The final scene of Rocky disappearing from cemetery implies that he was dead the entire time. So how and when did he die
-
Lunchbox-3 — 12 years ago(February 26, 2014 02:00 PM)
He was killed by Spider Rico in the first scene of the first movie. Rocky's living in a dream world after that. Suddenly he gets a title shot against the world champion out of nowhere, he gets Mick's respect and Adrian finally notices him. He miraculously keeps healing between movies. His son grows at an accelerated rate. He's obviously in Heaven.
By "Rocky Balboa" he has grown weary of his false life/afterlife and ready to move on to the next plane. This is why Spider suddenly becomes very important his life again, the symbol of the man who killed him coming back to guide him to the next step. He has one last fight before he lets go of it all.
Now he will move on, presumably to be reincarnated as a dog or turtle in the next life. -
Aticusfinch — 9 years ago(April 14, 2016 01:17 PM)
I dont know whether that was Stallones intention or not, but certainly the fact that Balboa vanishes instead of simply walking away is as enigmatic as hell and gives rise to all these theories in the "it was all in his head" fashion, which would be completely unsubstantiated otherwise.