Goose’s Son Rooster Teased in the New Top Gun: Maverick

Top Gun: Maverick just came out, and fans can’t stop raving about it. The high-flying fighter jet action scenes, the emotional context set by the story, the performances, and a whole lot more make up for a perfect film that will blow you away.

When the sequel was announced, people wondered which of the original characters would reprise their roles. One such character was Nick ‘Goose’ Bradshaw. After the events of Top Gun, people wondered if Anthony Edwards would be back to play the role. Well, we’ve got some news.

Goose does not appear in Top Gun: Maverick after his death in Top Gun. Instead, we see his son Bradley ‘Rooster’ Bradshaw as part of the special assignment that the best of the best pilots are embarking on.

Top Gun: Maverick is a sequel set 30 years after the events of Top Gun. In the first film, Goose died after he and Maverick are ejected from the jet. While Maverick survived and was rescued from the ocean, Goose went headfirst into the F-14 jet’s canopy and died on the spot.

So, Goose is not present in the new film. We do see him in a couple of frames, in a photo where Maverick and Goose are standing together arm-in-arm. However, we do see Rooster in action. Rooster is Goose’s son, and like him, he is an incredible fighter pilot.

In Top Gun: Maverick, Pete has been selected by Admiral Cyclone for a special mission that seems impossible. Maverick still feels guilty about Goose’s death even after 30 years. As a result, he had even blocked his son Rooster’s career growth. To Maverick, it seemed like his best friend’s kid wasn’t ready.

Rooster knows about this, and there’s tension between the two. On one hand, there’s Maverick, who doesn’t want anyone else to die, let alone his best friend’s son. But, on the other hand, Rooster wants to prove himself and be the best out there.

This dynamic plays out really well and perfectly contrasts the relationship Goose and Maverick shared. So, even if Goose isn’t with us anymore, there’s Rooster who takes his place. The events of the climax also poetically establish this, and we see a similar bond form between the two pilots.

Top Gun: Maverick has released near your theatres, and you should definitely watch this adrenaline-inducing action flick. The movie truly pushes the boundaries of airborne stunts depicting authentic fighter jets, and you shouldn’t miss it.

About Top Gun: Maverick

Top Gun: Maverick is a Paramount film (and sequel) starring Tom Cruise who reprises his role as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell from the 1986 Top Gun. It is directed by Joseph Kosinski, with a screenplay by Ehren Kruger, Eric Warren Singer, and Christopher McQuarrie and a story by Peter Craig and Justin Marks.

Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Glen Powell, Lewis Pullman, Ed Harris, and Val Kilmer are part of the cast.

The film sees Maverick’s return to the US Navy pilots as he trains a new squad of aviators, preparing them for a dangerous mission. Upon release, the movie was a massive success and became the highest grossing film of Tom Cruise so far.