"One other thing. If you guys ever have kids, and one of them, when he's eight years old, accidentally sets fire to the living room rug … go easy on him."
This one little request changed the trajectory of Marty McFly. The events surrounding the living room fire are never revealed but one can postulate it changed time and Marty's personality for the worse. He was likely dared or challenged to play with matches or some other combustible material which caused the rug to catch fire.
In the original timeline his parents issued a severe punishment and he learned not to give into people's taunts of courage. His father was a low-level office worker who never stood up to anyone. He was a pacifist, never worried about people's opinion. As a nerd in high school there was no one lower on the totem poll. George McFly knew he wanted his children to be better than him and instilled a solid sense of self, despite his own human failings.
In the rewritten timeline, successful writer George McFly wins over the favor of all by standing up to the school bully Biff Tanen. George's entire history changed in that one moment. He grew into a man full of confidence. He raised children that were professionally successful. He owned a home ordained with material possessions showing off his success. He became a successful author and pushed his children to accomplish anything as long as equal effort was applied.
That message gave Marty a false sense of self instead of the true sense the original Marty had. At a key moment in Marty’s life he would have learned the difference. George and Lorraine altered what was likely the worst childhood punishment Marty ever received and watered it down. Along with Marty's words, George went soft because he had a different perception on how public perception can change a person’s path and Lorraine had subconsciously conflicted feelings due to Marty’s odd resemblance to an old high school crush.
When we meet-up with Marty in Back to the Future II his personality has slightly shifted. He went from being the McFly child with the most potential to the dreg that sleeps in his clothes. His brother is a workaholic who’s trekking to the office in a full suit on a Saturday. His sister is implied to be so promiscuous that her older brother cannot keep count of her many male companions. And then we have Marty.
Marty’s personality may appear to be the same as the original timeline but he’s now developed a temper. He’s easily manipulated into compromising situations over the tiniest offense against his ego. He’s destined to destroy his promising music career, have a shotgun wedding, have a failed career in in office work. He’s become the George McFly of the original timeline. But original George made certain his kid’s wouldn’t become him. While they may not have been financially successful, they were honest individuals and independent in their personalities. These new kids spent their lives chasing the success of their dad. They all became destined to forever fall short of their father, prestigious author George McFly.
This is how Marty McFly’s personality was altered between the first Back to the Future and its sequels.
Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com
