Forrest Gump is dead - at least, according to one fan theory. The 1994 drama stars Tom Hanks as Forrest, an intellectually slow but sweet man from the fictional town of Greenbow, Alabama. He lives through a great deal of history, meeting Elvis Presley and multiple presidents, serving in the Vietnam War, and much more. But despite all of his success, the landmark historical moments he lives through, and the influential people he meets, what he wants most is to be with the love of his life and childhood friend, Jenny (Robin Wright). He always thinks of her, though it often seems he'll never actually win her heart throughout Forrest Gump. Even in the face of that sad possibility, he still makes amazing and impressive strides in his life. Things always work out somehow, allowing him to excel at whatever he decides to try his hand at.
However, Forrest Gump's history-inspired story and miraculous life, as posted by u/ragerblade on Reddit, has always seemed too good to be true - the main argument behind the dead Forrest Gump theory. The theory posits that Forrest's life is not real, and that he's actually dead for most of the film, arguing that the titular character dies as a child in the scene where he's being chased by bullies on bikes, theorizing that he's caught up to and beaten to death. According to this thought process, the braces breaking off of Forrest's legs in the way they do, which is impossible by real-world standards, is actually symbolic of his breaking free from his Earthly existence. This is when the theory explains Forrest has become a sort of angel, and the rest of Forrest Gump fleshes out what his idealized life could've been had he survived.
Forrest Gump Being Dead Solves Many Inaccuracies
The theory that Forrest Gump is dead may be morbid, but Forrest Gump's incredible feats and outrageous circumstances actually support the idea. As the Reddit post also acknowledges, there are plenty of other plot details that just aren't realistic. Examples include Forrest's impressive knack for ping pong without ever having trained and his ability to graduate from college and join the Army despite his low IQ. After all, despite his football scholarship and the draft during the Vietnam War, he still wouldn't meet the intellectual requirements that both paths would require.
In addition, he acts as an "angel" for other characters throughout the film. For instance, Jenny severely struggles on and off in her personal life, which causes her to come back to Forrest on her own timetable. Even so, he accepts her back every time. He's an angel for her, a pleasant memory of a childhood friend who genuinely loved and supported her that manifests itself as she abuses substances to find escapism. Forrest Gump and Jenny's relationship is definitely strange - but not if Forrest was actually her guardian angel.
The theory is certainly interesting and extensively thought out. And there's a slew of little pieces that help support the idea that Forrest Gump died during his childhood years. That said, given the film as a whole, it's very unlikely that the hypothesis is true. The film centers around a life of resilience and tenacity, one where Forrest overcomes his low IQ and all other obstacles in his way to achieve more than many people would ever dream of. If Forrest's teenage and adult existences turn out to be some kind of twist in the vein of The Sixth Sense or Joker, where he isn't actually alive or certain events don't even truly happen, it would defeat the film's core message of hope.
The Two Key Flaws In The Dead Forrest Gump Theory
The idea that Forrest Gump is dead doesn't completely add up. Firstly, while Forrest Gump in the book was both a mathematical and creative genius, Tom Hanks, Robert Zemeckis, and Eric Roth's movie version of Forrest excelled mainly in sports and following orders. This means that Forrest in the movie, especially as a child, would not have the imagination to dream up such a life - Forrest is many things, but he was never artistic nor creative. Secondly, even if Forrest Gump imagined everything, there would be no way for him to know about all the then-impending historical events that he was involved in throughout the movie.
Forrest Gump is dead - it's an interesting notion, but once examined closer, the theory simply falls apart. That said, just like many of the other Forrest Gump fan theories that continue to circulate online nearly 30 years after the movie's theatrical release, it also highlights how deeply the character is embedded in the zeitgeist. While the dead Forrest Gump theory is deeply flawed, it remains a relevant discussion simply because people still can't get enough of Forrest Gump.