#top gun maverick meta

[notyourdaisybuchanan]

I just think it's special that Rooster and Hangman have kind of equal and parallel journeys in terms of character + flying development over the course of the film. What I mean is that their big individual triumphant moments in the narrative use their piloting choices to reflect emotional development. The film shows us from the start that they each have a Big Flaw--and the finale shows them overcoming these flaws.

Not only that, but the narrative uses their dynamic to introduce these individual shortcomings to us, the audience. Their first on screen conversation with each other is how we learn about their Big Flaws in the first place. Because of their relationship and the way they interact, we know how Rooster and Hangman are going to fly before we ever see them in the air.

For Rooster, it's "snug on that perch, waiting for just the right moment...that never comes.” We hear this over and over again, from both Hangman and Maverick–"Now you got it, don't think, just do." "Rooster, you got him, drop down and take the shot!" "Too late, had your chance.” "...same old Rooster." "You're not. flying. fast enough. You don't have a second to waste." This is Rooster’s Big Flaw–he doesn’t trust himself. He flies too slow, and he’s too careful, too hesitant in moments when he needs to believe in his abilities and let instinct take over. This is what Maverick and Hangman are trying to pound into his head the whoooole time. 

And then he’s on the mission, and Fanboy’s laser doesn’t work. And instead of waiting, well: "There's no time, I'm dropping blind." "Bullseye bullseye bullseye!"

This moment is HUGE for him. Fanboy is literally telling him to wait so he can line it up, and maybe a prior Rooster would have done that, but this Rooster has finally learned that he gets one chance and he has to take the shot that's in front of him. [Cue Hangman cheering.] The decision he makes as a pilot in this moment shows that he's learned what Maverick and Hangman were trying to teach him and that he's grown emotionally. He's more sure of himself now–he was always capable of taking the shot, but now he actually trusts himself to do it.

And then we have Hangman, Bagman, Mr. "Where's he going?" "That's why we call him Hangman, he'll always hang you out to dry." "Leaving your wingman, there's a strategy I haven't seen in a while." He's not a good team player; he flies solo both literally and metaphorically. We hear this over and over again, especially from Rooster–"Watch your back, Phoenix." "You put your team in danger and your wingman's dead." Hangman’s response? “They couldn't keep up." (And I can't stop thinking about "Hangman, the only place you'll lead anyone is an early grave." There's so much history there, and so much belief from Rooster that Hangman is Not a person to depend on in a moment of crisis.)

But then, Hangman’s ultimate moment of triumph is that he refuses to leave Maverick and Rooster hanging, that he is the one person who has their backs in a moment of crisis. We see exactly how concerned he is while waiting on the carrier, and we see him ASK to go engage in the fight to fly cover for his squad when the bandits aren’t even attacking anyone yet!! Like I could seriously cry about "Dagger spare, request permission to launch and fly air cover." Because he is specifically asking so that Rooster can go back and get Mav, something that we know is completely at odds with his Big Flaw. And then we see him presumably disobey orders to show up and save Maverick and Rooster's lives anyway. He learned from Maverick and Rooster–he's part of a team now, those are his wingmen out there, and he's not leaving them behind. 

So the film uses their big triumphant moments in the air to show Rooster and Hangman overcoming their respective flaws. It’s part of what makes the action of the finale so fucking good, because while yes, it is very satisfying action on its own, it’s also rooted in their character development. We’re not just happy that Rooster made the shot, we’re happy because Rooster making the shot means something about him. We’re happy that Hangman is the one to come through for Rooster and Mav because that means something about him and his growth.

The most iconic part is that the traits they each needed to adopt belonged to the other. Rooster is set up from the start as the pilot who won’t leave his wingman, even when it’s gonna cost him–“Should be us down there.” “But it’s not. And now you know a little something about Rooster.” This is the exact thing Hangman struggles with, and it’s what he overcomes to have his moment of triumph. Meanwhile Hangman is set up as the one who flies by instinct–”Yeah, you’re good, I’ll give you that.” He flies fast, he doesn’t overthink, and above all, he trusts himself as a pilot. This is the exact thing Rooster struggles with, and it’s what he has to overcome to have his moment of triumph. 

The fact that the two of them have parallel arcs like this? The fact that they both learn to be better, more complete pilots by adopting the strength that comes naturally to the other?

I just think that's beautiful.

[tonaherio]

A headcanon in answer to the question of whether Mav encouraged Bradley to be into planes while growing up, whether Carole was okay with that, and whether Mav really did not think Bradley was "ready" to go to the Naval Academy and become a fighter pilot. Written hastily:

My thoughts: Carole was just fine with Mav raising Bradley on General Planes and also encouraged Bradley learning more about his dad by Mav showing Bradley what his dad did and how they worked together. However she never pictured Bradley actually following in Mav and Goose's footsteps as Bradley was always a bit more sensitive than them and just a different sort of person. He tended to overthink and get anxious and didn't handle big emotional upsets quite as well.

Carole was growing sicker as Bradley grew older, and she started thinking about the big questions for both herself and death and Bradley and his life. Meanwhile, Bradley is unfortunately drifting away from Mav's General Planes influence and further towards Murder Planes, and showing more of an interest in the circumstances of his father's death. He's doing this to start to come to terms with both his father's eternal absence from his life, and his mother leaving it. Mav isn't really sure what to do, but knows Bradley's taking it tough as any teen would, so gently answers Bradley's Murder Planes questions while privately hoping he will go elsewhere and that this is a temporary answer to his emotional pain, as Mav, too, sees Murder Planes as not being Who Bradley Is and instead as an outlet for his grief, anger, and loss.

To Mav and Carole's dismay, Bradley only gets more interested, and in an attempt to ease his mother's pain as she becomes very close to death, he tells her he will be fine in life, as he has applied to the Naval Academy and will be like his father and Mav, and he still has Mav to guide him. This makes Carole panic, and she responds by begging Mav to pull his papers. Mav is uncomfortable with the subterfuge, but he goes along, and he also does not want Bradley to go as Bradley has not sorted out the role of Murder Planes in his comprehension of the deaths of his parents and as a symbol for Mav's adoption of the vacant role as Mav's father figure. Mav truly does not think Bradley is emotionally ready, and doubts at the time that he ever will be, as Bradley does not even have the emotional maturity to understand that Murder Planes are an emotional crutch for him not facing his grief about his parents.

[maroonmorons]

if anyone else is actually insane about writing fanfic uhhhh I did some research

friend of a friend has selected the 1966 bronco which was its first production year and makes it highly sought after (only about 150 left in existence) according to the google

because I have a scene inside the bronco I was looking for interiors specifically

now there are interiors with bench seats and bucket seats but I’m a sucker for the vintage bench seat so even though miles’s bronco has bucket seats I don’t know it’s the same bronco and I do what I want so here’s what I’m referencing

they also have lap seatbelts rather than the shoulder lap combo we have today

anyway I hope this is beneficial to someone else bc it was about half an hour of my time 😂😂💀

[icemankazansky]

@pscentral event 13: tropes

[stopthatfool]

in top gun meta hell rn. what the fuck am i doing in top gun meta hell. i don't think i'm supposed to be thinking so hard about this movie. it's not designed for this.

[compacflt]

do you ever think about/write about how maverick threw goose’s dog tags into the ocean? the letterboxd reviews have me thinking again.

yeah that was literally one of the first little things august 2022 me petulantly retconned . fuck that . he kept one.

in my (and many other ppls) opinion those weren’t mavs to throw away they should’ve stayed with carole

and (i try not to talk about this as much as possible but) it suggests Something about mav & goose’s relationship that the filmmakers thought his dog tags should go to mav instead of to Goose’s wife (though i acknowledge and appreciate the usefulness of the visual metaphor of him saying goodbye to goose at the end of TG) (though that visual metaphor was rendered completely moot by the whole of TGM showing that mav HASNT moved on from goose and only moves on once he has the chance to save roosters life [which is why i retconned it])

ALSO? i am sure I’m not the first person to talk about this? But, to add a second layer of confusion & analysis, uh, the dogtags mav throws into the ocean aren’t goose’s.

I’m reading “metcalf, mike” from the backside. Those are VIPER’s dogtags. for some reason.

now i choose to believe that’s a props issue… someone grabbed the wrong set of tags & they were like ehhh no one will notice… script supervisor not doing their fucking job… so i choose to believe the filmmakers MEANT goose’s dogtags & it doesn’t change the end of the movie for me.

But im interested to hear from you—does that change/add anything to anyone’s analysis to know that mav threw VIPER’s tags into the ocean? there are a lot of really weird implications that come from taking what is probably a props fuck-up at face value!!! (Viper giving mav his tags [weird], viper being mav’s surrogate dad figure, thereby this scene becomes about mav saying goodbye to his FATHER finally,.. etc.)

[j-atticus]

logged back on to ramble about them again. just. it’s so important to me that mav is to bradley what no one was to mav and ik we don’t have exact ages or time stamps or anything but mav lost his parents relatively close together and he’s said repeatedly he has no family so that leaves him in the hands of the foster system and the same goddamn thing happened to bradley but he had someone standing between him and the system. between him and the world. unlike mav and I’m just violently ill over the fact that mav became everything to bradley that he needed

[fanboyswhore9]

So I’m gonna send something and I want you guys to tell me what this reminds you of.

[kanonsarchivedblog]

"Why is he dead? No, don't tell me. Tell his family."

This line. This specific line gives me head to toe chills. Because, realistically, when you join the military- you become theirs. You're a "weapon", so to speak; something they can use to achieve the means to an end. This is what the Dagger Squad has had drilled into them the moment they enlisted or went to USNA or were in ROTC.

And Pete completely erases that. Because he knows- he understands. He's been in this for the last thirty years; he's got some experience under his belt. But he's also been in this exact scenario: he's had to tell grieving parents or siblings or spouses that their loved one is dead.

And these pilots- this group of twelve hotshot pilots who are living their dreams by being called back to TOPGUN for a super secret important mission, the best of the best. They're riding high; they're all a little bit cocky, just a little.

But this is when reality slaps them in the face, when Pete drills them again and again both in the air and in the classroom: Why is he dead? Why is she dead? Don't tell me. What are you going to tell their family?

Because he has that sinking feeling in his gut that someone isn't coming home from this mission. And secretly, he's hoping that it's him; no spouse, no children, no one to mourn him. But they all have lives- family, possibly partners, maybe kids. Who knows. But they need to be prepared and need to realize that this isn't some simple in and out mission- they could very well be giving their lives for the sake of this mission. They're a team- and as a team, it falls on them to make sure everyone gets out alive.

Not in a body bag.

Not with an empty casket.

[brendaonao3]

8 for the choose violence game

Hi there, Nonnie!

Hoo boy, you're just trying to get me into trouble, aren't you :D

8. common fandom opinion that everyone is wrong about

I have two big ones atm, because my villain origin story will be people infantilizing Maverick and treating him like he's some sort of pocket princess who is Italian grandmother size instead of an actual Regular Adult Sized Human Person. 5'7" might be a tad short for a dude, but it's a perfectly fine height and no, Ice's (or Hangman's) clothes wouldn't be swimming on him, because they all have pretty much the same build, and it's SO FUCKING annoying to see people writing him like he can't reach a shelf or isn't tall enough to ride a fucking roller coaster or has to stand on his tiptoes to reach Ice's (or Hangman's) lips. Just...no. Stop it. (Yes, Bradley is slightly taller and broader than Mav, but can we not with Bradley's shirts would hang to Mav's knees - I've dated plenty of guys over 6ft and that's never happened to me and I'm literally Mav's height.)

And while I'm here, my other villain origin story is the treatment of Mav like he's some sort of feral gremlin with zero control over himself who needs Ice to rein him in like he's a dog ready to go off leash. He's a literal *CAPTAIN* in the Navy (one rank below Admiral!!!! Which, even the dude who wants to ground him thinks he should have at least 2 stars!!), he's got a jacket filled with commendations and medals, and he literally figured out the best plan and strategy for the uranium mission in about 10 seconds. Dude is scary smart. His problem is he doesn't like assholes and he's got a bit of an impulse control problem. That doesn't make him stupid or someone who needs a babysitter. (Yes, he was more reckless in TG86 - and then Goose died. Let him have the fucking growth.)

(Besides, if Ice didn't find Mav's methods to be worthy, he wouldn't make the calls he did - because their friendship is goals, but Ice isn't risking other people's lives for the sake of a friendship.)

Thank you all for coming to my Ted Talk.

[notyourdaisybuchanan]

Well well well if it isn’t me, back with more Top Gun: Maverick analysis. I want to talk about my reading of this scene between Maverick and Rooster, because it's truly amazing that just a few lines of dialogue can slam me in the face with how emotionally devastating they are. 

So it starts with Maverick telling Rooster that Phoenix and Bob will be kept overnight in the hospital, but “they’re gonna be okay.” Rooster says “That’s good. [pause] I’ve never lost a wingman.” 

That’s the first thing that really gets me about this scene: we have Rooster, who is still so angry at Maverick, and yet he can’t help reaching out to him in this moment of distress. Rooster ostensibly hates him!! And yet. And yet this is the only dad he’s got left. His best friend just almost died (in a scarily similar way to how his own father died) and he needs comfort. He could have let the conversation end after saying “that’s good,” but he doesn't. It’s like he can’t help it, and he adds “I’ve never lost a wingman” as a way of reaching out for something from Maverick. 

And Maverick replies. Says, “You’re lucky. Fly long enough, it’ll happen. There will be others.” Then he turns to walk away. 

And oh boy. Whatever Rooster was looking for, this was Not It, because now he’s been set off. 

I’m not going to analyze what exactly is so unsatisfactory to Rooster about this response–perhaps it’s because this whole thing reminds him of his father’s death, perhaps it’s because he wanted comfort and didn’t really get any, perhaps it’s something else, but either way, now he’s in attack mode. 

And the thing he chooses to attack with is SO fascinating to me on multiple levels. First of all, it’s carefully constructed to cut as deep as possible. (And if we compare it to what he says to Hangman in the bar scene about an early grave, and to what he says to Mav at the end of this conversation about not making the same mistake, we really see that when Rooster goes in, he goes for the fucking jugular. As a sidebar it’s so striking that a guy who struggles to drop down and take the shot when he’s in his jet has absolutely no hesitation about doing so in an argument, but I digress.)  “Easy for you to say. No wife. No kids. Nobody to mourn you when you burn in.” We can see how deeply this hurts Maverick, for multiple reasons. Like it’s important to note that this scene comes AFTER Maverick’s scene with Penny, where he tells her that he tried to be the father Rooster lost, and in his eyes he failed. “I wish I would’ve done it better.” We’ve seen the pictures of childhood and teenage and Navy Bradley in Maverick’s hangar. It has been explicitly made clear to us that Maverick tried to be a father to Rooster and views him as the closest thing he has to a kid. Which means Rooster is saying two absolutely gutting things here: you don’t have a kid (I’m not your kid) and also no one will mourn you when you die (I won’t mourn you when you die). Which is devastating. 

It’s also completely false. Obviously Rooster would mourn him. We as the audience can see and read that from him, despite his anger. 

And of course he’s wrong on other levels. I think there's a good argument to be made that this is actually like… a big reason why Hondo exists in the film. He shows us that Maverick DOES have connections and people who love him in his life, even if it’s nontraditional. And as rocky as his relationship has been with Penny, she obviously cares about him, and of course there’s Ice, who almost goes without saying. Maverick doesn’t have a nuclear family, no, but he has relationships and love and people who would absolutely grieve his loss. 

But then!!! It’s not just that!! The last thing that really gets me about this scene is that… well it’s like watching a masterclass in projection. Because all those things Rooster is saying to Maverick? They apply to himself too. Rooster doesn’t have a partner. Rooster doesn’t have a kid. Does Rooster have anyone to mourn him when he burns in? (Yes, of course he does, but why would he say this as an insult to Maverick if it's not also a fear he has about himself?)

Like I said, it’s just… devastating.

[maverickcalf]

[hero-in-waiting]

so i was thinking about Mav wanting to give Bradley a family when Carole dies. Because Mav never had one, but he's had good friends and he knows how friends can help you and he's hurting as well because first Goose and now Carole and he and Ice aren't always around each other bc they've still got careers. And so maybe Mav just starts making plans with whoever is around. Maybe Slider comes over one day to hang out, and then the next time its Slider and Wolfman, and slowly Mav keeps inviting people until it's a thing and anytime people are all in town they inevitably end up at Mav's.

But they're all military and are gone randomly and so Mav starts to go to school meetings, Bradley's events and talks to people and makes friends so Bradley can have more friends over and everyone soon learns that Mav's house is a good place to hang out and sure they might learn how to flip a knife but they also know Mav is good in a crisis so its a catch-22. But then Mav is also making friends and he's fine right, he's been alone for most of his life and he's got Ice and everyone else so he's doing this for Bradley, not realizing that he's also making friends, and while he's doing his best to make sure Bradley always has a family, he's also building himself one.

People learn that they're welcome at Mav's house, and the first time Bradley has a friend over who got into a fight with their parents he just sets up the spare room, calls the parents to let them know the kid is there and tells them to come over the next day when everything settled.

So Bradley grows up loved and surroudned by people so he's never alone like Mav was as a kid, alone in the foster system and he's happier for it even though his parents are gone. he's got Uncles and their partners and kids, honorary Aunts and cousins and grandparents and it just keeps getting bigger and bigger until they have to shut down the block for the 4th party that Mav throws because there's so many cars but everyone's happy to be there and relaxed.

And maybe, because Mav is making sure Bradley is healing from his loss, he's healing from his own loss and it also means he's got more people to talk to when Bradley gets older, and his promise to Carole draws near and people who don't understand what it's like to be military kinda tilt their head and say it should be Bradley's choice even if Mav is scared.

And so, instead of pulling his papers, Mav sits Bradley down and tells him his Mom was terrified for him, and she didn't want him to fly and asks him to go to college first just to see if there was something else out there for Bradley. For his Mom. And Bradley agrees because its for his Mom and he gets it.

And maybe he still ends up in the service but now he's got support, bc Mav and everyone else is there and he's not so mad at the world and maybe as time goes on and he talks to people he starts bringing friends home during leave who don't have anywhere to go and Mav just takes them all in because Goose and Carole taught Mav what family means, and he made sure to teach it to Bradley who is now teaching it everyone else.

[qvid-pro-qvo]

just thinking about maverick in the sense that this man shows us over and over how much he feels like he must save himself by dying — cleansing of his sins by sacrificing himself for the darkstar program, for the dagger squadron, for rooster, and ultimately for goose.

he feels irredeemable. like cain says, “despite your best efforts, you refuse to die.” he really does try, try over and over, to prove himself by making the ultimate sacrifice, the only way he knows to be free of the shackles of goose's death, and yet no matter how much he throws himself in the line of fire, there’s always a lifeline, always a second chance, always a way to come back.

he makes his living as a test pilot. he says someone isn't coming back from this and volunteers himself for the impossible mission before he even knows who else is on the table. "someone isn't coming back from this."

i wonder if he hoped it was him?

[inthefallofasparrow]

Why Do Movies Feel So Different Now? | Thomas Flight

[pollyna]

The saddest thing I just realised is that Ice writes it's time to let go. and he's talking about Goose and what happened but it's talking about himself too. It's time to let him go and it's time to let me go. Because he knows Maverick it's going to try everything to not loose him but Ice knows too that he has something bigger and more important to focus on. And he's tired. So he asks, almost begs, Maverick to accept what happened, and what will happen, and go on.