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Tear Jerker / The Thing (1982)

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As a Moments subpage, all spoilers are unmarked as per policy. You Have Been Warned.

  • The deaths of the dogs toward the beginning, and later, Clark's reaction to the deaths of the remaining dogs.
    • Particularly the dog who made an attempt to free itself by biting through the kennel wire, and gets doused with acid for its trouble. When The Thing starts to absorb the dogs, we see its fur and skin is mostly burned away, but it's still alive.
  • When they first see the thing in the dog kennel and start shooting at it, Clark only seems concerned that they're hitting the dogs and even tries to run into the cage to save them despite the fact that doing so would obviously get him killed.
  • The ultimate fate of Blair. He was the first one to realize how serious the situation is and for his trouble was locked away in a shack. Not only did it make him exposed (if he wasn't infected already), but the sole fact that he was there alone, seriously contemplating suicide, is enough to feel bad for him. And then he's the ultimate incarnation of the Thing. It's a very bitter irony that the man who did the most to stop the creature from getting loose ended up being its most valuable host.
  • Garry's reaction to shooting the Norwegian in the beginning. It was an appropriate response to a (seemingly) crazed man running around and shooting up the place, but he still has a My God, What Have I Done? look on his face. It's a realistic portrayal of an average joe who has just been forced to take a life.
  • Garry's brief dialogue exchange with MacReady following Bennings being assimilated by the Thing.
    Garry: MacReady, I know Bennings! I've known him for ten years! ...He's my friend.
    • Similarly, Nauls crying out Windows' name after he was attacked by the Palmer-Thing. It really drives home that fact that these men were not just coworkers, but friends who really trusted each other. And then the Thing arrives and everything they know goes to hell.
  • The death of Lars, AKA the crazed Norwegian gunman. He was so awesome in The Thing (2011) and watching that movie leaves you cheering him on to get the Dog-Thing. Then you watch this movie and he unceremoniously gets done in by Garry in the first few minutes.
  • The survivors (most of them) preparing to kill MacReady believing him to be a Thing is both this and Nightmare Fuel. Throughout the film, it's clear that, prior to the Thing's arrival, these were people that knew and cared for each other, and paranoia is now tearing them apart. The rage, bitterness, and hurt in MacReady's voice as he threatens his attackers back is heartbreaking.
  • Clark's death. He just wanted to avenge his dogs... unfortunately he targets the wrong person and gets shot for it. He does not even live enough to find out that the Thing was by his side all along.
    • It's a very brief moment, but MacReady clearly hesitates a moment when Childs throws Clark's death back at him; it's clear the gravity of his actions (however necessary) are starting to weigh in on him.
    Childs: And Clark was human, huh. Which makes you a murderer, don't it.
    MacReady: ... Palmer now.
  • MacReady's realization that the thing is gonna freeze over and wait to get rescued. What sells the finality of the situation at hand. They're stranded and alone with no way to escape or contact for help. Their only solution? Suicide! His line before he, Garry and Nauls set off to destroy Outpost 31 doesn't help either.
    "We're not gettin' out of here alive...but neither is that thing!"
  • While Childs is not officially confirmed as non-human, clues indicate he's a thing. If he were to reveal himself to MacReady — who is freezing to death, and can do nothing more to fight — it would be the ultimate nihilistic ending... everything MacReady went through, all of his heroics, all of his lost friends — would have meant absolutely nothing, as the creature finished the movie just as powerful (if not more) than when it arrived at the outpost.

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