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Seamus and Maggie McFly
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Back to the Future character | |
 Thompson and Fox as Maggie and Seamus McFly |
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| Seamus and Maggie McFly | |
|---|---|
| Role | Marty's ancestors |
| Profession | Farmers |
| Original time | 1885 |
| Time traveler | No |
| Appeared in | Part III |
| Portrayed by | Michael J Fox and Lea Thompson |
Seamus and Maggie McFly are fictional characters in the film Back to the Future Part III. They are distant ancestors of the protagonist Marty McFly, and though they do not realise that fact, they still offer him aid and comfort when he arrives in the past.
Seamus is played by Michael J. Fox[1], who also plays Marty McFly. The resemblance between the two characters highlights the fact that they are of the same family, if four generations removed. Interestingly, Maggie McFly is portrayed by Lea Thompson, who also plays Marty's mother Lorraine,[2] even though there is no family link between these two characters. Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis explain that they simply did not want to make a Back to the Future movie without Thompson, but also offer an "in-universe" explanation — namely that "men are attracted to women who remind them of their mothers", so all McFly men after Seamus took wives who resemble Maggie.[3]
Through hints in the movie, it is revealed that Seamus McFly and his wife Maggie[4] are Catholics[5] and originally hail from Ireland.[6]
At some point before Back to the Future Part III, Seamus, Maggie and Seamus' brother Martin moved from Ireland to the United States. During their travelling, they went through Virginia City, Nevada. It was there that Martin got stabbed and killed in a saloon fight.[7]
Seamus and Maggie ended up settling on a farm outside of Hill Valley.[8] Much like his descendants, Seamus is harassed by a member of the Tannen family, Buford Tannen.[9] Shortly before the movie, the McFlys had a son, William, the first of their family to be born in America[10] and Marty's great-grandfather.[11]
Seamus and Maggie encountered their descendant Marty McFly when the latter travelled back to 1885. However, Marty conceals his identity under the pseudonym Clint Eastwood,[12] and neither of them ever realises Marty's true nature, although Seamus gets a strange feeling about Marty.[13][14]
In the movies, Seamus and Maggie are the earliest known members of the McFly family, which is seen to go on into the 21st Century in Back to the Future Part II.
The spin-off Back to the Future: The Animated Series introduced three other characters that may be related to Seamus and Maggie. First are their possible ancestors, Harold and Jennivere McFly. The episode "A Family Vacation" depicts them living in Medieval Britain, although by the end they decide to move to Ireland together.[15] The third character is one of their contemporaries, 1897 baseball player Pee Wee McFly, who was the focus of the episode "Batter Up".[16] However, in all cases, the exact relationship between the animated characters and Seamus and Maggie is never explicitly made clear, and in fact, the very canonicity of the Animated Series is debated.[17]
- ^ Michael J. Fox at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Lea Thompson at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Back to the Future Frequently Asked Questions at BTTF.com.
- ^ Back to the Future Part III A woman, MAGGIE (Seamus' wife) is next to him.
- ^ Back to the Future Part III Maggie puts down her plate and crosses herself in a Catholic way.
- ^ Back to the Future Part III He speaks with an Irish accent.
- ^ Back to the Future Part III Seamus: Had a brother. Martin used to let men provoke him into fighting. He was concerned that people would think him a coward if he refused. That's how he got a bowie knife shoved through his belly in a saloon in Virginia City. Never considered the future, poor Martin. God rest his soul.
- ^ Back to the Future Part III Maggie: Well, you're safe and sound, here now at the McFly farm.
- ^ Back to the Future Part III Buford: Hey McFly... thought I done told you never to come in... Hey, you ain't Seamus McFly!
- ^ Back to the Future Part III Maggie: Aye! William Shaun McFly, the first of our family to be born in America!
- ^ Back to the Future Part III Marty: Hey, Will. So you're my great-grandfather.
- ^ Back to the Future Part III Maggie: And what might your name be sir? Marty: Well, it's Mc...(covering) Eastwood...uh...Clint...Clint Eastwood?
- ^ Back to the Future Part III Seamus: Aye, but I've just got a feeling about him Maggie. It's the right thing to do. It's important. Look how the baby takes to him. Little Will never takes to strangers. It's almost as if.....he's connected to us.
- ^ Back to the Future Part III Seamus: But something inside me told me I should be 'ere. I think my future had something to do with it.
- ^ "A Family Vacation" recap at TV.com.
- ^ Back to the Future™ - The Animated Series series page and episode synopsis at BTTF.com, an infotainment site.
- ^ Is the animated series canon in relation to the films? fan debate in the forum of BTTF.com, an infotainment site.
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| McFly family | Marty McFly · George McFly · Lorraine Baines · Jennifer Parker · Seamus & Maggie McFly |
| Brown Family | Dr. Emmett "Doc" Brown · Clara Clayton · Jules Brown · Verne Brown · Einstein |
| Tannen Family | Biff Tannen · Griff Tannen · Buford "Mad Dog" Tannen |
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| Entertainment | Animated Series · Soundtrack · The Ride · Video games · Pinball machine · "The Power of Love" |
| Other | Timeline · De Lorean time machine · Other characters · Hill Valley |