Who Is Assimilated When in John Carpenter’s The Thing?

John Carpenter’s “The Thing” is a movie that initially received mixed reviews from critics and struggled at the box office, yet its standing has significantly improved over time. Rightfully so, as it stands not just as one of the greatest horror films ever made, but as one of the best movies overall. The film’s intricate plot never confuses the audience, and it invites multiple rewatches.

Firstly, Rob Bottin’s practical effects have aged incredibly well, and viewers who aren’t averting their gaze are surely noticing new details that they missed during the first viewing. Secondly, repeated viewings are necessary for the audience to develop a sense of which characters transform into “The Thing” and when this happens.

“The Thing” is so skillfully written that there is a discernible structure, though it’s not fully apparent on a single watch. It’s a film that encourages theory-building among viewers. To elaborate further…

Who’s Who?

In the Antarctic research station, where there are twelve members, you might expect some individuals to be stereotypical. However, the movie “The Thing” and its cast successfully give each of these twelve unique personalities, even those with minimal screen time. Fortunately for viewers, one of the central characters is Kurt Russell’s R.J. MacReady, a highly likable character who stands out in any Carpenter production.

The Mystery Assimilation

The initial interpretation of the film leaves us with a significant uncertainty. Both Palmer and Norris have plausible explanations attributed to them. For Palmer’s character, producer Stuart Cohen has confirmed it as him. Interestingly, they even invited actor David Clennon for discussions, but his unique silhouette was too noticeable, so they opted for stuntman Dick Warlock instead.

Regarding Norris, his raised collar has drawn suspicion from many. Yet, earlier in the movie, the Dog-Thing is seen licking Norris and shortly afterward, Norris puts his fingers in the creature’s mouth. This could potentially be the start of his assimilation, making Palmer a more plausible candidate. Another possibility, albeit less frequently considered, is Blair, as it’s unclear when he was assimilated.

Bennings & the Beginning of Blair’s Erratic Behavior

Following an incident where the Dog-Thing almost wiped out all the regular pups, Blair performs an autopsy on it. A similar procedure is carried out with a partly transformed body from a Norwegian location nearby. Soon afterward, Blair becomes increasingly anxious as he studies data showing how rapidly the infection could potentially spread to all of humanity. It’s not clear if Blair has started the assimilation process or not, but one thing that is certain is that Bennings died and was replaced by the Norwegian corpse-Thing.

Immediately following the group’s burning of Bennings, the enigma surrounding Blair intensifies. He destroys the helicopter, kills the remaining non-Thing dogs, and shatters the radio into pieces. Is this behavior merely an outgrowth of his escalating, distinctly human paranoia?

Regardless of the circumstances, Blair ends up confined in a tool shed, where he engages in an intriguing conversation with MacReady. Notably, Blair’s statement “Watch Clark” can be interpreted as a red herring or a genuine concern. Clark is the sole member among the 12 who meets his end at the hands of another human while still alive, but if Blair hasn’t yet transformed into a Thing, his apprehension might be justified as Clark had interacted with the Dog-Thing beforehand.

Who Got to the Blood?

As a movie reviewer, I found myself on the edge of my seat during a pivotal scene where Dr. Copper proposes an intriguing comparison – analyzing everyone’s current blood samples against the pristine, emergency-stored blood. However, the twist arrives when it’s unearthed that this untainted blood has been compromised. The plot thickens as we learn that only two individuals, Dr. Copper and Garry, hold the keys to this mysterious blood sample.

Dr. Copper is a human character, and the Norris-Thing removes his hands because it wouldn’t have attacked him if he were a Thing too. Similarly, Garry is also a human character, and he meets his end at the hands of the Blair-Thing in the third part of the story.

Essentially, we’re left with Palmer, Norris, and Blair as the main suspects. If Blair has transformed into a Thing by then, it’s plausible that he orchestrated the series of events. He might have faked a panic attack, damaged the blood storage unit, and caused a commotion by shooting his gun and brandishing his axe. Destroying the vehicles, killing the dogs, and damaging the radio could be signs of Blair’s paranoia, trying to contain the threat within the camp. However, these actions also serve as a means for Blair, as a Thing, to assimilate others if that is indeed his fate.

Fuchs’ Self-Immolation & the Norris-Thing Autopsy

Following Blair’s actions leading to destruction, he is confined in a tool shed. Later on, it becomes clear that he has managed to escape from there by tunneling out, although this event seems to predate his encounter with Fuchs (a scene reminiscent of the Dog-Thing and the shadow). This leaves Palmer and Norris as the primary suspects for this incident.

Following Fuchs’ burn incident, it’s the Norris entity (or more accurately, the Norris-Thing) that suffers a heart attack and is rushed to Dr. Copper’s laboratory. In this particular scene, it’s interesting to notice that the Palmer-Thing calls attention to the Norris-Thing’s mobile head before it makes its escape from the lab. However, it seems plausible that Windows, who was also looking in that direction, might have observed the Palmer-Thing noticing this and thus, the Palmer-Thing used this opportunity to divert attention away from itself.

MacReady Kills Clark & the Palmer-Thing Reveal

Following MacReady’s shooting of the advancing and tool-wielding Clark, it’s now time for a blood test. Contrary to what both MacReady and the viewers might expect, it’s discovered that Garry, MacReady, Windows, Nauls, Childs, and even the recently fallen Clark are all still human.

The Palmer-Thing is unmasked due to MacReady’s novel heat examination, leading us to its discovery. Interestingly, when the Palmer-Thing was subjected to this heat, it retaliated by biting off Windows’ head.

The Blair-Thing

As I survey my team of twelve, only five of us are left standing: MacReady, Childs, Nauls, Garry, and Blair. However, upon venturing into the tool shed, it’s revealed to me and the rest of my comrades (except for Childs who is guarding our camp) that in fact, we’re four strong now.

As a devoted cinephile, I’d rephrase it like this: Down in Blair’s tunnel, MacReady, Nauls, and Garry embarked on a mission to obliterate the flying saucer that Blair had been constructing. Regrettably, neither Nauls nor Garry returned from the depths, but MacReady did – with the Blair-Thing eliminated, hopefully marking the final end of extraterrestrial intrusion.

Just the Two of Us

MacReady appears to have stopped the alien infestation, yet the whereabouts of Childs when he was supposed to be watching the camp remains one of the film’s significant enigmas. His explanation that he followed Blair seems plausible, but if the Blair-Thing lured Childs out into the cold darkness and confronted him alone, wouldn’t it have absorbed him?

Despite the fact that the power generator at the station has been destroyed, the odds of both MacReady and Childs surviving are extremely low, if they’re indeed human. Given that MacReady recently eliminated the Blair-Creature, it’s likely he’s a human, but the question of whether Childs is a Thing remains unanswered and leaves the audience to speculate. If Childs turns out to be a Thing, MacReady still has his flamethrower, as he put it, “If there are any surprises left for us, I don’t believe we’re in a position to respond.

Cue Ennio Morricone’s incredible and restrained score.

2025-01-12 02:09