Original artwork, not a still
What the hell is a jigawatt!?
— Back to the Future • 1985
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
The speaker reacts with baffled exasperation to an unfamiliar word, demanding to know what a 'jigawatt' is. The question captures the shock of meeting a strange technical term in a tense moment, with confusion and disbelief coming through more strongly than any curiosity.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Back to the FutureShow the scene
Stranded in 1955, Marty plays the young Doc Brown the video he shot in 1985 of the older Doc demonstrating the time machine. When the recording says it needs 1.21 gigawatts of electricity, Doc cries "Great Scott!" and rushes out of the workshop, and Marty calls this after him. Once Doc calms down, his verdict is grim: in 1955 the only power source capable of generating that much electricity is a bolt of lightning.
Sources (1)
- Futurepedia: Back to the Future/TranscriptTranscript, 1955 workshop and houseReference checked
Context reviewed
