I grew up watching Top Gun on a loop, and when Top Gun: Maverick came out, it became a frequent rewatch. However, I had never watched the films back-to-back. That all changed, though, when the Top Gun movies returned to theaters alongside the releases on the 2026 movie schedule. And it was during this experience that I finally picked up on two very obvious parallels – one involving Iceman and Rooster, while the other involves Maverick and Hangman – that I can’t believe I missed.
I Can’t Believe I Never Noticed How Similar Iceman And Rooster Are
Re-watching Top Gun (which you can do with a Paramount+ subscription), I came to the realization that Iceman is actually very pragmatic, realistic and reasonable. The entire movie, he’s just trying to tell Maverick that his way of flying is reckless and could get someone killed.
Now, while Goose’s death was not Maverick’s fault, it certainly was a wake-up call. It also emphasized the point Iceman was making about what could go wrong in the plane. Up to this rewatch, I had always seen Val Kilmer’s character as an antagonist, when really, he was just trying to point out Maverick’s biggest flaw.
Then, in Top Gun: Maverick, it’s Rooster who does just that. He’s the safest flyer of the aviators brought back to Top Gun for this special mission, and he spends most of the movie playing it safe. Also, like Ice, Miles Teller’s character is unafraid to call out Maverick.
In a lot of ways, Miles Teller’s character serves as Tom Cruise’s foil in Maverick, which is what Iceman is in the first movie. However, the dynamic is even more complex in the beloved Top Gun sequel, because Rooster is also Goose’s son. So, he has qualities of both Mav’s biggest rival and his best friend, making their relationship very complicated.
However, circling back to Rooster and Iceman, this parallel is so meaningful and obvious that I’m kicking myself for letting it fly over my head.
I Also Realized Maverick And Hangman Are A Lot Alike
Watching Top Gun: Maverick right after Top Gun, I also realized Glen Powell’s Hangman was acting a whole lot like a young Maverick. He’s cocky, a bit reckless and very driven to do whatever he can. I do think he’s more egotistical than Maverick, thanks to his team leader comments. However, generally speaking, his way of flying parallels his teacher’s in a wild way.
That’s because Hangman’s relationship with Rooster is framed a lot like Iceman and Maverick’s in the first movie. I had always thought that Hangman was Iceman and Rooster was Maverick, simply because Hangman is more of an antagonist, while Rooster is a protagonist. However, that was because I didn’t see the deeper parallels.
In the end, Rooster is more like the pragmatic and calculated Iceman, while Hangman is spontaneous and confident like Maverick. I’m happy I realized this, too, because it makes the movies even better. I just wish I had realized it earlier.
