The film reverts to the present, where Burroughs runs back to Carter's tomb and opens it, only to find it empty. A Thern, who had been following Carter over the ten years he'd returned in the form of a man with a bowler hat, appears holding a knife, having followed Burroughs. But as he prepares to kill Burroughs, both himself and Burroughs see the tomb as empty. Carter then appears and shoots the Thern, killing him. Carter then tells Burroughs that he never found a medallion. Instead, he devised a scheme to lure a Thern into revealing himself in order to get that Thern's medallion. After suggesting to Burroughs that he enjoy his life on Earth and to try writing books (alluding to the fact that Burroughs is the real-life author of the "Barsoom" novels), Carter takes the Thern's medallion, whispers the code, and is then transported back to Barsoom.