‘Grease’: Was Sandy Dead The Whole Time? The Internet Loses Its Mind Over This Theory


The movie Grease has been a huge hit since it first graced theaters in the ’70s. The movie spawned a sequel in the ’80s and, of late, the musical adaptation has been extremely popular. The story centers around a love story between Sandy and Danny, a straight-laced girl and the cool guy in high school. But now, a new fan theory has turned the story on its head: was Sandy really dead all along? While this Grease theory about Sandy being dead sounds completely crazy, there are a few indicators there might be some truth to the theory.

[Image via Paramount Pictures]
Grease is a movie that is fairly straightforward, story-wise and genre-wise. However, there has always been that scene at the very end that suggests a supernatural element in a movie that is, basically, a musical. The scene in Grease involves Sandy and Danny in a car. As Sandy is waving at her school friends, the car, like magic, suddenly takes flight. Up until that point in Grease, there was absolutely no supernatural references in the movie. So, was this a clever way of showing the audience that Sandy — and possibly Danny — were dead and on their way to heaven?

A Redditor explains why they think Sandy was dead at the end of Grease.

“Everything that happens in the last scene is just a little TOO perfect… Danny and Sandy are back together despite everything, Rizzo SUDDENLY isn’t pregnant AND Kenickie suddenly decides that he actually loves her, the geeky kid gets onto the sports team, EVERYTHING is suddenly okay, just the way that sweet, innocent Sandy would have wanted it to be.”

So how does this theory about Sandy being dead in Grease work?

[Image via Paramount Pictures]
Basically, at the start of Grease, Sandy, played by Olivia Newton-John, is seen on a beach with Danny (John Travolta). In this scene, the pair frolic and have a good time. Unfortunately, though, Sandy has to return to Australia. Danny is probably a little relieved he won’t have to reject the nerdy girl he met at the beach if it turns out she goes to a local school. But, he shows his affection and they part ways, expecting never to see each other again.

How wrong they both were. It turns out Sandy’s father gets a transfer in Grease and she winds up in the exact same high school as Danny.

Later on in Grease, before the pair realize they are attending the same school, Danny is singing about his summer vacation. In this song, “Summer Nights,” the following lyrics are sung by Danny.

“She swam by me, she got a cramp/I saved her life, she nearly drowned”

But what if Sandy did actually drown? And, for that matter, what if Danny drowned also, while trying to save her? If this were the case, the entire Grease movie would actually be a death dream as one — or both — are on their way to heaven. Of course, judging by the reputation of Danny, perhaps this theory really is Sandy’s version of events, because Danny just might not be traveling through the pearly gates in Grease.

The basic version of the fan theory about why Sandy may be dead in Grease can be seen below.

Is Sandy really dead in ‘Grease’? This fan theory thinks so [Image via MTV]
There are actually several different death theories involving Grease. Good Housekeeping is fond of the reverse theory of Sandy being dead in Grease. They propose that Danny drowned while trying to save her and Grease is actually his death dream before going to heaven.

The same Redditor involved in the Reddit thread above involving Sandy being dead in Grease suggests that Sandy actually kills herself during the movie and the song, “Look At Me, I’m Sandra Dee,” is her swan song.

“Sandy, you must start anew/Don’t you know what you must do?/Hold your head high/Take a deep breath and sigh/Goodbye to Sandra Dee.”

What do you think, did Sandy die in Grease? Let us know your thoughts and theories by commenting below.

[Image via Paramount Pictures]

Share this article: ‘Grease’: Was Sandy Dead The Whole Time? The Internet Loses Its Mind Over This Theory
More from Inquisitr