The race to get Marty McFly back to 1985 is a frantic one, so it is easy to overlook howBack to the Future’s math doesn’t quite add up. AsBack to the Futuredraws to a close, Marty and Doc Brown rush to get the DeLorean speeding toward Hill Valley’s clock tower in time for the fateful lightning strike that will send Marty back to the future. Despite their meticulous planning, everything that possibly could go wrong does go wrong, from Doc’s cables getting tangled to the DeLorean’s engine failing.
Amid the chaos, Marty is also troubled by his friend’s impending death. Doc Brown will get shot in 1985, butDoc Brown fromBack to the Future’s 1955 timeline refuses to let Marty warn him about upcoming events. Out of options, Marty decides to recalibrate the DeLorean’s control panel. Instead of returning him to the exact momentBack to the Future’s iconic carleft 1985, Marty will arrive with enough time to warn Doc about the angry, machine-gun-toting Libyans heading his way. It is during this process thatBack to the Future’s lead charactermakes a small, but still rather fun, continuity error.
Marty Programs The Wrong Time Into The DeLorean During Back To The Future’s Ending
Never Let Marty McFly Operate A Microwave
Once Marty settles on his plan to save Doc Brown by arriving in the future early, he mutters “10 minutes oughta do it” and reaches for the control panel. Michael J. Fox’s time-hopping hero then alters the destination from July 08, 2025, 1:35 am to July 23, 2025, 1:24 am. Despite saying “10 minutes,“Marty actually sends himself back 11 minutes earlier.
One might assume that Marty is simply rounding down in this scene. Many people asked to give the time at 1:49 would reply with “10 minutes to two,” and Marty might be doing something similar here. Under closer examination, however, that explanation doesn’t quite hold up. The line “10 minutes oughta do it” suggestsMarty is merely estimating how much time he needs to reach the mall parking lotand warn Doc Brown - pulling a vague figure out of the air because he cannot be certain how long it will actually take.
If Marty intentionally programs 11 minutes intoBack to the Future’s DeLorean- a very specific number - that would suggest he calculates exactly how long will be required, figuring out the distance between the clock tower and the mall, how fast the DeLorean can go, what time the Libyans arrive, and what traffic he might encounter. Obviously, Marty does not go into such minute detail, which means he intends to give himself 10 minutes, but, oddly, sets 11 instead.
Marty’s Guess Was Way Off, Regardless Of Back To The Future’s Time Mistake
Marty Didn’t Take The DeLorean’s Lack Of Reliability Into Account
The difference of a minute ends up being a moot point, as Marty’s guesstimation is based on the assumption that the DeLorean will still work after it reaches 1985. It does not, and Marty is forced to run, arriving at the Lone Pine Mall just in time to watch Doc Brown get shot. Had the scientist not brokenBack to the Future’s time travel rulesby reading the letter Marty wrote concerning the future, his death would have been permanent.
It is interesting that, despite the DeLorean breaking down and forcing its driver to run from the clock tower to the mall, Marty only arrives at the parking lot a few seconds too late. This further suggests that 10 minutes, with a functional car, would have given Marty more than enough time to save Doc Brown. The argument that Marty deliberately sets the DeLorean’s control panel for 11 minutes, therefore, becomes even more unlikely. A minute would have made no difference if the car was running.
7 Hidden Ways Back To The Future’s Marty McFly Possibly Changed History
Marty McFly’s trip to 1955 has many obvious ramifications upon Back To The Future’s timeline, but some smaller, hidden changes might’ve been made too.
The only explanation toBack to the Future’s 11-minute goof is that Marty mistypes the numbers into the keypad and doesn’t have time to correct himself before he needs to begin the climb to 88mph. Either that, or he spent too many math classes passing notes to Jennifer.
Back to the Future
Back to the Future follows teenager Marty McFly as he is inadvertently sent back to 1955, where he disrupts his parents' meeting. With the assistance of eccentric inventor Doc Brown, Marty must restore the timeline by ensuring his parents fall in love and find a way back to 1985.
