Is Gretchen's life any better?

[mansuit]

I understand that the point of Donnies death was to save Gretchen and the world but when Donnie saves her is her life any better than it was? During the movie you hear Gretchen talking about her step dad and then towards the end her mum dissappears and it seems like she is not happy and wishes she could replace all the bad with good. My question is, when Donnie saves her in the end is she better off? Is she happier or does she still have pain in her life as we have heard? This has been confusing me a little so if someone could clear it up that would be great.

[rightfielder21]

She's back to where she was on October 2nd... So all those problems still exist... The difference may be with the step father, supposedly taking the mother in the Tangent Universe... That may not happen in the Primary Universe... That was necessary to happen in the TU for gretchen to go to Donnie's house...

[gretchen]

exactly.

we do not know for sure that the events that happened in the TU will happen in the PU.

if you remember, characters that make it into the TU are prone to IRRATIONAL, BIZARRE behavior... gretchen tells donnie the story about her stepdad while in the TU. he kidnaps momma in the TU.

it's completely plausible that gretch and mom will not be discovered by crazy stepdad, and will live in peace.

[ProvidencePortal]

ManSuit said:

I understand that the point of Donnies death was to save Gretchen and the world but when Donnie saves her is her life any better than it was?

I agree with RF and Gretch -- it's a plausible read to interpret the "bizarre and irrational" behavior of Gretchen's kooky parents as the machinations of the Manipulated Living. It's also possible, given the discussion now going on about Gretchen's status as the Manipulated Dead, that she is simply telling Donnie completely fabricated stories to influence him in the TU -- that, in fact, her mom was never seemingly accosted by her scary stepdad there.

All I'll add is, as it seems has become my calling card: many of us don't believe Donnie's death saves anyone, but that instead he'd saved everyone already once he'd returned the engine to the PU, and his subsequent death -- and the reason for it -- is a mystery with no motivation.

I know -- I can't let it go.

[gretchen]

ProvidencePortal said:

It's also possible, given the discussion now going on about Gretchen's status as the Manipulated Dead, that she is simply telling Donnie completely fabricated stories to influence him in the TU -- that, in fact, her mom was never seemingly accosted by her scary stepdad there.

EXACTLY.

do we ever actually see mom or crazy stepdad?

nope. so do we really believe her? that's up to you.

and the death thing... while i do agree, this is one of the hardest things for me to process and come to a complete decision on.

if he had lived... how do we know everyone was safe? safe from the universe collapsing yes... but we don't actually know what would happen had donnie dodged his path.

we know he would die alone like roberta... how would he become alone? would it be by choice? would donnie ostracize himself from his friends and family? or... would a divine force tear him from them? by death? by tradegy perhaps?