Donnie Darko

[Damian WayLNKe]

So can you shed any light on this?

If Donnie was meant to die on the night the film began (when he was lying in the road and woke up) why didn't he just die when the jet engine hit his house the first time round? I understand he was already in the TU and couldn't just commit suicide in the TU, but surely when he went back in time to kill himself he was just travelling back within the TU?

There's a scene when the Donnie's parents are lying on their hotel bed saying how Donnie dodged his death with the jet engine incident. By the above analysis of the plot, this could be enough to corrupt the PU, thus creating the TU, but Frank had already intervened in his life, even to the point of leading him away from certain death, so it's safe to assume the PU was corrupted before then.

So how do we know Donnie was suposed to have died at the start? Although it looks like he may have been in an accident, there aren't any cuts or bruising to suggest this.

So if Donnie was supposed to die in the first night of the film, why did Donnie survive the first jet engine crash?

Edited February 20, 2006 by LNK

[Tarheels.]

So can you shed any light on this?

If Donnie was meant to die on the night the film began (when he was lying in the road and woke up) why didn't he just die when the jet engine hit his house the first time round? I understand he was already in the TU and couldn't just commit suicide in the TU, but surely when he went back in time to kill himself he was just travelling back within the TU?

There's a scene when the Donnie's parents are lying on their hotel bed saying how Donnie dodged his death with the jet engine incident. By the above analysis of the plot, this could be enough to corrupt the PU, thus creating the TU, but Frank had already intervened in his life, even to the point of leading him away from certain death, so it's safe to assume the PU was corrupted before then.

So how do we know Donnie was suposed to have died at the start? Although it looks like he may have been in an accident, there aren't any cuts or bruising to suggest this.

So if Donnie was supposed to die in the first night of the film, why did Donnie survive the first jet engine crash?

[TheArsenal]

So then the whole thing with Frank interfering before the jet engine crash would have to be a visionary dream before the corruption of the PU, as a part of his sleep-walking, which we see from his "road awakening".

The visionary dream would still fit with the plot of the film since God, and God as a manipulator is a strong theme within the film.

Donnie's death still could have been sacrificial to save Gretchen, since going back in time to die in the jet plane incident would have stopped her from meeting him in the first place. I think that's more likely to be the reason for his death, rather than avoiding becoming "Granpa Death". It ws also explain Gretchen's purpose as one of the Manipulated Dead, as the speed and progression of their relationship lead him into making the decision. I think it's partly her death that made him realise he could make the plane go back, and himself with it to die for her.

I also think there is relevance in it being the plane that his mom and sister are on. Because of the phone call his mother made, he knew (pretty much) where the plane would be, because it was morning before the time travel and his mom said something about being back at 8:30. So it's much more credible that he could use a plane that he knew the rough location of, rather than just picking one out of random sky.

[Benji]

You know you don't need spoiler tags seeing as the thread is marked... right?

[TheArsenal]

You know you don't need spoiler tags seeing as the thread is marked... right?

[Benji]

Good man for doing so, but now you may go in peace ({)

[TheArsenal]

Can you feel the love?