Clara Clayton

Lore & Background

Clara arrives in Hill Valley as the new schoolteacher. While inspecting a rail spur, Doc saves her from falling into the ravine, which would have been her death in the original timeline. They fall in love. At a town festival, Buford Tannen tries shooting Doc, but Marty intervenes. Doc urges Marty not to react to provocation, letting slip that Marty has a life-changing accident in the future. Although reluctant to return to 1985, Doc visits Clara to end their relationship and bid her goodbye. She dismisses his story about being from the future. Later, on the train to San Francisco, Clara learns of Doc's heartbreak and runs back to town. She finds the model time machine at his shop and realizes Doc was telling the truth. During the climax, Clara boards the locomotive and loses her footing. Marty, in the DeLorean, passes his hoverboard to Doc, who uses it to save Clara. The DeLorean hits 88 mph and vanishes as the locomotive plunges from the unfinished bridge. In the final scene, a steam locomotive time machine appears, operated by Doc, Clara, and their children Jules and Verne Brown.

In Their Own Story

Clara's story begins when Doc saves her from falling into a ravine, changing her fate. She falls in love with Doc, but he attempts to end their relationship to return to 1985. She dismisses his story about being from the future. After learning of his heartbreak on the train to San Francisco, she runs back to town and finds the model time machine at his shop, realizing Doc was telling the truth. She boards the locomotive during the time-travel attempt, loses her footing, and is saved by Doc using Marty's hoverboard. In the final scene, she appears with Doc and their children Jules and Verne in a steam locomotive time machine.

Reader's Guide

Clara Clayton is a key character in Back to the Future Part III. She is the town's new schoolteacher in 1885. Doc saves her from falling into a ravine, and they fall in love. She initially dismisses Doc's story about being from the future, but later discovers the model time machine and realizes the truth. She is saved by Doc during the climax using Marty's hoverboard. In the final scene, she appears with Doc and their children Jules and Verne in a steam locomotive time machine.

Did You Know?

• The role of Clara Clayton was written with Mary Steenburgen in mind.
• Steenburgen was reluctant to commit to the film until her children, who had loved the first film, 'hounded' her.
• The Hill Valley Festival Dance scene left Steenburgen with a torn ligament in her foot due to overzealous dancing.
• Clara is saved by Doc from falling into a ravine, which would have been her death in the original timeline.
• In the final scene, Clara appears with Doc and their children Jules and Verne in a steam locomotive time machine.