suicide?

Good question.

Since we don't actually see the Creature die, I suppose there is a chance he could have survived, but I think the implication is that the Creature drowns. As for the Creature committing suicide, I'm not sure. I can read the ending in several ways. Perhaps the Creature knows he is dying (from the gunshot wounds) and simply wants to return to the sea to die. Or, perhaps he is going to the sea to drown himself because he can never return to the life he once had. Or, maybe he isn't aware of his breathing limitations and will drown when he tries to swim under water. I personally read the ending as the Creature being instinctually (or habitually) drawn to the sea for protection. In the previous two films, the Creature always returned to the water for safety when he found himself in conflict. By returning to the see at the end of this film, when he no longer has the anatomy to survive in that environment, there is irony in the fact that the very environment that once provided him safety now will spell his demise. Of course, that's just my opinion. I'm sure there's someone here who can provide a much more elegant reading of the film.

It's a decidedly ambiguous conclusion that matches the ending of the first two films, and I think it is this ambiguity (in conjunction with many other features) that helps this series of films stand out from the many other monster movies of the same era.

He dies at the end, for several reasons. Since his gills are gone he will drown if he tries to breathe underwater. That was shown when he jumped overboard after the surgery. Plus he was a fresh water animal, marine water would also kill him. Plus he was shot numerous times and would haved died from blood loss or infection. He knew he was finished no matter what and wanted to at least die in the environment he knew best. In all three films if they hadn't invaded his home, took him away from it and tortured him repeatedly, no humans would have been harmed. And if something like that really did exist, that's exactly what at least some people would actually do.

Either suicide or possibly he wasn't aware he would drowned, like that scene earlier. But then again, he may have remembered, and did know he would. After what happened to him, I don't really blame him either.


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The way I read the ending of this was that after observing and putting up with all the crap mankind had inflicted on him in the film (because this movie features an exceptionally screwed-up cast of characters), he chose to die in his native habitat where he belonged rather than live amongst man. One last "screw you" to mankind.

As to the whole salt water vs. freshwater thing, doesn't the Gill Man have absolutely no problem surviving in salt water in "The Revenge of the Creature"? Certainly after escaping Sea World and knocking a car (and cameraman) over, he's shown heading into the ocean.

That's an incongruity in the series. When a freshwater animal is put in marine water they always shrivel up and die. Perhaps the Black Lagoon was brackish and he had a remarkable ability to acclamate to saltier water. Or perhaps sci fi movies are never scientifically accurate anyway, so there's no big deal.