It's a common idea that a film’s protagonist should be flawed and that they should undergo character development through which they overcome those flaws. So, it makes sense that naval aviator Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) would be the protagonist of Top Gun; despite his skill as a pilot, he has the most to learn out of all his peers. He and his best friend Nick “Goose” Bradshaw (Anthony Edwards) are sent by their commanding officer to attend TOPGUN, an elite Naval Fighters Weapons School for the best pilots in the navy. At the school, his rival is top student Tom “Iceman” Kazansky (Val Kilmer). Top Gun paints Iceman as an antagonist in Maverick’s story, and at the end of the film, it is Maverick who saves the day and gets all the glory. And yet Iceman is just as essential to the success of this final mission for which Maverick gets all this acclaim. Iceman, whose unmatched skill as a pilot can only be surpassed by his common sense and concern for his teammates, not only receives no credit for his heroism but is painted as an enemy by Top Gun’s plot. Compared to Maverick, Iceman is the more heroic individual, more admirable both as a pilot and as a character.

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Iceman Is More Level-Headed Than Maverick

Though Maverick is also an excellent pilot, he is rightly criticized for being reckless and for flying as though he has something to prove. Meanwhile, Iceman is not only skilled; he is a cool, collected, teammate whom others can trust in the heat of battle. Maverick is talented, but he's not a team player: while his classmates admire his flying, they don't feel that they can trust him in a combat situation. Maverick does little to disprove this when, during a training flight, he leaves his wingman to chase his commanding officer, Viper's (Tom Skerritt), plane. The value of teamwork is shown when Viper maneuvers Maverick into a position in which Viper's wingman can shoot Maverick. Learning to be a team player is all part of Maverick’s arc as a character, and the film does not deny this weakness of his, instead making it part of his growth to overcome these flaws.

Top-Gun-Val-Kilmer-as-Iceman copy
Image Via Paramount

When Maverick does undergo his requisite character development, his personal growth is largely due to the fact that he becomes more like Iceman: During the final conflict, he stops himself from allowing his emotions to dictate his actions and becomes Iceman’s wingman when his first wingman is shot down. It would be one thing if Maverick acknowledged that part of his rivalry with Iceman was the knowledge that he actually did have something to learn from him. After all, we often resent people who highlight our greatest weaknesses–especially if they’re right about what those weaknesses are. However, the film never acknowledges any such feeling on Maverick’s part; instead, Iceman continues to be a competitor until Maverick rescues him in the end. When Maverick achieves those traits, he’s a hero; however, Iceman, who had them all along, is supposedly a bully.

Iceman's Resentment Towards Maverick Is Justified

Rather than being about who’s more skilled, Iceman’s beef with Maverick is that he poses a threat to his fellow pilots. From their first meeting, Iceman is rightly wary of both Maverick’s tendency to leave others in the dust and of his presence at TOPGUN after the spot was supposed to go to Maverick’s former wingman Cougar (John Stockwell)–a good friend of Iceman's in flight school. And to be honest, these two things in tandem are fairly suspicious. Tellingly, Iceman almost immediately brings up his regret over Cougar during their first conversation, additionally saying that he hears Maverick likes to work alone. In a class, Maverick brags about being in a 4G inverted dive with a MiG-28 plane. Afterward, Iceman tells Maverick “I’m curious… Who was covering Cougar while you were showboating with this MiG?” In light of the fact that Cougar turned in his wings after the mission, with the result that Maverick (however unwittingly) got his place in TOPGUN, Maverick’s response to Iceman that “Cougar was doing just fine” rings false.

The implausibility of this reply confirms Iceman’s concerns from the very beginning that Maverick is dangerous to his fellow pilots. It doesn’t help that, on the training hop immediately after, Maverick breaks the rules. Iceman voices his concerns to Maverick directly: “Every time you go up into the air you’re insane. I don’t like you because you’re dangerous.” And of course, Iceman's concerns only become more valid during the hop in which Maverick leaves his wingman to chase Viper. Maverick, on the other hand, is always arrogant and dismissive of these very reasonable concerns. “That’s right, Iceman. I am dangerous,” he says proudly. He doesn’t seem to realize that the problem his fellow pilot has is a very pragmatic one: quite simply, will he do more harm than good in a combat situation?

Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer in Top Gun
Image via Paramount Pictures

After Maverick abandons his wingman, Iceman tells him “the enemy’s dangerous, but right now you’re worse than the enemy… You may not like the guys flying with you, they may not like you, but whose side are you on?” When the students enter real-life combat after graduation, Ice voices his doubts about whether it’s wise for Maverick to go up into the air. This is supposed to be yet another moment in which Iceman tries to supposedly keep Maverick from greatness – except that, clearly, he’s right to be concerned.

Iceman Understands His Responsibility

This attitude is not a competitive one. Instead, it shows consideration and a deep-seated sense of responsibility. Yes, it’s true he also asks Maverick if he’s figured out who the best pilot is. But why not? They’re all competing against one another. And if Iceman thinks he’s the best, he certainly has reason enough to. Ultimately, it is Maverick who treats Iceman with animosity because of their competition. Maybe being calm and responsible isn’t as fun as being in a 4G inverted dive with a MiG-28, goofing off in class, and getting it on with your instructor. But it’s what makes a good pilot, and a good person. Additionally, the very moment that Maverick shows just the smallest amount of growth and consideration for others, Iceman welcomes his friendship literally with open arms.

In class, Maverick outshines his peers with his arrogance. And what is he arrogant about? The very things that make him a liability to his fellow pilots: He takes unnecessary risks and doesn’t care about the rules. He’s defensive of his mistakes; when reprimanded, he claims “there’s no time to think up there," a totally nonsensical response when we have seen, from the many flight sequences, how much the pilots strategize while they’re in the air. Finally, disapproving of Maverick doesn’t keep Iceman from sympathizing with or respecting him. When Goose dies, Ice sees how pained Maverick is; he extends his condolences, then leaves him alone. When he approaches his superior officer about whether Maverick should be going into combat with everyone else, he does it discreetly, after the briefing, rather than speaking up in front of everyone as Maverick tends to. And when his superior officer dismisses him, he doesn’t press the issue.

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Image Via Paramount

Iceman Is Undoubtedly the Best Pilot

When Maverick deserves it, Iceman is willing to give him credit, and he is grateful for his help when he loses his wingman during the final battle sequence. After that sequence, Maverick is presented as the hero of the hour. Never mind that Iceman led the charge against the enemy MiGs, or that Maverick started retreating when a hairy situation reminded him of Goose’s death. Yes, when Maverick finally pulls himself together and refuses to leave Iceman without a wingman, it is a turning point in the battle, as Iceman is no longer as badly outnumbered. But Ice was fighting this whole time, while Maverick just got there and had to overcome a whole existential crisis before he could be useful. He shoots down three enemy MiGs, and Iceman shoots down one more, causing the rest of them to retreat. But man, it was a close one, and Maverick very nearly left Ice to die.

Maverick’s glory is essentially a “most improved player” award in a world in which there is no prize for overall excellence. Yes, there’s the TOPGUN trophy; but clearly in the context of the film, that ultimately isn’t significant. If Top Gun were a better-written movie, Maverick would notice that it was his own fragile ego and overblown self-importance that was making him see Iceman as his enemy. He would admit, perhaps, that he had much to learn from this admirable pilot and didn’t want to admit it; in fact, his ability to admit it could even have been part of his character growth. In the end, Ice finally admires Maverick, but when did Maverick ever admire Iceman? I can see why a reckless daredevil with a lot to prove may seem like a more exciting protagonist than a cool, collected paragon of excellence. But when the two men are so far apart in caliber, making this paragon of excellence the villain only reflects badly on the daredevil. Ultimately, Iceman is the most heroic character in Top Gun, and other characters become more heroic by being more like him. Maybe being an instructor at TOPGUN will keep Maverick from being a menace in the skies. But bottom line: Iceman deserved better.

Val Kilmer as Iceman in Top Gun Maverick
Image via Paramount Pictures

'Top Gun: Maverick' Finally Gives Iceman the Recognition He Deserves

Thankfully, Iceman got the respect he deserved in Top Gun: Maverick. The original film was caught up in being an 80s action movie, with fast jets, romance, a cool soundtrack, and the need to fall into the 80s trope of having a cool good guy and a jerk villain. It was The Karate Kid, but in the sky. Had it been made now, all of those stereotypes could have been limited and who Maverick and Iceman were as people would be more clear, without requiring dissection. The sequel understands this, and it’s not just because everyone loves Kilmer and the actor is battling physical problems in reality. The character earns that respect from a past that Maverick now acknowledges, not from the fact that he’s dying. Iceman is in the place of power and respect without being cocky, while Maverick is the one who couldn’t grow up and let go. It’s Iceman who gives advice and calms Maverick and sends him in the right direction. It’s Iceman who is taking care of Maverick all of these years later, even when he should be focused solely on taking care of himself. It’s just a shame that it took 26 years for the films to get it right.