McFly Family

From bullied weakling to published author—one night at the Enchantment Under the Sea dance changed everything.

The McFly family tree spans generations of Irish immigrants and their descendants in Hill Valley. The paternal great-great-grandparents are Seamus and Maggie McFly, Irish immigrants who befriend Marty in Part III. Their son William is Marty's great-grandfather. George Douglas McFly, married to Lorraine Baines, is the father of Marty, Linda, and Dave. In the original 1985 timeline, George is a weakling with low self-esteem and the main target of Biff Tannen's bullying. After Marty intervenes in 1955, George gains confidence, knocks Biff unconscious, and becomes popular. In the post-time travel 1985, George works as a college professor and successful writer. In the dystopian timeline of Part II, Biff murdered George in 1973.

Quick Facts

Primary protagonist

Marty McFly

Notable descendants

Dave McFly
Linda McFly
Marty McFly Jr.
Marlene McFly

Lore & Background

The McFly family's story is one of transformation through courage. In 1955, George McFly is portrayed as a weakling with low self-esteem and the main target of Biff Tannen's bullying. The novelization describes two incidents where George cannot stand up for himself. Unlike Marty, George had no friends for support and was targeted not only by Biff and his gang but also by other kids in school.

He has a penchant for science fiction and writes some of his own but never shares them for fear of rejection. Marty suggests George play the hero and save Lorraine at the dance. Instead, George witnesses Biff attempt to rape Lorraine. After Biff shoves Lorraine to the ground, George gets the courage to stand up to him, knocking him unconscious.

As a result, George and Lorraine fall in love, and George becomes popular in school. In the dystopian timeline of Part II, Biff murdered George in 1973 on his way to receive an award, staging the death as a mugging. The McFly family also includes Seamus and Maggie McFly, Irish immigrants and the paternal great-great-grandparents of Marty. In Part III, Seamus befriends Marty despite Maggie's distrust. They have a son named William, Marty's great-grandfather. Like his descendants, Seamus is harassed by Buford Tannen.

Reader's Guide

The McFly family's evolution is a direct result of George's single act of courage at the Enchantment Under the Sea dance. By standing up to Biff and knocking him unconscious, George transforms from a bullied weakling into a confident man. This change ripples through the family: Lorraine becomes happy and fit, Dave moves from Burger King to an accounting firm, Linda gains social success, and George becomes a published author. The dystopian timeline of Part II shows the opposite: George is murdered, Lorraine is forced into a marriage to Biff, and a deleted scene shows Dave as an alcoholic and gambling addict. The McFly family proves that one moment of bravery can reshape an entire lineage.