MovieChat Forums > Final Destination 5 (2011) Discussion > Why did Peter want to live so badly?

Why did Peter want to live so badly?

posted 11 years ago by cromesmonster
7 replies | jump to latest

Okay, I understand that throughout the movie, he was going "insane." He wasn't sleeping, probably wasn't eating, drinking, and was grieving because he lost Candace. He resented Moly for living. He resented Sam for saving Moly in the "premonition," and not anybody else. After all, he seemed to be thankful that everybody was still alive until Candace died. He was buying into the "kill or be killed" theory that Tony Todd's character told the other characters. And yes, I understand that with all the anguish and resentment building up inside of you, you tend to act differently than you normally would (such as being paranoid and delusional). I understand all of that.

But there's was one thing that just didn't make sense to me. Losing Candace seemed to affect him deeply because he obviously loved her. And there is a part where you get an impression that he believes in an "afterlife," when he says to Moly just before he tries to stab her: "Tell Candace I love her." So, what I don't get is: why was he willing to LIVE at any cost (including taking other lives) when he was so lovesick and heartbroken over Candace's death? It just makes more sense to me that he wouldn't be so afraid of dying, thinking that "Death was after him," if he truly believed that he would see Candace again on the "other side."

I say this because many many years ago, I was in Peter's position. I was young and I lost a girl I was in love with to murder. MY mind-set was "Why couldn't I have died with her?" or "Why couldn't it have been ME instead of HER?" If Tony Todd's character told me that "Death" was coming for me because I wasn't suppose to be alive (back then), I would've said: "Okay then. Sounds good to me. I don't want to live without her anyway. So, whenever Death is ready to take me, I'll be ready." None of us, deep down, are ever really "ready to die," as Peter put it. He could have just been acting out of fear as well as insanity, but to me, him wanting to live at any cost after just losing Candace just didn't make sense to me. If Candace was suppose to die AFTER him, then I can see where he would try to kill TWO PEOPLE to replace the lifespan for both Candace and himself. But being in a similar situation years ago, I never really got why he wanted to live so badly... I know, it's just a movie, but to me, it was a slight plot hole.

[–] ChipNoirD 11 years ago

Whose to say he wouldn't be happy to just take the gun and put it in his own mouth right after finishing the two of them off?

I think you're reading too much into that one line. We have no idea what his spiritual beliefs. Any intention of that would pretty much destroy the mortal terror the characters (and by proxy, the audience) has of Death. With that said, the answer is pretty much in your post. His motivation really doesn't seem to be about taking a life in exchange for another. It's about putting down people who he felt didn't deserve to live when his GF just got axed off.

[–] mjn-seifer 11 years ago

After Peter killed Agent Block, he said that he didn't want to spend his new life in jail (after Molly explained that he was safe as he had a new life now). Why would he care about going to jail if he was just going to commit suicide after he got his misguided revenge?

I agree with the OP, I rewatched the movie recently and I was confused about why Peter was trying to save himself (and if you follow the character, especially when he "snaps" it's clear he's trying to extend his life. When Nathan stole Roy's life Peter acted like he was hanging on to a desperate theory that would save him, like he was desperate to live.

It would have made more sense if they had either made him afraid of dying painfully and FD-like (which would be enough to make Death scary regardless of spiritual beliefs) or just had him want misguided revenge for his girlfriend not being saved. Either way having the assumption that he'd die at his own hands, assuming they still did the Kill or be Killed thing in this non-existent alternative.

[–] abotello1970 11 years ago

I totally agree with the original post, too. Although I can't relate to the character in the level of losing someone to "Death" the way the original poster did, the fact the Peter was doing everything he could to "extend his life" didn't make any sense, due to the fact that losing his GF was so fresh (within a couple of days). I do agree that if he was so devastated by his GF's death, why would he want to kill someone else, take someone else's lifespan, and live with the heartache of losing her?

I do agree that he went to that cafe with every intention of killing Sam and Molly when he "snapped," due to the need of a misguided revenge, but he wanted to kill Molly first to gain her lifespan (believing she wasn't on Death's List and that Sam was), then let "Death" "take Sam" once it was "his turn." Like the last poster said, after Peter killed Agent Block, he said that he didn't want to spend his new life in jail ("the life he just EARNED)(after Molly explained that he was safe as he had a new life now). Why would he care about going to jail if he was just going to commit suicide after he got his misguided revenge? He still planned on Sam and Molly dying, but only because he didn't want witnesses after he killed Agent Block.

Yeah, I agree that he believed in "the other side," but I think his insanity and being paranoid and all just got the best of him, and went about "extending his life" for all the wrong reasons. I don't know how I'D feel immediately after I lost a person I was in love with to "Death," but I don't think I would be doing anything and everything I could to "extend my life" so soon after it happened.

So, I agree with the OP. If he was going to kill Molly and told her to tell Candice that he loved her, why didn't he just "let Death take him," then tell her himself? I liked the movie, but I also agree that Peter wanting to live as much as he did, at whatever cost it would be, didn't make a whole lot of sense... That's the human psyche for ya. You just never know the motives of someone else.

[–] allyssacromes 11 years ago

Yeah, I agree that Peter's obsession to live didn't make sense after losing his girlfriend so freshly and was a slight plot hole. I do like the idea that if Candace was suppose to die AFTER Peter, then it would have been more interesting if Peter sought to kill TWO PEOPLE to replace the lifespan for both Candice and himself. I can imagine him snapping the way he did, killing someone to "extend HIS life," then trying to convince Candice to do the same thing to "extend her own life." I can imagine her being freaked out that Peter killed somebody, then Peter pressuring Candice into doing the same thing to save herself. I know that it would have given Peter credibility by Sam and Molly knowing what they did about what Death was doing, but can you imagine someone trying to convince you to kill someone else when you don't have it "in you?" (assuming that Candice didn't have it in her). I don't know if it would have made the plot of the movie any better, but I thought it was an interesting idea when I came across it.

[–] zxcvbnmasdfghjqwertyu 11 years ago

I guess given the awful, excruciating, borderline torturous ways survivors perish in these series, he didn't want to go through that.

But yeah, otherwise, now that you mention it, that does sound a little weird.

[–] Moviefreakforever 9 years ago

I think it was more so that he was upset that Molly lived and no one else, especially Candice didn't. I feel like if he would have killed Molly he would have had some revenge for Candices death.

[–] NlGHTWOLF 9 years ago

to quote Ian from FD3: "You're next right? You're the end of it, aren't you? Man, I'd be paranoid too"

Imagine watching a bunch of people you know (including your girlfriend) die horribly. Candice died in front of him, Dennis died in front of him, etc.

If you were in that situation, you would be freaking out too, wondering when it will be your turn. Would it be quick like Dennis? Or long and painful like Olivia? You don't get to choose.

In my opinion, Peter has more than enough reason to be paranoid

"I may be on the side of angels but do not mistake me for one"