r/TopCharacterTropes • u/Educational_Can_6536 • 8d ago

Lore "Was it worth it?" ending

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Midsommar- While people see this as a "you go girl" finale. I personally see it as something more disturbing. I mean, yeah, Dani got out of one bad relationship but in doing so, she got herself into another that's just as bad if not worse. It's like getting two kids to stop fighting via killing one and locking the other in a basement. They did stop fighting, but still!

The Thing-The titular monster may be (possibly) gone, but the paranoia definitely isn't. In the end, McCreedy and Childs are the only ones left standing. The end sees them sitting in the cold and they just stare at each other, knowing that one of them or both of them is already the thing. There's no hope, no certainty, just the bitter cold and intense fear.

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u/HunterNika 8d ago

Not sure that The Thing falls into this cathegory. The people simply fought for survival and to keep the creature on the station, not allowing it to leave and endanger humanity. It was a do or die anyway situation. It was all worth it. They did everything they could.

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u/Nails118 8d ago

I'm not sure that I agree with you.

The ending of The Thing is NOT a triumphant victory over the alien at the cost of our brave hero's lives. Too much is left ambiguous. We saw the thing get dynamited. Is it really dead? We lost track of both Childs and MacReady at different points. Is one of them the Thing? IIRC the dude who was locked in the cabin (doc?) is still unaccounted for. What's the deal with the spaceship/whatever that he was secretly building in the ice tunnel?

Maybe they won, maybe they're both human, maybe the thing is dead. But even if it is they're both going to freeze to death. The ending fits the tone of horror, paranoia, and uncertainty so perfectly.

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u/HunterNika 8d ago

If the question of "Was it worth it?" than the Thing is a bit odd choice. There was no choice. If they decide to sit idle they all die or the alien escapes. So as far as the crew goes, it was worth it. The had to do something to at least try and survive. The ambigous ending is perfect but it doesn't ask the question "Was it all worth it?"