Top Gun: Maverick movie plot	Propp’s folktale functions
Over three decades after his time at TOPGUN, Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell is serving as a U.S. Navy test pilot, as he is intentionally avoiding a promotion in order to continue flying aircraft.	1. ABSENTATION: A member of the hero’s community or family leaves the security of the home environment. This may be the hero themselves, or some other relation that the hero must later rescue. This division of the cohesive family injects initial tension into the storyline. This may serve as the hero’s introduction, typically portraying them as an ordinary person.
One day Rear Admiral Chester “Hammer” Cain approaches to shut down the hypersonic “Darkstar” scramjet program and redirect the funds to drone programs,	2. INTERDICTION: A forbidding edict or command is passed upon the hero (‘don’t go there’, ‘don’t do this’). The hero is warned against some action.
Maverick flies the prototype to its speed objective, then pushes further into high-hypersonic speed, destroying it.	3. VIOLATION of INTERDICTION. The prior rule is violated. Therefore, the hero did not listen to the command or forbidding edict. Whether committed by the Hero by accident or temper, a third party or a foe, this generally leads to negative consequences. The villain enters the story via this event, although not necessarily confronting the hero. They may be a lurking and manipulative presence, or might act against the hero’s family in his absence.
Cain wants to ground Maverick for his recklessness but instead sends him to NAS North Island as a TOPGUN instructor under the orders of Maverick’s friend and former rival, Admiral Tom “Iceman” Kazansky, the commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.	4. RECONNAISSANCE: The villain makes an effort to attain knowledge needed to fulfill their plot. Disguises are often invoked as the villain actively probes for information, perhaps for a valuable item or to abduct someone. They may speak with a family member who innocently divulges a crucial insight. The villain may also seek out the hero in their reconnaissance, perhaps to gauge their strengths in response to learning of their special nature.
Maverick is ordered to train an elite group of F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aviators assembled by Vice Admiral Beau “Cyclone” Simpson and Rear Admiral Solomon “Warlock” Bates for an urgent mission: to bomb a foreign country’s unsanctioned uranium enrichment plant.	8. VILLAINY or LACKING: The villain harms a family member, including but not limited to abduction, theft, spoiling crops, plundering, banishment or expulsion of one or more protagonists, murder, threatening a forced marriage, inflicting nightly torments and so on. Simultaneously or alternatively, a protagonist finds they desire or require something lacking from the home environment (potion, artifact, etc.). The villain may still be indirectly involved, perhaps fooling the family member into believing they need such an item.
The plant sits in a deep depression at the end of a canyon and is defended by surface-to-air missiles and fifth-generation Su-57 fighters operating from a nearby air base.	9. MEDIATION: One or more of the negative factors covered above comes to the attention of the Hero, who uncovers the deceit/perceives the lacking/learns of the villainous acts that have transpired.
Maverick plans an attack with two pairs of Super Hornets, which will fly through a canyon and destroy the plant. The aviators initially rebuff Maverick, particularly Lieutenant Jake “Hangman” Seresin and Lieutenant Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw, the son of Maverick’s late best friend and RIO Nick “Goose” Bradshaw.	10. BEGINNING COUNTERACTION: The hero considers ways to resolve the issues, by seeking a needed magical item, rescuing those who are captured or otherwise thwarting the villain. This is a defining moment for the hero, one that shapes their further actions and marks the point when they begin to fit their noble mantle.
As the aviators train for the mission, friction develops between Hangman and Rooster, who resents Hangman’s cavalier attitude towards his wingmen, while Hangman criticizes Rooster’s caution. As the aviators observe Maverick, they reassess and coalesce around him. Maverick also reunites with former girlfriend Penny Benjamin, to whom he reveals that Rooster’s now-dead mother made him promise to keep her son from flying, and blocked Rooster’s application to the Naval Academy, setting back his career. Maverick later meets with Iceman, who has throat cancer and primarily communicates by typing on a computer. Reassuring Maverick about teaching the team, he passes away days later, and Maverick along with the aviators attend his funeral where a missing man formation is observed. With Iceman dead, Cyclone removes Maverick as mission trainer and sets new parameters that are less risky on approach but riskier on exit.	2. INTERDICTION: A forbidding edict or command is passed upon the hero (‘don’t go there’, ‘don’t do this’). The hero is warned against some action.
However, Maverick makes an unauthorized flight of the simulated course with the original parameters,	3. VIOLATION of INTERDICTION. The prior rule is violated. Therefore, the hero did not listen to the command or forbidding edict. Whether committed by the Hero by accident or temper, a third party or a foe, this generally leads to negative consequences. The villain enters the story via this event, although not necessarily confronting the hero. They may be a lurking and manipulative presence, or might act against the hero’s family in his absence.
proving that it could be done. Cyclone is convinced and reluctantly appoints Maverick as strike leader.	4. RECONNAISSANCE: The villain makes an effort to attain knowledge needed to fulfill their plot. Disguises are often invoked as the villain actively probes for information, perhaps for a valuable item or to abduct someone. They may speak with a family member who innocently divulges a crucial insight. The villain may also seek out the hero in their reconnaissance, perhaps to gauge their strengths in response to learning of their special nature.
Maverick chooses the mission team and pairs himself with Phoenix and her WSO Bob, while Rooster is paired with Payback and his WSO Fanboy. Hangman and the remaining aviators are put on standby. The team launches from the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt while the guided missile cruiser USS Leyte Gulf fires Tomahawk cruise missiles to destroy the air base near the plant. However, they are aware of two Su-57 fighters approaching their range which are detected by an E-2 Hawkeye. The team reaches the plant and destroys it, but are attacked by surface-to-air missiles.	11. DEPARTURE: The hero leaves the home environment, this time with a sense of purpose. Here begins their adventure.
When Rooster runs out of countermeasures, Maverick sacrifices his jet to protect him and ejects. Believing Maverick to be killed in action, the remaining aircraft return to the carrier moments before the Su-57’s can intercept them. Against orders, Rooster turns back and saves Maverick from an Mi-24 helicopter gunship, but is shot down by another surface-to-air missile and ejects nearby.	12. FIRST FUNCTION OF THE DONOR: The hero encounters a magical agent or helper (donor) on their path, and is tested in some manner through interrogation, combat, puzzles or more.
The two reunite and head towards the destroyed airbase, where they steal an F-14 Tomcat and head back to the carrier. Maverick and Rooster shoot down two intercepting Su-57s,	13. HERO’S REACTION: The hero responds to the actions of their future donor; perhaps withstanding the rigours of a test and/or failing in some manner, freeing a captive, reconciles disputing parties or otherwise performing good services. This may also be the first time the hero comes to understand the villain’s skills and powers, and uses them for good.
but a third arrives as they run out of ammunition and countermeasures.	16. STRUGGLE: The hero and villain meet and engage in conflict directly, either in battle or some nature of contest.
Hangman arrives from standby to shoot down the Su-57	18. VICTORY: The villain is defeated by the hero – killed in combat, outperformed in a contest, struck when vulnerable, banished, and so on. 19. LIQUIDATION: The earlier misfortunes or issues of the story are resolved; objects of search are distributed, spells broken, captives freed
and the planes return to cheers on the carrier, where Maverick and Rooster reconcile.	20. RETURN: The hero travels back to their home.
Sometime after the mission, Maverick and Rooster work together on a P-51 Mustang at a hangar near the test facility where Maverick was previously stationed. Penny arrives with her daughter Amelia, and Maverick takes her for a ride in the P-51. Rooster walks to a photo board and acknowledges a photo of their mission’s success, alongside a photo of his late father and a young Maverick.	27. RECOGNITION: The hero is given due recognition – usually by means of their prior branding. 31. WEDDING: The hero marries and is rewarded or promoted by the family or community, typically ascending to a throne.