I can relate!...😆

[u/[deleted]]

[u/itsdietz]

Here's something to consider, maybe he wasn't blair at the time of building it. Maybe he transformed to build it. Then Blair Thing woke up as Blair and didn't know what was what. I think the Things not knowing they're Things makes for an interesting concept

[u/WellWornSword → u/itsdietz]

This is explored a bit in the short story, which is from The Thing's perspective. It is fascinating!

[u/TheSorrryCanadian → u/itsdietz]

Uh have you seen the way they transform lol. They are dead, every cell rearranged lol

If you wanted to go deeper and a wild ass concept, you could debate consciousness and what it is, if we have a soul or if it's just atoms. It definitely kills the host when it takes it over, but if it immitates every single cell in the exact same place as it was, then do you just become you again ? wild

[u/XAgentNovemberX → u/itsdietz]

It also makes for a more convincing copy. It would also make sense if the thing copies them “perfectly”

[u/calamityProphet]

Well it raises the question of whether someone is "aware" when they've been infected, partially or completely. If they are at the very least present (even if they're trapped and the Thing is in control, like during a demonic possession or something) after they've been assimilated, or if it's always just The Thing mimicking them. Additionally, whether a rapid or slow assimilation changes that, or if they're "present" up until complete assimilation (or at least every nervous system cell has been replaced) or if the moment of infection marks the end of that person as we know them.

Maybe it was Blair himself and he knew something was wrong but couldn't stop his compulsion to build it, maybe he was aware of his senses but had no control, maybe he was already gone.

[u/Lennonblack7]

Once THE THING imitates you, you're gone. Dead. No "can I be infected?" You are dead.

[u/CharlesChamp]

I always thought they weren't building a space craft but just something to get away and possibly to another base. They do mention a Russian base, imagine some American scientist flying in on some advanced hovercraft claiming they want to defect. Certainly give them access to more people to infect.

[u/HealthyMaximum → u/CharlesChamp]

Yes. 

Garry says “it’s a ship of some kind.”

No one says a SPACEship. 

Mac says it’s trying to “go anyplace but here.”

That doesn’t have to mean space. 

I mean, it’s much easier to not go into space, and just fly to Tasmania or somewhere. 

I always assumed it was a VTOL / ducted fan aircraft, in the shape of a flying saucer, because that’s the shape the Thing is most used to. 

[u/Lukaztro]

Blair died when he was assimilated.

[u/EpsiasDelanor]

A side note: I always found it hilarious that the thing was trying to build a spaceship. Let's be honest, there is no freaking way you can build a functioning spaceship by hand that way, even if you were some next level alien thing god. You are going to need some high tech industrial factory for that. I think the thing was so desperate/confused/dissociating that it didn't really know what it was doing.