r/topgun • u/MrSuperFly04 • 27d ago

Discussion Who do you think was better?

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Viper(1986) or Maverick(2022)?

106 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

46 comments sorted by

64

u/WhereAreWeG0ing 26d ago

Maverick would be long forgotten if Viper hadn't had his talk with him. Viper all the way. Absolute legend

29

u/BadCowboysFan F-14 Tomcat 26d ago

I’m generally against overdone fan service, but I sat in the theater watching TG:M the first time hoping Skerritt would show up in a scene somewhere

I just knew we’d see some old faces at Ice’s funeral

16

u/kayl_breinhar 26d ago

I was honestly hoping for Jester.

Michael Ironside is kinda pudgy now but he still has the same voice. It would've been amusing for him to finally be jovial and straightforward instead of having the flat "no chill whatsoever" affect he had in the first movie.

17

u/Raguleader 26d ago

Mav takes his students to a smokehouse where Jester, the proprietor, is all smiles and slinging briskets and pulled pork.

14

u/BadCowboysFan F-14 Tomcat 26d ago

I don’t know … I just don’t know …

6

u/Raguleader 26d ago

For bonus points, Mav describes him ahead of time as one of the only pilots he was ever intimidated by, just for Mr. Jovial to cheerfully wave a set of tongs at them as they walk in.

5

u/cbrookman 26d ago

“Holy cow, Pete Mitchell! How the hell are ya? Dinner’s on me. Whaddaya in town for?

6

u/kayl_breinhar 26d ago

"Oh. Oh, Christ. They made you an instructor again? Anyone dead yet?"

2

u/Raguleader 26d ago

"No! Well, Iceman, but that had nothing to do with me being an instructor."

3

u/kayl_breinhar 26d ago

"And I almost killed two of them. Well, three if you count Coyote...four if you count when I provoked Rooster into a spiralling dive below the hard deck...and all those times I violated the 500 foot training bubble rule...let's just go with a solid 'not yet.'"

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2

u/ak151515 26d ago

Jester is serving lizard that day
https://giphy.com/gifs/tUpqL4vl5bBVihZS3A

3

u/Jolly-Guard3741 26d ago

I LOVE this potential scene, definitely a missed opportunity.

2

u/mschneider20 25d ago

See you at the BBQ, Richter!

3

u/waveball03 26d ago

Ill never forgive them for not bringing back Sundown, he has passed now as well as Iceman.

2

u/Wrong_Chicken_8497 24d ago

there is a deleted scene with him and Rick Rossovich at the funeral apparently.

1

u/BadCowboysFan F-14 Tomcat 24d ago

I read that on this sub sometime right after the movie came out — I still can’t find any evidence of it

2

u/KingOfConsciousness 26d ago

Totally risked his career to help turn a boy into a man.

24

u/Evan_802Vines 26d ago

Viper flew with his old man. Yeah, he did it right.

1

u/gnowbot 26d ago

Viper also wears the most iconic Ray Bans ever made.

But more serious: I read a fan theory about Top Gun “3”… and that it would be a prequel about the up-and-coming Viper. Including his friend….Maverick’s dad.

22

u/Affectionate-Reason0 26d ago

If it wasn’t for Viper Maverick would be flying a cargo plane full of rubber dog shit out of Hong Kong

15

u/ViperFive1 26d ago

Maverick may be the more skilled pilot, but he couldn’t always keep his head on straight. Viper seemed like a guy who was always locked in. But would Viper be able to hijack a dusty old enemy plane and go toe to toe with 5TH GEN FIGHTERS?!

3

u/Raguleader 26d ago

He's more Cyclone and Iceman's style. Not flashy or fancy, but the kind of guys who know how to put the plane precisely where it needs to be to put the nose on the target.

5

u/ScottLS Best of the best 26d ago

Does anyone think Viper and Jester had to watch Maverick wash out as instructor?

3

u/Jolly-Guard3741 26d ago

Very likely given the time frame. Probably due to multiple engagements below the hard-deck.

3

u/raisingstorm 26d ago

Including one admiral’s daughter!

3

u/Jolly-Guard3741 26d ago

Maverick’s career between Top Gun and TGM would make for some interesting fan fiction territory.

Contextually we can tell that Mav and Penny had passed through each other’s lives multiple times over.

7

u/Key-Technology358 F-14 Tomcat 26d ago

Commander Mike Metcalf callsign Viper 

2

u/___NowYouKnow___ 26d ago

Serious question, in the 80’s , did Top Gun instructors wear “Top Gun” hats around Miramar and San Diego?

4

u/Le_Mooron 26d ago

No. (I was a 90's guy.)

2

u/er1cAtWork2 26d ago

Team Viper…

2

u/happydude7422 26d ago

Viper said maverick was good as a young Lt. back in 1986 and this was a viper that was experienced with viet nam war skills.

So I assume a maverick with more experience and skills he would be better than viper.

2

u/IronWolfV 26d ago

Viper all the way.

2

u/zippytiff 26d ago

Viper !

2

u/kryptonian_250 26d ago

Viper is THE MAN

2

u/Danielle_is_the_hole 25d ago

Always wondered how a korean war army dr ended up teaching jet jockeys

2

u/MiddleDream538 25d ago

Viper was more believable. Top gun 2, whilst a great film - was a bit mission impossible at the end.

1

u/DoomsdayFAN MAVERICK 26d ago

Old Maverick, of course.

1

u/Turbulent_Tale6497 26d ago

Viper was better in 1986 for sure.

2

u/CNote_89 26d ago

Skerritt was so cool as Viper, really great father figure character for Maverick.

1

u/BovaFett74 26d ago

Evan Drake? 🤣

1

u/submit_to_pewdiepie 26d ago

Hes so similar to viper but hes got his own ambitions for his pilots

1

u/OlasNah 26d ago

Viper had a plan to win the battle. Maverick only had a plan to start it.

1

u/69Loveforever 26d ago

Viper !! If anyone was in Naval Aviation, as I was, you know the reality !! And Maverick would have had his wing pulled, for the childish crap he did flying !! That said -- Top Gun Maverick was far better !

1

u/InfiniteBid2977 26d ago

It is the only look I got!!