As Top Gun: Maverick proves again, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell remains every bit the free-spirit from Top Gun, the ’80s classic that shot Tom Cruise to superstardom. Now over thirty years later, when Maverick is forced to become the flight instructor for a top-secret mission, age and wisdom temper the fire of youth so that all of his pilots can survive.
As much fun as it is to hear Maverick mouth off to figures of authority around as he’s been doing for decades, it’s also great to hear him be introspective and vulnerable. The quotes that perfectly capture Maverick’s character are somewhere in between the independent folly of youth and the sense of obligation to younger generations.
“He Wants Mach 10. Let’s Give Him Mach 10.”
Maverick Employing His Usual Defiance With The Top Brass
In his time away from Top Gun, Maverick has been a test pilot, flying some of the Navy’s best aircraft in an attempt to push their limits. If he can make it to Mach 10, he might just not be made redundant. Of course, in order to make that happen, he has to heed an admiral that wants to clip his wings.
Maverick has always been about the “need for speed,” and not only that, he’s always been a risk-taker. Was there any doubt that Maverick was going to be the fastest pilot in the sky? If he can repeatedly buzz the tower and still keep airborne, he can reach Mach 10 and live, making Top Gun: Maverick quite the adrenaline rush.
“Talk To Me, Goose.”
Maverick Trying To Get The Wisdom Of An Old Friend
After losing Goose in an accident during a typical BFM at Top Gun, Maverick buries his pain. He carries the burden of Goose’s death with him for decades, though gone are the explosive episodes of his youth when he might punch a wall or throw Goose’s dog tags into the ocean.
When Maverick is in the cockpit of an F-18F, he simply calls on his friend to guide him, in aerial combat and in life. Unfortunately, Goose can’t talk back to him, but it’s Maverick’s way of getting permission from himself to trust his instincts.
“This Is Where I Belong.”
You Can’t Teach An Old Maverick New Tricks
By the time Maverick is still flying, his superiors want to replace flesh and blood pilots with automated drones. Maverick thinks this is a bad idea because drones can’t apply instinct, and can’t make split-second decisions based on a gut feeling.
“Maybe So, Sir, But Not Today.”
Maverick Isn’t Done Flying Yet
Despite all of his insubordination, Maverick isn’t punished – in fact, he’s promoted. When the top brass declares him old news, he finds a way to remain in the game. Maverick isn’t one to ride off into the sunset without leaving something of himself behind.
Maverick’s continued defiance of authority, even when he’s staring in the faces of superiors that are his age with higher ranks, is inherent to what his character is all about. It might have been about glory when he was competing against Iceman as a youth, but now it’s about preserving the right to fly.
“Naval Aviator Is Not What I Am. It’s Who I Am.”
Maverick Has Jet Fuel For Blood
While Maverick can’t confide in Goose anymore, he does have an unlikely friend in his hour of need; Iceman, one of Val Kilmer’s best roles. Now an admiral, he has been fighting for Maverick (and his style of flying) for years, but Mav doesn’t know if the Navy wants what he has to offer to a bunch of young pilots on a death-defying mission.
As it turns out, it’s because Maverick lives and breathes being a Naval aviator that Iceman has protected him throughout the years. This quote directly represents Maverick’s passion for what he does, even if no one other than Iceman, who has held his life in his hands, can understand it.
“I Don’t Know How.”
After Iceman Tells Maverick To Let Go
The person Maverick used to have the greatest rivalry with is the one who instructs him to “let go” of the past and embrace a bright future as an instructor. Maverick thinks his teaching style could result in his pilots’ deaths, but Iceman thinks Maverick is selling himself short.
“I Assume You Know The Book Inside And Out. So Does Your Enemy.”
Maverick Warning His New Pilots
When Maverick finally assumes his responsibility as a flight instructor, gone is the signature twinkle in his eyes and the cocky smile. Maverick is straight to business and serious, as serious as any instructor was with him, even if he didn’t want to consider the perils of failure.
Maverick demonstrates that he’s made the leap from student to teacher, and gained the wisdom of his years. Even if he doesn’t see himself as a mentor and a leader, he clearly has become one. He’s worried, as his instructors were, that none of the young pilots are taking the stakes seriously. While Top Gun: Maverick is a great sequel without watching the original, it’s a treat to see how much Maverick has grown between the two.
“You Think Up There, You’re Dead.”
Maverick Reminds His Students Of The Stakes
Maverick warns the young pilots that will follow his command that if they spend too much time analyzing their strategy rather than trusting their skills and those of their peers, they won’t survive the mission. Maverick knows that the one thing a drone can’t do (react on a gut feeling) is what might make all the difference between mission success or mission failure.
“I Was Trying To Be The Father He Lost. I Wish I Would Have Done It Better.”
Maverick Understanding His Responsibilities
Father/son dynamics have always been at the heart of the Top Gun franchise. In the first movie, Maverick grappled with his own father’s legacy and what it meant to him, and in the sequel, he tries to control Rooster’s destiny by rewriting the narrative of his father in a new way.
Now that he finally sees another hotshot like himself in Rooster, Maverick protecting him brings out a new side of his character, making the role a truly underrated Cruise performance. Maverick is finally tackling the difficult issues from a different perspective than he did when he held himself against the reputation of his own father.
“Teamwork, Precise Aircraft Coordination Is Essential For Mission Success And Your Survival.”
Maverick Explaining What Needs To Be Done
When Maverick’s journey began, he hadn’t yet understood just how much teamwork was integral to a mission’s success. After graduating from Top Gun and making friends with people like Iceman, he was capable of grasping that even the most competent flying aces are nothing without their wingmen.
In addressing the pilots in a serious and mature way, Maverick proves that he’s finally come full circle and comprehends the magnitude of what can be accomplished when personal responsibility is married to teamwork.
