"Back to the Future" is science fiction... or is it?

Poster from "Back to the Future"

From backtothefuture.wiki 

"Back to the Future" - confusing name, classic movie. All three films in the franchise deal with Marty McFly and his friend, the mad scientist Doc Brown, as they travel through time in a DeLorean, trying to fix trouble and usually causing more of it. They're classic sci-fi movies, but that's all they are, fiction. Right? Maybe not. There is a wild conspiracy theory that claims there were hidden warnings in the first and second films that predicted the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks. The McFly Code, as it is known, was first proposed by YouTuber BarelyHuman11 in this video. In it, he covers several clues the films supposedly give to the tragedy that happened 16 years later.

First, we will examine the tower that plays a large part in the movie. Before Marty went back in time, his town was facing the issue of saving their clock tower, which had been struck by lightning many years before. When he went back in time, he knew what time the lightning would strike, and therefore, how he could get back to the future. The tower was struck by lightning, like the twin towers were struck by a plane. The whole time, Marty was trying to warn Doc Brown about something bad that will happen in the future, in this scene that revolves around a tower being struck.¹ Suspicious yet?

Here is more evidence. At the beginning of the movie, Marty and Doc Brown find themselves in the parking lot of the Twin Pines mall, where Twin Pines is supposed to be a reference to the twin towers. Then, they are shot at by terrorists, at Twin Pines. If that isn't spooky enough, the clock on the motel sign reads 1:16, which when read upside down makes 9:11.¹

Also, as part of the time travelling aspect of the movie, at one point the twin pines mall becomes the lone pine mall, symbolizing the destruction of one of the towers.¹

There is even more conspiracy to be uncovered in the second film. In it, when Marty's family is watching TV, the twin pines return. In one scene, there is a garden with two tall pine trees, and later, the screen shows a shot of the twin towers.¹ Coincidence? Maybe.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt in "The Walk"

From DailyMail

That isn't the only evidence the second installment brings to the table. When Marty and Doc go to the future, they travel to October 2015. This also happens to be the release date of "Back to the Future" director Robert Zemeckis' film "The Walk," which is a story centered around the twin towers. Great Scott!

Additionally, when Marty goes back in time from 2015 to 1985, he is dressed very similarly to the actor from "The Walk," suggesting he was in the film from thirty years in the future. This thirty year gap is another clue. When Doc asks about the warning that Marty gives him, Marty says, "you'll find out in thirty years." The video claims this warning is pointing to "The Walk," and is another clue to the twin towers disaster.¹

Also, throughout the films, there are numerous places where BarelyHuman11 points out the numbers nine and eleven seen together, so watch for yourself and see if you can pick them out.¹ He also points out some other minor details about possible connections, but the above points are the "best" evidence for the theory.

The question with this theory is, how serious is BarelyHuman11? Does he really believe all this symbolism, or is he just weirdly dedicated to "Back to the Future" conspiracies? This isn't his only video dealing with this subject; he has others claiming ties between the movies and the JFK assassination, aliens and other general myths.²

It is possible, probable even, that the video is a parody of other movie-driven conspiracy theories such as The Shining Code.²  It is not likely that many people actually believe this theory, but like any good conspiracy, it does make you think for a minute. And if nothing else, it may inspire you to re-watch a classic film again.





¹ YouTube - Back to the Future Predicts 9/11 - BarelyHuman11
     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1ULjJ3EqyY&t=601s
² AVClub https://news.avclub.com/was-back-to-the-future-a-coded-warning-about-the-9-11-a-1798285491