eighty eight miles per hour

[gfish]

Today's stupid question: Is the 88 mph trigger for Back to the Future time travel a fundamental part of the process, or is it just an arbitrary limit so that you don't casually violate causality?

I've always assumed it was arbitrary, just another quirky design choice like using a DeLorean in the first place. But then why didn't the Doc bypass it when timing was so critical (in the first movie) or achieving that speed was so difficult (in the third). Maybe ¹⁹⁵⁵Doc couldn't understand the circuitry and ¹⁹⁸⁵Doc in 1885 didn't have the tools. But... it would just be a switch connected to the speedometer. ¹⁹⁵⁵Doc should be able to figure that out. Marty should be able to.

It doesn't make much sense as a fundamental limit to flux capacitoring, though...

Comments

[encapsulate.livejournal.com]

I believe that was a limitation of MacGuffins that were created in the mid 80's.

It can be engineered around, but you would be unable to time travel while retaining your clothes, your boots and your motorcycle.