A Deleted Back To The Future Scene Made Me Realize Who The Real Main Character Is

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While Marty McFly and Doc Brown are the central figures throughout the Back to the Future trilogy, a closer look at just the first movie – including behind-the-scenes details and removed footage – suggests a different character may actually be the true hero.

A Deleted Scene Changes How You See George McFly In Back To The Future

In the movie Back to the Future, we see that Biff Tannen bullies Marty’s father, George, both when they are adults in 1985 and when they were in high school in 1955. They apparently work together, and Biff consistently takes advantage of George, creating problems for the McFly family.

The whole story of Back to the Future centers on Marty helping his father, George, find his confidence—even if Marty’s methods are a little strange. This leads to an altered 1985 where George becomes a successful science fiction writer and Biff Tannen is the one washing George’s car.

Interestingly, a removed scene changes how we see George’s problems, showing that Biff isn’t the main reason for his difficulties. The scene happens at the McFly house in 1985, before the time travel adventure. A neighbor comes to the door with his son, who is selling peanut brittle. The neighbor announces he’s already committed George to buying an entire case for $5 a box. George reluctantly agrees just to avoid an argument, and the child triumphantly tells his son, “I told you we only had to go to one house!”

The interaction shifts George’s role from simply being bullied by Biff to becoming a target for everyone in Hill Valley, establishing him as someone people take advantage of. This helps explain a later scene where Mr. Strickland calls Marty’s father a “slacker.” Without knowing George was often pushed around, Strickland’s harsh words seem unmotivated, but if George is known for being easily manipulated, the insult feels more natural and understandable.

Is George McFly Back To The Future’s Real Main Character?

In the final version of Back to the Future, George McFly’s sudden confidence and success as a writer aren’t intentional. Marty’s main goal is to ensure his parents fall in love so he and his siblings aren’t erased from history. Fixing George’s issues with the bully Biff just happens along the way.

In a deleted scene from Back to the Future, Marty desperately tries to convince his dad to stand up for himself and say “no” to someone—anyone at all. This isn’t about Marty simply being frustrated with Biff interfering, but a genuine attempt to help his father gain confidence. While Marty can’t get through to his dad as an adult in 1985, he is successful when he tries the same approach with his teenage father in 1955.

This creates a stronger connection between Marty and George, both in the present and the past. Getting George and Lorraine together isn’t just about ensuring Marty’s existence; it’s about saving George from a life of being a pushover, constantly taken advantage of by everyone around him – even his annoying neighbors who overcharge for peanut brittle.

Ultimately, Back to the Future is really about George, not Marty. George’s development is the main goal of the story, and Marty simply helps him change – he’s like a life coach for his father. In the final version of the movie, George doesn’t undergo a deep transformation; he just stands up to Biff by punching him, stopping the bullying right there at school.

It becomes obvious that George’s issues weren’t just about Biff when you consider how much he changes throughout the film. He didn’t just stand up to a bully; he completely transformed himself, arguably more than anyone else, making a strong case for him being the true protagonist of Back to the Future.

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2025-11-28 17:00