Since its underwhelming debut in 1982, if there is one discussion that still lingers around John Carpenter's masterpiece of science fiction to this day, it is undoubtedly, "Who was the thing at the end--was it Childs or MacReady?"
Well. I am here to tell you with an unequivocal demeanor that it does not fucking matter. It has never fucking mattered, and you can go ahead and stop fighting with your dad about whether or not it was alcohol or gasoline in that stupid, fucking bottle.
Truthfully, when looked at through the lens of someone who has actually watched the film, the entirety of the mystery surrounding THE THING is inconsequential, as everyone has been assimilated by said creature before the film's end anyway. Between Childs and MacReady specifically, the two now-separate entities are just taking extreme precautions for their own survival--the whole point of the film. The organism has adapted to not even trust an extension of itself. Sounds a lot like a metaphor for mental illness, or, at bare minimum, paranoia. Since, you know, that is the whole fucking theme of the motion picture. You know. Paranoia. Yeah.
You are welcome. Call your dad.
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