Warning: This list contains spoilers for Top Gun: Maverick.
After a wait of over three decades, Top Gun: Maverick is finally out and, as a lot of viewers will agree, it was worth it. Not only does this sequel bring back everything that made it great in the first place, but it builds on it by adding elements that might have been missing from the original.
With aerial sequences that were done practically - every cast member was trained to fly the fighter jets seen on screen - to a more vulnerable version of Maverick, the movie does a phenomenal job at giving its audience a holistic experience. An unexpected reaction in the halls, however, was the genuine laughter the movie pulls out of its audience members with perfectly placed one-liners and character interactions that are comedic gold.
Not An Expected Call Sign
"What do they call you?" "Bob"
Naval aviators in these movies are known for their amazing piloting skills and the equally badass call signs that go with them. Not Bob - one of the new characters introduced in the sequel who goes by his first name.
After getting used to call signs like "Maverick," "Iceman," "Hangman," "Phoenix," and "Rooster," the audience was bound to be thrown into a fit of laughter when a new pilot is introduced simply as... "Bob." As the movie proceeds, however, his call sign is deemed more than appropriate for his behavior and characteristics.
Maverick Wins Over Management
"I think the admiral is asking a rhetorical question."
As expected, the movie shows Maverick as he continues to follow the tradition of breaking rules and disobeying direct orders given by the higher-ups. He also continues the tradition of having the skills to back up his arrogance and ego.
After showing his students that they can complete the mission in lesser time than officially set - and yes, he does this by disobeying orders - the Admiral is rightfully indignant. He is also very impressed and knows that Maverick did what he did to prove a point, not to him, but to his students. This leads to a hilarious moment where the Admiral asks out loud whether Maverick is worth jeopardizing his career for and Maverick, ever the outspoken pilot, jumps up to give an answer which is stopped by Rear Admiral Solomon with this comment.
A Pilot, Not A Sailor
"I don’t sail boats, Penny. I land on them."
Maverick's new - or old, for those who know that Penny was name-dropped in the original film as one of his ex-flames - love interest knows how to sail boats. When she takes Pete out for a ride, he's basically floundering around with no clue what to do.
When Penny - a new character in the sequel - points out that he's a naval officer his response has viewers laughing. While Maverick may leave everyone's jaw on the floor when it comes to his flying abilities, the same can definitely not be said for his boating skills. It's also great to see him taking instructions from someone else and actually listening to them for once.
Trying Not To Draw Negative Attention
"Just wave and smile."
After a heart-stopping - and unnecessarily cruel - moment where the creators of the sequel tease viewers with Maverick's death, he and Rooster start their attempt to get back to their ship. After managing to find a plane and taking off, they are engaged by Sukhoi SU-57's a.k.a. the bad guys.
As Maverick and Rooster are in a plane marked by the enemies' logo, they aren't immediately fired on. This leads to a high-stakes yet extremely funny moment where Maverick, first, simply waves at them and then starts throwing hand gestures around in the hopes to make them think they’re on the same side. Obviously, this doesn't end up working.
Rooster Doesn't Believe In The Old Jet
"How are we going to get this museum piece in the air?"
After Rooster saves Maverick and the two reunite, they then have to find a way out of enemy territory. They do this by going back to the airstrip that their team bombed to stop anyone from taking off after them.
They manage to find an F-14 - yes, the same plane that was used in Top Gun - and Maverick decides to make it their ride home with Rooster commenting on it being a "museum piece." Ironically, him saying that is also an indirect shot at Maverick himself for staying a naval aviator long after his expected expiration date. However, if the final dogfighting sequence says anything about the pilot and the plane it’s that some things remain iconic for a reason.
Not A Friendly Invitation
"I have to admit, I wasn’t expecting an invitation back." "They’re called orders Maverick."
Maverick has always had difficulties in understanding the difference between orders and suggestions and nowhere is this more apparent than in this scene. After being called back to Top Gun to train younger officers - which he doesn't know yet - his arrogance comes through in him calling the order an "invitation," implying that he had a choice.
While for most naval aviators an order never implies a choice, for Maverick everything is a choice. A decision that he makes after weighing the pros and cons without taking into account his superiors' commands. Maverick's character would actually be one of the worst kinds if it wasn't for the fact that his decisions are made with the best intention in mind and almost always pay off.
Not Sharing The Bad News
"Please don’t tell me we lost an engine." "Alright, I won’t tell you that."
After taking the F-14 airborne, Maverick and Rooster end up engaging in a dogfight with enemy planes. Unfortunately, during this sequence, their plane ends up losing an engine and there doesn't seem to be any help coming for them.
Leave it to Maverick to make light of a situation that could very well result in their death, one that also showcases his character's flying ability once again. This entire sequence, while extremely stressful, is full of comedic banter between Maverick and Rooster - a sure sign of the positive relationship the two will hopefully have in the future.
He Is Kind Of A Spaceman
"Where am I?" "Earth."
The movie starts in the most Maverick way possible, with him disobeying an order in the coolest fashion. After he takes the "Darkstar" - a fictional prototype of a hypersonic jet commissioned in the movie by the Pentagon - for a flight at the neck-breaking speed of Mach 10, it overheats and is destroyed.
Viewers see Maverick next as he trudges down a road in a burnt-up uniform looking for civilization. He finds a diner and proceeds to down a glass of water before asking where he is which elicits a hilarious response from a kid who tells him he's on Earth - his disheveled appearance definitely warrants that answer.
Classic Iceman & Maverick Banter
"One last thing, who's the better pilot? You or me?" "It was a nice moment, let's not ruin it."
One of the most emotional scenes in the movie has to be when Maverick and Iceman - seeing Val Kilmer play the iconic role was a nostalgic punch in the gut - come face to face again. Their friendship was hinted at throughout the movie and is seen to its full extent when they share, what has to be the most nostalgic part of the movie.
After having a heartfelt conversation, Iceman asks Maverick who the better pilot is and the latter, very coyly, asks Iceman not to ruin the moment they were having. What’s amazing about this scene is that it had its viewers go from tears to splits of laughter within seconds.
Following Maverick's Advice
"What were you thinking?!" "You told me not to think!"
The biggest tension in this movie is felt between Maverick and Goose's son, Rooster. There is obvious animosity that the young pilot feels towards Maverick. While the two are at odds for most of the movie, the third act changes that. After Maverick saves Rooster, the latter reciprocates the action.
When the two reunite, Maverick is immediately angry at Rooster for not going back with the others and asks him what he was thinking. Rooster's response has him stumped because, after all, it was Maverick who drilled it into their heads to not think and just do, to just go with their gut. It isn't on Rooster that the advice backfired on Maverick. Not only is this moment the funniest in the movie, with there being an intentional pause left there almost like the creators knew it would be needed, but also extremely emotional as it signifies the beginning of Maverick and Rooster’s journey together.