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• Alternate Character Interpretation: Most people assume that Max's wife has died as a result of the biker attack in the first film, but the doctors actually suggest that she'll pull through. Thinking about the fact that Max still has a critically wounded wife in the hospital puts his Roaring Rampage of Revenge in a much different light.
• Awesome Music: Beyond Thunderdome was scored by three-time Oscar winner Maurice Jarre. Tina Turner contributed two songs. "One of the Living", which plays over the opening credits, won Turner a Grammy for Best Rock Vocal Performace, Female. "We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)", which plays over the closing credits, became a #1 hit in many countries, and was nominated for both a Golden Globe and a Grammy.
• Deleted Scene: The Mad Max Movies page lists various scenes that were cut from the first movie, but were said to have shown up in early cuts of the US version, especially on cable and VHS/Betamax. One deleted scene was said to have the biker gang return to Main Force Patrol headquarters and kill the remaining MFP officers. That may explain the absence of Max's comrades when he goes hunting for the bikers.
• Even Better Sequel: Mad Max 2. The first film was a hit in Australia, but the sequel was released in America as The Road Warrior because not many Americans had even heard of the original film yet.
• Fanon Discontinuity: As far as many people are concerned, there were only two Mad Max movies. (Though for some, there were only the latter two.)
• Hilarious in Hindsight: "Nightrider" was probably a very scary name before 1982.
• Ho Yay: A running theme.
  • Mad Max:
    • Johnny the Boy is obviously the biker gang's boy toy. At one point, Toecutter asserts his authority over him by making him suck the barrel of his shotgun, telling him, "Keep your sweet, sweet, mouth shut!"
    • The antics of the rest of the gang often have homoerotic overtones. The first thing Cundalini and Mudguts do after getting off their bikes is start sensuously dancing in the middle of the street.
    • The police chief, whose nickname is Fifi, dresses like a Hard Gay leatherman on the job.
  • Mad Max 2
    • Wez wears assless chaps and drives around with his twink boyfriend clinging to his back. When his boy-toy gets killed, Wez goes berserk, and Humungus has to put him in a very intimate looking sleeper hold while whispering into his ear.
  • Mad Max: Beyond the Thunderdome
    • Master's feelings for Blaster seem to run in this direction, especially in his insistence that Blaster has a sweet, innocent face. Their relationship might, however, be more paternal.
• Iron Woobie: Blaster. Underneath the intimidating helmet is a gentle-looking, innocent face with Fish Eyes. Master pleas for his life and Max, realizing this was in no way a fair fight, spares him, infuriating Aunty - who promptly has Blaster killed with crossbows and puts Max to "The Wheel" for breaking his word.
• It Was His Sled: Averted. It's common knowledge that Mad Max loses his family in the first film and becomes a badass vigilante. However, Max's wife is never confirmed to have died. Doctors in voiceover express optimism that she'll pull through, but Max can't seem to hear them. He rushes off for a Roaring Rampage of Revenge before her fate is established.
• Memetic Mutation: Two Men Enter, One Man Leaves!!!
• Magnificent Bastard: Or Bitch as the case may be, Auntie Entity
• Unfortunate Implications: In addition to Wez pretty clearly being gay or bi, one group of guys under the Humungus's command is known as "Smegma Crazies," and another as "Gayboy Berserkers." So either many or all of the bad guys in this movie are gay. (But considering that there are women in the gangs, and boy/girl coitus interruptus, they're likely just fashionably faux-gay, or it's just a case of Anything That Moves for most of them.) Possibly a case of Actor On Board, considering Gibson's feelings about gay people.