A Bradley Uppercrust lll blog

This is the final part. Part 1,2,3,4,5 and 6 will give better context but here ya go :)

Similar insecurity 

When it comes to Max and Bradley as character’s , they both seem quite different on the surface due to their different backgrounds , reputations and personal choices. 

But one fundamental thing they do share in common with each other is their desire to be valued. 

When you compare the two , Max Is a nobody trying to be a somebody. Someone who is trying to find his own worth to other people.

He thinks he has to stand out and do something great to be noticed/accepted and that being rich and famous will let him be valued by other people. Hence why Max seeks out external validation. 

Bradley on the other hand is a somebody trying not to be a nobody , who wants to maintain his worth and stay relevant. 

He thinks that being the best and having high status will keep himself being valued by others as it’s the only way he has known to be loved. Hence why Bradley believes his sense of worth comes from his status. 

So despite having different life experiences to one another , they both have issues based on their self worth. It's pretty poetic really.

And despite them being rivals , it just goes to show that you may have more in common with your arch rival than you think as their both the closest the other will have to someone understanding how the other feels when it comes to them both wanting to be valued.

Both want what the other has

Seeing each other in AEGM

When Max and Bradley both see each other , it’s not a coincidence that they both see each other outside of the frat house on two separate occasions.

This is because they both get scenes dedicated to themselves where they witness the other experience what they truly want. 

When Max first see’s Bradley for the first time in person , Bradley has everything that Max wants. He is receiving external validation, his a College X games winner , his being rich and famous and not being seen as inferior to anyone else. His basically living the life that Max wants to have. 

When Bradley see’s Max for the first time in person , it's a similar situation.

As Bradley watches him, Max is shown to be super talented as a skateboarder and is truly the best athlete on campus, something Bradley truly wants to be seen as. Max is also expressing himself freely without any restrictions or limitations and is simply living in the moment.

On a subjective level  , these scenes show that Bradley is adored by everyone but stays in place, restricted and confined to this life of status.

Whereas Max is able to go into any direction he wants and is shown skateboarding freely into the distance as he has more freedom than Bradley does. 

Why would Max envy Bradley?  

Bradley was born into the very top of high society and comes from a very wealthy family. He also gets a lot of admiration and attention for being born a somebody.

Max as we know didn’t grow up rich , grew up unpopular and didn’t get the best of everything.

He also had to come up with ways to get people to notice him positively and would do anything he could set his mind to so he could become famous.

Max would therefore see Bradley's life as better in comparison and could probably believe that Bradley is spoilt and has had everything handed to him without no hard work, which isnt the case.

Why would Bradley envy Max? 

Other than being a more talented skateboarder than Bradley, Max has a father who shows him unconditional love and has people in his life that like him for who he is .

Max also gets a lot of freedom and didn’t grow up with high expectations and conditions.  

Bradley on the other hand doesn't have this. He grew up in a society and family that demanded a lot from him and he is loved by others based on his status and for meeting certain conditions to be the best.  

If he wasn’t Bradley Uppercrust the Third , Gamma president or the College X game King , he wouldn’t garner so much attention for himself. And Bradley having the opposite kind of relationship with his dad would make him envy Max even more. 

Aftermath of the College X games.

Since the College X games , both Max and Bradley would probably have gained life lessons from the experience. 

Max

Max learned not to let his own ambition get in the way of his relationship with his father. But what we don't know is how winning in the College X games affected Max going forward in his life at College. 

He was seen to be happy and bashful when he won in the College X games and I think it would be safe to assume that he would gain popularity from winning , just like Max set out to do since the beginning of the movie. 

But it’s up to debate on whether or not Max is still going to try to become rich and famous in the future and still seek out External validation. 

Would Max be even more self conscious and aware of the fact that everyone at college suddenly likes him more because he won the College X games or would he not care as long as he is receiving positive attention? We just don't know for sure.

Bradley

With Bradley , he knows he messed up big time with Tank and realized too late the extent of his actions. But because of the extent of his actions, he had to learn the hard way that he needed to change.

Ultimately , Bradley would be facing way too many repercussions from the College X games to not have some introspection or want things to change for the better.  

At the College X games he got a black eye , lost a tooth , got slingshot into a blimp where he probably got injured like the other competitors , lost his winning streak , lost his position as the Gamma Mu Mu president , and was shown as the culprit behind the fire in front of not just everyone in the stadium but by everyone watching on Tv. 

And after the X games he's going to have to pay for the damages , deal with Chuck the Tv presenter and the cameraman as they were still inside of the blimp when he was thrown into it , will have to face the Gamma’s again , won’t be as popular with everyone when he goes back to College and most importantly he will have to deal with his father who will not be happy by their families sudden bad reputation. 

So Bradley has too much going on for him to just ignore or deflect from his problems. He's going to have to confront the aftermath head on and really reflect on everything that he's dealing with.

If things aren't working out for him then Bradley isn't the type of character to just do nothing. He will want to do something about it so he can make things better for himself. So if making amends, taking accountability and thinking of others more is what it takes , then so be it. 

Before he had no good reason to change or question himself  , but what happened at the X games was the catalyst for change and the status quo is different than it was before.

In a way , the whole situation is a blessing in disguise for Bradley as if he kept going down the path he kept walking on , then things could have got a lot worse and its given him the chance to have clarity.

But at the end of the day it’s up to Bradley to choose what path he wants to go down going forward. 

Potential 

I think whether or not you like Max and Bradley platonically or romantically , I think them becoming friends would actually be a very good idea. 

Bradley needs people who don’t use him for his status , wont be enablers towards him and would encourage him to get out of his comfort zone.

So if he became a part of Max’s friendship group , status wouldn’t be a factor as to why Bradley is their friend and they will certainly put their foot down if they think Bradley is making a mistake or is spiralling.

They can also teach Bradley to loosen up a bit and to do things he normally wouldn't do.

So being friends with Max and his friends would essentially allow Bradley to have real human connections and to express himself more freely with no high expectations.  

With Max , it would be good for him to have someone who challenges him. Bradley can also be someone who questions Max's plans and authority, as PJ and Bobby will usually go with the flow with whatever Max says.

Bradley may even be able to encourage Max to have more back up plans in case his plans don’t always work out the way Max intended.

And due to Bradley’s business like mentality, he can help Max be more pragmatic and give him business strategies to help Max be successful in whatever career Max wants in the future.

Max and Bradley can also teach each other valuable lessons that tie in with both of their insecurities. 

Max to Bradley 

From Max’s perspective he has only seen the advantages that people gain from being rich and famous but Bradley can show Max the down sides to being rich and famous such as 

only being loved for your status and wealth  

Exploitation from others  

stalkers and kidnappers 

trying to always stay relevant and be on top 

Constant scrutiny 

Lack of privacy 

Pressure to maintain a certain image 

As in, the grass isn’t always greener. It would then allow Max to question if being famous is really what he wants.

And with Bradley being in the upper class , he can show Max how he has lived a life full of  restrictions , high expectations and conditions.

Bradley can also compare his relationships to Max’s and make Max appreciate his dad more and the life that he has been given even if he grew up unpopular. 

Bradley to Max

From Bradley’s perspective , becoming a nobody would be the worst thing to happen as all he knows is that you need status to be loved. 

But Max can show him that if you're a nobody then you can be anybody that you want to be and could encourage Bradley to have more freedom and question the values he's been brought up with. 

He can also teach Bradley to explore passions without needing to be the best or to only pursue things for academic purposes.

For example If Bradley liked to paint , do photography, cook or let's say figure skate, then Max can encourage him to pursue those things just for their own enjoyment and not for status. 

BONUS 

When I decided to make this Max and Bradley comparison series , it was with the intent of just exploring what similarities they shared when it came to their insecurities.

But just as an added bonus , I'll make some brief points about what they share in common in general. 

They are both witty and both share an Ego. It’s what makes their back and forth dynamic so entertaining to watch. 

Both got anger issues. Max has pent up frustration whereas Bradley tries to keep his anger in to handle things he can't control until he explodes.  

Both take leadership roles in their own social groups and are the ones coming up with the plans/strategy's  

Both like skateboarding and a ray of sports. 

Conclusion

So that’s pretty much the end for this analysis series.

In Part 6 we are going to explore an insecurity that Bradley may have as a character which is his sense of worth. I would strongly recommend reading part 4 and 5 to get a better picture of Bradley’s character but regardless , here’s Part 6. 

Bradley’s association of being with the best. 

Bradley Having a Royal Title 

In AEGM there are three occasions where Bradley’s royal title is spoken of in his presence. On all three occasions Bradley is shown to look prideful when “The third” is mentioned in association with his name.  

When introducing himself as Bradley Uppercrust the Third , he turns and faces away from Max with a prideful smile when addressing himself as “The third”

Bradley raises his head upward more when Chuck the TV presenter says “The third” when mentioning Bradley’s name at the qualifying rounds. 

During Bradley’s introduction on TV at the X games, Bradley smiles with a raised eyebrow while raising his head and chest higher when Chuck says “The third”

This shows that Bradley takes great pride in his royal title and that having “The Third” in his name is what gives him that sense of pride. 

So on first glance , Bradley seems to think quite highly of himself but in reality , it’s his association with royalty that he is prideful about , not himself as a person.

Being on the winning team.  

It’s stated in the movie that the Gamma’s have won every College X game competition for 5 years since the beginning of the competition. The movie doesn't say however that Bradley himself has won 5 times , only that the Gamma’s have. 

But regardless of when Bradley did join the Gamma’s, he ended up being the one who would cross the finishing line first and became known as “the College X game King”. 

But despite Bradley’s winning reputation at the College X games , Bradley never brags or compliments himself for this accomplishment nor does he claim that he is the best athlete.

He only refers to the Gamma’s reputation for being the best and not himself.  

“Max. We have won every College X games competition since the Beginning”-Bradley To Max 

“The uh Gamma’s , the number one team in the history of the College X games, have an opening on our team. And it has got your name on it buddy. Be a winner. Join us.”- Bradley to Goofy 

When Bradley is trying to persuade Goofy to join the Gamma’s , Bradley looks prideful of the fact that the Gamma’s are the number one team in the College X games.

This is because he has helped the Gamma’s maintain this reputation but also because Bradley feels validated for being a part of a team which is the best. 

Again , like his royal title , it’s his association with being with the best that gives him a sense of pride and worth. 

Being a Gamma

-Bradley sticking with the group  

Bradley isn’t seen hanging around with male classmates who aren't a Gamma and in class Bradley is seen only sitting with the Gamma’s. ( Max and girls being the only exception) 

-Gamma Mu Mu Fraternity

When trying to persuade Max to join the Gamma’s, he gives Max a ecstatic happy expression when he mentions that Max will be able to join the Gamma Mu Mu Fraternity. The best frat house on campus. 

-Gamma Mu Mu Pledge Pin

While giving Goofy his Gamma Mu Mu Pledge Pin , Bradley is professional while giving it to him but looks prideful about the pin.

-Gamma Material 

Bradley sees people being Gamma material as a sign that they're the best. 

“Hey easy big fella. That new meat looks like Gamma Material. Let’s check him out.”- Bradley to Tank

“He didn't make the cut. You see , he was never Gamma material.” - Bradley to Max

So being a Gamma and being around the Gammas also gives Bradley a sense of worth as once again he is being associated with the best, even if he still thinks that they have to cheat to win.

Bradley and Max 

When Bradley first see’s Max skateboarding through Frat Row, Bradley isn't angry or threatened by Max. Instead he is happily impressed, see’s Max as Gamma material and wants to make him an offer to become a Gamma. 

Then when he is seen talking to Max about the Gamma’s, he is composed and professional. 

But when he asks Max what he thinks about being their first draft pick, Bradley is smiling but looks nervous , even if he's trying his best to hide it.

Now , Bradley is a Royal , a College X game winner , a part of the best team and Bradley knows that Max is aware of all this. And yet despite all this status and achievement , Bradley is nervous when asking Max what he thinks about his offer, someone he has only known for a short amount of time mind you. 

But In Bradley’s eyes , Max is a great skateboarder , someone he deems as Gamma material , which is the best of the best and admires him. 

And like I said before , Bradley didn’t react negatively when he first saw Max’s skateboarding skills but instead reacted positively. So i dont think at this moment of time he's worried that Max will be a threat to him if Max says no. 

Instead ,  I believe Bradley looks nervous because he is self conscious of being rejected by someone whom he deems as the best. 

If Bradley gets a sense of worth from being associated with the best but then gets rejected by someone who he sees as the best, it would make him feel like he's not good enough or that Max is too good for him and that he's really not the best if even the best don’t want him.   

When it came to Goofy , Bradley didn’t actually see Goofy as a better skateboarder than Max. Hence why he says Goofy was never gamma material , over exaggerates his praise for Goofy when trying to persuade him to join and doesn't take Goofy’s rejection to join that personally and is more inclined to leave.

But with Max he truly thinks he is a great skateboarder and thinks highly of his talent, so after their conflict where Max says Bradley would be lucky to be his towel boy , Bradley of course takes this personally. 

He doesn't want Max thinking that he's lesser than him nor does he want to feel inadequate to someone he sees as the best , so this remark provokes Bradley into making the wager of either one of them being each other’s towel boy if the other wins. - “Why don’t we make a little wager on that? LOSER , of the finals , will be towel boy to the other.” 

Bradley’s own status means alot to Bradley and to have someone you thought highly of make out that you're lower than them is ofcourse going to make Bradley more determined to prove Max wrong and to prove his worth to him. - “Get ready to wipe the dirt off my shoes , freshmen. Gamma’s out!”. 

And now Bradley and Max’s rivalry has truly begun where instead of calling him Max, Bradley now refers to Max as freshman in retaliation for Max calling him Brad.

But despite their rivalry , Bradley is shown time and time again trying to get Max’s attention. He pretty much ignores Bobby and PJ as the only one he wants to prove himself too and get attention from is Max. 

Bradleys own skill 

As we know , Bradley and the Gamma’s have cheated in the X games in order to win . We don’t know for sure if the Gamma Mu Mu fraternity has cheated in sports competitions before Bradley’s arrival, like it's some kind of tradition for the Fraternity to cheat to maintain status. 

But regardless , in order for Bradley to win he cheats as it’s insurance that he will obtain the desired outcome of winning. If he leaves it up to chance then it’s possible that he can lose and Bradley doesn't want that . 

“Just like we always do”-Bradley 

“It’s a little insurance baby , with no deductible.”-Tank 

For someone like Bradley , he feels like he can’t afford to lose or fail , so by cheating it reassures Bradley that he will indeed win. 

But by cheating, it also shows that he doesn't believe that his own skill is enough to win. 

When Bradley asks the Gamma’s how they will win , skill and good looks are brought up as a potential answer but Bradley calls them a couple of dense dolts for thinking that. However Bradley is shown to be a good athlete who does possess a good amount of skill.

When skateboarding , it’s shown that he can do a handstand while moving on his skateboard and can jump mid-air back onto his feet while being able to land safely back on his skateboard.  

And during the X games , Bradley is clearly the fastest roller blade skater out of everyone and can perform tight turns while keeping his balance on his roller blades.  He is also shown throughout the X games to do body positions that will benefit his speed. 

So Bradley isn’t lazy and has clearly put in the effort to make sure he does possess a good amount of skill, but he doesn't think his skill is good enough to win the competition on his own accord. 

So no matter how skilled he is or the Gamma’s may be , he feels like he has to cheat to ensure his victory. 

He is also very dependent on the Gamma’s helping him win as without their help , he wouldn’t be able to pull off all of his cheats. It’s one of the reasons as to why Bradley is so adamant that nobody leaves the Gamma’s as he is so dependent on their help. 

So Bradley clearly wants to win and be seen as the best but it also shows that one he can't risk the chance of losing and two that he believes his own skills won't be enough for him to win all on his own.

Bradley’s reputation. 

Reputation 

When we see Bradley at college in AEGM , Bradley is popular because of his high status for being Bradley Uppercrust the Third , the College X games King and the leader of the Gamma’s. 

He is also seen having a lot of positive attention from girls because of this. 

So before his X game scandal , he had a pretty good reputation at College. 

I think it would then be safe to assume that his reputation before College was quite similar where he had many admirers and many people wanting to be his friend due to his status for being royalty. 

But despite growing up popular , all this positive attention comes from his status and for him being perceived as the best. Not for who he is as a person. 

Bradley’s introduction. 

When we are first introduced to Bradley , he is seen standing outside the Gamma house with a bunch of freshmen moving into the frat row, trying to get Bradley’s attention.

They don’t know Bradley personally, they just want his attention because he is famous for being a Royal and for being the College X game King. 

We also see Bobby and PJ admiring Bradley from inside Bobby’s van where they talk highly of him due to Bradleys status and titles. 

“Yo. I spy the Gamma house. Which means… that dude right there, is the one , the only… Bradley Uppercrust the Third! - Bobby 

“Whoa! The College X Game King!” - PJ 

Bradley the King

At the Bean scene , after Bradley shouts at everyone to knock it off when they are all clicking their fingers at him , Max mockingly calls Bradley “Brad” when asking what’s wrong. 

This in turn makes Bradley angry for his name being disrespected by Max and so tells him to not dare call him that. Tank then steps in to back Bradley up by telling Max to not forget that Bradley is the King.   

“Whats’ wrong , Brad?” - Max to Bradley 

“Don’t you DARE call me that!”-Bradley to Max

“Yeah. Don’t forget , he’s the King, buster.” - Tank to Max  

Now , Tank did have the very best of intentions when aiding Bradley here , but sadly his choice of words are reaffirming to Bradley that he should be given respect because of his status as the King, as in the College X game King. 

Skateboarding as a Gamma 

Due to Bradley being a royal , a winner of the College X games and being part of a team with an undefeated winning streak, Bradley receives admiration from the public when he is seen skateboarding throughout college.  

But even when Bradley knocks someone over trying to get to Max and skates past them without a care in the world,  the public don’t care as they just admire Bradley purely because of his high status and reputation. 

He is also shown getting admiration and attention from girls when doing his own skateboarding tricks. But he is also conscious of not messing up in front of them , as seen when he loses balance but quickly makes it look like this was all a skateboarding trick he planned.

Bradley’s College Classmates  

Like I’ve mentioned , Bradley is popular at College due to his status. But despite Bradley’s popularity , none of Bradley’s college classmates are truly loyal to Bradley. 

When Bradley went to the qualifying rounds, he was shown putting on his helmet and had every intention of going up against Max himself in the competition.  But he chooses not to compete when the crowd starts to cheer for Max instead.   

The crowd knows that Max will compete against Bradley and Chuck the TV reporter even says to everyone that Max might pose as a threat to Bradley.- “Word on the street is, that there’s a new kid in town who poses a threat to Bradley Uppercrust the Third”.

But Everyone still cheers and chants Max’s name anyway. Even girls who are seen hanging around with Bradley through out the movie are now rooting for Max.

From Bradley’s perspective , everyone is cheering for Max to beat him and that they all agree that Max poses a threat to him.

These are supposed to be people that love Bradley for winning and for being the best athlete , people that have known Bradley a lot longer as well but now they're cheering for somebody else and rooting for Max to succeed over him, all because they see Max as the better skateboarder. 

Now Bradley feels like Max is trying to mess with his status and suddenly feels overlooked, so Bradley chooses to let Goofy compete against Max instead as a way to get back at him. “Witness Gentlemen. Victory is ours. But most importantly we taught our little freshmen foes,  not to mess with the Gamma’s. 

Then on the day of the X games , everyone in the crowd is annoyed at the Gamma’s for not letting Goofy compete as everyone is now bigger fans of Goofy than Bradley or the Gamma’s. 

They don’t know though that Goofy left on his own accord and it’s not actually revealed to the crowd that Bradley could have kicked him off the team as Max had to ask Bradley himself what Bradley did with his dad 

But because they now see Goofy as the best skateboarder , they're mad that they can’t root for Goofy instead. So even though everyone is dissatisfied and booing, Bradley is happy as now they will be forced to root for him now instead. 

So again , their love , loyalty and admiration to Bradley is pretty shallow. 

Bradley’s sense of worth.  

One of the themes presented in AEGM is focusing on your goals. 

Goofy’s arc is about him losing focus, where he initially went back to college to get his degree but then uses it as an opportunity to stay close to Max instead. 

Bradley on the other hand goes through an arc that is the opposite to Goofy’s , where he is too focused on his own goals. 

During the X games his focus on winning is at the expense of broader situational awareness. He essentially has tunnel vision as all he can think about is winning , making him lack good judgment and only think of the short term gain instead of potential consequences.   

It’s why Bradley gets hit in the face with Goofy’s lucky horse shoe , as this object has been used in the movie to represent focusing on your goals.

So when Goofy throws it at Bradley to stop him pushing the remote control, Bradley is literally getting hit in the face for focusing too much on his own ambition, as in , his pursuit in winning at any cost will come back to hit him back in the face.

So why is winning so important to Bradley? 

Why is he so focused on it? 

Why does he want to win so badly to the point that he is willing to cheat and not care about the competitors receiving injuries from these cheats? 

Why can’t he let Tank or the other Gamma’s win for him instead?  

Why does he not believe in himself enough to win based on his own skill?

Well , the reason why is that Bradley believes he has to be the best in order to be valued. 

It’s his high status , his titles , being a high achiever and being seen as the best is what give him love , positive attention and approval. And without them , he would feel ignored , irrelevant , unvalued and worthless. 

So all this positive validation that he receives is earned through the conditions that he is the best.

And if you feel like you're only valued for what you are rather than for who you are , you're going to do everything in your power to maintain that status if you believe that is all your worth to people.

It's essentially why Bradley goes to such extremes to stay as the College X games King as deep down he knows that his status is all his worth to people. - “I will not be ignored. Nobody gets to finish this race but me!

So when it comes to Bradley as a character , his sense of worth comes from his status and doesn't feel valued unless he meets certain conditions and is seen as the best.

Bradley and his Father in AEGM

When it comes to Bradley’s father we don’t actually know much about him nor do we get to see him In AEGM. 

The only scene in AEGM where we get a slight hint about him is during the scene where Bradley is trying to convince Goofy to be a Gamma. 

On my side blog @Bradleyblog I did a speculation post series on Bradley’s dad where in Part one I talked about this scene in good detail, but for the sake of this post I'll be giving a shorter summary of it here. 

When Goofy rejects Bradley’s offer to be a Gamma due to him only being interested in staying close to Max , Bradley remarks with- “Uh… I’m not sure you understand this once in a lifetime opportunity.” 

Goofy however doesn't budge. He mimics Bradley’s body language and responds to Bradley’s comment by saying - “Well , ah-yuck, I’m not sure you understand the bond between a father and his son.” 

Now , If Goofy was only referring to his bond with him and Max then he should have said something like “I’m not sure you understand the bond I have with my son” or “I’m not sure you understand the fatherly son bond between me and Max”. 

Instead , Goofy’s remark refers to a bond between a father and son in general. Goofy gets this impression because Bradley thinks Goofy is wasting a once in a life opportunity not picking personal gain over spending time with his son. 

But to someone like Goofy, this should be common knowledge and understandable that a father would pick their son above anything. 

But what’s interesting about this moment between Goofy and Bradley is how Bradley reacts to Goofy’s statement. 

At first he is smiling while waiting for Goofy to respond but once Goofy says “I’m not sure you understand-” Bradley’s smile drops into a neutral expression to see what Goofy thinks he doesn't understand. 

The camera then cuts to a wider shot of Goofy and the Gamma’s so the audience can focus on Max. 

But if you zoom in real close on Bradley’s expression , you can see that his expression has become more vulnerable looking when Goofy says the line - “the bond between a father and his son”.

To me, Bradley looks rather sad by Goofy’s assessment/accusation, even if it is very brief.  

But instead of retorting back to Goofy’s statement , he folds his arms across his chest in a defensive manner and changes the direction of the conversation into a Exit strategy by giving Goofy a business card if Goofy changes his mind and decides to leave. 

It’s like Bradley is deflecting from the subject and isn't comfortable discussing it any further. 

So to me and many others , Goofy’s statement and Bradley’s reaction would imply that Bradley doesn't have a close emotional bond with his own dad. It also implies that Bradley’s own father would probably choose personal gain over Bradley. 

But is Bradley and his dad not having a good bond actually canon? In my opinion , I would say so based on this scene as I think it at least implies that this is indeed the case. 

So with this in mind , what I’m going to suggest going forward about Bradley’s father is based on the idea that they don't have a good bond.

But I’m also going to base my assumptions on the values that the upper class have in their universe and the concept that Max and Bradley are foils to one another. But It's really up to you from this point on whether or not you agree on this interpretation or not as it’s not seen in the movie.  

Bradley’s father son relationship contrasting with Max and Goofy. 

As rivals , Max and Bradley are foils to one another. So from a writing perspective it would make sense that Goofy and Bradley’s dad would also be foils to one another and would contrast differently as father’s. 

If this is the case then Bradley’s father would probably be the opposite to Goofy in personality and how he treats his son.  It would certainly be one explanation as to why Bradley and his father don't have a good bond.

Goofy and Bradley’s father also come from different social classes and economic backgrounds , so their world views would probably contradict each others. 

In terms of personality, Goofy can be clumsy , slow-witted , childish , absent minded but humble , emotional , forgiving , accepting of others and very loving/affectionate. He is also overly empathic to the point that Pete often tricks Goofy into believing his lies and schemes. 

Bradley’s father on the other hand would probably be stoic, business-like, judgemental ,  a man of Etiquette and protocol, a complete perfectionist  , narcissistic , snobbish , competitive , resentful , not overly affectionate or loving and career and status focused. May also be very apathetic if Goofy is too empathic. 

Goofy also tries to teach Max to do the right thing and has faith in him to be a good person. 

Bradley’s father on the other hand has probably encouraged Bradley to have status oriented values and a business like mentality, essentially teaching Bradley the wrong lessons on what is most important.  

I would then imagine that if Goofy’s relationship with Max is unconditional love,  then Bradley’s father could have a conditional relationship with his son instead. 

King of the household 

At college Bradley is in a position of authority for being the leader of the Gamma’s and is referred to as the King by Tank because of his College X game King nickname. But back home , Bradley wouldn’t be in a position of authority nor would he be seen as the King. His father would. 

This is because Bradley’s father would be the head of the family household and the one with the most influence and control. So Bradley’s father would be the one in a position of authority and be the one to hold all the money and power in their relationship. 

This would mean that his father could have great influence in a lot of Bradley’s life choices such as schools , who he associates himself with , a choice of career and who he may choose to have as a future partner. 

Bradley would also be financially dependent on his father until he has a stable career , so being obedient to his father would be in Bradley’s best interest until then.  

In Part 4 I mentioned how Bradley would be raised to act a certain way to gain acceptance and approval in his upper class social circle , so Bradley’s father would most likely tell him what to do and how to act. 

It Makes you wonder if Bradley’s father has ever clicked his fingers at Bradley to do what is expected of him. It also makes you wonder what tactics Bradley’s father would use to make sure Bradley conformed to the status quo. 

So like Max , I believe that Bradley too would have liked the idea of going to College to get away from his dad. Not only would he get away from his dad’s constant authority but like Max , Bradley can have more independence and freedom, even if he still has to meet expectations. 

Bradley can also have more of the spotlight on him than on his dad compared to when he is at home , as his father would be the one to gain the most attention from his status. 

The theme of Father like son. 

Max tries to not to be seen like his dad as being like Goofy is seen as a negative thing.  

For Bradley though , being like his dad would be deemed as a positive from everyone else as his father would be thought of in a high regard and his father would be rather successful and popular. 

So for Bradley, being like his father would mean he would be thought highly of as well and gain the same recognition. 

Bradley may also try to be like his dad to gain his father’s approval and to meet certain expectations. Maybe Bradley even mimics some of his father’s behaviour when taking on a leadership role as that’s how he sees his father act in a position of authority too. 

But Bradley may also feel like he is in his father’s shadow , as his father would also be someone who has built a reputation for himself based on status.  Compared to Bradley , his father may have a lot of trophies for his own past winnings and items reflecting achievement that he has received over his own life span. So his father would be very well accomplished and so Bradley might feel like he has to measure up to him.

So compared to Max , instead of being unconventional, Bradley instead conforms to what is expected of him and may try to be like his dad. 

Family legacy 

As I mentioned in Part 4 , Status and High achievement is important within the Upperclass. So growing up Bradley would have had high expectations put on him to succeed and to be accepted.

But Bradley may have also had to excel for his family’s reputation , as in their family legacy. 

He comes from royalty , the top of high society and the best of the best. So the Uppercrusts need possessions and achievements to reflect their high status. 

Failure probably wouldn’t be tolerated then as it would make their family look bad. 

So Bradley having to continue the family legacy is possible. Even the concept of upholding the family legacy has been shown in the Goof troop show within PJ’s relationship with his own dad Pete. 

Axed by Addition 

Pete wants PJ to pass his Math test so PJ doesn't make him look bad. 

“But what if , this is just if , I Flunk?”-PJ

“FLUNK!? AND MAKE MY BRAINS LOOK BAD!? It’s a simple equation. You’re gonna pass that test, if you have to study all night, see? FLUNK AND YOU’RE GROUNDED FOREVER!”  -Pete

Later in the episode when Pete thinks PJ is trying to purposely get out of doing the math test, Pete tells PJ to uphold the family IQ. - “I DON'T CARE IF YOU’VE GOT BLISTERS ON THE BRAIN OR WATER ON THE KNEE! YOU’RE NOT MISSING THAT TEST! NOW GO OUT THERE AND UNHOLD THE FAMILY IQ!

Tub Be or Not tub be 

Pete has always won in the Tub race competition. PJ however later finds out that Pete is going to cheat to win the prize money in the Tub race and that his been cheating all along. Pete then makes the argument to PJ that he should uphold the family name and that they should cheat if PJ doesn't want to lose. 

“Booby trapping the race course , huh? Dad , this is low down , dishonest cheating!”-PJ

“Dishonest cheating? Me? Why , I don't have a dishonest bone in my body. This here’s honest cheating. You’ve got to uphold your good name. You don’t want to lose , do you?”-Pete

From Air to Eternity 

Pete shows PJ three generations of their families accomplishments over heights where they have received trophies and medals for their tremendous acts of overcoming heights. 

It’s Unknown to PJ at the time that Pete and his ancestors are all frauds but because of their family legacy, PJ feels like he is a stain on the family name as he hasn’t achieved what his family has.   

“Three generations of Pete’s , climbing to the very heights of greatness!” - Pete to PJ

“Oh, ill tell you Max , my dad’s got more hero trophies than my dad’s got fleas. I mean , I’m just a stain on the good name of Pete.” - PJ to Max  

Unlike Bradley , PJ comes from a Middle class family. Yes , Pete is shown to be able to afford very expensive things and isn’t in a financial situation like Goofy and Max are but Pete and PJ are not Upper Class like Bradley.  

So imagine being raised as an Uppercrust , the best of the best in an upper class society where status and achievement is more demanded from you.

You would probably feel a lot of pressure to meet expectations and to make sure your family looked good. 

So the concept of Bradley upholding the family legacy to some degree is plausible.  But that’s all we're going to discuss about Bradley’s father in Part 5. 

Vacations

Unlike Max , Bradley’s family would be able to afford very expensive vaccinations every single year due to their status and wealth. They may even have their own holiday homes or a private resort. 

Bradley would then of course be able to go to many countries growing up and may have met many famous figures in those countries for being an Uppercrust. Perhaps Bradley knows a few different languages because of this? 

It’s also shown in the original ducktales series that the rich usually have their own boats.  

Materialistic things 

When it comes to Bradley getting materialistic things , I would say he got the best of everything.  

Money would be of no expense for the Uppercrust family and because of their royal status , it is probably expected that their family would get the best of everything. 

We’ve also seen with character’s like Charles UpStart the Third in the original Ducktales series that he has the best of everything too. 

When Charles was trying to make a trade against Scrooge McDuck for the mask of  , he had big status symbols to trade with such as a Stylish Diamond-Studded watch , A Solid Gold Cadillac and A Paris original dress for your wife. 

So unlike Max , Bradley probably did get the newest and most expensive things as a sign of the family's high status. 

However , Bradley may have had to obtain some things from his father through hard work , success , negotiation and meeting certain conditions. 

This could be possible to make sure Bradley is motivated to meet high expectations. But this could also be possible due to how in AEGM , Bradley usually tries to get what he wants through persuasion and treats getting what he wants as a business deal where both parties get something out of the arrangement. He's not like Veruca Salt from Charlie and the Chocolate factory if you get what I mean. 

In terms of sentimental things, it's hard to say as their society is shown to be pretty shallow and don’t value something unless it has status. 

However , Bradley is shown to have a Gold foundation mirror which is something that is usually owned by women and because the film is based in the early 2000’s, I doubt his father gave his own son something associated with being a woman. 

So it’s more likely that his mother gave it to him or Bradley took it from his mother as a memento.

But again, it’s hard to say as Bradley would be expected to look his best and have a good appearance so I suppose the Gold foundation mirror is up to interpretation on how and why he has it. 

Being an Uppercrust 

Max grew up unpopular for being born a Goof, whereas Bradley grew up being popular for being born as an Uppercrust ( A Royal ) . 

This would mean Bradley would get a lot of positive attention and people wanting to be his friend. But this also makes him a target for other people’s personal gain and in a position where he may doubt if his friendships are sincere due to people liking him for his status.    

As we've discussed before , Status means a lot in the upper class society in the Goof universe. So it’s likely that Kids growing up in this high society would probably want to be his friend to be associated with him or would be heavily encouraged by their parents to be friends with Bradley so their families can have a closer connection with the Uppercrust family for personal gain.  

But even ordinary People from normal working backgrounds might just want to be friends with Bradley because of his status as well. Some may even use Bradley to gain popularity, perks or obtain luxuries from just being his friend?

So on the surface Bradley’s popularity seems great for being born as an Uppercurst. But when people admire you and want to be friends with you for your royal status , his popularity has more to do with his status than who Bradley is as a person.

It would then be hard for Bradley to know who’s feelings for him are genuine, especially if Bradley is aware that people benefit from being his friend. 

So in Bradley’s mind , he may feel that if people are going to use him for his benefit then why can’t he do the same. 

Will be talking more about this in Part 6. 

Gamma’s 

Bradley’s relationship with the Gamma’s is quite a formal and a professional one. He addresses them as Gamma Brother’s and gentlemen and due to him being their Gamma leader , their relationship is more like a business one where Bradley is their boss and their his loyal employers. (With Tank , Bradley does refer to Tank as his right hand man but he does call Tank by just his name compared to the other Gamma’s.)

When it comes to the Gamma’s themselves , the Gamma’s are loyal and obedient to Bradley but compared to Max’s friendship group , they are not good friends to Bradley in the traditional sense. 

The main reason they listen to Bradley is because his the head of the Gamma’s and because they benefit from him. The Gamma’s want to win and Bradley always pulls through with his plans to obtain victory at the X games. And so they choose to be willing participants in these schemes so they can win , regardless of who they injure.

By winning , the Gamma’s can be seen as top dogs , be admired and reap all the benefits that come from being seen as the best on campus. 

They could easily say no to Bradley's cheating or authority as they outnumber Bradley and are all physically stronger than him but they don't, as they receive personal gain from his leadership. 

But in doing so they are pretty much enablers and validate Bradley’s behaviour by giving him their approval. 

Additionally , when Goofy leaves the Gamma’s they overlook or ignore the fact that Bradley is clearly spiralling as their only focus is winning. 

When Bradley says “We’ll win how we always win. And how’s that Gamma’s” it’s easy to assume that one of the Gamma’s must have asked Bradley how they were going to win without Goofy or that Bradley noticed that the Gamma’s were worried about Goofy's absence in the team. 

Goofy has just decided to leave the Gamma’s on the LAST day before the competition , which isn’t the best timing and whatever plans Bradley had for Goofy are now being thrown out the window. 

Bradley was clearly very frustrated and annoyed by Goofy’s decision and they know how much Bradley wants to win and beat Max , but no one is reassuring Bradley that it will all be okay. ( At least not on screen ) 

Instead , Bradley is the one reassuring all of them that Goofy’s departure is fine as they will win how they always win by cheating.

This makes the Gamma’s happily chant the word “Cheat!” over and over again and Tank states fondly that they will cheat just like last year. 

We then cut to Bradley who is looking into the fire , probably since Goofy left , where he is trying to quickly think of another plan to win.

Bradley then turns around and comments that last year’s cheat was a great cheat but menacingly reveals that he now has a better plan to win. 

But just by looking at how Bradley is acting and the expressions he is making , you can tell that his plan is going to go too far and that he is clearly spiralling. But his mental state is being ignored. 

Bradley and Goofy 

When Goofy joins the Gamma’s , Goofy isn’t aware of why Bradley really wants him on the team. As far as Goofy is aware , Bradley asked him on the team because he thought Goofy was a good skateboarder and was later asked to participate in the Qualifying rounds as an act of good comradery for being on the team. 

“Crazy idea , you do the honours Brother Goof.” - Bradley

“Me! Gwarsh , uh well , sure.”- Goofy 

But because Goofy see’s how hurt Max is for beating him at the Qualifying rounds and realizes that he has lost his focus on getting his degree , he chooses to quit the Gamma’s and not compete at the X games. 

So when Goofy does go the Gamma's to tell them the news , Goofy probably is conscious of the fact that the Gamma’s won't like him quitting as when Goofy is saying he has to quit the team to Bradley’s face , he looks guilty or nervous. I think he knows this is a bad look but he has to do what’s best for Max so he goes through with it.

However , to Bradley this is a betrayal or a sign of disloyalty. 

In terms of a betrayal , Bradley believes that the reason Goofy has chosen to quit is to join Max’s team. Which ultimately means that Goofy is joining Max to help him beat Bradley.  

In terms of disloyalty , it’s because he has potentially felt used by Goofy. 

From Bradley’s perspective he let Goofy become a Gamma which is a once in a lifetime opportunity that he doesn't just give to anyone and it was something Goofy willingly chose to become. 

He gave Goofy a Gamma Mu Mu pledge pin as a sign that Goofy is pledging his loyalty to the Gamma’s and to him. Gave him a proper Gamma inauguration. Let Goofy participate in the Qualifying rounds and in return Goofy became super popular around campus because of it. 

Yes , Bradley is using Goofy against Max for personal gain but Goofy isn’t aware of this intention and to Bradley , Goofy has gained so much from being a Gamma. Goofy has also chosen the worst day to quit ,which is the last day of the competition. So if Bradley felt used by goofy , it is karma to a degree but you can see why Bradley would be so mad. 

Bradley also forms a lot of his relationships on a transactional basis , where both people get something from the other to obtain personal gain. So goofy not following through on his end of the bargain and Bradley being someone who is probably aware that people benefit from his status, only adds to his frustration in this scene.

Bradley and Tank 

Out of all the Gamma’s, Tank is the closest thing Bradley has to an actual friend. 

Unlike the other Gamma’s , Tank is the only one who sticks up for Bradley at the bean scene after he see’s how angry Bradley got from Max calling him Brad. He was also the only one who pointed Max out to Bradley after Beret Girl's poetry performance.

And when Bradley’s booty gets lit on fire at Goofy’s inauguration , Tank and Goofy are the only ones to help Bradley despite the room being filled with Gamma’s.

Granted Tank did stand there looking confused at Bradley’s frantic panicking , but he did still help him. 

Tank also offered to put some sense into Goofy through physical force when Bradley was clearly mad at Goofy for quitting on the last day of the competition. Bradley turned this offer down as that would be going too far but it shows that Tank does at least try to do things he thinks will make Bradley happy.   

So compared to the other Gamma’s, Tank does have moments of being a good friend to Bradley and he is of course , a very loyal right hand man to him. So to me at least , Tank probably does have a genuine friendship towards Bradley. 

With Bradley it stays rather professional and he refers to Tank as his right hand man but there are times where Bradley does show comradery with Tank. 

At the Bean scene Bradley didn’t like that Tank interrupted his conversation with Max but he is seen smiling with approval at Tank, after Tank gives Max a compliment as Bradley wants Max on their team. 

When Goofy enters the classroom , it’s Tank that Bradley turns to talk to about what a goon Goofy is. - ( chuckle ) “Who is this goon?”

At the qualifying rounds , Bradley bonds with Tank over cheating , "Just like we always do" and gives him a smile when Tank calls it insurance with no deductible. - "It's a little insurance baby. With no Deductible."

In the snooker room , Bradley once again bonds with Tank over cheating when he agrees that last year's cheat was a great one.

Trusts Tank enough to throw him during the race to get ahead of Max and Bobby. 

However , like I've mentioned before , Bradley knows the Gamma’s listen to him as he can make them winner’s in the X games. 

"Be a winner , join us."- Bradley to Goofy

"Witness Gentlemen. Victory is ours."-Bradley to Tank and Slouch

“We’ll win how we always win. And how’s that Gamma’s?”-Bradley to all the Gamma's

And while growing up , Bradley has been brought up in a competitive environment where people in upper class society only care about personal gain and status. 

So while Tank has proved himself again and again that he is a very loyal right hand man, to someone like Bradley it would be hard for him to understand that Tank is actually loyal to him for more personal reasons rather than being loyal to him for his own personal gain.  

So what I’m going to say next might surprise some as this perspective from Bradley isn’t really talked about much but I'm going to address it and talk about it as best as I can. 

When Bradley is knocked off his skateboard by Goofy , Bradley shakes his head after the fall and looks up. He then gasps when he sees Tank and Max ahead , skateboarding away in the distance.  

Despite having the remote control , Bradley’s first instinct isn’t to use the remote but to call out to Tank to take Max out of the race, as he depends on Tank to help him the most - “TANK! TAKE HIM OUT!”

But Tank continues to race ahead. 

Bradley then quickly comes to the conclusion that Tank must have ignored him on purpose as Tank isn’t doing what he asked of him and then states that Nobody gets to finish this race but him. - “I will not be ignored. Nobody gets to finish this race but me!

At that moment , Bradley isn’t being rational and is making a very impulsive decision from anger and his own ambition to win. His basically letting his emotions and his focus on winning affect his better judgment. 

Tank of course probably didn't hear Bradley or misunderstood what Bradley meant. From Tank’s perspective he thinks winning first for the team is actually helping Bradley.

But from Bradley’s perspective , his right hand man , the person who’s supposed to help him the most , has left him behind instead of helping him get back in the race when he got knocked off his skateboard by Goofy and feels like Tank has ignored his order’s on purpose for his own personal gain so Tank can win the X games for himself.  

Bradley ofcourse is wrong in his assessment of the situation and if Goofy had knocked Tank off his skateboard , Bradley would have still kept on going like Tank had done. Bradley’s main focus in the X games is to win after all. 

But due to people benefiting from Bradley’s status , a lack of genuine friendships in his life, seeing everyone as competition and always promising the Gamma’s that they can be winner’s , I can see why Bradley would jump to this wrong conclusion about Tank ignoring him on purpose when that wasn’t the case. I can also see why it’s possible that he chose to skate past the fire if he felt like Tank had abandoned and ignored him first. 

So while Max has actual friendships with proper human connection, Bradley struggles with his own friendships, not just because Bradley can be self absorbed but due to his friendships usually being ones where each person benefits from the other for personal gain.

In Part 1 , 2 and 3 we focused solely on Max’s character. But for Part 4 , 5 and 6 we are going to focus solely on Bradley.

Throughout these discussions about Bradley, I will be making references from the Goof Troop Show and the Original Ducktales series to add more information about Bradley as they are both shows set in the same universe and timeline. But let’s start with what we already know about Bradley so far. 

Bradley's Backstory 

Bradley was born as an Uppercrust. A family of royal blood, making him a descendant of royalty. He is also the third person in his royal family to be named Bradley. Making him , the one , the only , Bradley Uppercrust the Third.  

Later in life , Bradley went to State College where he became the leader/president of the Gamma’s at the top fraternity house on campus and took part in the College X games. The Gamma’s had been undefeated for Five years in the College X games competition until Max Goof won the Sith annual year. 

… 

Unfortunately that is pretty much all we know about Bradley’s backstory as far as the movie goes as he hasn’t made any official appearances since AEGM.

In terms of his surname though , the name Uppercrust is referenced in the Goof Troop episode ‘Goofin up the social ladder’ by Lady Willoughby , a famous upper class woman who is a president of a ladies club.  

“I simply must invite you to participate in the upper crust ladies tennis tournament.” - Lady Willoughby 

“Oh , my dear Peg, the upper crust needs shaking up now and then , and you are so good at it!  - Lady Willoughby 

When this episode first aired , Bradley as a character hadn’t been created yet. But due to Bradley sharing the same name, there being Goof troop references in AEGM , and Bradley’s family being at the very top of high society. I think it’s okay to assume that the Upper crust ladies tennis tournament is associated with Bradley’s family.

With that being said, Bradley’s backstory compared to someone like Max is very limited and so his backstory is pretty much a clean canvas that is up to interpretation and to one’s own head canons. 

However , due to Bradley’s royal title and him coming from an upper class background , we can make some reasonable assumptions about his upbringing that might give us some more insight into his character. 

Upper Class Background 

People who are a part of the Upper Class have the highest level of wealth , income and status within a society. Upper class individuals typically have significant financial resources , access to luxurious amenities and can have influential positions within business , politics or other influential sectors.  

Being born into royalty would guarantee Bradley a place at the very top of high society. Other than being president of the country, you can’t get any higher than being royalty after all. 

So Bradley was pretty much born into the best of the best circumstances when it comes to being part of Upper class society due to his royal heritage.   

So unlike Max , Bradley would not be raised in a trailer or a normal family home but would most likely have been brought up in the most pristine , luxurious household. 

In AEGM , we don’t get to see Bradley’s family home but it’s likely that he would live in a Mansion, a penthouse or even a palace due to his royal background. 

If Bradley was raised in a palace , it might look like something similar to what Princess Minnie’s palace looked like in the movie ‘Mickey and the Three Musketeers’. 

In AEGM , The closest depiction of what an upper class house could look like is through the Gamma Moo Moo fraternity where It's very clean , grand , spacious and better looking than all the other frat houses.   

We do however get to see glimpses of how some of the more wealthy members of the upper class live , through a couple of episodes from the Goof troop show.  

These are Goof Troop Show episodes that include wealthy people.  

‘Counterfeit Goof’

 A rich Man named Braxton got wealthy from stealing. Has his own butler. 

‘Where there’s Smoke , There’s Goof’ 

Mr Howling Huge lives in a Penthouse. Has a pet goldfish as a C.E.O.O. 

‘Waste makes haste’ 

A wealthy man named Farnsworth lives in a rich neighbourhood with Gold trash cans. Has his own butler who he treats poorly.   

‘Goofin up the social ladder’ 

Lady Willoughby is a famous wealthy woman who is the president of a ladies club.  Lives in a mansion at south hill and has her own butler. Also has two dogs ( Westchester pugs). 

‘Goof Fellas’ 

A FBI's 10 most fearful criminal called Larry "No Thumbs" Noodleman , also known as Mr Big lives in a Mansion. Has two right hand men and a Guard dog.

We also get to see how some of the upper class live in the original Ducktales series.  Most notably through Scrooge Mcduck , ( the richest duck in the world ) where he lives in a mansion known as the McDuck Manor , who has his own butler and maid. 

So Bradley’s home could be quite similar to Scrooge Mcduck’s mansion. 

Overall , these examples show how differently the upper class live compared to someone with a middle or lower class  background. They have private fancy houses , butlers , expensive cars , rooms filled with artwork and books and plenty of wealth and luxuries . 

Citizens of the upper class 

In the Goof Troop Show and the Original Ducktales series , it is pretty common for Upperclass citizens to be Snobs. 

‘Goofin up the social ladder’- The Goof Troop 

Pete describes the upperclass at south hill to be snobs.

“Now I don't know what’s eating you , Peg. We're not exactly the highfalutin type , you know”- Pete

“Oh,yeah? Say’s whom?- Peg

“Well I don't see you hobnobbing with old Lady Willoughby and those snobs up on South Hill.”- Pete

“There’s nothing stopping me, but a certain pigheaded R.V salesman , who dosn’t know a doily from a dip stick.”-Peg 

“Oh those phonies wouldn’t have anything to do with the likes of you.”-Pete

Then later in the episode Lady Willoughby describes her friends as snobs.

“Most of my friends are such snobs!”. - Lady Willoughby to Peg 

The Status Seeker ( Original ducktales series )

After Scrooge's family help the club from the beagle boys , the club members still wont let Scrooge have his family attend the party.

“Yes , yes. Very nice. But the fact remains that they can’t stay at this party”

“Why you ungrateful bag of snobs. These are my friends. They may be common to you, but at least they have the common sense to do the right thing.”-Scrooge Mcduck 

“Then Go back to your hot dogs and football McDuck. Because you’ll never be one of us.” 

People in high society are also very money driven and full of entrepreneurs. 

Once upon a dime ( Original ducktales series )

A conversation between Piggley and Wiggley to Scrooge about making money. 

“Tell me Scrooge. Are you still trading crude oil?”Piggley  

“Don’t you know real money is in diamonds?” - Wiggley 

“Yes , Wiggley and I just brought African diamond mines. We’d be willing to sell you a teensy weensy share. You know , just so you can keep up with the piggly wigglys as it were”-Piggley 

Till Nephews do us part ( Original ducktales series ) 

In this episode we are introduced to a female duck named Millionaire Vanderbucks. She is 

President of WEBB corporation and owns many other companies. Has also Profiled in Mrs fortune magazine. 

“I didn’t become the wealthiest woman in the world by making stupid deals. I want twice as much money”-Millionaire Vanderbucks. 

“Good work Millionaire. Scrooge is falling in love.And when he's in love , you’ll get what you love. His mansion , his investments , his money. Isn’t love grand. In fact , several million grand”-  Millionaire Vanderbucks 

The Billionaire Beagle Boys Club ( Original ducktales series )

Were introduced to a character named Rockefeather at an Upperclass party , who owns lots of businesses. 

“Rockefeather , you own lots of businesses. Be nice , or you’ll find out what a hostile takeover really is.” - Mrs. Beagle making a threat towards him 

‘All the Goof that’s fit to Print’ 

“So , you expect the world handed to ya on a silver platter, is that it? Think you ought to be earning corporate level , executive-type wages , eh?” -Pete to Max and PJ 

Upper Class citizens are also known for their high status and how much they value status greatly. 

The Status Seeker ( Original ducktales series )

In this episode , Scrooge Mcduck wants to join the association of status seekers. A club for the Upperclass with the most status , which has Charles Upstart the Third as their club president due to him owning an item with the biggest status. 

To get into this club , it doesn't matter how much money you have as it’s only exclusive to those with high status.

“Sorry, old bean. But this party’s only for important people. Get the Hint?”-Charles Upstart the Third

“I know. The association of status seekers, right? I want to join” - Scrooge 

“Ha. What makes you think you’d qualify?”- Charles Upstart the Third

“I have $72 Quadrillion dollars.” - Scrooge  

“And a Battered Hat. So what? To get in here old bean you need status, it’s something every snob in town is dying to own.”- Charles Upstart the Third

While Charles Upstart the Third is showing Scrooge around the club , he introduces Scrooge Mcduck to some of his club members to give him an example of what it means to have high status. Each member has something that sets them apart and makes them look better than everybody else. 

“Now over there is Gloria Snootlik. She enjoys the status of owning expensive necklaces.” Charles Upstart the Third   

“You call that dog collar Jewelry , darling? With my Big diamond , no one can out status Lady Delardo.”- Lady Delardo. 

“Maybe she should get a chauffeur to drive that thing.”-Scrooge

“Speaking of driving.Here’s Dr.Kunsenweimers.”Charles Upstart the Third  

“Ya , I just bought my 10th Rolls Canardly.” - Dr.Kunsenweimers

“But of course , one needs at least 10 for status these days.” Charles Upstart the Third  

 “Okay , but what entitles that guy to be here? ( Points to guy in worn down clothes) ”-Scrooge 

“Oh , he owns the Pink Ficasso. Sold his father’s gold teeth to buy it. He get’s invited to all the parties.”-Charles Upstart the Third  

After Charles shows off his status symbol and Scrooge says it's almost uglier than the mask of couthoolulu , Charles tells him not to joke about that as anyone at that club would give their grandmother for that mask. - “Don’t laugh old bean. Anyone here would give their grandmother for that status symbol. The mask of couthoolulu is marvelous.”

This shows that to the Upper Class , materialistic things and status have great worth to them and that having status is implied to mean more to them than their relationships with their own grandmothers. 

They also value status over each other and don't care how much money they spend to be seen as the one with the most status.

When everyone at the association of status seekers finds out that Scrooge Mcduck owned the mask of couthoolulu. They all crowd around him , trying to out bid each other with millions of dollars to get it. 

“Where is it ? I’ll give you $1 million dollars for it” - Dr.Kunsenweimers

“$2 Million”- Lady Delardo.

“$5”- Dr.Kunsenweimers

“$10 , Just give me that mask!”- Lady Delardo.

Then when Scrooge asks if he can get into their club if he has the mask , Lady Delardo states that they would even make him their new president for having it.

To which Charles Upstart the third is alarmed by, as he is the president of the club for having the most important item of status. But now he will be replaced with no regard for his feelings from his fellow members.

“Do you mean to say that with that monstrosity , I can get into your club?” - Scrooge 

“Get in. Why we’d make you our new president! - Lady Delardo.

“What!” - Charles Upstart the Third

But despite their gesture , they would rather get the mask for themselves and follow Scrooge so he can lead them straight to the mask. Lady Delardo even refers to him as a “Rotten Little Nobody” when Scrooge is wise to this and outsmarts them with a submarine.

So when it comes to the Upperclass in the Goof Universe , they are known as snobs , money driven , successful , business oriented and value status greatly. 

Bradley would then of course have been brought up with these kinds of people and would be taught that status and being successful is what is truly valued as a person.  

Bradley Following proper Etiquette and protocols 

Due to Bradley being born into a royal family and living among the upper class, this would mean that Bradley would have to conduct himself in a certain manner and keep up appearances by following proper Etiquette and protocols growing up. 

Etiquette is a set of rules or customs that control accepted behaviour in particular social groups or social situations. 

Protocols are the system of rules and acceptable behaviour used at official ceremonies and occasions. 

In the episode ‘Goofin up the social ladder’ Lady Willoughby is stated to be the president of her own ladies club and during this episode, she goes by certain protocols. Such as :

When Lady Willoughby prepares for afternoon tea she doesn't see anyone who isn't a guest for tea. “If you’re not here to fix the sprinklers you may go away! Besides , Mrs Willoughby sees no one when she’s preparing for an afternoon tea. That’s that.” - Butler 

Lady Willoughby’s guests don’t usually go in the kitchen for afternoon tea.- “Well , It isn't very often I find my guests for tea in the kitchen.”

After Peg joins Lady Willoughby for afternoon tea , she states that the rules of ladies lunch is that every new member will host afternoon tea for the president after her first tea. So their are rules to be followed at her ladies club. 

“What’s happening Friday ?”- Peg

“Oh! Don’t be silly. That’s when I’ll be coming to your mansion for luncheon.” - Lady Willoughby

“My mansion? Luncheon?” - Peg 

“Certainly. You know the rules of our ladies club. The newest member always has a luncheon for the president, after her first tea”. - Lady Willoughby

Bradley’s family would most likely have their own protocols/rules to follow for their own family home and social events that they host/attend. But because Bradley’s family is royalty , they may have stricter guidelines to follow than other members of high society? 

When it comes to Etiquette , it’s implied that Lady Willoughby’s friends wouldn't have thrown an afternoon tea that was imperfect like Peg’s , as they are all snobs. “Ha ha! Oh, Peg. Don't worry, dear. I’ve had an absolutely splendid afternoon. I haven't laughed this much in years! Most of my friends are such snobs!”. 

This could suggest that most people in high society don’t act out of the norm and have very high standards. So growing up , Bradley probably would have had to act a certain way and be faced with high standards from his family and from members of his own social class. 

Later in the episode , Peg goes through a practice Luncheon with Max , Goofy and her family so they can perfect their high-society etiquette for when Lady Willoughby comes over for afternoon tea.  To do this she reads a book called “The how-to’s of etiquette” where the narrator talks about Table manners. 

Some of what the narrator says about the book are no brushing teeth( personal hygiene) in the dining room , No playing with the food  , the finger bowl is for fingers only , making bubbles in any beverage is inappropriate and that the hostess should never forget what’s in the oven.

Then later in the episode Peg says “A pleasant congenial attitude on the tennis courts is paramount to everyone's enjoyment of the game.” while reading a section of the book. 

So there would be a lot of rules for Bradley to follow.

The Status Seeker ( Original ducktales series )

When Scrooge Mcduck gets to join their club and be their president for owning the most valuable status symbol ,  they make it clear to Scrooge that he can no longer take part in behaviour that they don’t approve of. 

“Squeeze me Bagpipes , now I'm one of you.”-Scrooge Mcduck  

“Ya , as long as you don’t do anything embarrassing.” 

“Embarrassing.Like what?”-Scrooge Mcduck 

“Like last week’s little fiasco in the restaurant.”

“Oh,oh. That, yes. That was really my friend's fault.”-Scrooge Mcduck 

“Then we don’t want friends like that. Now do we Mr Mcduck?”

“Uh, no.”-Scrooge Mcduck

“And those muddy football games are out too. Right Mr President?”

“Uh , right , right.”-Scrooge Mcduck 

The Billionaire Beagle Boys Club ( Original ducktales series )

When Mrs Beagle takes over Scrooge's mansion , she invites the Upper class citizens of Duckburg for a party. But due to her ruff demonour and manners they say she will never be one of them no matter how much money she has. 

“The beagles may have money, but they have the manners of terrorists”-Pedigree 

“They’ll never be one of us. And it’s time we told them so.” - Lady Delardo 

“Mrs. Beagle , how can I put this? Society has it’s crown jewels, but I’m afraid you and your boys are… are”- Pedigree 

“Are you saying we're diamonds in the rough?” - Mrs. Beagle

“Oh never. Compared to us you’re blocks of coal!”- Pedigree 

These examples show that in high society it’s common for people of the upper class to act with proper etiquette , have good manners and not act differently than what’s expected of them. They also hold other people in low regard if they do not fit in with what they deem as acceptable and only want to associate with those who meet their standards. They are also not shy to tell someone if they will never be one of them.  

So it is likely then that Bradley would have had to follow proper Etiquette and wouldn't be allowed to misbehave or act in a way that was deemed inappropriate by his family and social class. Bradley would therefore behave in a way that is expected of him to gain acceptance and approval. 

AEGM 

In AEGM we can sometimes see Bradley trying to behave how he would behave in high society with how he represents himself.  

Wanting appropriate behaviour from the Gamma’s. 

Tank takes it upon himself to insult Max and his friends when Max believes they wont find any better competitors than his teammates - “Come on.The only thing you three could win , is a loser's contest baby”. Tank and the rest of the Gamma’s then all laugh  hysterically over the insult but Bradley doesn't approve of this behaviour. So to let them know that they need to stop and that they acted inappropriately , he clicks his figures and the Gamma’s get back in line. 

When Goofy confirms to Bradley that they can count him in , the Gamma’s welcome Goofy by congratulating him and cheering but when Bradley wants them to calm down he nicely says “Gentlemen , please.” allowing Bradley a chance to give Goofy a proper welcome with the Gamma pledge pin. 

While Bradley , Tank and Slouch are on the TV screen being introduced as the Gamma’s competing in the X games, Slouch is making funny faces. Bradley and Tank look at Slouch with a disapproving face. Bradley doesn't say anything but looks pleased after Tank physically stops Slouch from acting in a goofy manner in front of the camera. 

Goofy’s Gamma inauguration 

Despite Bradley thinking that Goofy isn’t really Gamma material , Bradley professionally gives Goofy his Gamma Moo Moo pledge pin in a proud manner and acts dignified and serious when performing Goofy’s inauguration during the Gamma ceremony. 

Laughing 

This one is up for debate but I thought I'd bring it up anyway. In AEGM, there are three times that Bradley is seen laughing in public. 

Bean scene - When Beret Girl tells Bradley and the Gamma’s that they should go down a road of forgiveness and compassion , Bradley mockinly responds by saying - “Oooh Passion” then does a low chuckle to himself

Class scene - When Goofy barges in Bradley once again does a low chuckle to himself before asking Tank who that goon is. 

In both of these instances , Bradley doesn't laugh out loud but instead does a very low chuckle. The only time he laughs hysterically out loud is when everyone else in the classroom is also laughing out loud. Perhaps when he was brought up Bradley was told that laughing loudly wasn’t appropriate or that he should only laugh a certain way? 

Anger issues 

When it comes to Bradley as a character he definitely has moments where he expresses anger. But he does at least try to stay composed and hold in his anger as much as possible before he ultimately lashes out like a ticking time bomb.  

When he does get extremely angry , it’s usually in situations where he feels like he is losing absolute control over a situation completely as he doesn't like things not working out in his favour.   

But when we think about how Bradley would have been raised growing up, Bradley may have not been allowed to get openly angry as it could have been seen as him not conducting himself in a proper manner. 

So Bradley may have not always been allowed to express negative emotions so openly. 

I certainly don't think Bradley would have been allowed to lash out at his dad without consequence like Max sometimes does with Goofy, no matter how justified. 

(Even crying may have been frowned upon , if it was seen as a sign of weakness. )

But it's hard to say how much of Bradley’s concealed emotions are from personal choice or from conditioning. Maybe both?

Education 

Now , we don’t know for sure where Bradley went to school before going to College. 

But it is possible that Bradley could have gone to boarding school as a child. In the Goof Troop  episode ‘Goofin up the social ladder’ , Lady Willoughby suggests that Pistol, who is 5 years old in the show , will soon be old enough to go to boarding school. “Don’t worry , soon she’ll be old enough for boarding school”

She then remarks how fortunate it is that boarding schools are halfway around the world - “Fortunately , most boarding schools are half a world away.” ( It’s like having their children so far away is a good thing…)

In the original DuckTales series in episode one “Don't give up the ship” , when Scrooge Mcduck looks after Huey, Dewey and Louie for the first time , he makes a comment about wishing he could send them to Boarding school if he didn’t have to give away any of his money  - “If Only Boarding schools weren't so expensive.” 

So it could be possible that at some point in Bradley’s childhood , he could have gone to Boarding school and even gone to one in another country. It certainly would add more weight to Bradley’s comment to Max in their poetry lesson when he saw Max’s dad attend College with his son - “Daddy’s little baby couldn’t be alone” 

If this is the case then Bradley being sent away for educational purposes would be normal to him and something he has been experienced to handle.

Other alternatives for Bradley could be that he went to a private school / prep school or may have been home-schooled by the very best tutors.  

But regardless of where Bradley went to for his education , I think it’s safe to assume that Bradley would have gotten the best education possible and been given a lot of academic opportunities. So I would say Bradley was given a better education than Max growing up.

I also think that due to status and high achievement being prevalent in upper class society that Bradley would be expected to get good high grades. 

High Achievement 

High achievement would be expected in upper class society. Being successful means the upper class can increase their own wealth and it can be a way for the rich to reflect accomplishment , status and superiority. 

When it comes to trophies , this would also be a sign of high achievement as they would symbolize success , excellence and achievement. But they also represent recognition for your hard work and a way to gain respect.   

It’s why In the snooker room at the Frat house , there are trophies seen everywhere around the room as It’s to showcase that the Gamma’s are winner’s and that they frequently achieve success. 

So Bradley having high expectations and pressure to succeed is very likely. 

In Part 1 we talked about Max’s reputation and in Part 2 we talked about Max’s lower class background. For Part 3 we're going to continue to discuss why Max wants to be famous.  

Max wanting to be Famous ? 

When people want to be famous , common reasons can be because they have a desire to be seen/valued and have a need for validation and attention. It can also be because they want an elite high status lifestyle and an opportunity to earn wealth. 

For most of Max’s life,  being a Goof has affected him negatively and Max grew up poorer compared to other families due to Goofy’s lack of a degree and education.  

So when you're constantly being faced with people who associate you with negative terms like loser , geek , goofball , dweeb , dork etc. , you come from a low income household compared to everyone else and you feel like you're unpopular and disliked by others, it’s going to affect your sense of worth , make you feel inferior and self-conscious about how you are valued by others.  

This makes Max believe that he is a nobody and that the only way to be liked is for him to become an actual somebody.  

‘Talent to the Max’ Goof Troop 

By the end of the episode , kid Max thinks he was kidding himself trying to be a magician as he believes he's a nobody and to him Magician’s are seen as a somebody.  

“Who am I trying to kid. I’m no magician. I’m nobody.”-Max 

When Max first started to practice magic , it wasn’t because he had a great interest in the craft. It was for the sole purpose of gaining fame and fortune from entering the school talent show as  a Magician. 

In Max’s eyes , magicians are applauded and loved for being great and talented at magic , so Max thinks he should become one himself if it means he will receive that same positive attention that magicians do. It’s why in this episode, Max is a perfect target to be manipulated by the magic hat , as it knows Max seeks fame and fortune as a way to be validated. 

“Kid,kid. I’m your ticket to fame and fortune. Try this on. Presenting the Great Maxini! Like it , like it? Is it you,huh? Great. Goes with the shoes, huh”- Hat

“I gotta be dreamin. A talking hat tellin the world’s worst magician , he’s great? -Max

“Shh! Shh! Quick! Ix-nay! Ix-nay! Don’t ever say that. You’re gonna be great. You are great! You always been great!” - Hat

“Come on. Really?”- Max 

“Really? Really? Really? Did Houdini escape the gaping jaws of rabbit chicken , huh? I saw it, I tell ya, it changed my whole life. You need magic to get ahead. I need a head to get ahead.” 

Then later during the conversation the hat tells Max - “Go ahead , take a chance. Fame and fortune , kid. Fame and fortune. The Great Maxini!”

Goofy Movie 

Max wants to talk to Roxanne but he lets his own insecurities about his image get the best of him. Even after they do talk to each other for the first time, Max still thinks he's a nobody to her so he believes that the only way to get her attention and to be liked by her is by putting on that powerline show in the school assembly. - “It’s my only chance, Peej. To Roxanne I’m just a nobody! But after today…”-Max

Max also believes that his classmates will stop laughing at him because of the stunt and that he will become famous because of it. 

( singing ) “They’ve been laughing since I can remember, but they’re not gonna laugh anymore! No more "Maxie the geek"! No more "Goof of the week" like before!”-Max

“I've got less than an hour and when this ended, I'll either be famous"-Max

In Max’s mind , if he can put on a show as Powerline, a famous rock star who is immensely popular and loved by his classmates, then he will be just as loved as Powerline is. 

(singing) “She looked right through me! And who could blame her? I need a new me, plus some positive proof that I’m not just a goof!”- Max  

So Ultimately , the main reason why Max wants to be famous is for external validation and to be perceived more positively by other’s. 

If he is famous then he won't be a nobody anymore and can be somebody who gets praise , admiration , popularity and a good reputation like all the other somebody’s.  

It’s why Max connects so much to Powerline’s Song ‘Stand out’ as it essentially represents what Max wants and how he feels. 

Max seeking out external validation in AEGM. 

By the end of the first movie , Max learns to just be himself when Roxanne points out that she already liked him from the moment she heard his laugh. But while Max realizes that he didn’t need to go to such extremes to be liked by Roxanne , he knows that this isn’t the case with his high school classmates. 

When Max puts on that Powerline show in their assembly before summer break , all of his classmates suddenly love him. Even the ones who bullied him or thought badly of him now love Max.

Everyone cheers out his name and Max’s insecure demeanour changes into a far more confident and cool one during the montage of himself skateboarding home. 

Max is acting more like his true authentic self and how he wants to be seen, just like how he acts as an adult in AEGM. This is because he now has this new found confidence that allows him to be his true self.

It can then be presumed that due to his Powerline stunt at the assembly , him dancing with Powerline himself on LIVE TV and that he was now dating Roxanne in high school , that Max’s reputation in high school became a far more positive one. No longer being bullied and becoming super popular. 

This in turn has made Max more confident and allowed himself to be more openly his true self but it’s also given him a bit of an ego too.

However , despite Max seeing himself more positively and not acting like a moody teen any more , he still seeks external validation when he goes to College.

When Max is talking to Bobby and PJ about going to College, he tells them how they will be the most popular freshmen if they beat the Gamma’s at the X games. 

“Hey , we have a surefire way to shoot straight to the top of the freshmen heap. The College X games." - Max

The first freshmen team to win it all!”.- PJ  

“First team to boot those number one Gamma’s on their boot-tays! - Bobby

“The Gamma’s may be five-time winner’s. But I hope they’re ready for a losing streak! Let’s beat the Gamma’s. Let’s do it , to it! - Max  

When Goofy tries to remind Max that college is meant to be a place to make something of himself , Max believes he will be doing just that if he wins the X games. 

“Listen Son, that their X games fiddle-faddle…may be all well and fun. But remember, you're going off to college to make something of yourselves.” - Goofy

“Exactly”- Max 

Max wanting to be popular and make a positive name for himself is Max’s main motivator in wanting to win the X games. It’s why Max wants to focus on winning so much as he believes he will gain popularity, fame and recognition from winning. 

“We unloaded my dad and now we can focus on winning. Let’s do it, to it!”-Max to PJ and Bobby 

“This is it ,guys.  championship time” - Max to PJ and Bobby 

Old habits 

Skateboarding is a huge part of who Max is as a person and he is very talented at it. So it’s good that Max wants to be recognized for something that is associated with himself rather than trying to be someone else or something he's not.  

But even though Max is using a personal hobby of his to be liked by others and to gain fame ,  he still thinks he has to do something great to be well liked and popular and for him to make a positive name for himself. It’s like Max feels that he has to overcompensate. 

So despite Max being more confident and learning to just be himself, he is still falling into old patterns and habits.  

In high school , Max knows that he became super popular with his classmates due to his association with Powerline. Taking over the assembly while performing as Powerline and dancing LIVE on stage with the famous Powerline himself is what gained him that external validation from his high school classmates. 

So to regain that external validation, Max believes he needs to do something great to get it and If it worked in high school then it will work at College too.

And if Bradley and the Gamma’s are celebrated for being College X game winners then in Max’s mind , he will be celebrated like them as well if he becomes a winner too. Even more so for being the first freshmen team to beat the Gamma’s as it would make Max look even better.

But whether Max realizes it or not , he is still letting his own insecurities tell him that he needs external validation . It’s this need for external validation that becomes a factor as to why his relationship with Goofy becomes strained in AEGM.

Goofy and Max’s rivalry in AEGM

When Goofy attends College with Max , he gives his dad clear ground rules to follow but Goofy neglects them and over steps his boundaries- “Look, I talked to him and laid out all the ground rules. No interfering with X game practice. No hounding us about schoolwork. No coming into our room unannounced. And no acting like a father. Especially mine. He’s got his life, I’ve got my life.”

But due to Goofy not listening , this of course is why Max feels more inclined to get away from his dad as Goofy is unintentionally sabotaging Max’s reputation, social life, independence and his own goals.

Max doesn't want his life going back to the way it used to be nor does he want to be suffocated by Goofy’s constantly attached presence. 

But in an ironic twist of fate , Goofy starts to become more popular than Max and gets the life that Max wanted from College. 

At first it starts During skate practice where Max is showing off his skateboarding skills and everyone is admiring him and cheering him on.  But after colliding into Goofy , everyone starts to cheer for Goofy instead when they think he's a good skateboarder too.  

Max of course reacts negatively to this as he's already frustrated with Goofy’s overbearing presence and interference in his life as it is. But now his own dad is taking the spotlight away from him for doing something that Max is personally great at. 

Skateboarding is what Max identifies with and it’s what is giving him a good amount of praise and admiration at College but now Goofy has taken some of that external validation away from Max. Something Max really wants to get from everyone. 

It’s why Max gets so mad at Goofy for beating him in the qualifying rounds at the X games as Goofy once again , even if it was unintentional , took that external validation away from Max and out staged him - “Save your breath. You may have won this time but dad… Oh! This campus just isn’t big enough for the both of us”

It’s also why Max is more frustrated than ever that he himself doesn't have his own life as Goofy has taken the life that Max wanted. - “Don’t you get it , I'm trying to get away from you! I’m not a little kid anymore ! Now just leave me alone and get your own life!

After the qualifying rounds , Goofy has become really popular and people are now starting to see Max as just Goofy’s son. 

“Hey I know you! Aren’t you”- Girl

“Yeah. Max.”-Max 

“Goofy’s son! Ahh! He is rad!”-Girl 

What adds more weight to this is that Max doesn't want to be seen as just Goofy's son. He has always tried to have his own identity that isn’t associated with being like his dad. Not just because of how negatively people have treated Max for being Goofy’s son but because he wants to be perceived more positively and to be seen as a cool guy.

But now Goofy , someone who has impacted his reputation negatively over the years is now loved and popular and is being referred to as Rad instead of Max.

So Max is now feeling inferior to his own dad and that he is being tossed aside by everybody else...

It’s why he wants to transfer school as everyone is now solely focused on Goofy and not him. 

This in turn has affected his desire to win in the College X games as he feels like there’s no longer a point in competing if he can’t even beat his own father. And if he can’t win then he won't gain that external validation and fame that he wanted from winning in the first place. - “If I can’t even beat my father, who is probably the most athletically-challenged man in the universe, how can you expect me to beat the other competitors?”

But after some words of encouragement from Bobby where he mentions how Max will let those who once cheered for him , cheer for his own dad instead , Max is more than determined than ever to beat the Gamma’s and win. 

But due to his focus on winning and him still resenting his dad for his actions , he dismisses Goofy’s warning about the Gamma’s cheating as a taunt from Bradley - “Oh , yeah. Did Bradley tell you to say that? Stop wasting my time, Dad. I gotta stay focused” 

At this point in the story Max is unaware that Goofy isn’t competing and Max is so focused on winning and proving himself that he can’t see that Goofy’s warning was legit, as being better than Goofy and getting that external validation and fame he wanted is clouding Max’s judgement.  

Max has a support system.   

Despite Max wanting external validation , Max has a good support system with unconditional love from his dad and friends. They stick by Max through his successes and his failures and like him if he's a nobody or a somebody. Here’s a few examples. 

'Talent to the Max' 

“Who am I trying to kid. I’m no magician. I’m nobody.”-Max  

“That’s not true Maxie. You’re the best son a dad could have. And you're PJ’s best friend too.”-Goofy  

“Best buddies forever, right?”-PJ  

“Ah, magic wasn’t for me , anyway.”-Max

AEGM 

Despite Max not doing well in the qualifying rounds they try to reassure him that it’s okay and are still friends with him. 

“Relax! It’s okay, man. We’re in” PJ after the qualifying rounds 

“Hey Max-man! That was a one time freak fest. You can beat any of those losers any day.”-Bobby to Max at the Bean scene  

A Goofy Movie 

"You know, maybe Max isn’t all the things that you think a son should be but…he loves me”- Goofy to Pete 

“You're my son Max. No matter how big you get, you’ll always be my son.”-Goofy to Max

These relationships are genuine and unconditional , hence why Max is so loyal to his friends and his Dad in return. 

“Oh well I’m sorry , but PJ , Bobby and I are in this together. It’s either all of us. Or none of me”- Max to Bradley 

So despite Max wanting external validation , he wouldn’t trade away his friends or even want Goofy out of his life for good. 

When Max realizes that Goofy was telling the truth about the Gamma’s this is what makes Max come to his senses and focus less on winning. By the end of the movie , Max realizes that his relationship with his dad is more important than what he can gain from winning in the College X games.

It’s why in the ending we see Max giving his X game trophy to his dad as the trophy presents their bond as father and son and this is what Max truly values more. 

So that’s the end of Part 3 and Max’s section in this analysis series. I hope I did Max justice in my analysis of him :)

In Part 2 we're going to explore Max’s lower class background , his education and why Max wants to be Rich and famous :)  

Max coming from a Lower Class background 

Growing up , Max was raised by a single father who didn’t have a college degree and before moving to Spoonerville , Max and Goofy lived in a trailer in the middle of a city. Even had a Lake poster behind their trailer as a fake backdrop. 

So due to a lack of job requirements from Goofy’s education , Max and Goofy lived rather poorly compared to everyone else.  

But once Goofy gets a degree of W.W.D ( Widget Waffler Deluxe!) ,he is able to get a job in Spoonerville , allowing him to move into an actual house next to Pete’s. 

But despite their living accommodations being better , it’s still shown throughout the show that Goofy doesn't have a lot of money. It’s also shown that what Goofy does for employment is different from episode to episode and he presumably doesn't have a stable job. 

Because of this, it can be assumed that Goofy got fired from a lot of his jobs or he had to do multiple jobs to earn enough money to provide for him and Max. So all in all Goofy isn't really rich and struggles financially compared to other households. 

Due to their financial struggles , Max and Goofy can’t usually afford to go on vacation like other families.

‘Wrecks , Lies and Videotape’

“Same thing every summer. Your dad takes you guys someplace hot like Hawaii. My dad can’t afford to go anywhere. If I had the bucks , I'd buy him a real vacation.” - Max

“Every summer you take your family on a mondo expensive vacation. France one year. Egypt the next. While my pop can’t afford anything but bucket fishing for minnows in the backyard.” - Max

There have also been times in the series where Goofy and Max have nearly lost their house due to financial issues caused by Pete.

‘Goodbye , Mr Goof’ 

Goofy loses his envelope of money to pay the mortgage and because he won't be able to come up with enough money in time to pay , he states that he and Max will have to live in a trailer park - “Back to the trailer park , I reckon.”  Peg thinks this is terrible but Goofy tries to reassure her that in a year or two they will actually be able to buy a trailer - “Oh , it won't be so bad. Why, in a year or two we might have enough money to buy a trailer.” 

‘A pizza in action’ 

Goofy’s house will get toyed away because of his failed pizza business and they end up on the street penniless.  

“Maxie , I got something to tell you. If the Pizza whiz doesn't show a profit by tomorrow night, our house will be towed away.”-Goofy

“Towed away? But what about us?”-Max

“We’ll be thrown out on the street , penniless.”- Goofy

At one point in the series in the episode ‘Goof under your Roof’, Pete even owns half of Goofy’s property making Goofy have to divide the house between him and Pete. Max has to lose his bedroom because of this which leads some kids at the park to mockingly call Max “Half-House Maxie”. 

Materialistic things 

Then when it comes to Max getting materialistic things , Max is usually seen trying to find ways to raise the money himself to buy what he wants , whether it be for concert tickets or a video game.

Sometimes Max has even been shown trying to get pocket money from Pete by doing his chores.

‘All the Goof’s that fit to print’ 

Max is seen trying to earn pocket money from Pete where he is under the impression that both him and PJ will get minimum wage.  

“Sure appreciate you letting Max earn some pocket money over there”-Goofy

“My pleasure, Goof. A boy’s never too young to learn the honest value of an honest dollar. Besides , It's best they start with an enlightened employer like yours truly.Somebody to ease them into the harsh realities awaiting them in the working world. ”-Pete

Max moes the lawn with PJ , carries and unload’s Pete’s heavy boxes full of advertising , cleans the driveway with small toothbrushes etc. but despite doing Twelve hours work, Pete gives them both nickels instead.    

‘Winter Blunderland’

Max and PJ clean snow off the cars and RV’s at Pete’s car dealership but despite being expected to be paid for their work , Pete pays them in paperclips.

Max will sometimes on occasion try asking for an advance on his allowance if he can’t find any money but Goofy has done this so often that he can’t keep giving Max an advance on his allowance any longer.   

“Say uh Dad? You wouldn’t wanna slide me an advance on the old allowance , would ya?”-Max

“You’re already advanced clear to your seventh year of high school”-Goofy 

It’s why despite Max knowing that Pete is a bad dad , he tells PJ that he is lucky when Max is looking at Pete’s RV. This is because compared to him,  PJ’s family are able to afford the best - “Yeah, you can keep the moves. But I wouldn’t mind havin this RV. You’re so lucky man!”. 

When Goofy does give Max a present however , he tends to give Max presents that are either sentimental things from Goofy’s own upbringing or food related treats. This however often leaves Max disappointed even if Goofy is well intentioned. So even if Goofy could afford what Max wanted , Max usually ends up with something he didn't even ask for.  

‘Take me out of the ball game’

On Max’s birthday , he hoped to get a new hot skateboard or a video game but Goofy gives him a baseball bat , ball and glove which were the same ones Goofy used as a kid. Goofy gives this to Max as it’s his dream to have Max join the “The Spoonerville Sluggers” baseball team. 

Even though Max is seen to like baseball later in the show and in the movies , Max at this point hasn't played baseball yet and sounded disappointed when he found out what his birthday gift actually was.

It’s also stated in the same episode that Goofy gave Max 10 pounds worth of bubble gum for his last birthday. 

‘Goof under my roof’ 

Goofy tries cheering Max up by giving him a present but despite Max liking marshmallows he hopes that isn't his present - “Just as long as it’s not marshmallows” and acts disappointed when he guesses correctly. Probably because it’s a common gift he gets from Goofy too often.  

Goofy Movie 

Goofy gives Max a Fishing pole which has been handed down from Goof to Goof to Goof.  “Wait!I saved the best for Last. Ayuk! It’s been handed down from Goof to Goof to Goof. And now, it’s yours son.”-Goofy

“A stick?”-Max

“No silly. A fishing pole!”-Goofy

AEGM 

When adult Max receives a going away present before going to College, Max thinks he's getting an electronic device that is state of the art - “Oh! It weighs like a ton! I bet it’s one of those combo TV CD VCR laptop scanner fax things , right? Oh , man they are so cool!” But Max is completely stunned when it’s a typewriter.

Adult Max however does appreciate the sentiment once Goofy explains the thought he put into it though.   

Max’s education 

In AEGM , Max is focused on winning at the X games but he can be seen writing notes in class and carrying around books around campus. So as an adult , Max is taking his education seriously. 

When Max was a kid however , it’s hinted that Max would hide his report cards from Goofy and didn’t get top grades. 

Midnight Movie Madness  

“I'm 11 and a half. Nothing scares me.”-Max to Goofy

“Except Math tests.” - PJ referring to Max 

‘Educating Goofy’

“It’s not fair! Dad’s tryin to ruin me! He’s gettin better grades.” -Max 

'Tub Be or Not tub be' 

When Max doesn't want PJ telling Pete about their Tub racing secrets - “Remember Peej. This stuff’s more secret than my report card .

'Big City Blues' 

PJ jokes to Max - “You know , you could hide your report card in your dad’s shirt pocket and he’d never find it.”

Even though Max probably didn’t get the best grades all the time growing up , he does however get an A in his science report on Einstein which he was very happy to show off to his dad. Max has even been shown helping PJ study for PJ’s Maths test. 

'E=MC Goof' 

“Guess what , Dad! I got an A!”-Max to Goofy

Axed by Addition  

“Well you’re not the first guy I saved from an inverted fraction. Now i could help you cheat on the test…Or i could make you a math genius for Life!- Max to PJ

That being said. I think one of the reasons why Max struggled to get high grades is due to Max not getting a proper education before moving to Spoonerville. But now that Max can get a better education , Goofy tries to influence Max that his education is important. This is because Goofy knows well enough how hard it is to get a good job without a proper education and is experienced in the hardships of being poor.   

Educating Goofy

When Max is focused on other things than getting better at spelling , Goofy wants to prove to Max that education is important. “Afraid I haven't set a very good example for Maxie. Gotta prove to my son that education is important.” Goofy then decides to go to Max's school to get his diploma and thinks it will be worth it so he can set a fatherly example to Max.

AEGM 

Goofy wants Max to get a diploma from college so he can make something of himself. Gives Max the horse shoe lecture as a reminder to focus on his goals , a lecture that is implied to have been taught to Max a lot of times. 

'Meanwhile Back at the Ramp'

Goofy cares about Max getting a good education , but he doesn't pressure Max to be an overachiever or to be the top of his class. He just wants Max to try his best. 

“Max, I’m not gonna get that award now.”-Goofy

“Hey! At least you tried! That’s what you tell me.”-Max 

Wanting to be Rich and Famous 

Throughout Max’s life , Max has wanted to become rich and famous. Here are some Examples. 

'Waste makes haste'

After Max and PJ see you can get money for recycling , they try finding some to earn cash. 

“When we turn this stuff in, we’ll be richer than rich.”-Max  

'All the goof that’s fit to print'

When Pete makes his own newspaper , he makes PJ and Max reporters to which Max sees this as an opportunity to be rich and famous “Come on Peej. We’re gonna be rich and famous before supper!”-Max       

Then later in the episode when they get in trouble for trying to sell a phoney story , PJ tells Max that they shouldn't have done that but Max responds by saying “Television news. That’s where our future is. It’s immediate , it’s visual. It’s where the big bucks are!” 

'Educating Goofy' 

When Goofy is trying to teach Max spelling , Max at first isn’t that interested and says “And when I’m rich and famous, I can hire someone to do my spelling for me.”

'Talent to the Max' 

Max enters the school talent show as a magician, thinking the talent show is just the beginning to getting him fame and fortune - “We’re ridin a magic carpet to fame and fortune.”- Max to PJ 

'Slightly Dinghy' 

Max finds out about a long lost treasure so he goes looking for it with PJ - “Aww, Peej , ye of little faith. You drop me to the bottom. I’ll hook the anchor to the chest. End of nautical nightmare, beginning of a rich and famous lifestyle.”

A Goofy Movie 

Even though his main motivation in the movie is to get a date with Roxanne , during the song Max says the line - “I've got less than an hour and when this ended, I'll either be famous-"

Then later in the movie when Max and Goofy capture Bigfoot on camera ,  Max is happy at the thought of them becoming famous from them having the only video of BigFoot.

“I can’t believe it…Bigfoot!”- Max 

“And I’ve got the only video!”-Goofy

“We’re gonna be famous!-Max 

But why does Max want to be rich and famous? 

Max grew up not very rich and came from a poorer household compared to other families. So becoming famous would certainly be an easy shortcut to becoming wealthy and it makes sense that Max would want to be rich so he can have a better life for himself and to be able to afford whatever he wants. However , a part of the reason as to why Max wants to become rich is because he feels like he deserves it. 

'Slightly Dinghy'

In this episode kid Max wants to find a quarter so he can buy a video game but once he learns about a lost treasure, he disregards the video game in favour of being able to buy a whole arcade - “Treasure? Forget the video game. I could buy a whole arcade”. 

But when Pete drops the anchor which is carrying the treasure that Max found , a rain storm starts to form but instead of leaving the treasure Max says “No , I deserve this. I have this coming to me”.

From this point on , Max is so hyper focused on getting the treasure that he neglects his and everyone else’s safety despite their being a storm , their boat balancing in between a rock and them all being attacked by a mechanical shark. 

PJ has to warn Max three times to stop trying to get the treasure but Max is insistent on getting it even though he knows the danger there all in. Max isn’t doing this out of malice though , he's just a desperate kid trying not to lose an opportunity of a lifetime to get rich and does look guilty when he is caught each time.  

Then when Pete takes the credit for finding the treasure , Max tries to claim that the treasure is his and that he worked for it. “That’s my treasure! I worked for it. C’mon , lemme through!”-Max 

So in terms of wanting to become Rich , it’s because Max wants to be financially stable and because he feels like he deserves to be rich due to all the work and effort he goes through to earn a better life for himself. He feels like it’s owed to him. And when you have grown up poorer than everyone else , of course you're going to want to have a better life for yourself.   

In AEGM, Max Goof and Bradley Uppercrust the Third are Rivals in the College X games competition and are presented as opposites. But like most rivals in fiction , they often do have similarities and are meant to contrast well together as foils. 

In this series we're going to explore Max and Bradley as characters and what they might have in common with each other.

For Part One, Two and Three we are just going to focus solely on Max. So if you love Max or just wanna learn more about him then here ya go :D 

Max’s bad reputation 

In A goofy Movie , Max claims while singing that people have been laughing at him since he can remember and refers to himself as Maxie the geek and Goof of the week- “They’ve been laughing since I can remember, but they’re not gonna laugh anymore! No more "Maxie the geek"! No more "Goof of the week" like before!”

Other names that Max has been called by while growing up are loser , geek , goofball , dweeb , goof , dork etc. Here are some examples.

A Goofy Movie

“No more looking at Loser’s like him”- Highschool class mate

“It’s dork and dork Junior”- Kid making fun of Max and Goofy

Goof Troop episodes 

“Hey. Wild Rider’s not for Goofballs”- Butch 

“Hey Lardo, where’s your pal , the little goofball”- Tooth to PJ

“No dweebs on the Pharaohs turf”. - Duke

“I smell a couple of geeky dweebs”- Duke 

“And you. Don’t you let me catch you , lettin him make you look like a geek again!”-Pete to PJ

Not only has Max been laughed at and name called, but he has also had his allowance stolen from bullies like Leech and from a classmate named Tooth.

What makes this worse is that Goofy and Max aren't as financially well off like other middle class house holds , so Max getting his money taken away puts him in a worse situation compared to other kids who may have gotten their money taken too. 

“Sorry I don't have any lunch money on me but it’s saturday”- Max to Leech 

“That day , all I had was three quarters and a serious problem named Tooth. Big for his age? This guy would've been big for the stone age. His motto, pay up or get beat up.”- Max

“You mean the goofball whose money you always steal?” - PJ to Tooth 

At high school , it's also shown that Max's has had his lunch taken away.

Now , It’s bad enough that Max has experienced bullying from his classmates as a kid and as a teenager in high school. But as a 11 year old kid in the Goof Troop series , Max has also gotten bullied by actual adults such as Leech , Duke ( for six months ) and Butch. 

Even Pete to some extent as Pete got joy from telling Max that Santa Claus isn’t real and through out The Goof Troop show and A Goofy movie he doesn't even seem to care if he upsets or says anything negative towards Max in general. 

“(Laugh) Ain’t that quaint. The Goofbrain thinks there’s a Santy claus.”-Pete to Max

So overall , Max has experienced plenty of name calling and bullying. But one contributing factor as to why Max get’s picked on is because he is related to his dad Goofy. 

Max being seen like his Dad. 

Max truly does love his dad and Goofy is a really good loving person in general. But having Goofy as a dad can sometimes be a detriment to Max as Goofy acts rather goofy , absent minded and clumsy. This eccentric behavior causes mishaps and mayhem where people either get mad at Goofy like Pete or they laugh at his expense. 

These moments tend to make Max embarrassed or make him look bad for being related to Goofy. So when people compare Max to Goofy , Max often sees this as a negative thing and gets self conscious about being a goof like his dad. 

‘Queasy Rider’

When Goofy is playing Wild rider , he accidentally smashes the arcade machine into all the other arcade machines. Butch then makes fun of Max for taking after his dad. -“Like Father , like goofball.”

‘Meanwhile , back at the ramp‘

Max doesn't think he looks like his dad but PJ disagrees and makes fun of Max for being like Goofy. This in turn makes Max annoyed and frustrated by the comparison.  

“I can’t believe you don't see it , Max! You look just like your dad!”- PJ

“Uh , I got an idea , toadstool.”- Max

“What?”- PJ

“You promise not to say that again , and I promise not to rearrange your earlobes.”-Max

“Say what? ( Mocking tone ) You look just like your dad?- PJ

“Death! That’s it!”- Max

“But you do!”- PJ

(Angry face before Max collects his composure) …

“Peej , let’s try this one last time, OK? Look at these ears. Nothin like my dad’s! Hey , look at my hair! Ditto! My chin , my eyes! Totally , totally different! PJ I’m nothing like my dad!- Max

( Max Falls of the skateboard ramp) 

“Hahahaha. Yeah! Right , Max-o. You and your dad even fall alike!” ( PJ continues to laugh)

“Cork it PJ!”- Max 

Then Later in the same episode after Pete calls Max a goof like his dad when he doesn't want Max using his skateboarding ramp, Max is pretty down by the comment and when Goofy tries to see what the matter is , Max admits that it bothers him that he is seen as a Goof like Goofy. 

“Well , if someone said you always goofed things up, what would you do?”-Max

“I usually do goof things up” - Goofy

“But , say you were related to that person?” - Max    

“It wouldn't bother me” - Goofy    

“But if it did bother you-” Max 

“Wait a minute, Max. What’re you getting at?” - Goofy    

“Pete! He said you’re a goof and I’m just like you!”-Max 

By the end of the episode , Max does accept that he looks like his dad but despite what he goes through in the episode , Max still doesn't want to be compared to his dad all that much. 

“Ah-hyuck! He’s just a chip off the old block! - Goofy referring to Max

“A small chip! Well actually , more like a…Splint. No , no , no, maybe sawdust”. - Max  

'A Goofy Movie' 

When Goofy dresses Max in a life jacket and fishing gear for the road trip , he states that Max looks just like him when he was his age but Max tells him not to say that. 

“You look just like I did at your age.”-Goofy

“Please don’t say that, Dad.”-Max

Then when both Max and Goofy are at Lester’s Possum Park , Goofy dances with Max but because everyone is laughing at them so much Max wants Goofy to stop as it’s embarrassing and he doesn't want to be laughed at.

When they finish ,a little boy then comes over and refers to Max and Goofy as Dork and Dork Junior , causing Max to look hurt by the comment and everyone to laugh more.

Max then angrily storms off and wants to try and get away from Goofy. 

‘The House of Mouse’

Another example of Max not liking to be compared to his dad is in ‘The House of Mouse’ tv series where in one episode, a Teenage Max takes the same Job Goofy has.  ( It’s a separate piece of continuity to the canon timeline of the Goof troop show and Goofy movies but I wanted to mention it anyway as a example of Max’s characterization) 

“Ah Max,that’s Great! Like Father like Son.” -Mickey

“I wish you wouldn't say that”-Max 

But it's not just bullies or Max’s classmates that make Max feel bad about being related to Goofy. Pete, who is supposed to be Goofy’s best friend , makes it very clear to Max on occasion that even being related to a Goof is a bad thing. 

‘Everything’s coming up Goofy’ and ‘Good neighbor Goof’

When Max first moved to Spoonerville and became friends with PJ , Pete wanted Goofy to not be his neighbour and therefore was against the idea of his son being friends with Max. However despite his objections to it, PJ still hangs out with Max and when Pete finds out he tells PJ that bad things will start to happen if he is friends with a Goof. 

“I’d recognize that paint-stealing stench anywhere. I smell a goof! I knew it! Goof mud! And it’s fresh! You’ve been hanging around that goof kid , haven't ya? Well , don’t you know what’ll happen if you get their germs on you? Why , your brain will shrink to the size of a mustard seed! Strange words will start creeping into your vocabulary, word’s like Gawrsh and Ah-hyuck, Ah-hyck. Ooh, and then you’ll do dumb things and then when you try to remember them , you can’t , because you’re too dumb.”- Pete 

“But…”-PJ

“No buts , boy! You just steer clear of that kid. And get out of those goof-infested clothes! Now!”-Pete  

Pete says this not knowing that Max is hanging outside the window , but regardless ,  Max still hears how negatively Pete feels about Max being a Goof. This in turn makes Max silently cry about what he just overheard.

It’s unclear if people had insulted Max for being a goof before he moved to Spoonerville , but it’s clear from this interaction that Max now understands that being a Goof is a negative association to have. 

‘Meanwhile , back at the ramp‘

After Max tries to skate on Pete’s skating ramp, Pete angrily says to Max’s face that he is a carbon copy of his dad.-“Beat it , Kid! You’re just a carbon copy of your old man anyway. A goof!”

'Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmas' 

When Max believes in Santa Claus like Goofy, Pete makes fun of this and mocks Max for having the Goof gene.  

“(laugh) Like father , like Goof. Kid’s got the Goof gene coursin through his bloodstream.” - Pete

So for most of Max’s life he has received negative remarks from being Goofy’s son and for being a Goof in general.  

It’s why as a teenager in 'A Goofy Movie'  , he has a nightmare of becoming a spitting image of his dad and why Max is self conscious of having the same laugh as him.

To Max, he's scared that being anything like his dad will make him unliked and ostracized, hence why he hides his laugh and runs away from Roxanne when she hears it for the first time. 

Max wanting a fresh start at College 

In AEGM Max thinks going to College will allow him more independence and that he will no longer have to deal with his dad’s well meaning smothering over him- “Do you realize what going off to college means. No more well-meaning but totally smothering , over protective , doting , ah-yucking dad’s?”. But another reason as to why Max is looking forward to college is so he can have the chance to become popular from winning the X games - “Hey , we have a sure fire way to shoot straight to the top of the freshmen heap. The College X games.”

Due to Max being Goofy’s son in the past , Goofy has been one of the contributing factors as to why Max has been given a negative reputation . So now that Max is going to College where Goofy won't be around anymore , no one will be able to associate Max with Goofy as no one at college will know who Goofy is or that Goofy is his dad. 

To Max , College will be a clean slate where he can have a fresh start without anyone comparing him to his dad and everyone can only judge him based on his own merit. He can just be seen as Max and only Max for a change. 

But when Goofy arrives at College and barges into Max’s class room , Max literally starts freaking out.  He screams out loud at the sight of Goofy.

Starts rubbing his face in a dazed panic saying "oh no" repeatedly to himself.

Then when Goofy spots him , Max grabs and shakes Bobby to kill him as he doesn't want to experience what is happening. 

Goofy then walks over to a panicked looking Max , sits next to him , shows of his afro wig and tells everyone that Max is his son.

This of course makes everyone in the room start to laugh and Max’s expression is of pure horror.

He then screams “NOOOOOOOOO” at the top of his lungs while sitting on top of his desk covering his eyes.

(I know we all say Bradley needs therapy but honestly, Max could probably benefit from some therapy too couldn't he? )  

It’s almost like Max is having a panic attack or going through anxiety, as in this moment Max is worried that he will gain a negative reputation again for being Goofy’s son and will continue to get embarrassed by his antics. 

But there’s nothing Max can do to stop Goofy from attending College now as Goofy needs a degree to get a job. All he can do is tell Goofy that they need some ground rules. First being for Goofy to get rid of his wig as in Max’s words it’s scaring people but really it’s making Max look bad for looking uncool. 

Goofy gets the sense that Max is worried about being at College so tries to assure him that two goofs are better than one but Max isn’t pleased by this and puts more emphasis on their surname Goofs ,  like it's a bad thing. This is either because he doesn't want both of them at college or because Max is starting to associate himself with being a Goof as a bad thing again.  

“I know you're worried it might be hard to get into the swing of things around here. And well, it might be. But I figure two Goofs are better than one.”- Goofy

“Two ‘Goofs’ alright”- Max 

Max being self critical of himself

Due to Max being unpopular and being compared to his dad so negatively , Max tends to self loath on occasion and wishes he could be seen as someone who is cool instead of someone uncool so he can be perceived by everyone more positively. 

‘Queasy Rider ’

After Goofy plays poorly on the video game and knocks over the arcade machines , Goofy takes Max home to make cupcakes. But due to this embarrassing ordeal of looking bad in front of Butch and everyone else , Max thinks he is doomed to be a dweeb. 

“I hear those cupcakes a-callin!”-Goofy

“Doomed to be a dweeb”-Max 

Then once Max is at home , he mopes around in his garage and is self conscious of the fact that he will remain uncool and that this won't ever change. 

“C’mon, Max-o. You can’t hide in your garage forever.”-PJ

“Look,PJ. The world is divided into two groups. The cool guys and everybody else. Butch is cool, I’m everybody else.”- Max  

‘Leader of the Pack’

When Max finds out that his cousin Debbie is going to have his room when she stays over , he complains that it’s bad enough that he's a dweeb due to Duke not letting dweebs in the Behemoth burger restaurant but now he has to suddenly give his room up for one. 

“No. Not bad enough I gotta be a dweeb. Now I gotta give my room to one.”-Max 

‘Talent to the Max’

When Max can’t do any of his magic tricks right , he thinks pretty low of himself and starts to think he's not capable of obtaining fame and fortune for himself.-“No talent , no show. Fame and fortune , yeah right. I can’t even play the harmonica”

‘Educating Goofy’ 

Refers to his life as pathetic. - “Maybe I’m overreacting. Maybe dad’s not intentionally trying to destroy what’s left of my pathetic life.” 

As a kid , Max’s self loathing isn’t too much of a problem as overall he has a confident go get attitude and plenty of spunk. But when Max is a teenager in high school he is seen as more moody by his dad and his self loathing goes up to a whole nother level where he is more critical of himself.  

A Goofy Movie 

When Max waves hi to Roxanne but she doesn't see him , he thinks she saw right through him but doesn't blame her for this as he thinks so low of himself. 

(singing) “She looked right through me! And who could blame her? - Max 

Later in the movie , Max criticizes himself for not being able to talk to Roxanne properly and for laughing like his dad Goofy. Even calls himself a spaz. - “I can’t believe I did that! She finally says "hi" to me and what do I do? I choke! Uhyuck! Like a big spaz!”

Then when Max thinks he messed up his chance to impress Roxanne with his powerline performance , he calls himself a failure and a Loser. - “ I’m a failure, complete loser! My one chance to impress Roxanne and I blew it.”-Max

Max however is successful in getting a date with Roxanne but later on has to cancel due to his dad taking him on a surprise fishing trip. So when Max goes to Roxanne’s house to tell her the bad news, Max once again thinks badly of himself - “You get and cancel your first date in less than an hour. Must be some kind of lame-o record. ” 

Later in the movie when Max and Goofy are at Lester’s Possum Park , Max refers to his life as a living hell but is cut off by the Possum costume guy saying hello before he can say hell. 

“My life’s a living ”- Max

“Hello , little Buddy”-Possum costume guy

AEGM 

When Max doesn't do well at the qualifying rounds, he doesn't think his friends would want him on the team and is self critical that they are starting in last place because of him. 

“You don't want me on the team anyway. I lost at my best event.”-Max

“If I can’t even beat my father. Who is probably the most athletically-challenged man in the universe, how can you expect me to beat the other competitors? We’re starting in last place because of me!”-Max 

Max doesn't like feeling inferior to others 

During the Goof Troop show , A goofy Movie and AEGM , Max has had moments of feelings inferior to others. 

‘Queasy Rider’  

When PJ says Butch is one cool dude for getting the high score on “Wild Rider” , Max feels challenged by this comment to show PJ how much cooler he is compared to Butch -“You wanna see coo-el? Watch me.”-Max 

‘Buddy Building’ 

Leech decides to pick on Max and PJ but they are both saved by Coopy Hatchback. Max thanks Coop but remarks “Not that I couldn't handle a wimp like Leech myself.” Then when Coop and PJ start bodybuilding together , Max is insecure about his own mussels and thinks Coop will replace him as PJ’s best friend if he is not musicalar like Coop - “If I don't grow some muscles fast , I’m gonna lose my best bud.”

‘Educating Goofy’

Due to Pete getting in Max’s head , Max starts to believe that Goofy is trying to ruin his life when Goofy attends his school and starts getting a better life and reputation compared to Max. Here are some examples form the episode.

Goofy gets nominated for student body president. But Max had wanted to get nominated. - “But I was supposed to be nominated.”

Max wanted to join Carlos and Bob’s club but they want to give it to Goofy instead even though they said Max could before.. 

“Ah,Max , we’re gonna ask your old man to join our club.”Bob

“What about me? You said I could join.”-Max

“Uh Sorry Max. But we only have one jacket. Um maybe next year”-Carlos 

Two of Max’s classmates call Goofy cool and make Goofy’s laugh into a Fad. 

“Hey,Max. Your dad’s sure cool. Ah-hyuck!”- Girl 1

“Yeah, totally. Ah-hyuck!”-Girl 2

“What’d you guys say?”-Max 

“It’s a new fad. Have a nice , ah-hyuck day!”-Girl 1

Later PJ knocks on Max’s door and Max assumes he’s there to see him to play Baseball but PJ is there to see Goofy instead. (This part was so out of character for PJ but I’m obligated  to mention it as it was in the episode.)

“Hey, Peej. I'll be right with ya.”-Max

“Yeah,yeah. Whatever. Actually , I’m here to see my best friend.”-PJ

“Huh?”-Max

“Sorry I’m late Peej.Ah-hyuck! Just oiling up my mitt. ( Falls down stairs ) Gawrsh! Must have gone a little too heavy on the 10w-30 Ah-yuck!”-Goofy 

“Yeah, I guess so. Ah-hyuck! See ya , Max”-PJ

( After PJ and Goofy leave) “I thought I was your best friend.”-Max  

Because of all this , Max wants to beat his dad at the spelling bee. - “It’s not fair! Dad’s tryin to ruin me! He’s gettin better grades , gettin better friends! But I’m not goin down without a fight. No siree. Ill beat dad at something.” 

'A Goofy Movie' 

During the assembly , Max see’s Chad asking Roxanne to the party and so Max becomes more nervous before he is about to perform and asks Bobby how it’s going with the equipment as he feels like he's running out of time.

Then later in the movie when Max tries explaining to a disappointed Roxanne why he can’t go with her on their date to the party , Roxanne tells him that she can try and find someone else.

“I’m sure I can find someone else”- Roxanne

“Someone else?” - Max

This in turn devastates Max and so in a panic of not wanting her to go with somebody else, lies about seeing Powerline’s concert in LA instead of going fishing with his dad. 

AEGM - Bradley 

When outside the Gamma Frat house , Max is looking at Bradley in awe with Bobby and PJ. But after Bobby and PJ gush about Bradley being the College X games King , Max looks at them with a frown before responding with a smile by saying - “Yeah , until we take the crown” 

Then during the scene where they are all skateboarding to the bean scene , PJ tells Max - “Cheek it out. Look who’s following us.” After Max see’s that it’s Bradley and the Gamma’s, Max responds with a smile while saying “Let’s just make sure it stays that way” as he wants Bradley and the Gamma’s to keep following him around instead of the other way around. 

Additionally , when Max and Bradley have their conflict in the Bean scene Max proclaims “Then will dethrone you and the Gamma’s your royal lowness. You’d be lucky to even be my towel boy” after Tank tells Max not to forget that Bradley is the King.

In this moment , Max is trying to make himself look better in comparison to Bradley as he is feeling challenged and doesn't want Bradley thinking that he is better than him.    

AEGM - Goofy 

Max doesn't feel like there's enough room for two goofs when Goofy becomes a more popular Skateboarder than him and steals his limelight. Even decides to transfer to a different college as a result of this. 

Max to Goofy before their midterm - “This campus just isn’t big enough for the both of us” 

Max to his friends in the bean scene” - “I’ve decided this school’s only big enough for one Goof. I’m transferring outta here.” Bobby however makes Max come to his senses and continue to compete by making a point that Max will let the people who once cheered for him, cheer for his own dad instead - “You wanna let the crowd who once cheered for you cheer for someone else? Especially when that someone else is your old man!”

It just goes to show that despite Max having such an easy going and cool demeanour that deep down , he is someone who is self conscious about how he is perceived by others and doesn't want to look inferior or be replaced. 

For now this is all I'm going to say about Max until Part 2. I know this was a little angsty and long to read but it will all be relevant and Part 2 and 3 won't be so long compared to part 1.

Bradley really is a Goof isn't he.

In Goof troop , there are episodes that suggest that Max is into Sci-fi. Here are some examples from the show.

‘Close Encounters of the Weird Mime'

Max helps PJ with his science homework by suggesting they make a video about aliens taking over earth. 

When thinking of the idea , Max uses a lot of space related words.- “Think creative, visual! Cosmic! With Comets , Quasars, Nova's! Supernovas! Chevy Nova's! 

‘And a baby makes three’ 

Max is seen reading a sci fi comic book.

‘Come fly with me’

Max includes a Sci-fi video game when thinking of all the video games him and PJ can play on Pete’s new computer. "Boxing Gorillas, 50 flies from Fiji and UFO masters." -Max

‘You Camp Take it with you’

Max and PJ are playing in their Clubhouse as a space Captain and Lieutenant and have a telescope.

“Condition red, Lieutenant Peej, prepare to launch photo torpedoes!”-Max 

“Aye , Aye , Captain. Torpedoes set on full power , Captain ”-PJ

“Lieutenant , fire photon torpedoes!” - Max

They shoot water balloons at PJ’s dog , pretending it's an alien. 

“The alien has taken refuge with your baby sister’s ship, Lieutenant.”-Max  

I can’t remember if there are any other examples but based on the idea that Max does like Sci-Fi , I think there are so many fun concepts you can do with Maxley. Here are some ideas I came up with to get what I mean.

Bradley likes Sci-fi too but he keeps it a secret as he doesn't want to look like a geek/nerd. Max finds out somehow and they both bond and geek out over their shared interest.

If Bradley hated sci-fi , he could be the opposite of Max where he is more of a fantasy nerd that is into folklore , sorcery , magical creatures , kingdom settings etc.  Maybe a Big fan of Lord of the rings , Harry potter and fairy-tale plays at the theatre kind of guy. 

Both Max and Bradley could like Sci-Fi but they have a rivalry over it due to Max being a fan of Star Trek and Bradley being a fan of Star Wars . They both argue all the time about which one is better and Bradley calls Max a “Trekkie” like it’s an insult. 

If they're both fans of star wars , they could constantly be having lightsaber battles with one another with their own toy lightsabers. 

If they’re both Star Trek fans , they always fight over who gets to be the captain when they dress up for a sci-fi convention. 

In terms of romantic tropes , I'm a sucker for Max and Bradley looking at the stars together while lying next to one another.  Max can point at all the stars , telling Bradley what some of the constellations are and everything he knows about space while Bradley just takes it all in.

I imagine Bradley doesn't get a lot of time to look at the stars or to just slow down and take in what’s around him , so having a quiet moment with Max where he can just look at how pretty the stars are with him and not focus on any of his/their problems would be such a sweet, romantic moment to me. 

Maybe Max can tell Bradley about some constellations that his dad taught him while camping but they all have the name Goof in them so Bradley just thinks Max is making them up ;D 

Another romantic trope could be them going to some sci-fi themed dance or a sci-fi themed roller skating night together.

As for Maxley Sci-fi AU's , the possibilities are pretty endless.

Max and Tank

Tank calls Max baby , little tyke , the high kind of class with a wink.

"(Laugh) The pleasure’s all mine baby. Welcome aboard little tyke! - Tank"

"You’re class ( Wink ), the high kind!"-Tank 

But Max's reaction has No expression. His arms are now folded , no greeting or words to Tank and no handshake... ( Poor Tank )

Max then just continues to pay attention to Bradley.

Max and Bradley

Max's exchange with Bradley however ...

“I’d wager if you were on a skateboard , you wouldn’t have spilled a drop.”-Bradley

Gives Bradley a smug Smile at his compliment towards him.

“( Laugh ) You’d win that bet. It’s my best event.”- Max to Bradley

Finds Bradley's statement humorous by laughing. Tells Bradley he would win that bet and acts like his trying to impress him when bragging that skateboarding is his best event.

“Hi. I’m Max” - Max to Bradley

Happily says Hi to Bradley while extending his hand towards him for a handshake. Then changes his expression when telling Bradley his name.

I can't quite put Max's expression into words. Smug? Flirty? endearing ? But none the less it's a positive one.

But even when Bradley neglects the handshake when Bradley is too focused on introducing his own name , Max still gives him a nice smile before seeing Tank. It's like Max doesn't mind at all that Bradley acts a bit self centred.

Dont worry Max , you'll get to shake Bradley's hand sooner or later ... twice even.

No matter how many times I see this scene...

I can not get over how Bradley looks at Max when he catches up to him to the Bean scene.

"like why are you looking at him like that Bradley???"

It is a Crush ? Admiration ? Both ?

You decide.

But even when looking at it in slow motion , you can really see the subtle changes in his expression. Like his head movement , his smile , his eye lids. Even his eyebrows convey so much when his looking at Max.

Like , at first his eyebrows are normal but then they raise upward slightly in a curved way and then back to normal. It's such a small moment but the animators were like "Yeah lets animate his eyebrows like that even though it's only going to be very brief". It's this moment in particular where I'm more bias towards it being a crush.

Here are some still frames of what I mean without it being in motion.

And when you look at Tank and the other Gamma it just makes the way Bradley looks at Max stand out even more. I guess when Bradley told the Gammas "Lets cheek him out" he really did mean I'm gonna cheek him out.

And when Bradley spots Max again in the Bean scene , he gives Max such a nice smile far in the background , where you have to look so closely to see it. Like sweetie , why are you looking at him like that???

And then his just so keen and happy to see/talk to Max.

It's so funny to me though how he orders all the Gamma's to come with him and yet his like "Nah guys you wait here , I'm gonna go talk to Max alone."

Slouch giving Tank the side eye knowing whats going on ;)

And then of course Bradley messes up by bumping into Max , getting hot coffee on himself. He really should have opened his eyes while he was thinking about talking to Max or he probably wouldn't have collided into him like that, haha.

But is this moment really about Max feeling guilty or could this brief moment be towards something else?  Some may say it’s even about Bradley but is there really some truth to this? 

To know for sure I think it's important to look at the scenes that led up to this moment for proper context and to see how Max ultimately acts after this scene to see if there really could be any other cause for Max’s sudden disheartened reaction. 

So let's start off when Goofy first attends Max’s college.

When Max see's Goofy enter his classroom , Max screams , is absolutely horrified and ( jokingly) wants Bobby to kill him . Even screams “NOOOOOO!” at the top of his lungs after everyone in class laughs at his ordeal for having his own dad attend college with him. 

This was supposed to be a fresh start for Max and he wants to be popular and make a good impression on everyone , but Goofy’s unexpected arrival has now potentially jeopardised all that. 

But after Max understands Goofy’s situation of being fired and needing a degree to get a good job  , he sympathizes with him and gives Goofy ground rules to follow. Even defends Goofy's arrival to PJ and Bobby when they fear he will get in the way of the X games and their social life on campus.   

“Look, I talked to him and laid out all the ground rules. No interfering with the X games practice. No hounding us about schoolwork. No coming into our room unannounced. And no acting like a father. Especially mine. He's got his life , I’ve got my life”- Max to PJ and Bobby 

However , Goofy pushes the boundaries and neglects these rules, causing Max to feel embarrassed and annoyed by his father’s constant interference in his life. It’s becoming a problem for Max and it’s getting in the way of his own goals and reputation.

This goes on for days or weeks until one day at the library , Max tries to sneak away from his dad.

Goofy catches him though and asks where he's going to which a nervous Max quickly try's to figure out a excuse as to what he is doing. He then comes up with the idea that Goofy needs library card. A perfect cover up and a perfect way to distract his dad.  

Once Goofy is distracted with Miss Marpole , Max actively tries sneaking away again and even jumps over one of the library stalls to get away unseen. 

Now that Goofy has someone else to latch onto and is completely distracted , Max Finally has a chance to get away from his dad once and for all and is more than happy to do so with no regret or feeling of guilt whatsoever.  

“Come on guys , we're out of here!”- Max to PJ and Bobby 

This is probably the first moment since Goofy arrived at college that Max has had time away from his dad and he willingly takes full advantage of this with a smile on his face when making his getaway.

Once at skating boarding practice , Max is impressing everyone with his skateboarding skills and Max couldn’t be happier.  

He finally got a moment again where he feels popular and validated , just like he did when he first skated past frat row and things are really looking up for him.

That is until out of nowhere Goofy shows up in the middle of the ramp and Max accidentally collides into him, causing both Max and Goofy to be swung into the air and Max falling off his skateboard. Goofy however manages to land on Max’s skateboard and accidentally ends up taking Max’s spotlight by impressing everyone with his own skateboarding skills. 

Everyone applauds Goofy , something everyone was doing to Max moments prior , making Max annoyed and snatch his skateboard ruffly away from Goofy.

Due to Goofy’s actions, Max has now had enough of skateboarding practice for the day and is ready to leave but then Goofy suddenly proposes that he should join Max’s skateboarding team.

Max at first is bewildered that his dad would even ask him something like that, especially considering what he just did moments ago even if it was unintentional.

And so having enough of his dad's constant medalling , Max makes it perfectly clear to Goofy through his firm tone and disapproving body language that he isn’t going to let Goofy join his team as this is the one boundary that he isn't going to let Goofy cross.

“ Dad, as fun as that sounds. There are no, openings on my team. Kay.”- Max

At this point , Max’s patience with his dad is wearing thin. He is already annoyed that his dad isn’t listening to the ground rules and that his constant presence is medalling in with his social life. And when Max finally gets a break from his dad , a moment where he can be celebrated for his skateboarding skills again,  Goofy accidently takes this moment away from him by impressing everyone with his own skills , making Max get more annoyed/frustrated with his dad than he was before . 

Max then walks off with PJ and Bobby to which Bradley takes this as his opportunity to make Goofy an offer to join the Gamma’s. However , Goofy lets Bradley know that he is more interested in staying close to Maxie than joining his team. Bradley tries to make Goofy realise that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity but in response Goofy infers that Bradley doesn't understand the bond between a father and his son.

Overhearing this conversation, it’s clear to Max that Goofy isn’t going to leave him alone unless he thinks of another way to keep his dad away but for good this time. So as Max watches the conversation unfold ,  he cunningly comes up with a plan to get rid of his dad once and for all. Looks pretty satisfied and happy about it too. 

"Guys, I have a plan."-Max

Once Bradley and the Gamma’s leave Goofy alone , Max convinces his dad that he should join the Gamma’s as they need him more than his team does and that they will both still see each other at practices and events all the time. Goofy asks Max if his sure about this decision to which Max happily approves by telling his dad to go for it. 

“Go for it dad”-Max 

Goofy then catches up with Bradley and joins the Gamma’s , now following Bradley’s lead as they leave the skate park. 

Max and his friends watch as they leave and Max is seen smiling and content with what he has just done. But as PJ and Bobby celebrate , Max suddenly looks briefly sad when the scene starts to come to an end ? 

It’s very odd as this change in demeanour only lasts a few seconds in the actual movie but for some reason this display of emotion from Max isn't actually addressed later or? 

Every scene leading up to this moment has implied that Max should be rightfully happy. So why would Max suddenly look sad about finally getting rid of Goofy when all he has wanted up to this point is to do just that.

Max didn't feel guilty when he pushed Goofy on to Miss Marpole in the scene previous to this one, so what's changed?

Shouldn't he be feeling … relieved? Over the moon even?

Well , if it was a brief moment of guilt it was Very short lived as in the next following scene Max is overwhelmingly ecstatic/happy that his plan had worked and he even wants to celebrate with PJ and Bobby by making a nacho toast with them.

“A Crunch to us. I can’t believe it. It worked. We unloaded my dad and now we can focus on winning. Let’s do it, to it !”-Max 

Then later on during the scene , Max happily see's Goofy dancing with Miss Marpole and makes a point to Bobby that even if the Gammas can't keep Goofy away, then Miss Marpole surely will. Even gives Bobby a high five as a sign of approval/victory to his own statement.

"If the Gammas don't keep my dad out of our hair, his new girlfriend will."- Max

So clearly , Max isn't sad about ditching his Dad or tricking him to keep him away. As long as somebody is occupying his dad away from him then it's all good in his eyes.

So , uh … what happened then? Why is there a sudden whiplash of emotions here ? Did we miss a scene? Did Max just quickly get over it? Shouldn’t Max be asking PJ and Bobby for reassurance that he did the right thing if he really felt guilty over his dad?

Well, with everything leading up to this scene it would be reasonable to suggest that Max shouldn't be feeling guilty.

Goofy has over stepped Max's boundaries despite Max putting ground rules in place and Max can only be so patient and tolerant of Goofy's interference in his life for so long. Max is desperate to get away from his dad , and now that Goofy is out of the way , It makes absolute sense that Max should be happy and relieved about this change as Max believes he will only benefit from it.

So if we are to go with the notion that Max's expression isn’t guilt, then what was Max’s expression really about ? 

One interpretation could be , Max suddenly realizing that Goofy could be a threat to him in the X games but I don't think this is the case at all. At this point in the story , Max doesn't actually think Goofy can out best him at skateboarding. In his words he thought his dad was “the most athletically challenged man in the universe”.

And when it’s time for the actual qualifying rounds , Max sounds/looks condensing when wishing Goofy luck, as if Goofy will need all the luck he can get.

And when Goofy replaces Bradley as a last minute substitution , Max is surprised at first at the sudden change but is confident that Goofy will make the Gamma’s look bad. 

"(chuckle) This is gonna be good"-Max

It's only when Goofy performs really well that Max is rather shocked that Goofy proved him wrong and could out best him. 

So what else could it possibly be? ...

Well … as you've probably already guessed , what I'm going to propose is that Max’s saddened expression is actually addressed towards Bradley …  

Let me explain why this could be the case through a character/Story perspective.

After Max walks off from telling Goofy he can’t be on his team , Bradley swoops in to offer Goofy a place to be on his team instead. 

The following scene goes as follows.   

“Mr. Goof! Your performance was, without a doubt, the most breath-taking display of alternative sport inventiveness... yet to be paralleled by mankind!”-Bradley  

“Gee! Ah-yuck. Thanks. Whatever you said”.-Goofy

“The Gammas, the number one team in the history of the College "X" Games, have an opening on our team. And it has got your name on it, buddy! Be a winner. Join us.” - Bradley

“Hey, welcome to the team.”-Tank 

When Max first skated past Frat Row, people were impressed by his skateboarding skills and the one and only Bradley Uppercrust the Third gave Max a chance to be a Gamma.

But now the tables have turned where it is now Goofy impressing everyone with his own skills and just like Bradley had done with Max, Goofy is also getting the opportunity to be a Gamma. Keep this in mind as these two scenes are meant to mirror one another as through out the movie Goofy is slowly taking Max’s place on campus.  

So as Max is leaving , he can hear this whole conversation between them both but it's only after Bradley asks Goofy to join their team, that we see Max’s reaction. 

He stops in his tracks , shocked and turns around perplexed with a raised eyebrow by what is happening. 

In this moment , Max has just overheard that Bradley , the same guy who had once complimented him for his own skateboarding skills and given Max the same opportunity to be Gamma , is now doing the same to Goofy , someone who just stole the spotlight away from him moments ago. 

When Max was first given the offer by Bradley, Max looked touched and thrilled that Bradley wanted him as his first draft pick

and when Bradley asked him what he thought , Max claimed that he couldn’t believe it and looked immensely happy. 

“No way. You want us to be Gammas?

Ha! You guys, you hear that?- We're gonna be part…”- Max

Before attending college, Max hadn’t intended on becoming a Gamma  ( probably due to not thinking it was ever going to be a possibility) but when Bradley , the College X games King , the president of the best frat house on campus and a actual royal , was so impressed by Max’s skills that he chased after Max on a skateboard all the way down to the bean scene , just to ask him to be on his winning team , well of course this gesture meant a lot to Max.

Max had even spilled hot coffee on the guy by accident and Bradley still wanted him.  

And because Bradley rejected Bobby and PJ, who are in Max’s eyes serious athletes , Max knows what a big deal an offer like this is and knows full well that Bradley isn't just going to let just anyone be a Gamma. 

So the idea that Goofy , the person who just gained applaud and admiration from everyone else moments ago ,  is now being seen as someone who is good enough to be a Gamma just like Max had been, is now being given the same opportunity he once had from Bradley, well ... this is obviously going to be something that Max is going to take to heart and take great intrigue in. 

But as the conversation between Goofy and Bradley unfolds , Max is more focused on how he can get his dad away from him than how he might be feeling inferior to his own dad at this moment. 

So after Max persuades Goofy to join the Gammas , Max gets to witness the Gamma’s welcoming Goofy to the team , Bradley presenting Goofy with his own Gamma Mu Mu pledge Pin and Bradley calling Goofy “Brother Goofy”, making him an official Gamma. 

“Gamma Brother Goofy, let me present you with your Gamma Mu Mu pledge pin.” -Bradley

Then as Bradley, Goofy and the Gamma’s walk off , we cut back to the moment where Max and his friends are happy with their plan succeeding but of course Max gives that saddened expression just before the scene ends. 

With all this in mind , what I'm going to suggest is that this isn't a sign of guilt but rather a disheartened expression of Max feeling inferior to Goofy.

It's also of Max feeling a sense of sorrow that Goofy gets to be what Max could have been if things had turned out differently.

Knowing Max's Character , It’s no secret that Max tends to be insecure about feeling replaced/inferior . He has quite the history of it throughout the Goof troop show and the first Goofy Movie. 

Some examples

E65 Buddy Building - Feels like he's going to lose PJ as his best friend to a body builder named Coop.

S1 e71 Educating Goofy - When Goofy attends his school , Max feels like Goofy is taking everything away from him

The Goofy movie - When Roxxaane suggests that she can just go with someone else to the party , Max panics and lies about going to the Powerline concert when he's actually fishing with his dad. 

So it's easy to see how Max could be feeling like he has been replaced by Goofy as a potential draft pick for Bradley.

Obviously, just by comparing how Bradley acts and talks towards both Max and Goofy , we as a audience know that Bradley doesn't actually think Goofy is better than Max and is only using Goofy for his own gain. Bradley even admits later in the movie to Max himself that Goofy was never Gamma material but in this moment , this is just how Max could be feeling towards this situation.

When they met , Max could see and tell how much Bradley really wanted him as a Gamma,

but now that Max is no longer a option , Max is dealing with the unexpected scenario of seeing Bradley choose someone else. Something Max probably didn't think he would have to deal with as he didn't think Bradley would be able to find any better competitors than himself.

And when it comes to my other reason where Max feels saddened at seeing Goofy living a life that he could have had , I feel like this goes well with the overall theme and conflict between Max and Goofy, which is Max  wanting Goofy to get his own life and Max becoming resentful that Goofy is becoming everything Max strived for and wanted.

When Goofy beats Max in the qualifying rounds and takes away all the admiration and validation that Max wanted for himself, Max feels like Goofy is living the life that he wanted and strived for. This was supposed to be how life was going to go for Max but now Goofy gets to experience it for himself instead. 

So when we take this theme into account , it makes sense that Max would feel disheartened at the idea that Goofy gets to be a Gamma with Bradley as this was something that could have happened to him if Max didn't turn Bradley’s offer down.  

If Max had accepted Bradley’s offer , he could have been in the same position as Goofy is in now. He could have become a Gamma , he could have been given a Gamma Mu Mu Pledge Pin by Bradley , he could be the one following Bradley around campus as Brother Max. 

But due to circumstance , he had to turn the offer down due to PJ and Bobby not being allowed to join. A decision he doesn't regret for the sake of his friends but now that he see’s Goofy living out a life that he could have had , it probably dawned on Max in that moment what he actually did and that he gave Goofy a life that he could have been his if things turned out differently between him and Bradley. Goofy even had permission to join after turning Bradley down where as Max didn't.

Additionally , both the library scene and the Skatepark scene are very similar in terms of Max trying to get away from his dad and pinning his dad on someone else, but the only difference between these two scenes is that Max looks sad after pinning his dad on Bradley/Gamma’s but not when he did the same thing on Miss Marpole.  

So in a sense , Max’s expression is about Goofy but it's really about Bradley. Or at least that's what I think.

Regardless of what interpretation anyone has , it's all valid. People even suggesting that Max is pining for Bradley from a far is fine as it all depends on your own perception. And if you want to believe that Max was actually feeling guilt towards Goofy then that's fine too.

This was just my take/analysis on the scene and I hope it was at least a interesting perspective to think about.

In the Goof Troop episode “Meanwhile,Back at the Ramp” , Goofy says that he made Max’s favorite dinner , which is Spaghetti and meatballs with Ketchup. 

From this little bit of trivia about Max ,  I wanted to share some Maxley headcanons that I had about this. 

I like to think that spaghetti and meatballs are also Bradley’s favourite dish. As much as I do love how Maxley fits the opposites attract trope , I do like the thought of this being one of the things that they do have in common with each other. It would also be pretty funny and sweet to see both of their reactions to finding out this revelation about one another.

If Bradley and Max were dating and he found out that this was Max’s favourite dish and he wanted to make it for him as a nice surprise , I like the idea of him asking Goofy for the recipe in case there was a secret ingredient. But when asking him, Goofy just tells Bradley that the secret ingredient is Love to which Bradley responds with something like “So , just regular meatballs then , got it.”

Because Max likes spaghetti and meatballs , Pizza and other cheesy dishes , I like to imagine that Bradley would assume Max likes Italian food so he decides to take Max on a date to a really Fancy Italian restaurant. Or even better , Bradley takes Max to Italy to try all the local cuisine. 

During one of Max’s classes in AEGM , the teacher is reading out loud a poem called “Panthea by Oscar Wilde”. 

At first the camera is focused on the teacher reading the poem to the class. 

“We who are godlike now , were once a mass…” - Teacher 

Then the camera focuses on Max who is writing notes but turns around annoyed after Tank spits a spitball at him , 

leading the camera to pan up to a smiling Bradley looking back at Max as the teacher says the line.

“Of quivering purple, flecked with bars of gold.” 

( A bit ironic with how this line goes so well with Bradley due to the colour of his sweater and how he can be associated with Gold due to his high status )

So why am I bringing this scene up? 

Reason 1, is that “Oscar Wilde” , the poet of this particular poem, was secretly a Homosexual man who had an ongoing affair with a high elite man named “Lord Alfred Douglas.” 

And reason 2, is that one of the themes presented in the poem “Panthea” , is about pursuing desire/pleasure ( the physical kind ). 

So , with these two points in mind It makes you question if this scene in the movie could be interpreted as some subtle LGBT subtext between Max and Bradley , as it’s a very interesting choice of poem and poet for the production team of AEGM to choose from to use briefly for this  particular moment between these two characters. 

Now , I do understand that the scene overall is meant to be an introduction to Goofy attending Max’s class/college but when doing research on the poem/poet , the relationship between Wilde and Douglas and the theme around the poem doesn't relate to Goofy and Max’s conflict between father and son whatsoever,

nor does the teacher continue to recite the poem when Goofy enters the room. 

So it begs the question, why out of all the poems/poets at the production team's disposal , was the poem “Panthea” by Oscar Wilde  used in this scene in the first place? Why not choose a poem/poet that related to the father son conflict between Max and Goofy instead as that is the main focus of the movie?

Well that’s what we're going to explore here today so strap on in Maxley fans as we're in for one hell of a ride.

But before I continue there will be mentions of Homophobia/discrimination and mentions of passionate acts but don't worry, nothing explicit. 

Okay so 3…2…1…Let's start off with Wilde and Douglas' relationship. 

A quick Summary of Wilde and Douglas relationship.

Oscar Wilde was a famous Irish Poet and playwright who was later known for engaging in relationships with men. 

Wilde was described as someone who was witty , flamboyant and a believer in individualism.

“Wilde’s struggle for his own autonomy and individualism became a theme in his plays, he wrestled with his own need for radical personal freedom and a need for society itself to be radically different” - poetryschool.com 

Lord Alfred Douglas was also a poet and came from a wealthy and aristocratic background, whose father was the Marquess of Queensberry. Douglas had a strained relationship with his father who was a very vile brutish man. ( Honestly , the things he said to Douglas was brutal )

Unlike Wilde , Douglas was described as someone who was privileged , selfish, spoilt , reckless ,insolent and extravagant.

His Mother called him “Bosie” (a derivative of "boysie", as in boy), a nickname which stuck for the rest of his life and was a nickname that his friends affectionately called him. -The love of Oscar Wilde and Bosie - Historical Snapshots , -Lord Alfred Douglas - Wikipedia

They both met in 1891 at a gathering of literacy figures and despite homosexuality being illegal in England at the time, they were both infatuated with each other and engaged in an ongoing forbidden love affair where they wrote many love letters between each other. 

Okay…

So I think you can already see from this quick summary that there are a few similarities between both Wilde/Douglas and Max/Bradley.  

Similarities 

Both Bradley and Douglas are Aristocats, where they are both wealthy men with a high social rank. Bradley being “Bradley Uppercrust the Third” and Alfred being “Lord Alfred Douglas.” 

A bit of a Coincidence ... isn't it  ??????...

Bradley was given the nickname "Brad" while Douglas was given the nickname “Bosie”. ( Ironically both nicknames begin with B )

Personality wise , Bradley is very similar to Douglas and Max can be seen similar to Wilde due to their wit and their need for personal freedom.   

Max and Bradley share a common interest in skateboarding as their both skateboarders whereas Wilde and Douglas shared a passion for literature as their both poets.

Bradley and Douglas could both share bad relationships with their father’s. Even though it's not 100% confirmed in the movie , I do think that due to Max and Bradley being parallels to one another and how Bradley reacts to Goofy’s statement towards him- “I’m not sure you understand the bond between a father and his son.”

that it can be interpreted that Bradley doesn't have a close relationship with his own Father. So it is possible that both Douglas and Bradley share similar strained relationships with their own dad’s.  

Both of their Dynamic’s.  

When it came to Wilde and Douglas real life Dynamic , their relationship was full of conflict due to societal pressure,  financial problems, discrimination , religion , family disapproval , and homosexuality being illegal in their time period and so their relationship would sometimes become resentful and strained because of these factors. 

“But no matter how much they loved each other they embodied that romantic paradox that serves as a curse, no matter how much heartfelt swoon and tender care surfaced, even with the friendship that remained steadfast and gripping: they continued to hurt each other out of spite, peer pressure, and protection of themselves.”- poetryschool.com 

“Douglas was Wilde’s literary muse, his evil genius, his restless lover, and together they make one of history’s greatest creative and intellectual power couples. Beloved of Wilde, betrayed by Wilde, betrayer of Wilde, Douglas raged at his fate and grew more vindictive in his disputes. Despite this, and all the arguing and blame-throwing, the men decided to reunite and try again after all the ‘wide abysses now of space and land’ between them.”-poetryschool.com 

“They often argued and broke up, but would always be reconciled.”- wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_Alfred_Douglas 

A real Love , Hate relationship going on between them , you could say.  

So when you compare this Dynamic to Max and Bradley , they both seem to share a similar relationship that is filled with conflict. That being for different reasons of course . 

When they first meet in AEGM , Max and Bradley do have a admiration/respect for the other,

but due to Max rejecting Bradley’s offer to be a Gamma and therefore making them rivals in the X games, their relationship becomes a back and forth of conflict of trying to outwit/outdo the other. 

When you compare both Dynamics , it seems rather poetic that they mirror each other so well. Maybe even intentionally so? 

Like I said before , Wilde and Douglas dynamic fits very well with Max and Bradley , so it feels like a conscious choice that they decided not to focus on Max and Goofy's father and son relationship when choosing a poet/poem for the class room scene. Maxley takes priority I guess.

And considering how Wilde’s relationship with Douglas was a same sex relationship , it begs the question if Max and Bradley’s relationship was meant to mirror this also???

Like did someone on the production team just really ship Max and Bradley and just so happened to be a fan of Oscar Wilde and knew Wilde's relationship with Douglas would fit so well between them ;)

LGBT presentation.

Back in the early 2000’s LGBT representation in media was often sub textual , very censored , and unfortunately homosexuality was associated with being something bad , hence why Disney villains tended to be rather queer coded. ( This is one of the reasons why Bradley’s own sexuality is debated with in the fandom ) 

So if someone on the production team of AEGM did want LGBT representation between Max and Bradley but had too many restrictions against it , what better way to do that than them subtly adding in a Gay poet who just so happened to have an affair with a gay wealthy lord as a parallel to Max and Bradley.   

Again , the production team working on AEGM could have done something relating to Goofy and Max’s dynamic but for some Unknown reason they chose to choose a poet that had a relationship similar to Max and Bradley’s ??? 

The Poem’s Themes 

Moving on to the poem itself , one of the ongoing themes in the poem is about passion and desire. Down below our quotes about the theme.

“explores the themes of the transient nature of human life, the pursuit of desire, the beauty of nature, and the idea of an interconnected universe.” - www.sevenov.com/panthea-by-oscar-wilde/ 

“Embracing Passion and Desire - The poem opens with an exhortation to move from “fire unto fire”, suggesting a journey through intense experiences and emotions. The speaker claims to be too young to live without desire, emphasizing the importance of passion in life. This sets the tone for a celebration of youthful vigor and the pursuit of pleasure.”- www.sevenov.com/panthea-by-oscar-wilde/ 

“Rejection of Conventional Morality- Throughout the poem, there is a subtle rejection of traditional moral and social conventions, favouring a more liberated, passionate existence that is in harmony with nature and primal desires.”- www.sevenov.com/panthea-by-oscar-wilde/ 

Here is one of the verses of the poem that they are referring too. 

NAY, let us walk from fire unto fire, From passionate pain to deadlier delight,-- I am too young to live without desire, Too young art thou to waste this summer night Asking those idle questions which of old Man sought of seer and oracle, and no reply was told. For, sweet, to feel is better than to know, And wisdom is a childless heritage, One pulse of passion--youth's first fiery glow,-- Are worth the hoarded proverbs of the sage:10 Vex not thy soul with dead philosophy, Have we not lips to kiss with, hearts to love, and eyes to see!

Another theme within the poem is how Wilde wants to reject social institutions ( religion ) in order to pursue his own desires ( subtext for his own homosexuality) and that we shouldn't worry about judgement from religion/god but instead live our lives how we see fit as life is short.

O we are wearied of this sense of guilt, Wearied of pleasure's paramour despair, Wearied of every temple we have built, Wearied of every right, unanswered prayer, For man is weak; God sleeps: and heaven is high: One fiery-coloured moment: one great love; and lo! we die.

“The Gods appear to be too absorbed in their own comings and goings to care too deeply about the humans beneath them. But , as Wilde says , the people are tired of the gods disinterested attitudes:”

“ It is a statement about the church and the government's position on homosexuality. Wilde is railing against his inability to express affection for his lover outside of closed doors.” - Oscar Wilde's Poems: Analysis & Quotes | Study.com  

Throughout the poem there are other themes such as the beauty of nature and the transcendent nature of life and death which ill be bringing up again shortly. But it is clear to see that the theme of desire is prevalent and that Wilde wants the reader to question their own pursuits of pleasures.  

So when you relate this to Maxley , where you have a scene where a poem about desire is being read in the background while we focus briefly on Max and Bradley, it becomes rather suspicious, doesn't it? Especially when Oscar Wilde's same sex relationship has similarities to Maxley.

It just makes you wonder if the theme of the poem was deliberately chosen to sub textually say that these two college boys ( or even just Bradley) have some hidden desire for the other ???         

Now , I know how all this sounds. Trust me , I know...

But from Wilde being a gay poet to the parallels between Max/Bradley and Wilde/Douglas ,  to the theme of desire in the poem , you can’t help but speculate can ya. It just seems suspious dont it?

Beret Girl’s Poetry slam

Now , Like I said earlier, one of the themes in the poem is about the beauty of nature and the transcendent nature of life and death.  

Ironically , Beret Girl recites a poem about how Life is like a Lime.

“Life is like a Lime  Hmm. It’s tart and tangy Sweet. Oooh, so sublime. Quiet, speechless like a mine. Bold and noisy , like a crime. Don't you dare waste my time.  Cause life can stop…on a dine.”

This is an interesting comparison to make as it feels like Beret girls poem was intentionally made to be inspired by "Panthea". Both Beret girl and Oscar Wilde's poem try to convey how short life can be , hence why Beret girl states that you shouldn't waste her time as Life can stop on a dime.

Some may even see the beginning of Beret girls poem to have a "suggestive" tone to it from the way she speaks and the focus on her lips.

That being said , both poems seem to be intended to relate to one another for an unknown purpose where both Max and Bradley are shown to be listening in to her poem. It’s also right after she tells her poem that the scene focuses on Bradley introducing himself to Max after Bobby faints from emotion.

Interesting how both the Beret girl poem scene and the class room scene have Max and Bradley as a focus ? Perhaps life is too short for them to let their rivalry get in between them?

Another point that I wanted to make relating to the scene is that both Wilde and Douglas met at a social gathering with other literacy figures.

This is ironic, as the first time Max and Bradley talk to each other in person is in the Bean Scene.

A Coffee Shop which is filled with people who have a love for poetry slams. 

Guys , I swear I'm not making this up. The comparisons to Wilde and Douglas just keep pooping up for some reason. 

It's like poetry , it rhymes.

And like I mentioned earlier , it's straight after Beret Girls' poetry performance has ended , that the focus is put back on Max and Bradley, where Tank points out Max from across the room ,

to which Bradley happily goes over to Max to introduce himself. 

Now I can't 100% confirm this but according to Patrick Marano , when Wilde was at the event and saw Douglas for the first time , he set eyes on him from across the room. 

“Almost immediately Oscar sets eyes on a young beautiful creature standing at the end of the room casually talking to another man. The object of his desire , is Lord Alfred Douglas”- Patrick Marano

If this is true then when it comes to Maxley , it becomes the opposite of what happened between Wilde and Douglas where it’s Bradley setting his eyes on Max , to which Max is talking to a Barista from across the room. 

It really is starting to feel like there's LGBT subtext between these two dont it?

Homosexuality in the 19th century compared to the early 2000’s.

Unlike Wilde and Douglas , Max and Bradley dont live in the 19th century in AEGM and would legally be able to be together but both relationships would still share themes of discrimination if you are to be historically accurate. 

Because of the time period , Wilde and Douglas' relationship was a real life tragic love story and so as you can already guess , the relationship between Wilde and Douglas was greatly thwarted and didn't end happily ever after. 

Their relationship started to grab the attention of the public and became a subject of gossip and speculation. It also didn't help that Douglas’s father , the Marquess of Queensberry also questioned their relationship and was hugely Homophobic. 

Wanting to stop their relationship , he threatened his son Douglas with disowning him and stopping all money supplies and later sabotaged Wilde's career just when Wilde's career was at its peak. 

Wilde was then sent to jail for two years of hard labor, being accused of gross indecency when evidence of Wildes relationships with men came to light. 

After Wilde was released from prison , both Wilde and Douglas briefly reconciled and lived with each other for a few months but due to financial problems and the consequences/trials of their relationship , they ultimately separated. They both then tried to pursue religion ( Catholicism ).

“the two reunited in August at Rouen but stayed together only a few months due to personal differences and various pressures on them.”- wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_Alfred_Douglas 

“With all the pressures the distance, the financial bickering, the punishments, the hearsay and the passing of time, the two separated and went on crusading different paths.”- poetryschool.com 

“In 1911, Douglas embraced Catholicism as Wilde had done earlier.”- wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_Alfred_Douglas 

“Though Wilde's health had suffered greatly from the harshness and diet of prison, he had a feeling of spiritual renewal. He immediately wrote to the Society of Jesus requesting a six-month Catholic retreat; when the request was denied, Wilde wept.”-  wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Wilde

When it comes to Max and Bradley however , they are instead fictional characters that are set in the early 2000’s within AEGM timeline and like i said before , their relationship wouldn’t be illegal if they chose to pursue a relationship with one another. 

That being said though , despite progress having been made,  LGBT groups still had to face challenges in the early 2000’s such as fear of coming out to their strict/religious parents in case they were disowned, same sex marriage not being allowed in America yet , bullying , Homophobia from bigots etc.  

Goofy of course wouldn't care if Max was attracted to guys or not as he's just a good dad but when you keep in mind that Bradley comes from a high elite background where he was raised in an upper-class American Household , it can be easily assumed that Homophobia would have been prevalent. Furthermore , Bradley is a member/descendant of royalty so being openly gay could easily be frowned upon.  

There’s also a lot of Religious/catholic imagery within the Gamma house during Goofy’s inauguration scene such as the Gamma’s looking like Monks , 

Bradley looking like a priest , 

the wine , the candles etc. 

And due to the Gamma house being a visual representation of the upper class  , you can easily interpret that Bradley could have been raised in a religious household/upbringing. 

Therefore, the comparison between both relationships mirroring each other becomes more noticeable as both time periods had their own obstacles to overcome when it came to being LGBT.   

Even the comparison between Bradley and Douglas can be seen as more prominent due to them  both sharing themes of discrimination in high elite social circles and the religion of Catholicism .  

You can even head canon that Bradley could face a similar situation to Douglas where if he wanted to pursue a relationship  with Max , Bradley’s father could potentially threaten to cut him off or disown him and even plan to sabotage Max’s career/future right when Max is at the peek of his popularity if he does not approve of their relationship. 

This isn't to say that Max and Bradley’s relationship would end tragically like Wilde and Douglas though. They are fictional characters after all. This just means that both relationships would face different kinds of discrimination in their own respective time periods. 

Conclusion 

So all in all , there are a lot of comparisons and similarities to be made here.

It's just interesting that someone on the AEGM production team consciously chose the poem “Panthea by Oscar Wilde” to be presented in this scene when they really could have done anything they wanted. When making a movie , every choice has to have a purpose as it needs to impact the story or it’s going to get cut.

So with all the points I’ve mentioned above , I can see how the poetry scene in the class room between Max and Bradley can be interpreted as gay subtext between them even if the moment is very brief. 

Of Course this can all just be one big happy coincidence or maybe it is indeed something intentional going on behind the scenes but will never know for sure. 

Regardless though,  this is just something fun to theories over and an interesting point of discussion. Everyone has a right to their own interpretation of a source of media and I’m more than open to criticism/other interpretations. 

I Hope I was able to get my points across properly and that it was at least entertaining enough to read. 

I'll leave my sources down below. If anyone wants to cheek them out for yourself then feel free to do so.  :)

Sources

www.sevenov.com/panthea-by-oscar-wilde/

The Love That Dare Not Speak Its Name: Oscar Wilde & Lord Alfred Douglas • Poetry School

Little Motel: Panthea by Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde's Poems: Analysis & Quotes | Study.com

Was Oscar Wilde Gay? Gender And Sexuality

Lord Alfred Douglas - Wikipedia

Oscar Wilde - Wikipedia

The love of Oscar Wilde and Bosie - Historical Snapshots

Oscar Wilde's Forbidden Love ❤️ (Gay Love Story) | Patrick Marano - Youtube 

Unusual Historical Romances: Oscar Wilde and Lord Alfred Douglas - Youtube 

I know the fandom isn't as big as it used to be so not many people will probaly read it but Id still like to share it regardless as I just enjoy talking about maxley.

I don't really know if this counts as an actual Maxley moment but in the Goof Troop episode “Pistolgeist” it’s revealed that Max used to have an imaginary friend that was a cow named “Moophus”. 

Goofy - “You remember your imaginary talkin cow? (Chuckles) You ‘n’ old Moophus , used to go flyin’ out your window and jump over the moon. Saw it myself. 

PJ - “Heh. Moophus? 

Max - “Dad, I was only a kid. 

PJ - “ Wow. Hey , do you still see Moophus? 

I just thought this was a funny coincidence as in AEGM , Bradley is associated with Cows due to Cows being the chosen animal mascot to the “Gamma Moo Moo Fraternity”. 

That being said, could you imagine Bradley’s reaction to finding out about Moophus. I can only imagine how funny that would be. 

Like what if Goofy told Bradley this information when Goofy was a Gamma due to all the cow theming at the Frat House reminding him of Moophus?

And then one day in the future Bradley just brings up to Max that he knows all about Moophus and Max is absolutely mortified/embarrassed that his dad would even reveal that.  Oh the possibilities. 

Speaking of possibilities , a fun idea to play around with could be that if kid Max had a Talking Cow for an imaginary friend then why not give kid Bradley a Talking Bear for a imaginary friend. 

Fans tend to give kid Bradley a cow plush toy due to Kid Max/Max having an Old stuffed bear as his plush toy so them both having imaginary friends associated with each other’s specific animal would be so cute/funny wouldn't it.