 | |
| Nauls | |
| Continuity: | The Thing |
| Notability: | Supporting character |
| Type: | Cook |
| Gender: | Male |
| Race: | Human |
| Location: | Antarctica |
| Associations: | U.S. Outpost 31 |
| Status: | Deceased |
| Died: | 1982 |
| First: | The Thing |
| Final: | The Thing from Another World #1 |
| Actor: | T.K. Carter |
Nauls is a fictional cook and one of the main characters featured in the 1982 science fiction horror film The Thing by director John Carpenter. He was played by actor T.K. Carter in the film.
Biography[]
Actor T.K. Carter as Nauls.
Nauls, first name unknown, was a young African American male who worked as a cook at U.S. Outpost 31 in the early 1980s. He was often seen roller-skating around the base and didn't take kindly to people complaining about his music being too loud.
In 1982, Outpost 31 was plagued by an alien organism that assimilated living organisms and replicated their forms. This "thing" systematically made its way through the outpost, assimilating humans as well as dogs. Tensions rose within the ranks as paranoia set in, for no one truly knew who was a human and who was a Thing. The base's helicopter pilot, R.J. MacReady devised a blood test to determine who was truly human and who was a threat. Nauls' test came back negative, after which, he assisted MacReady in administering the tests to the others.
The Thing assimilated a scientist named Blair, who attacked several others including M.T. Garry. During a final confrontation in the generator room, Nauls fled from the room and ran outside. It is possible that the Blair-Thing caught up with him and at least partially assimilated him before MacReady set off explosives destroying the camp. [1]
MacReady returned to Outpost 31 a short time later in pursuit of Childs, whom he suspected of being a Thing. He found Nauls' corpse lying half-buried in the snow. It is possible that Nauls was either killed in the explosion, or froze to death. MacReady took up a flamethrower and destroyed Nauls' remains. [2]
Notes & Trivia[]
- The character of Nauls was created by director John Carpenter and screenwriters Bill Lancaster based on concepts developed director Howard Hawks, screenwriter Christian Nyby and original story author John W. Campbell, Jr..
- It is unclear whether "Nauls" is the man's given name, surname, or perhaps just a nickname.
- Actor T.K. Carter was twenty-six-years-old during filming of The Thing.
- The final fate of Nauls is never explicitly revealed in The Thing. However, The Thing from Another World #1 by Dark Horse Comics at least confirms his death.
- The novelization of The Thing reveals that Nauls was attacked by the Blair-Thing and elected to take his own life by stabbing himself in the throat rather than risk being assimilated. As the novelization and the comic book adaptations are not officially acknowledged by either Universal Pictures or John Carpenter, they cannot be construed as being part of canonical continuity.
- Nauls is one of two black characters featured in The Thing. The other is Childs, played by actor David Keith.
- Although Nauls appeared to be considerably younger than Childs, actors T.K. Carter and David Keith are actually the same age.
- Nauls liked moving about Outpost 31 on roller skates.
- The song that Nauls turns up the volume to in order to irritate George Bennings is "Superstition", recorded by Stevie Wonder in 1972.
- Nauls had a tendency to refer to his co-workers as "B'wana" for some reason.
- Playing the part of Nauls is actor T.K. Carter's first work in both the science fiction and horror genres.
Appearances[]
See also[]
External Links[]
References[]
- ↑ The Thing; Universal Pictures (June 25th, 1982). Directed by John Carpenter.
- ↑ The Thing from Another World #1, Dark Horse Comics (1991). Written by Chuck Pfarrer. Artwork by John Higgins.