Throughout Back to the Future, Marty McFly fights for his family’s existence. A large part of Back to the Future is Marty battling to save his parents and not cause a paradox, and a major part of the plot relies on him making sure that his parents get together, so it’s a relief when he returns to his time and discovers that he and his siblings do still exist. While some things are different, Marty has succeeded in getting back to his time and keeping his parents together.
However, the moment feels kind of bittersweet if you think about it too hard. Marty has changed history in Back to the Future, so when he returns home, it’s to a life that he doesn’t recognize. He might be excited about the new circumstances, but the idea of going through so much to save your family only to end up with an entirely different version of them feels very dark.
Back To The Future’s Ending Is Terrifying When You Think About It
Marty Is Basically Now Living Someone Else’s Life
While Marty succeeded in saving his family in the broader sense, the version of Marty’s family that he grew up with is now gone. He’s basically returning to a house full of strangers. While his new life might seem exciting at first, I can’t imagine how devastating this must become for him. While some of the details of Marty’s life might be the same, it’s likely that many are entirely different now.
It must be terrifying to realize that you’re the only one who remembers the version of your family you grew up with. And the version of him that this version of his family knew is gone now too. Eric Stoltz, who was originally going to play Marty McFly but was fired, recognized the tragedy Back to the Future‘s ending really is.
To imply that everything is better now does a disservice to the family that Marty’s spent so much time fighting to save.
In addition, as noted by George McFly actor Crispin Glover’s take on Back to the Future‘s ending, the film seems to try to suggest that Marty’s life has been improved because his family now has more money. Back to the Future‘s ending puts a lot of emphasis on the McFly family’s increased financial status and Biff’s decreased financial status having improved things for Marty. This message doesn’t feel relevant to the rest of the movie, and it adds to the dissonance of the ending’s new timeline. To imply that everything is better now does a disservice to the family that Marty’s spent so much time fighting to save.
There Is A Much Better Way To Look At Back To The Future’s Ending
There’s More To Back To The Future’s Ending Than A New Financial Status
Back to the Future‘s ending isn’t entirely morbid, of course, even when viewed through this lens. While money might be the vehicle that’s being used to show the McFly family’s new happiness, the important part is that Marty’s choices and experiences have made a positive impact on his family’s lives. While it might be difficult for Marty to have to adjust to a new life, he’s been given a second chance with his family.
And, while Marty’s parents didn’t recognize him from his time travel, if his family ever becomes aware of what happened, Marty could have a nice support system in place. George might have enough clues to figure out about the time travel, which could be helpful for Marty having to deal with this secret.
In addition, though Marty’s life in the new timeline might seem very different in many ways from the old one, these are still his parents. This is just a version of them with more luck in life and more confidence. I can understand why Marty’s first instinct is to be happy that things are better for them now, but Back to the Future‘s ending will always feel at least a little bit depressing.
