Genius Forrest Gump Theory Reveals Lieutenant Dan's Death Wish Was A Lie
A genius Forrest Gump theory suggests that Lieutenant Dan never actually had a death wish, adding an extra layer of depth to Gary Sinese's iconic character. Forrest Gump tells the story of its eponymous protagonist as he navigates his way through practically every major event in American history throughout the latter half of the 20th century. Along the way, Forrest meets many people—including a number of very recognizable figures—but only a handful are considered his genuine friends.
One of these characters is Lieutenant Dan (Gary Sinise), who Forrest meets while serving in Vietnam. Dan is Forrest's platoon leader during the Vietnam War and comes from a military family with a time-honored tradition of dying in combat. During a Vietcong ambush, Lieutenant Dan is badly wounded, but Forrest ignores the command to leave him behind and instead saves his life. Lieutenant Dan's injuries result in the amputation of his legs, and he sees Forrest's heroic act as him being robbed of fulfilling his destiny.
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The idea that Lieutenant Dan has a death wish stems from what Forrest describes as a «long, great military tradition», explaining that "somebody in his family had fought and died in every single American war". Forrest explains that within the film's history, Lieutenant Dan "had a lot to live up to". However, a small part of his wardrobe seems to indicate that his death wish—both during the Vietnam War and after returning home—was always a lie. Throughout the film, Lieutenant Dan is seen wearing a rosary with a Saint Christopher medallion, which holds a hidden meaning that contradicts the character's apparent death wish.
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