Top Gun: Maverick was chocked-full of mesmerizing scenes, most of which were shot practically. Audiences watched in awe as fighter jets soared through the sky in one of the most beloved sequels Hollywood has ever seen. Tom Cruise found himself as one of the movie’s heroes and one of the heroes of modern cinema as the sequel, 36 years in the making, has pulled in $1.4 billion at the global box office.
However, several fan theories began arriving following the release of Top Gun: Maverick. One of these theories would change the entire outlook of the movie, offering a more morbid perspective on the mega-hit sequel. During the opening Darkstar sequence, Maverick is able to eclipse Mach 10 speed, traveling in his hypersonic plane. Some fans believe Maverick died in this sequence, leaving the rest of the film to play out in a dream. Director Joseph Kosinski tells The Hollywood Reporter he isn’t against the idea, saying, ‘movies are meant to be interpreted in a variety of ways.’
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Is There Any Chance the Theory is True?
Paramount Pictures
It’s improbable the Darkstar death theory is true, however, there are a few reasons the idea has some credibility. First, the idea, which comes from Vulture, would certainly clear up a few illogical sequences and plot holes left within Top Gun: Maverick. For example, following Maverick’s insubordination to his commanders, the fighter pilot is essentially promoted despite disregarding direct orders.
“No, movies are meant to be interpreted in a variety of ways, and I love it when people read different meanings into it. So I love hearing that theory, and certainly, there’s a mythic kind of element to the story that I think lends itself to that sort of interpretation, based on who Maverick is and what he represents and the fact that he’s kind of going through this rite of passage at a different phase of his life. So I like that theory. Movies are things that are meant to be interpreted in your own way and based on how you see the world and the experiences that you’ve had. So I will not throw cold water on that. It’s a really cool interpretation of the story.”
In addition, Maverick and the rest of his trainees are seemingly fighting an unnamed enemy who doesn’t seem to have any direct ties to our real-world counterpart. Finally, the Darkstar sequence seemed incredibly dangerous, so much so that it’s entirely possible Maverick wouldn’t have survived, playing out the fantasy of a successful mission within a dream-like sequence. However, regardless of fan theories, audiences can enjoy Top Gun: Maverick for what it is: a massive Hollywood blockbuster that treated its characters and story with immense care.
