WARNING: Spoilers are unmarked.
The Film
- When Marty explores 2015 Hill Valley, he sees the clock tower is still at 10:04 PM from 1955. Nice to see that the Hill Valley Preservation Society succeeded in 1985, and that they're still working hard in 2015 and beyond.
- The second time trip:
- The fact that what started everything was the fact Doc wanted to save Marty's future family is rather endearing.
- It's never confirmed in dialogue, but it's heavily implied Doc wanted Marty to pick up hints about the accident that crippled him and turned him into such a broken old man so as to prevent that future from happening.
- Speaking of Marty's future as a broken old man, there's the fact that, while they're not thrilled about what their son has made of himself, Marty's parents are still on visiting terms with him. Whether he's famous or not, whether he's a rock star or an office worker, his parents are supportive of his life.
- While Future Marty's life with Jennifer isn't grand, they are raising kids together, showing that their marriage born of pity isn't completely loveless.
- When eavesdropping on his younger self lashing out over his car, 2015 Biff is reminded of the previous film's events where he crashed into a truck of manure...and can't help but laugh, looking back at the humiliation fondly against what you'd expect. Showing that while Old Biff isn't a nice guy, he's a lot more mature and chill, and he did possibly turn over a new leaf.Old Biff: The manure! I remember that!
- After Marty burns the almanac, thus preventing Biff from ruining the future and murdering George, the newspaper declaring George dead changes to him receiving an award, and Marty just about explodes with joy. Then the paper Doc has that says, "EMMETT BROWN COMMITTED: Crackpot Inventor Declared Legally Insane" changes to "EMMETT BROWN COMMENDED: Local Inventor Receives Civic Award", and Doc smiles as he declares, "Mission accomplished!"
- The article about Doc being commended also proves that, even setting Marty aside, not everyone thinks he's a crackpot.
- Even with how sad and nightmarish the scenes of Marty and Doc coping with the altered timeline are, there are still some rather sweet aspects to them:
- The reason Marty was so devastated over the loss of his father in the new timeline? He'd recently gotten to know his old man better for a week. In that time, he learned how much they had in common, and that they were both insecure teens, and (depending on your take on the films' use of Ripple-Effect-Proof Memory) was looking forward to getting to know the man he inadvertently helped his father become.
- Doc knew Marty would go to Oak Park Cemetery after learning what became of his dad. Just as Marty is kneeling in front of George's grave, crumbling under a Heroic BSoD, Doc arrives and gives him hope and a plan.
- It's subtle, but after they meet back up in 1985-A, Marty blames himself for indirectly causing Biff's rise to power, but Doc doesn't call him out, telling him, "it's all in the past."
- 1985 Doc having a brief chat with 1955 Doc (who remains unaware of just who he's talking to) as he's setting up the cables for his "weather experiment", with 1985 Doc assuring his younger self there would be a hell of a storm (and the lightning that they need to send Marty back to 1985).
- Despite the fact that he's on a life-or-death mission, Marty still can't resist stopping to stare adoringly at the younger versions of his parents falling in love when he ends up at the Enchantment Under the Sea dance once again.
- After Marty has swiped the almanac back from Biff, he tries to use the hoverboard to get away, but it can't go anywhere as fast as Biff's car. The car roars down on Marty, Biff grinning as he prepares to run him over...and then Marty disappears upwards, saved by a billboard ribbon Doc drops him from the DeLorean, as Alan Silvestri's music soars.Marty [hoarsely exuberant]: GO DOC!
- When Marty gets the letter from Doc after he watches the DeLorean get struck by lightning and disappear. The way he just lights up when he sees who it's from, and his pure joy that Doc is still alive some-when is just so brilliant.
- Topped off with Marty's penultimate line of the film when the delivery guy asks if he needs any help:Marty: There's only one man who can help me!!
- Topped off with Marty's penultimate line of the film when the delivery guy asks if he needs any help:
Behind the Scenes/Other
- This video
done in conjunction with the day Marty goes into the future, featuring Doc Brown himself, with Christopher Lloyd reprising his character.
