The Real Reason a Backwards “99” Is Shown at the End of Back to the Future Part II

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The second Back to the Future movie concludes with a puzzling scene: Doc Brown is sent flying through time after the DeLorean is hit by lightning in 1955, leaving Marty stuck in the past. As the car disappears, a flaming image of the number 99 is burned onto the film. For years, fans have argued about what this symbol means, suggesting it might be a hidden message or a scientific clue left by director Robert Zemeckis.

The official explanation for the backwards numbers seen in Back to the Future is surprisingly simple, yet still interesting. According to the official FAQ, those marks aren’t numbers or symbols at all – they’re actually the streaks of fire left by the DeLorean’s tires. The spiral pattern happens because the lightning caused the car to spin rapidly as it traveled through time.

The Science of the DeLorean Spirals (and Other Fascinating Fan Theories)

The explanation for this time travel event relies on understanding how the DeLorean works. In the movies, whenever the car travels through time, it leaves two straight trails of fire while reaching 88 mph. However, in this case, the DeLorean wasn’t moving when lightning struck. The lightning supposedly caused the car to spin rapidly. Because parts of the car were then effectively moving at 88 mph due to the spin, the flux capacitor activated, sending Doc through time. So why did the trails appear as mirrored 99s instead of straight lines? According to the filmmakers, they were still the usual fire trails, but they looked like spirals because the car was rotating.

Despite the official explanation, fans have come up with their own, more detailed theories. Some sharp-eyed viewers noticed the twin numbers resemble the large, orange number 9 sign outside the Western Auto Store, suggesting it’s a hidden reference for science fiction enthusiasts. Others have pointed out that Einsteinium is the 99th element on the periodic table, linking it to both Albert Einstein’s theories about time travel and the dog Einstein from the original movie, who was the first to travel through time. While these ideas might be a bit of a stretch, the coincidences are intriguing enough to keep fans speculating.

What are your thoughts on the reversed 99? Share your opinions in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

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2025-11-10 00:41