Intrigue

The story involves Maverick confronting his past while training a group of younger Top Gun graduates, including the son of his deceased best friend, for a dangerous mission.

Set 30 years after its predecessor, it follows Maverick's return to the United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program (also known as U.S. Navy-Fighter Weapons School - "TOPGUN"), where he must confront his past as he trains a group of younger pilots, among them the son of Maverick's deceased best friend Lieutenant Nick "Goose" Bradshaw, USN.—Wrathzo

After thirty years of service and an impressive collection of military awards and decorations for extraordinary heroism in combat, distinguished US Navy Captain Pete Mitchell, call sign Maverick, finds himself exactly where he belongs: pushing the limits as a top test pilot. Despite avoiding promotions for years following the events of Top Gun (1986), Maverick must now confront the ugly past and an uncertain future while training the next generation of elite fighter pilots for an almost impossible mission. But as the veteran naval pilot stretches the rules to the breaking point to prepare the brilliant graduates for the top-secret assignment, Mitchell must also navigate an uncomfortable relationship with a hotshot lieutenant holding a grudge. Can Maverick and his Top Guns pull off a miracle, give the enemy hell, and return home in one piece?—Nick Riganas

After more than 30 years of service as one of the Navy's top aviators, Pete "Maverick" Mitchell is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him. Training a detachment of graduates for a special assignment, Maverick must confront the ghosts of his past and his deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who choose to fly it.—krmanirethnam

After more than 30 years of service as one of the Navy's top aviators, Pete "Maverick" Mitchell (Tom Cruise) is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him. Training a detachment of graduates for a special assignment, Maverick must confront the ghosts of his past and his deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who choose to fly it.—maschzentertainment

Over thirty years after graduating from TOPGUN, United States Navy Captain Pete "Maverick" Mitchell (Tom Cruise) is now a test pilot and flight instructor, responsible for training a group of Top Gun graduates for a specialized mission. Despite his numerous accolades, his consistent insubordination has prevented him from achieving flag rank. His friend and former TOPGUN rival, Admiral Tom "Iceman" Kazansky (Val Kilmer), now the commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, has frequently protected Maverick from being grounded.

Rear Admiral Chester "Hammer" Cain (Ed Harris) decides to cancel Maverick's "Darkstar" scram-jet program in favor of funding drones. Before this decision can take effect, Maverick sets a new flight plan, achieving the program's goal by flying the plane at Mach 10 speeds, thereby keeping the program alive. The prototype is ultimately destroyed when Maverick pushes the plane to Mach 10.3. Although Hammer intends to punish Maverick, Iceman intervenes once more, saving his career and reassigning him to NAS North Island for his next mission. However, he cautions Maverick that the era of manned fighter aircraft is nearing its end.

The Navy has been assigned the mission to destroy an unauthorized uranium enrichment facility located in a deep depression at the end of a canyon. This facility is protected by SA-3 Goa surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) and possibly fifth-generation Sukhoi Su-57 fighters. Maverick formulates a plan to attack using two pairs of F/A-18E/F Super Hornets. Despite his desire to fly the mission himself, Maverick's role is to train an elite group of TOPGUN graduates, preparing them in three weeks before the plant becomes operational. This team has been assembled by Vice Admiral Beau "Cyclone" Simpson (Jon Hamm), the air boss and commander of Naval Air Forces, who disapproves of Maverick's unconventional methods. To motivate his students, Maverick makes a bet: 110 push-ups for every kill during training. He emphasizes that the team is accustomed to high-altitude bombings and lacks dog-fighting experience, necessitating intensive training in close-quarters combat.

Maverick outmaneuvers his skeptical students to demonstrate that very low-altitude precision flying, rather than high-altitude attacks, is crucial. Lieutenants Jake "Hangman" Seresin (Glen Powell) and Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw (Miles Teller)-the son of Maverick's late best friend and RIO Nick "Goose" Bradshaw (Anthony Edwards)-clash frequently. Rooster dislikes Hangman's cavalier attitude, as Hangman tends to abandon his wing-man, while Hangman criticizes Rooster's overly cautious flying. During training, Rooster hesitates to take shots at Maverick, allowing him to escape. Additionally, Rooster is consistently one minute behind the mission parameter in his approach, which, in a real-life scenario, would give enemy fifth-generation fighter aircraft ample time to intercept him during his escape.

The other students include Lieutenant Natasha "Phoenix" Trace (Monica Barbaro), Lieutenant Robert "Bob" Floyd (Lewis Pullman), Lieutenant Reuben "Payback" Fitch (Jay Ellis), Lieutenant Mickey "Fanboy" Garcia (Danny Ramirez) who is Payback's F/A-18F WSO, Lieutenant Javy "Coyote" Machado (Greg Tarzan Davis), Lieutenant Billy "Fritz" Avalone (Manny Jacinto), Lieutenant Logan "Yale" Lee (Raymond Lee), Lieutenant Brigham "Harvard" Lennox (Jake Picking) who is is Yale's F/A-18F WSO, Lieutenant Neil "Omaha" Vikander (Jack Schumacher), and Lieutenant Callie "Halo" Bassett (Kara Wang).

Maverick reunites with former girlfriend Penny Benjamin (Jennifer Connelly), who is now a single mother, bar owner, and the daughter of an admiral. He confides in her that Rooster's late mother made him promise to prevent Rooster from becoming a pilot. Unaware of this promise, Rooster resents Maverick for hindering his military career and blames him for his father's death.

Maverick instructs his students to fly at an altitude of 100 feet to evade the enemy SAM batteries guarding the approach to the enrichment plant. The bombing team must then fly close to the mountain, quickly descend into the valley, and hit a target no wider than three meters. The first team is tasked with taking out the ventilation shaft, while the second team will drop a bomb into the opening to destroy the enrichment plant. After the bombing, the planes must execute a steep climb to exit the valley and escape before enemy jets can intercept them.

While teaching teamwork and convincing the students that the mission is viable, Maverick is plagued by fears that Rooster might be right about Goose's death. He is torn between not wanting to interfere further with Rooster's career and not wanting to send him on such a dangerous mission. Maverick confides his doubts to Iceman, who is battling throat cancer. Before passing away, Iceman reassures Maverick that "the Navy needs Maverick." With his protector gone, Cyclone removes Maverick as the instructor and relaxes the mission parameters, particularly the approach time to the target. These changes make the mission easier to accomplish but significantly increase the difficulty of escape. During Cyclone's announcement, Maverick makes an unauthorized flight through the training course using his preferred parameters, demonstrating that the mission can be completed as originally planned. Impressed and reluctantly convinced, Cyclone reappoints Maverick as the team leader.

Maverick decides to fly the lead F/A-18E in the strike package, providing buddy lasing for an F/A-18F piloted by Phoenix and Bob. Rooster will lead the second-strike pair, consisting of Payback and WSO Fanboy. After the four jets launch from USS Theodore Roosevelt, the guided missile cruiser USS Leyte Gulf fires Tomahawk cruise missiles to destroy the nearby air base. The team successfully destroys the plant but encounters SAMs during their escape. When Rooster runs out of countermeasures, Maverick sacrifices his jet to protect him.

Believing Maverick to be dead, the others are ordered back to the carrier. However, Rooster returns to find Maverick safely ejected but targeted by a Mi-24 gunship. After Rooster destroys the gunship, he is shot down by a SAM and ejects. The two reunite and steal an F-14 Tomcat from the destroyed air base. They manage to get airborne from a damaged airstrip but are soon discovered by the Su-57's already in the air. The Su-57 signals the F-14, but the duo does not recognize the hand gestures (as they indicate that the radio is not functioning). The Su-57s move into a strike envelope, and Rooster encourages Maverick to take them head on.

Maverick fires his guns at the first Su-57 and the uses the debris to evade the missiles fired from the second one. Maverick has the 2nd Su-57 in his sights, but the fighter implements a "cobra" maneuver and gets behind the F-14 very effortlessly. He then heads low into the valley to scramble the targeting systems of the 5th Generation fighter jet. Maverick takes a few hits from the machine gun of the Su-57, but then manages to get behind the fighter and blows it out of the sky.

Maverick and Rooster run out of ammunition and countermeasures as they head towards the carrier over sea. This is when a third Su-57 arrives. Maverick knows that he has to sacrifice himself to save Rooster. He takes the plane into a steep climb, giving time to Rooster to eject from the plane. As the Su-57 gets a missile lock, Rooster's eject system fails, and he is unable to escape. Maverick knows that he has been defeated and apologizes to Goose that he could not protect Rooster.

Just in time, Hangman arrives from standby and shoots down the Su-57 and its fired missile, allowing the planes to return safely to the carrier. Back on the carrier, Rooster and Maverick finally bury the hatchet and hug each other as the entire ship celebrates the successful completion of the mission.

Later, Maverick and Rooster work together on a P-51 Mustang. Rooster looks at a photo of their successful mission, pinned next to a photo of his late father and a young Maverick. Maverick and Penny then fly off into the sunset in the Mustang.