an instructor and hesitate to praise students that have a similar disregard for the rules as himself. Goose’s death may prove to be a topic of both tension and familiarity between the characters of Rooster and Maverick. Top Gun: Maverick will surely, in part, be about a mutual search for closure.

Top Gun 2 Will Make Maverick & Iceman’s Relationship Even Better

While the cast of Top Gun: Maverick is almost entirely different from the original, Val Kilmer will reprise his role as Iceman, joining Tom Cruise as a returning cast member. Like Maverick, Iceman is suitably described by his call sign; he is measured and efficient. He is also a character that is particularly skeptical of Maverick’s radically dangerous style of flying in Top Gun.

Iceman and Maverick’s embrace at the conclusion of Top Gun serves as a sign of mutual respect between the two. The moment recognizes the characters that spent most of the film in competition as exceptional – perhaps even suitable – colleagues. The Top Gun: Maverick trailer indicates that Kilmer’s appearances may be minimal. There is even speculation that Iceman may meet a tragic fate due to a brief look at a funeral scene. Regardless, the film can dive once more into the relationship between Maverick and Iceman.

Top Gun: Maverick may use the character of Iceman to emphasize the contrasting personality of Maverick, just as in Top Gun. Iceman seems to have advanced much further through the Naval ranks than Maverick, similar to how he pipped him to the TOPGUN Trophy in the original film. Iceman serves as a foil to Maverick in terms of personality but also represents Maverick’s inhibited success as a likely consequence of his radical attitudes. Top Gun: Maverick represents an opportunity to revisit their relationship as experienced pilots and show how their relationship has developed as colleagues rather than competitors.

Top Gun 2 Needs To Explain What Happened With Maverick’s Father

If Maverick is to develop a positive relationship with Goose’s son, Rooster, it would be beneficial for Top Gun: Maverick to delve into the topic of Maverick’s father, Duke Mitchell. Duke’s appearance in Top Gun is confined to a mere photograph and a conversation between Maverick and his mentor, Mike “Viper” Metcalf. Viper says that he served with Duke and explains the nature of his death to Maverick. Duke is an inspiration for Maverick’s choice of occupation, and his death perhaps partly influences the dangerous mentality he has developed in his style of flying.

The topic of Duke’s death represents an element of familiarity between Maverick and Rooster that may be important in the latter’s search for closure, and indeed his development as a sensible pilot. Furthermore, despite Viper’s explanation of the circumstances of Duke’s death, it remains a largely unexplained concept. Maverick’s feelings about his father’s death, his decision to follow in his footsteps, and his response to Viper’s account all remain rather speculative. Top Gun: Maverick’s title suggests it will probe into the intricacies of the original film’s enigmatic protagonist, and in doing so, it could – and should – go deeper into the topic of Duke Mitchell.

Top Gun: Maverick is intended to serve as a realistic and unique representation of what it is like to be a TOPGUN pilot. In an extended trailer, producer Jerry Bruckheimer describes the film as “a love letter to aviation,” and the extensive filming procedures of the modern sequel certainly make for a highly anticipated cinematic experience. It is the film’s handling of the dramatic storylines that stem from Top Gun, however, that will predominantly determine its favor among fans.

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