Trilogy. The word evokes a powerful image. The number three represents a kind of universal accord. It almost brings to mind an image of the divine trinity, a holy confluence of tripartite being.

You probably know of a few famous movie trilogies: Star Wars, The Godfather and Indiana Jones. You probably didn’t even know some others were trilogies, like The Brave Little Toaster and Mad Max.

For any trilogy to really work, it needs to be a well-oiled machine. All parts need to move fluidly and effortlessly in sync. It must build to a steady arc and fall into place as a single piece.

My next statement may come as a shock, but when the evidence is examined, there is really no room for debate: Back to the Future is the best trilogy of all time.

I know what you’re thinking: “Sure, the Back to the Future movies were a monumental achievement, appealing to moviegoers young and old with their whimsical and moving journey into the fourth dimension. But is the trilogy really better than Star Wars? The Godfather?”

As Marty McFly would say, “You bet your ass it is.”

The first installment of Back to the Future was, by any analysis, a masterpiece. More than just a fun time-travel movie, it was a complex look into Marty McFly’s family and how our past experiences shape who we are. It managed to subtly incorporate clever pop-culture references into the scenes of 1955 Hill Valley, Calif. and still support itself with a powerful story — without the cloying sentimentality of Forrest Gump.

Throw in Crispin Glover’s wonderfully neurotic performance as George McFly, Marty’s hapless father, and Christopher Lloyd as eccentric scientist Dr. Emmett “Doc” Brown, and you have one of the most memorable casts of the 1980s.

But, more importantly, the events of the first Back to the Future act as a springboard for parts II and III.

Many will argue that Star Wars is a more enjoyable trilogy.

Judged against BTTF, the first Star Wars movie is indeed very close in quality. There’s no arguing that both are great escapist movies, although I would give the edge to BTTF merely for its more adept characterization.

I would actually say The Empire Strikes Back is a better film than BTTF Part II. We see the complex machinations of Darth Vader and watch Han and Luke really grow as characters. BTTF Part II, in which Marty must steal the sports almanac Biff uses to become a millionaire in a dystopian alternate Hill Valley, suffers from slow pacing at parts. But that isn’t to say it’s not a fine film and a warning against our increasingly consumerist culture.

The real clincher in the best trilogy of all time — BTTF, of course — is the finale, which is when most trilogies stumble. Star Wars, The Godfather and even Indiana Jones fall victim to the dreaded third installment, where otherwise fine franchises are often reduced to tired punchlines.

Return of the Jedi is a flawed rehash of A New Hope, so much so that the heroes attack another half-completed Death Star. And let’s not forget about the Ewoks. And really, Darth Vader has a change of heart and kills Emperor Palpatine? Schmaltzy.

I don’t even think I have to talk about the Godfather III, because anyone who has seen it has probably tried to block it from memory.

The last Indiana Jones was pretty good, but Temple of Doom was poor, and the three movies really aren’t a continuing story. They just have the same main character. It’s out the window.

And don’t even try to argue that Lord of the Rings is better. The stupid ghost pirates in the third one killed that movie for me.

The third and final installment of Back to the Future is the perfect summation of the trilogy: an exhilarating trip through the Wild West that proves a perfect setting for Doc Brown’s wacky inventions and comic sensibilities.

Come on, who can watch the scene where Marty — after being insulted and called ‘yellow’– gets shot by the 1885 version of Biff, only to reveal a makeshift bulletproof vest, and not get goosebumps? The climax of the BTTF trilogy rounds out both Marty and Doc as characters, concludes the story arc and sufficiently ties up all loose ends.

Let’s not forget the many fine touches in BTTF that are still relevant today, like the flux capacitor, the hoverboards and the villains continually crashing their cars into manure trucks. Add in the awkwardness of your mom hitting on you and your dad being an ineffectual dork, and you have a movie that speaks to an entire generation.

There have been many movie trilogies, but Back to the Future stands above them all.

And, unlike Star Wars, Back to the Future satisfies every person’s secret desire of traveling back in time to 1955, when life was simple and soda only cost a nickel.

Adan Berkowitz, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences, is a weekly columnist for The Daily Free Press. He can be reached at [email protected].