The Terror vs. Against the Ice: Striking Similarities in Arctic Survival
Both The Terror (2018) and Against the Ice (2022) are survival stories set in the Arctic, depicting explorers facing brutal conditions, dwindling resources, and psychological breakdowns. While one incorporates supernatural horror and the other remains grounded in reality, their similarities are striking.
1. Based on Real Historical Expeditions
The Terror is inspired by the Franklin Expedition (1845), where two British Royal Navy ships, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, became trapped in ice while searching for the Northwest Passage.
Against the Ice is based on the Alabama Expedition (1909), led by Danish explorer Ejnar Mikkelsen, to prove that Greenland was a single landmass and claim it for Denmark.
Both expeditions resulted in isolation, extreme survival challenges, and death for many involved.
2. Harsh Arctic Environment & Survival Struggles
Both stories showcase:
✅ Extreme Cold – Subzero temperatures, frostbite, and snowstorms threaten survival.
✅ Lack of Food – Starvation forces desperate measures. In The Terror, it even leads to cannibalism.
✅ Isolation – With no means of communication or rescue, the characters slowly descend into despair and paranoia.
3. Psychological Breakdown & Paranoia
In The Terror, the men experience mental deterioration, causing mutiny, hallucinations, and violence.
In Against the Ice, prolonged isolation and hardships lead to hallucinations and strained trust between the two explorers.
4. The Bear Attack & Ammunition Shortage
One of the most striking similarities is the dangerous bear attack and lack of ammunition:
Against the Ice: The explorers are attacked by a polar bear but are low on bullets, making the fight for survival extremely tense.
The Terror: The crew faces a shortage of ammunition, which proves disastrous when they have to defend themselves against both the supernatural Tuunbaq monster and natural threats.
In both cases, a lack of firepower heightens the danger, reinforcing the fragility of human survival in the Arctic.
Both expeditions end in tragedy, though in different ways:
The Terror is a horror-filled nightmare where nearly everyone perishes due to cold, starvation, mutiny, and supernatural terror.
Against the Ice is grounded in realism, with one explorer dying before rescue, emphasizing the loneliness and suffering of Arctic exploration.
Key Difference: Supernatural vs. Realism
🔹 The Terror introduces the Tuunbaq, a supernatural monster inspired by Inuit mythology, adding horror elements.
🔹 Against the Ice keeps the threats purely realistic, focusing on the harshness of nature and the limits of human endurance.
