Chapter 334: Top Gun III
Anyways, things just ensued from there.
It's nighttime, and Maverick is in his apartment, or quarters, or what have you.
Goose shows up, and says he can't sleep. Something is clearly on his mind.
He tells Maverick that while he was excited at first, now he just hopes they graduate. Clearly tired of Maverick getting them in trouble.
He tells us a little more about Maverick's checkered family history.
Maverick wasn't let into the Naval academy because he's "Duke Mitchell's kid" and Goose knows that it's tough living with that reputation.
What reputation is that? It's unclear but with all the hints from boss Stinger, Viper, and Goose... it can't be anything good!
Goose also tells Maverick that he's nervous. He feels like every time they fly, Maverick is flying against the ghost of his father.
He's focused on the past, and not the present.
Prompting Maverick to try cleaning his act and not let his friend down.
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It would be hard press to believe that Maverick was on track to doing so though.
Because in the next few days, he scored a secret meet-up and dinner invitation from their lady instructor, Charlie.
Of course, for Charlie, it was just because she was curious about his MiG-28 run-in.
For Maverick, it was a date and another chance with the one that got away. Something about her just enamored him.
That wasn't anywhere close to cleaning his act at all.
Even during their times of playing several very competitive games of beach volleyball.
With Goose begging Maverick to stick around for one more game.
Maverick had let his buddy down since he has some things to take care of. Which was his "date" with Charlie.
Not letting his friend down, indeed.
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Berli... er... Milla's "Take My Breathe Away" sounded in the background in anticipation of the romance that Maverick was expecting.
Unfortunately, vow-breaking didn't exactly reward him.
Charlie was just on talking terms with Maverick' due to his MIG-28 experience.
Their beach house "date" was mostly on the discourse about Maverick's maverick way of flying.
Sadly, it was only their camaraderie that will develop from there. With Maverick and Charlie exploring more about his disgraced father and the ramifications it had.
It is revealed that Maverick's father disappeared in an F-4 in 1965.
The received story is that his father screwed up, which Maverick refuses to believe.
Charlie can sense that this is Maverick's big hang-up, and asks him point blank: "Is that why you're always second best up there?"
Implying that Maverick's reckless flying was an affront against his father all this while.
Maverick comments on her directness and apologizes for being late. Charlie apologizes for being direct.
"Take My Breath Away" starts playing again. Oddly enough, it wasn't feeling romantic but echoing the frustrated sentiments they both had for the blunt awkwardness that their conversation went.
Well, Maverick needs some time for reflection in his quarters after all of that.
Some sad music is playing while he pulls a photo out of his wallet.
It's his young self and his father. Maverick is sitting on his dad's shoulders, and there's a jet in the background.
Maverick is thinking about his family history again, something we know has been on his mind throughout the film.
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Anyways, if that was turbulent, the second half of the film was about how turbulent Maverick's life as a Top Gun cadet could be.
Just like what Goose had told his visiting wife along with his son... Top Gun is exhausting!
Especially so, when you're courting the pretty instructor. Something that the Bradshaw husband and wife rib on poor Maverick.
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Jets chase each other in the sky. It's another Top Gun hop.
Figures move on a screen in what looks like an old 80s video game. Viper is talking about a possible scenario.
He invites Charlie to jump in any time.
Charlie takes a sip of her drink and starts talking about the scenario. It becomes clear she's talking about Maverick's flying, and she's not saying very nice things.
Iceman perks up. Taking off his sunglasses and paid closer attention.
Charlie concedes that whatever Maverick had done did work... but that it's also an example of what not to do.
Maverick is visibly annoyed.
Another pilot leans over and says to Maverick, as "Take My Breath Away" starts playing again: "Gutsiest move I ever saw man."
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"Take My Breath Away" continues, and we see Maverick leaving the school. Charlie is in close pursuit, trying to get his attention.
Maverick gets on his motorcycle and turns it on, even as Charlie continues to try to talk to him.
She tells him her review of his flying was "right on".
Maverick says he can't hear her and zooms away.
We see him driving quickly, and then we see Charlie in her car speeding quickly as well.
Charlie almost causes an accident as she pulls up to Maverick, who has stopped along the side of the road to see what's up.
Maverick starts yelling. Charlie yells back and insists on finishing what she started to say earlier.
Her review of his flying is correct, but there's more to the story: she sees some real genius in his flying but couldn't say that during the Top Gun session.
Everybody would have seen right through here and she doesn't want anybody to know that she's fallen for him.
Finally, after numerous hints, Charlie admits that she's head over heels for Maverick.
He stares intently for a second, and then kissed her passionately.
For whatever reason, a Hollywood push-and-pull romance really encapsulates many audiences.
The reactions of other attendees aside, the weird stares that Alexander was getting from his seatmates did not bode well.
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Those feelings of romance are only amplified when Maverick along with Goose, Charlie, Carole or Goose's wife, and Goose's son are in a bar-restaurant.
Goose is playing the piano, and his son is sitting on top. Singing "Great Balls of Fire".
Maverick is at the table with Charlie and Carole (Meg Ryan), laughing and telling all the embarrassing stories about Maverick.
His trist with Penny, some admiral's daughter, and many more.
Saving himself from the embarrassment, Maverick decides to go sing with Goose for a while, leaving the ladies at the table.
Taking this chance, Carole tells Charlie that "there are hearts breaking wide open all over the world tonight."
Charlie wants to know why, so Carole makes it clear: "Because unless you are a fool, that boy is off the market. He is 100%, prime time, in love with you."
Charlie smiles. Carole jokes with Goose, and then the ladies join the fellas. They all sing their worries away.
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Anyways, if that wasn't romantic enough.
The real version of "Great Balls of Fire" is playing as the bar gives way to dusk.
Maverick and Charlie head out on Maverick's motorcycle, racing by.
Then, we see them stopped, near a big ship.
They're kissing, and Charlie repeats what Goose's wife told him during the previous scene: "Maverick, you big stud, take me to bed or lose me forever."
With that, they continued making out, "Danger Zone" plays in the background instead of the usual "Take My Breathe Away".
No doubt, in reference to the Danger Zone that the lovestruck due are about to head to.
Of course, with Alexander's intervention, any semblance of that harrowing sex scene was non-existent.
However, that didn't mean that it can't be implied. Old Sullivan and Cameron's editing sure made the un-filmed scenes seem more steamy than if it had been.
Matching the skills of a supposed porn producer and the Titanic love scene master was truly something else.
In any case, Alexander could somewhat feel how the sideglances he was getting from his sides got weirder. As if they even knew what was being implied.
He adamantly just stuck his attention to the film being screened though.
Out of sight. Out of mind. Very handy for the situation he's stuck in.