After battling the alien monster that has killed all of their comrades, only two men are left alive: MacReady and Childs. Worn out, both men slump on the ground amidst the burning rubble that was their facility. What makes this final shot interesting is that neither man can trust the other, unsure if their former ally is the dreaded, shapeshifting "Thing." Knowing death to be a certainty due to the freezing climate the men decide that rather than doing anything to uncover the truth to instead wait and "see what happens," sharing a bottle of alcohol and not letting the other out of their sights. Thanks to this end shot the suspense continues long after the end credits, and also allows audiences to play detective. Many theories have circulated through cyberspace as to which of the two is the intergalactic murderer, if either, and the sheer fact that this final shot still raises so much debate to this day is testament to its effectiveness. But nobody knows with absolute certainty who the Thing may be. We may never be 100% sure of the answer, but mysteries are far more interesting when left unsolved.
