How we cite our quotes: All quotations are from Top Gun.
Quote #1
VIPER: You think your name is gonna be on that plaque?
MAVERICK: Yes sir.
Maverick bursts out of the gun with an immensely competitive attitude. In a classroom full of A-list pilots, he basically says: "I'm gonna win guys." Viper even calls him arrogant as a result, and he loves it that Maverick is arrogant.
Quote #2
VIPER: Gentlemen this school is about combat. There are no points for second place.
There is only one place at Top Gun, and that's first. How much more competitive could it be? The competitive ethos of Top Gun is simple: you either win the trophy, or you join the hundreds of others in the also-rans category.