Since the movie came out back all the way in 1982, The Thing has divided audiences with it’s ending. Just exactly who is The Thing? Is it MacReady (Kurt Russell) or is it Childs (Keith David)?
Both men end the movie sitting near the blaze that was their former camp deep in the Antarctica, seemingly waiting for death as the temperatures will drop. But who is human and who is not who they say they are?
Popular theories
Most theories suggest Childs was indeed ‘The Thing’ as he abandoned his post and within seconds later the power is cut off to the entire camp. Some eagle eyes viewers notice Child’s appears to be wearing a different coloured coat from the last time we saw him – but poor lighting and snow could be visually masking the same coat. Perhaps it was even an continuity error.
Other theories suggest that the bottle of whiskey MacReady hands Childs is in fact the petrol bombs MacReady, Garry and Nauls were using to burn up the camp. The Thing would not notice the difference from the taste and be able to ingest it. Moments after MacReady hands Childs the bottle we do see Mac smile. Seemingly realising that Childs must be The Thing.
What’s the facts?
The ending of the movie has been purposefully crafted to convey to the audience to question who exactly is The Thing. That much everyone agrees on. Sure, there was an alternative ending that was recorded for test audiences in which MacReady is seen as being human but that is not what we got in the final version. That was shot for a more uplifting happy ending just in case at the request of the studio.
The movies director, John Carpenter, once told the website SyFY that he knows who The Thing is at the end of the movie but will not say. However he does go on to say that while it is not a “fulfilling answer” there is proof that there is in the deceptively simple final shots of the film. So let’s get out our looking glass and see what he could mean.
Who is The Thing at the end?
All signs point to Childs (Keith David).
Before the final act of the movie MacReady administrates a low-tech blood test to find out who is the shape shifting alien. In the process we find out Palmer was in fact The Thing at this point and sadly kills Palmer. But us, the audience, realises MacReady, Childs, Garry and Nauls are human and safe.
Childs is left to guard one of the entrance doors, but as mentioned above, leaves his post and seconds later the lights go out. This is to create distrust for Childs at the end of the movie. But pay close attention at the ending – MacReady who, at one point in the movie openly states he just wants to go up to his shack and get drunk, is holding a bottle of whiskey. We were also told that all men should prepare all their meals and they should only eat out of cans. Yet Childs willingly and without care takes a swig. To which MacReady smiles. It is the same Childs who wanted to not open the door earlier and let MacReady freeze to death…. Seemingly willingly and trustingly to share a bottle of whiskey that could transfer the alien cells to him should MacReady be The Thing. Unless of course Childs was The Thing.
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