George McFly character discussion

edited December 2010 in Back to the Future
After reading the description of George is he gonna be some sort of villain in this game? it saids in the character description: POSSIBLE SPOILER that he is involved in with the Brown estate in ways that don't sit well with Marty.

Anyway just me speculating anyone have any thoughts or comments ?
«1

Comments

  • VainamoinenVainamoinen Moderator
    edited December 2010
    I was worrying about that too. But then again, I'm worrying about a lot of things without apparent reason. ;)

    It seems like he executes the sale of Doc's stuff, which Marty can't like. But that bit of ambivalence is OK, as long as they don't exaggerate the "teaching" and condescending tone George has in the early speech samples. I'd find that far more of a problem concerning the character.
  • edited December 2010
    Something tells me that characters will run into harsher problems that concerns Doc's current home and lab.
  • edited December 2010
    I wouldn't go so far as to say that George is going to be a villain in the game... that's probably putting it a little too harshly.

    So far as we know, we... don't know anything about the extent of his involvement with the Brown estate or how he got involved in the first place (esp. since before now, they apparently weren't aware of Marty's friendship with Doc).
  • edited December 2010
    Seems, from his appearance in the trailer, that he's going to run counter to Marty's goals, yes. But mostly because he thinks it's "what's right". I think it's more that George has a different opinion than Marty does, partially because George isn't as close to Doc, partially because George doesn't have all the information in terms of the whole time travel bit. I doubt he'd be all-out VILLAIN, if anything he may have some reason that he'd benefit from Doc's stuff being sold.
  • edited December 2010
    As far as I can tell George wasn't writing full time, in 1985 he releases his first printed novel and he would need a job because he wouldn't be able to raise the McFly on the ammount of the book alone. So maybe George works at the bank.
  • edited December 2010
    Maybe, though it can probably be assumed that before his novel, he wrote short stories--he was an established author by the time Biff killed him in 1985A.
  • edited December 2010
    As far as I can tell George wasn't writing full time, in 1985 he releases his first printed novel and he would need a job because he wouldn't be able to raise the McFly on the ammount of the book alone. So maybe George works at the bank.

    As an artist, I can get behind this theory. Unless you somehow strike it rich with overnight success, you p. much have to have a day job to support living expenses and stuff.

    I could see George working at the bank during the day. Seems reasonable enough and it would explain his involvement with the Brown estate too.
  • edited December 2010
    George doesn't work at the bank. He's just there helping Marty pack in the important things or something.
  • edited December 2010
    In the brief bits of the gameplay in that location that we see in the Gametrailers episode, it just looked to me like George was browsing Doc's stuff with the intent of buying some of it. Would make some sense for him to be interested, as a sci-fi writer.

    We don't really get a sense of what George's "day job" is in the new timeline at the end of BTTF though, so he could work at or for a bank. I assume he still has a day job since A Match Made In Space is his first book, and he still lives in the same house as in the original timeline, so his life can't have been that different overall so far... it seems likely to me that he has the job that was Biff's job in the original timeline, but we don't know what his job was either.
  • edited December 2010
    He worked at the XXX theater that you can clearly see in the background, it's playing American Orgy. Back in the day of VHS is probably to blurry to notice!
  • edited December 2010
    And by it, I am referring to George McFly actually seeing the Delorean with his own eyes at the beginning of the game after Marty returns to Doc's place after talking to Edna. And what's weird is that George doesn't seem to care about it at all. He never asks Marty what this strange looking car is or anything like that.

    Isn't that kinda weird that George didn't even seem to care one bit about the Delorean?
  • edited December 2010
    George knows what's going on, but he's so cool he pretends he hasn't got a clue.

    Best dad ever!
  • edited December 2010
    It's just a modified DeLorean to him, maybe.
  • edited December 2010
    I'm suprised he didn't try selling it since you know its Doc's Delorean and all....
  • edited December 2010
    The way I see it, the part between the very first dream segment and when Marty goes back to 1931 was actually pretty rushed.

    Two puzzle-like segments (It was too easy), supporting cast acts weird like this issue, and not many amusing red herring hotspots (Mr. Strickland one was funny but there is not much) that would make the game feel like it was being worked on even when there isn't much of a puzzle to solve.
  • edited December 2010
    He probably knows its that eccentric Doc Brown's car.... If there was any reaction from him it would be to get a price tag on it...
  • edited December 2010
    He probably knows its that eccentric Doc Brown's car.... If there was any reaction from him it would be to get a price tag on it...

    Or not. The car wasn't there before. I think it's obvious George isn't the bad guy. He did what he could. Nothing could stop the sale, so he took care of it, to make sure everything would be done properly. If he sees Marty wanting something that isn't known to the bank, of course he'll let him have it.

    Oh, you know what ? HE DID. ...
  • edited December 2010
    What's the confusion here?

    George sees the card and the weird get-up, knows it has SOMETHING to do with Doc Brown, and understands that Marty is about to do something stupid crazy to help Doc out, somehow. That's why, whatever excuse you give, he shows Marty didn't really think it through pretty quickly and says that he doesn't want to hear anymore, and that sometimes you have to go out on a limb for those you love. How is this behavior at all strange, especially given who George has become after the events of the first film?
  • edited December 2010
    The way I see it, the part between the very first dream segment and when Marty goes back to 1931 was actually pretty rushed.

    This. I hope before the DVD release of the game they'll make a Director's Cut of episode 1 or something. Because that segment of the game(exluding at Edna) is the only 'smir' of the episode.
    -Like I mentioned earlier when the DeLorean appears shouldn't Biff and George notice it?
    I hope they can include an extra scene for this.

    I actually hoped to have Marty travel back in time in his 80's outfit and find himself an outfit on locaiton. It would add to the 'fish out of water' situation. But then again, it's bad character development because by this time Marty should learn to properly dress before entering a time period.
    But at least what I would've like to have seen is to re-enter Doc's lab and look for the clothes there.
  • edited December 2010
    Origami wrote: »
    I actually hoped to have Marty travel back in time in his 80's outfit and find himself an outfit on locaiton. It would add to the 'fish out of water' situation. But then again, it's bad character development because by this time Marty should learn to properly dress before entering a time period.

    True. Too bad he didn't learn to go back to, like, a week or at least 3 days before the event so that he could observe the situation more throughoutly.
  • edited December 2010
    It's possible that Marty didn't want to risk going to a time before Doc was arrested, because it might create a paradox if the Delorean Automatic Retrieval feature was never given a reason to activate.

    Then again, Marty's not always thinking about paradoxes.
  • edited December 2010
    I'd like to know why Marty always leaves the car unattended and unlocked. :p
  • edited December 2010
    I'd like to know why Marty always leaves the car unattended and unlocked. :p
    Especially after what happened in BTTFII. :D
  • edited December 2010
    Also...technically Biff does leave Doc's house at some point while the DeLorean's there because he goes and rents a video from the video store.

    Also, Tiff Tannen? To quote Biff's great-grandfather, "What kinda stupid name is that?" :p
  • edited December 2010
    Short for Tiffany? it's a more reasonable name than "Griff". :P
  • edited December 2010
    I thought it was "Jeff." I guess I just misheard. Jeff Tannen isn't such a bad name.
  • edited December 2010
    Who says Tiff?
  • edited December 2010
    Old Edna yells at "Tiff Tannen" to stop playing around a hubcap.

    I agree, it might be a girl Tannen for once. And maybe we can see her later on, when we go to the future. Maybe she's the villain of one episode.
  • edited December 2010
    I think it's funny that Edna threatens to tell Biff. What the heck would Biff do? :p
  • edited December 2010
    :spoil-o:

    Is it just me, or did anyone else get the impression that George McFly knew what Marty's intensions with the DeLorean were? I almost got this suspicion that George knew his son was a time traveller.

    It would somewhat make sense, considering how much of a role Marty played in George's teenage years, perhaps he recognized him, or Marty even told him about his adventures between 1985 and 1986. Also, the DeLorean. It just sort of showed up. Out of nowhere.

    He also has that old west picture on his bed stand, you can't tell me they wouldn't have recognized that. I think it makes for interesting plot development. Having parents know that their son is a time traveller who got them together. Or at least suspect it.

    What are your thoughts?
  • edited December 2010
    ...

    You know, something came to my mind. Biff saw the DeLorean. Sure, he would not steal it. In the future. Not to mention that the future of BttF would be different. But in BttF2, we see Marty's still in 1955 and still travels to 1985, even when it's 1985A, right? (and when 1985A and the future are both disappeared, if one would to travel back to 1955 again, he would still see the old Biff from the future even if the new old Biff from the future most likely would never travel back to 1955). So if one would travel to October 26th 1985 he would see as Biff sees a flying DeLorean. Which then disappeared. And it's something that hasn't been erased (by the logic of the BttF time continuity).

    Who knows, maybe he in shock decided to tell everybody? Like, a flying DeLorean, which suddenly disappeared, what the heck was that and why you don't believe me?

    And then there it is: some pimped up DeLorean Marty gets in to, in some very strange and un-1985 clothes. Hm... who knows? Maybe George does suspect something.
  • edited December 2010
    But how would George know about the DeLorean in the first place? Unless I'm not remembering something, I don't think he ever saw the time machine. I know some people love to believe that Marty's parents have known about their son time-traveling ever since his birth (via seeing "Calvin" in 1955) but surely they would have said something to Marty about it or at least have asked about how their son accomplished time travel?

    I've heard people say that the McFly Seniors didn't want to create a paradox by talking to Marty about it but frankly, I don't believe that even follows the movies internal logic. Also, you talk about the picture from 1885 but seriously, if you had a son and you noticed an old looking photo of him stood in front of a clock, would your first thought be 'Oh wow, my sons travelled back in time' or would you think it was a novelty photograph?!

    I'm open to people proving me wrong on this but until then I just find this theory completely illogical.
  • edited December 2010
    But how would George know about the DeLorean in the first place? Unless I'm not remembering something, I don't think he ever saw the time machine. I know some people love to believe that Marty's parents have known about their son time-traveling ever since his birth (via seeing "Calvin" in 1955) but surely they would have said something to Marty about it or at least have asked about how their son accomplished time travel?

    Well, I'm not saying George does know about the DeLorean. That, kind of, depends on lots of things. But I do think if he does know or suspect something, he (the new he, i.e. a good parent who respects his children, I'm not sure how the old he would act) would not act in any enforcing or snitching way. And he doesn't in the game. Of course, the way he acts in the game doesn't mean he can't act like that without knowing/suspecting anything (of course he can), but all parents (and, well, people) understand that there are a few things in other peoples' life they shouldn't really get into.
  • edited December 2010
    Davies wrote: »
    But how would George know about the DeLorean in the first place? Unless I'm not remembering something, I don't think he ever saw the time machine.
    When Doc returns to Marty's house at the end of the first movie, he sure makes a hell of a lot of noise, what with the sonic booms, knocking over garbage cans, and yelling about going to the future. If it were me, I'd at least look out the door to see what was going on. :p

    That said, I'm not declaring myself on either side of this debate. This post from a Telltale team member is an interesting read, though: http://www.telltalegames.com/forums/showpost.php?p=346551&postcount=42
  • edited December 2010
    George knows that Marty's about to do something stupid or dangerous to help Doc, stupid or dangerous enough that he didn't want to tell his dad. He said he "didn't want to hear any more" of the excuse. I"m sure he doesn't know what Marty is about to do, but respects his son's judgement and, more importantly, his intentions enough to not ask questions.
  • edited December 2010
    No, they never did see the DeLorean, but Biff certainly did, unless some of Marty's actions contradicted that.

    We also have to remember that George McFly is a science fiction writer who believes "Darth Vader" came down from "Planet Vulcan" in 1955 and told him that if he didn't take Lorainne to the dance, he would melt his brain. Star Wars and Darth Vader came out in 1977. Star Trek in the 60s.

    Then a guy named Calvin Klein, whose friends call him "Marty", tries desperately to get him to date Lorainne, but not before convincing him to stand up to Biff and convince Goldie Wilson to run for mayor. This same guy disappears off the face of the Earth before telling them to go easy on their future kid when he sets fire to the living room rug. Something we may or may not assume will still happen.

    30 years later they have a child who looks the spitting image of him, sounds like him, plays a guitar like him, and is friends with Doc Brown, an eccentric doctor who lives on "Who the Hell is John F. Kennedy?" drive.

    His parents may be dense, but I don't think they are that stupid. They would have to be somewhat suspicious that something seems strange. Even if they don't personally believe in time travel.

    It makes for better plot if they know something, but just stay quiet. Sort of like how Lucious Fox knows Wayne is Batman, but pretends to be ignorant for plausible deniability and the interests of his friend.
  • edited December 2010
    I think they at least suspect. I'm still curious as to why Biff didn't try to do anything. After all, he would have recognized the DeLorean.
  • edited December 2010
    I think they at least suspect. I'm still curious as to why Biff didn't try to do anything. After all, he would have recognized the DeLorean.

    Somebody already said this, but Biff is unconscious. Also, he wouldn't know what to do with it. Certainly he may remember that it's a flying DeLorean, but he doesn't know it's a time machine. Old Biff only learns that by overhearing Doc and Marty in 2015.

    I cant speak for Doc Brown, but if I got my time machine car stolen and had to rush around time trying to restore the timeline, I would certainly learn from the experience and put some sort of mechanism to prevent unauthorized people from using the time circuits.
  • edited December 2010
    Biff wasn't unconscious the whole time. When you look at the video store through Edna's binoculars, Biff is seen coming out of the store with a wrapped up video.
  • edited December 2010
    Going with the theory that George and Lorraine know what's up, who's to say that late 60s/early 70s Doc Brown (following Marty's trip back to 1955) didn't pay them a visit and explain a few things? By that time, Doc had already decided that it was okay to know certain things about your future, and that modifying the course of future events to protect what was/is to be is A-OK. Yet Doc has always made it a point to keep things shielded from influential parties who require certain "trigger" effects to cause them to follow a specific course of action, thus preventing a paradox.

    Hence why Doc didn't tell Marty A about the pending Libyan attack or the bulletproof vest he was wearing, because that would have affected his thought process and jeopardized his trip back into 1955. Doc may have suspected that Marty's parents would figure things out for themselves, and to prevent them from questioning an unknowing Marty A about it, he spilled the beans so as to protect the future past.
Sign in to comment in this discussion.