Anyone who’s seen Top Gun has been a die-hard fan, and with the recent movie Maverick out, people have gotten the well-deserved closure. Things were bitter in the first movie, but Maverick ultimately settled matters. But if you still haven’t seen the movie and are wondering who does in Top Gun Maverick, keep in mind that there are a lot of spoilers ahead. 

Come dive into the world of Maverick and find out Top Gun’s ending!

Top Gun Maverick Summary

The movie begins with Pete Mitchell, also known as Maverick, who takes a massive risk by pushing the prototype past the Mach 10 level. This causes the aircraft to get ruined, which lands him in trouble. But that’s when Iceman or Admiral Tom, who was a former enemy but now is a dear friend, saves the day. Instead of getting grounded, Maverick has to train a group of TOPGUN graduates for a challenging missing in which they have to blow a uranium tank. 

This is where things get sticky; even though it has been 30 years, Maverick is still not over the death of his dear friend, Goose. It is difficult to see his wingman’s son Bradley Bradshaw, aka Rooster, as part of the TOPGUN training class. Maverick and Rooster don’t have the best interaction, mainly because Pete (Maverick) was the one who pulled out Rooster’s application for flying school. This had set him back for a few years. Maverick does this out of the promise he made to Rooster’s mom and his late friend Goose’s wife.

Meanwhile, Pete Mitchel also connects with a past partner, Penny, played by Jennifer Connelly, who is not the same as Kelly McGillis’. In the TOPGUN team, Hangman and Rooster are at each other, trying to get one up over the other. 

Things get complicated for Maverick when his friend Iceman dies, and that’s when he loses the advocate and is wholly grounded by the authorities. But he won’t go down without a fight, as he takes things in his hand and decides to complete the mission that only he can do within the set time limit. 

Top Gun: Maverick Ending Explained

When Maverick returns to complete the mission, he chooses Bradshaw, aka Rooster, as his wingman. The group manages to blow up the uranium tank successfully. But things become difficult when they are on their way out. Missiles are flying left, right, and center; since Rooster’s life is also in trouble, Maverick doesn’t want history to repeat itself and decides to jump in front of the blowing plane, which makes everyone believe that he has died. 

But fortunately, he’s alive; Rooster flies back in search of him by ejecting his plane. When it comes near the fire. The two save themselves, steal the old school jet, and fire it up to leave the enemy base. When things become a little sticky, Hangman pops into the situation and saves the duo by shooting the final enemy jet flying their way. 

The ending is emotional as Rooster looks at a picture of himself and Maverick alongside his father, Goose’s, and Maverick’s picture as the song Hold My Hand plays in the background. Maverick is seen flying with Penny into the sunset, ensuring everyone gets the closure they deserve. 

Iceman’s Honour

Iceman had been an integral part of the movie; he was the most significant competition and won the Top Gun trophy in 1986, making Maverick stand second. He had worked hard and shined throughout his career, making him a four-star Admiral and United States Pacific Fleet Commander. Iceman, aka Admiral Kavensky, had been a loyal friend to Maverick, always keeping him out of trouble whenever the Navy wanted Captain Pete Mitchell expelled or court marshaled. 

Iceman was the one who had assigned Maverick to Top Gun, who led the trainees. He firmly believed that The Navy needed Maverick. Unfortunately, he dies of throat cancer, and the film wanes through the real-life battle that Val Kilmer is fighting with cancer even though he is now cancer-free after his 6-year-long fight. One of the movie’s most touching moments is when  Maverick returns to meet Iceman, and he (Iceman) asks him, “Which of us is the better pilot?”

Throughout the movie, you can see Iceman texting Maverick, but when he dies, Maverick loses one of his most extensive support systems. 

The Navy Needs Maverick; Hence Proved

Maverick proves how the Navy needs him, even though, in the beginning, he wasn’t sure if this would happen. All his peers, including Iceman, became an Admiral, but he remained a Captain. After his recent trick, he returned to Miramar only to last for 2 months. He spent 30 years pissing off a series of Admirals and his Maverick behavior. This has been a hurdle in his promotions, even though he has the achievements and titles. 

When the movie begins, Captain Pete Mitchell is the testing pilot for the Darkstar, and his agenda is to become the fastest man alive, which is online possible if he breaks the Mach 10 record. He had achieved 10.3, but things take a U-turn as his plane explodes. Admiral Cain has notified  Maverick that he plans to evolve and replace fighter pilots with drones. This situation might have been a mess, but Maverick’s work at Top Gun proved his importance and added value. 

He pushed the trainees to go above the usual mindset and exceed their limits. He successfully manages to blow up the tank, and with the help of his team, he manages to come out safely and reach the base. 

Bottom Line

If you are worried and wondering Does Maverick die, you now have the answer to your question. There are so many spoilers, but the fighter pilot proves his worth to his Navy superiors and shows them how, even though he’s Maverick, his ability to take risks still puts him above many people. Captain Pete Mitchell is an outstanding pilot who has proved it to everyone. We have explained the ending to you, and this time, you must know no major pilot dies except Iceman , who had been sick over the time. 

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