I could not figure out how to reply to the blog post unfortunately so I hope this is okay…
The concept of plot armor is something that I was actually going to post about so I’m glad someone decided to!
I would add that this concept is first apparent in the opening scene when the chopper is attempting to shoot the Thing (as a dog). The shooter is unable to make contact with the dog in the several attempts that are filmed and then if we are to consider the travel between camps the likely-hood is slim that they were not able to stop the dog, but if they had then there would be no movie. I would suggest, however, that the there is an existential component the film hints towards and I did question whether MacReady had been infected by the Thing, as did the other men in the film. As the men allow themselves to be tied up, there are no obvious signs of who is infected and who is not. The fact that the Thing inhabiting Palmer allows himself to be tied, knowing he will be exposed, suggests that on some level Palmer’s consciousness is still rejecting the idea that he may not be himself even though at an unconscious level he is aware something is wrong. If MacReady was infected, he too would reject the idea that some creature could commandeer his body without conscious awareness of the act. The fact is, throughout the movie, the ‘possessed’ are not completely aware of their circumstance until the Thing takes complete control or is drawn out, even then it is not awareness as much as a complete eradication of self. The ambiguity and ominous score at the end of the film leaves us wondering: is MacReady infected, is he unsure of his humanity and unable to trust his own consciousness? Is Childs infected, where did he really go? I think this is why they remain, because they still have agency over their own actions they choose to remain because they can no longer trust that their consciousness has not been corrupted on a level they are not yet aware.
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