Val Kilmer came up with his own backstory as Top Gun’s Iceman, and the story he invented managed to deepen the movie’s existing themes and enrich the characters. Released in 1986, Top Gun was a star-making vehicle for Tom Cruise and a massive blockbuster for its director, action cinema icon Tony Scott. However, one thing that Top Gun was not noted for was its subtle character work.

A bombastic blockbuster about reckless test pilots pulling off all manner of potentially lethal stunts, Top Gun got by on adrenaline and fun more than heavy drama or self-serious moments. Maverick’s story did have tragic elements, like the loss of his father and the death of best friend Goose, but these took a backseat to fast-paced action in the story. So much so, in fact, that Kilmer’s central character Iceman didn't even have a backstory until the actor came up with one that fleshed out the pilot perfectly and deepened Top Gun’s themes.

Related: Top Gun 2 Theory: Maverick’s New Love Interest Wants Him To Quit

According to the documentary Val, Kilmer said he was disheartened by the lack of background for his character. This will come as no surprise for fans of the actor, as Kilmer also admitted he originally rejected Top Gun for the same reason as Matthew Modine and only took the part of Iceman thanks to contractual obligations. Saddled with this thinly-written antagonist, Kilmer made his own backstory as a result, and his Oedipal addition further cemented the contrast between his Iceman and screen enemy Maverick.

Val Kilmer Top Gun Iceman

Per Kilmer, “I manifested a backstory for him, where he had a father who ignored him, and as a result, was driven by the need to be perfect in every way. The obsession with perfection is what made him so arrogant.” While this bit of lore is superficially similar to the backstory of his rival, who wants to prove he is as heroic and impressive a pilot as his late father, it does diverges from the story of Tom Cruise’s fatherless Maverick in two key ways. For one thing, Iceman’s dad was a presence in his life while Maverick’s was absent, making Iceman’s perfectionism a foil for Maverick’s rebellious refusal to rely on others.

For another, growing to resent a lifetime of following the rules made Iceman primed to hate Maverick, who instead taught him to never follow the rules. From Iceman’s limited perspective, Maverick was seemingly rewarded for flouting the rules at every turn, while to Maverick, Iceman cared more about the rules than he did about living. Both men eventually end the movie having learned a lot from one another and become fire-forged friends, as their journeys heal the respective psychic scars left by Iceman’s father - and his obsession with perfection - and Maverick’s father and his early demise. Maverick always needed Iceman for the plot to work, but Kilmer’s backstory serves to make their connection even deeper and improves the otherwise pretty thin characterization of Top Gun’s supporting star.

More: Why Top Gun's Reviews Were So Mixed (& What It Means For Maverick)

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