History WMG / TheThing

Seriously take careful look at the beginning sequence of the film itself. Rerun it or take some screencaps of the ship The Thing lands on earth in. Looks awfully a lot like a predator mini ship from the 1st Predator film doesn't it?. Also the ship appears far too small and thin for anything the real form of the thing (as is seen in the final scenes of the film) could fit in. possibly the Thing (kept in housed Viral form) is another form of young Hunter training species that are used by Predators just as the Xenomorphs are used in the ''Franchise/AliensVsPredator'' films (the fact that the ship lands/crashes in Antarctica can't simply be coincidence). And while [[NightmareFuel pants crappingly scary]] even the hypothetical thought of Predators creating Thing/Xenomorph Hybrids is truly badass Awesome.

This theory also helpfully explains the ''Franchise/AliensVsPredator'' films and source material comics, If Xenomorphs (alien biomechanical creatures that can decimate entire civilizations by just breeding) are only used as training practice for their '''Children''' what in God's name do their parents and grandparents Hunt? (and on a '''Regular Basis'''!!!).

** If you want to get REALLY paranoid about the rest of the team, remember how Copper was the one who wanted to visit the Norwegian camp? He was also the one who insisted on bring back their research, and pegged ''exactly'' what the empty ice block was from with no other evidence. Now, when they bring the Norwegian-Thing back to base, who's the shocked Fuchs looking at? And who does he later try to prevent being tied up?

** If you want to get REALLY paranoid about the rest of the team, remember how Copper was the one who wanted to visit the Norwegian camp? He was also the one who insisted on bring back their research, and

** So when Fuchs goes to [=MacReady=] about Blair's diaries, he inadvertently mislabels the camp's Snowcat as a "Thiokol" when it's really a Bombardier Skidozer. Fair enough-- all of them are exhausted and bound to make mistakes-- but a quick search reveals that the now-defunct company Thiokol had extensive R&D ties with the American military, and unlike Garry or MacReady, there's nothing to suggest Fuchs has ever been anything other than a civilian chemist, making it odd that a military contractor like Thiokol is the first thing that pops into his head.
** That doesn't mean anything by itself though, right? Except that when the Thing goes isolates Fuchs, it's also trying to frame [=MacReady=] with the shredded long johns he finds in the snow, and something happens to change that plan. Mac and Fuchs are consistently one of the smartest duos in camp, but if it was concurrently afraid of Fuchs finding a way to detect it, it could have killed him and just left MacReady's underwear there and killed two birds with one stone. No, something goes awry and Fuchs fails to take the bait, forcing the Thing move the long johns to [=Macready=]'s oil furnace.

** But why do all this? If you look at it with the idea that Soviet intelligence somehow got wind of the Norwegian camp excavating a mysterious object from the snow

* So when Fuchs goes to MacReady about Blair's diaries, he inadvertently mislabels the camp's Snowcat as a "Thiokol" when it's really a Bombardier Skidozer. Fair enough-- all of them are exhausted and bound to make mistakes-- but a quick search re

This WMG implies that both Childs and Mac are human in the final scene, and that Mac offered Childs liquor as a test. A test which Childs passed.

*** In the Thing Prequel comic "The Northman Nightmare" it fought Vikings the hing Knows what humans are

* The Thing could be a hive mind at a celluar level. One Thing-cell on its own in a host somehow can survive on its own; but it chooses to assimilate and work in numbers with the ones next to it to survive as a whole, even if that means killing other, separate Things to maintain its disguise. Thing-cells co-operate with cells in direct contact with them, using shared data, memories, forms, etc. In massive numbers, ie. assimilated prey, they can as conscious animals that see other Things as part of a pack. The blood samples were not in contact with their parent forms and act as a separate organism that react in self defense to the wire, and Palmer-Thing knows it is ousted. (Note: There is no hive mind intelligence; compare to {{Dead Space}}'s Necromorphs.)

This WMG implies that both Childs and Mac are human, and that Mac offered Childs liquor as a test. A test which Childs passed.

When Blair attempted to "reason" his way out of isolation, he was lucid and calm. ("I feel much better now") This is consistent with the [[HughMann]] trope

When Blair attempted to "reason" his way out of isolation, he was lucid and calm. ("I feel much better now") This is consistent with the Hugh Mann trope

* They don't mix. When the Blob rolls onto the Thing and they both try to do their business on the other, it doesn't work. The only creature immune to the Thing is the Blob, and the only creature immune to the Blob is the Thing. When they touch, the Blob recoils like it does from the cold, and the Thing freaks out like it did during the blood test.

In fact, I'd go as far to say that the gestalt entity possesses no centralized nerve system. Every act is a result of a multitude of choices that each organ, tissue, and cell makes on its own. That is how it can convincingly imitate the personality of its victims while also acting on its instinct. The brain it imitates is making choices that the rest of its body does not necessarily agree with and vice versa. This simultaneously increases and endangers its chances of survival depending on the environment.

The remarkably similar plot of Ridley Scott's hit, coupled copious amounts of mind twisting narcotic smoke and alcohol, warps [=MacReady=]'s antisocial dislike of the rest of the camp into a fulfilment fantasy wherein he has a JUSTIFIED excuse to burn and kill the men that he's sick and tired of spending the last 3 years with, their forms warped and mixed with his VietnamWar flashbacks into distorted and grotesque abomination by the psychadelic effects of the weed. The trip ends with Childs, the teammate closest to him in personality and the only one he liked, sharing a drink with him as heroes, as his fantasy fades to black and he groggily stumbles back to reality...

* The fact that the Thing acts like a virus (viruses can go "latent", hiding inside healthy-looking cells until the right moment) and that Norris' actor played him as if he was a Thing and didn't know it (and he was very much correct) lends credence to this theory.

** Instinct?
*** Well, the DNA is viral so it could just be a simple chemical reaction

This theory would be a definitely good plot point for any future films, ExtendedUniverse Books, Video Games, Comics..Etc. And it would be nice to have at least a couple of alien monsters on our side for once (Preferably some CuteMonsterGirls in the form of [[Series/HeroeS Claire Bennett]] or MeganFox perhaps? ("wink" to the future producers)) which finally leads us to our final theory...

Seriously take careful look at the beginning sequence of the film itself. Rerun it or take some screencaps of the ship The Thing lands on earth in. Looks awfully a lot like a predator mini ship from the 1st Predator film doesn't it?. Also the ship appears far too small and thin for anything the real form of the thing (as is seen in the final scenes of the film) could fit in. possibly the Thing (kept in housed Viral form) is another form of young Hunter training species that are used by Predators just as the Xenomorphs are used in the ''Franchise/AliensVsPredator'' films (the fact that the ship lands/crashes in Antarctica can't simply be coincidence). And while [[NightmareFuel pants crappingly scary]] even the hypothetical thought of Predators creating Thing/Xenomorph Hybrids is truly BadAss Awesome.

Now the only human left is Mac. The only chance he has of winning now is if he is somehow BadAss enough to take on the entire camp by himself.

I've seen the film a while ago, so I can't remember if there is anything really contradicting or supporting this idea. It has been shown that the infected can mimic humans right down to the smallest detail, until their existence is threatened. So what if this mimicry includes, you know, the brain as well? So people don't know if they are human or not until it has been proven otherwise, either by others or by circumstances.

A related theory of mine is that during the ending both of them are Things, but they still think they are humans. The infection mechanism has no reason to alter their natural behaviour, so they just sit there sipping rum (or whatever) until they simply fail to die. And then they know.

(Inspired by tonight's nightmare.)

* Actually, I have reason to believe that Childs isn't human and that Mac is, if only because Childs WASN'T BREATHING. Other things to support this is that Childs is wearing a different coloured parka than before; runs out into a blizzard alone (which is out of character for him); and when offered a swig of rum, he takes it even though Mac could very well be infected.

* I always was under the assumption that the Thing doesn't so much "infect" people as it does perfectly imitate them, its primary intention in this case to be to get away from Antarctica, the best way to do so is to try to blend in. After all, the dog they let in started morphing and trying to eat the other dogs, so it certainly knew when it transformed.
** [[http://thethingfan.11.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?t=1261 There is a rather noticeable rift between those who think that things can infect and those who think they have to assimilate en-mass]]. And a few of us who believe there are a wide range of assimilation possibilities. Assuming a "one cell assimilates another" scenario, all assimilation methods would become exponentially more rapid as more of the body is assimilated.

* I think that when the Thing attacks a human, it leaves the conscious untouched, while replacing their subconscious. And when nobody's around, the Thing jumps into the driver seat.

However the above theory leads to a 2 way (somewhat interconnected 3-way) theory when I was but a young lad many short previews of most of the Predator films, Comics, or related video games clearly stated that the Predators were a Bounty Hunting species and not just a [[ProudWarriorRace proud race of alien Hunters]] but a active somewhat law enforcement/mercenary species like [[StarWars Mandalorians]] who hunted the most dangerous alien criminals in the Galaxy/Universe for thrill seeking kicks and (presumably) giant loads of alien cash.

*** THat doesn't explain The Thing that infected one of the crewmembers, instead of rationally attacking or hiding, runs out in a blind panic and simply screeches at [=MacCready=] until he's incinerated.

* [[spoiler: He just lost an earring somewhere somewhere in the ship in all the confusion and was just too exhuasted and dumbfounded to get his thoughts clear when Kate pointed out he picked the 'wrong' ear.]]

** I really wish there was a scene like this in the actual movie, ending with Kate [[spoiler: killing a human being.]] Or they should have left it ambiguous. Then the audience would have to decide whether Carter really was the Thing, or if Kate had made a tragic mistake. Or even worse, Kate was the Thing, and she was just wiping out another human.
** I like the idea that [[spoiler: those inhuman screams were imagined by Kate.]] After all, [[spoiler: we never see him transform like the others when they are attacked.]] This is also the only time we ever see a Thing trying to reason with someone.

Now, I realize this one is a tough one to swallow, because Kate is our [[VillainProtagonist protagonist]], however, there are some clues to back it up. Firstly, she touches Thing Blood when she finds the fillings, allowing the infection to begin. Over the course of the film, Kate is slowly infected, transforming more and more into a Thing. Now, Things clearly do not have a hive mind, and Kate is still attacked by Edvard!Thing and Sander!Thing, who may not even recognize her as one of their kind. Now, the ending of the movie has been debated a lot, especially with the very silly Thing putting the earring back in the wrong ear. Kate sees this and now, fully a Thing, [[YouHaveFailedMe blows him away rather than risking him doing something equally dumb and blowin gtheir cover in the Russian base.]] This is why she isn't seen in the original, nor are the Russians heard of. She simply kills them all, and has already made her way back to civilization before the first movie began. How's that for a sufficiently bleak ending?
* Except that might not have been thing blood. The crowns might just have gotten some blood from the wearer on them. Given that the thing will defend itself on a cellular level, why leave little bits of itself behind when it never exhibited this behavior before? If it was something else then it might be more feasable...

In the prequel, Lars goes out to get the two pilots (who are suspected to be the Thing) when he gets knocked out and is isolated for the rest of the movie. Which would have made him a prime target for the Thing. But, before he goes out to get the pilots, Kate proves he isn't the Thing because he has fillings in his teeth. If he came back later and he didn't have those fillings, he would undoubtedly be the Thing.

The remarkably similar plot of Ridley Scott's hit, coupled copious amounts of mind twisting narcotic smoke and alcohol, warps [MacReady=]'s antisocial dislike of the rest of the camp into a fulfilment fantasy wherein he has a JUSTIFIED excuse to burn and kill the men that he's sick and tired of spending the last 3 years with, their forms warped and mixed with his VietnamWar flashbacks into distorted and grotesque abomination by the psychadelic effects of the weed. The trip ends with Childs, the teammate closest to him in personality and the only one he liked, sharing a drink with him as heroes, as his fantasy fades to black and he groggily stumbles back to reality...

[[WMG:The entire movie was Macready's Hallucination after watching ''Alien'' and smoking too much of Palmer's weed.]]

The remarkably similar plot of Ridley Scott's hit, coupled copious amounts of mind twisting narcotic smoke and alcohol, warps Macready's antisocial dislike of the rest of the camp into a fulfilment fantasy wherein he has a JUSTIFIED excuse to burn and kill the men that he's sick and tired of spending the last 3 years with, their forms warped and mixed with his VietnamWar flashbacks into distorted and grotesque abomination by the psychadelic effects of the weed. The trip ends with Childs, the teammate closest to him in personality and the only one he liked, sharing a drink with him as heroes, as his fantasy fades to black and he groggily stumbles back to reality...

* Just look at how nervous it acts when it assimilates a human! The movie opens up with a couple of Norwegian blokes trying to gun down The Thing in its dog form. It seeks help from the Americans who unwittingly take it in, only to lock it up with the other dogs. The Thing thinks it's safe until the dogs begin to pick up on its unnaturalness and attack it. Then, feeling threatened, The Thing has no choice but to fight back. When the men torch it with a [[KillItWithFire flame thrower]], it realizes that it has made a dire mistake in trying to befriend them. Since it can't simply crawl around in its true form and risk being attacked again, it must [[BodyHorror assimilate]] one of the humans. Naturally, they don't take too kindly to this and wage war on the beleaguered extraterrestrial. We later learn that its crashed ship and frozen body were unearthed by the Norwegians, who then proceeded to thaw it out of a block of ice. The Thing woke up, terrified and confused on a planet it didn't recognize, and the humans panicked and tried to kill it. In a last ditch effort to escape, The Thing absorbed a dog and fled. Unfortunately, the survivors of its reluctant rampage were out for blood and have been chasing it across the tundra ever since. Further evidence is revealed toward the end when Macready and the others discover that it was attempting to build a ship out of parts from the helicopters. It was trying to ''escape''. [[IncrediblyLamePun Poor Thing]] has no idea that its biological properties are capable of massive genocide on earth, it's only trying to save its own hide.

[[WMG: Kate ends up rescuing MacReady and Childs, confirms that neither one is a Thing and they all live happily ever after.]]

[[WMG: MacReady is A Thing.]]
Not The Thing, but A thing. The thing absorbs the memories of anything it infects. The one that got him actually thought it was really MacReady and acted the way he did. Meaning it's a self hating thing and will kill other things even if it was ones it accidentally created.

The ways Childs acts for a good portion of the film, staying fairly calm even when confronted with some nasty situations, not to mention the "Perfect Copy" question, means that he is likely familiar with these sorts of situations. That is because he is the main "Thing" and is infecting the others with his Thing-bits in order to play some fun mind-games with everyone, like it's some sort of hobby. Unlike the other Things, the Childs-Thing has a huge amount of self-control and doesn't go crazy or act on survival instinct like the others. Childs is one of the more featured characters in the film, like the dog was at the start. The final scene where Childs and MacReady meet up is the Childs-Thing giving cheers to such a fun game. Both of them know who is and isn't infected, but the moment has overtaken them and they know it's over.

* The original movie also suggests the Things know they're infected. A Thing shreds the blood in the lab, as well as Blair-Thing BUILDING A SPACE-SHIP. He's also very clearly in human form infecting people left and right near the end of the movie. There's also subtle little details like the Things looking at each other when someone has been accused of being infected, as if to say 'well I didn't infect him. Did you?' Really, this troper has no idea where the idea that Things don't know they're Things comes from. My personal theory is that they simply absorb the memories of their prey and thus can imitate them perfectly.

However the above theory leads to a 2 way (somewhat interconnected 3-way) theory when this troper was but a young lad many short previews of most of the Predator films, Comics, or related video games clearly stated that the Predators were a Bounty Hunting species and not just a [[ProudWarriorRace proud race of alien Hunters]] but a active somewhat law enforcement/mercenary species like [[StarWars Mandalorians]] who hunted the most dangerous alien criminals in the Galaxy/Universe for thrill seeking kicks and (presumably) giant loads of alien cash.

We know each one is an individual animal. Really, it makes the whole movie more interesting if the infected are trying to figure out whose human, while the humans are trying to figure out whose infected.

** Actually it doesn't make sense, and the movie seems to make it clear (at least to this troper) that the Things are individually sentient. Otherwise, how would it have shredded the blood packs? How was Blair making a space-ship in his basement? In the end, Thing!Blair was clearly in human form, infecting people left and right. How could any of the Things operate if it's completely insentient?

Following off of Film/AlienVsPredator, The Predators were headed to Antarctica for their rite of passage Ritual. However, unknown to them, the Alien Queen they were taking with them was actually a Thing in disguise, once the ship entered earth's atmosphere, the Thing attacked, crashing the ship into the ice. In the ensuing chaos, the remaining Predators were killed or assimilated. Once it finished with the Predators, the Thing took the form it is found in at the Prequel's beginning (some random alien in the Predator's menagerie) in an attempt to escape onto earth, but froze for 75,000 years instead.

Seriously take careful look at the beginning sequence of the film itself. Rerun it or take some screencaps of the ship The Thing lands on earth in. Looks awfully a lot like a predator mini ship from the 1st Predator film doesn't it?. Also the ship appears far too small and thin for anything the real form of the thing (as is seen in the final scenes of the film) could fit in. possibly the Thing (kept in housed Viral form) is another form of young Hunter training species that are used by Predators just as the Xenomorphs are used in the AliensVsPredator films (the fact that the ship lands/crashes in Antarctica can't simply be coincidence). And while [[NightmareFuel pants crappingly scary]] even the hypothetical thought of Predators creating Thing/Xenomorph Hybrids is truly BadAss Awesome.

This theory also helpfully explains the AliensVsPredator films and source material comics, If Xenomorphs (alien biomechanical creatures that can decimate entire civilizations by just breeding) are only used as training practice for their '''Children''' what in God's name do their parents and grandparents Hunt? (and on a '''Regular Basis'''!!!).