WHAT THE FLUX? -- Back to the Future

Inconsistencies with the Temporal Display Unit
(and the Time Circuits) being ON and OFF
during the Twin Pines Mall Sequence in
Back to the Future

By: CJ Sidewall
http://www.oocities.org/what_the_flux

So, we're here to answer the age old question: "Was the temporal display unit (and the time circuits too by assumption) already on when Marty hops into the DeLorean as he tries to flee the Libyans in the Twin Pines Mall Parking Lot?"

Let's backtrack a little because there are plenty of inconsistencies along the way.

Figure A: When Einstein returns from his journey one minute into the future, they're ON. Notice how the "Destination Time" and "Last Time Departed" colors are inverted. Red should be on top, green in the middle, and yellow at the bottom. (See Figure E). Figure B: Notice how Doc's hand is already on the time circuit control switch as he's talking to Marty and the camera. Can't really tell if the time circuits are on or off in the image, but since all the overhead lights are on, we'll assume temporal display and the time circuits are still ON.

Figure C: Hmmm, so apparently Doc's hand wasn't on the time circuit control switch in the scene before AND the time circuits are OFF since the glowing red light says so. Figure D: Glowing green light, now the time circuits are ON!

Figure E: Alas, power to the temporal display unit! Figure F: As Marty hops into the DeLorean to escape the terrorists the time circuits and the temporal display are OFF again. Between Figure E and Figure F, Doc puts more plutonium into the time machine, so assume you need to turn off the time circuits in order to do this, then this image is correct.

Figure G: Okay, the time circuits are still OFF, no power to the input keypad. Figure H: No wait, they're ON!

Figure I: No can't be. The red light is OFF! Figure J: Okay green light, now they're ON!

Figure K: Again, power to the temporal display and the time circuits! Figure L: And they're off again in 1955. That concludes this segment.
I'm confused!

So.....were they ON or OFF?!?!

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Created by CJ Sidewall. December 2002.


Figure A: When Einstein returns from his journey one minute into the future, they're ON. Notice how the "Destination Time" and "Last Time Departed" colors are inverted. Red should be on top, green in the middle, and yellow at the bottom. (See Figure E).		Figure B: Notice how Doc's hand is already on the time circuit control switch as he's talking to Marty and the camera. Can't really tell if the time circuits are on or off in the image, but since all the overhead lights are on, we'll assume temporal display and the time circuits are still ON.


Figure C: Hmmm, so apparently Doc's hand wasn't on the time circuit control switch in the scene before AND the time circuits are OFF since the glowing red light says so.		Figure D: Glowing green light, now the time circuits are ON!


Figure E: Alas, power to the temporal display unit!		Figure F: As Marty hops into the DeLorean to escape the terrorists the time circuits and the temporal display are OFF again. Between Figure E and Figure F, Doc puts more plutonium into the time machine, so assume you need to turn off the time circuits in order to do this, then this image is correct.


Figure G: Okay, the time circuits are still OFF, no power to the input keypad.		Figure H: No wait, they're ON!


Figure I: No can't be. The red light is OFF!		Figure J: Okay green light, now they're ON!


Figure K: Again, power to the temporal display and the time circuits!		Figure L: And they're off again in 1955. That concludes this segment. I'm confused!