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In the final Crematoria scene of The Chronicles of Riddick, The Purifier reveals to Riddick that

He is also a Furyan, and urges Riddick to avenge their race's genocide by killing the Lord Marshal. He then promptly commits suicide by walking into the sunlight, in one of the movie's most memorable scenes.

However, it seems to me that no explanation is given as to why he committed suicide. Even if he could not have left Crematoria, he could have stayed behind to be rescued later, or at least waited out his death; there was no need to die at that moment.

Is there an explanation for his action? Perhaps in other media?

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As a Furyan, he was shamed and tormented by what he had done in the name of the Necromonger religion and could no longer (live?) with it. Meeting Riddick, a surviving Furyan, was the last straw.

Purifier: "I've done... unbelievable things... in the name of a faith that was never my own. And he'll do to her what he did to me."

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    Good answer. He's essentially sick of it and is ready to move on. He also knows that if he was to be returned to the base, he'd have to tell them that Riddick isn't in fact dead; making the entire thing pointless. – Möoz Apr 22 '16 at 3:56
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I think,... He is the Purifier, presumably his job is to convert subjects to the cause of the Necromonger. Therefore he must himself have been purified first. If he had returned to base, his "purified" loyalty to the Necromonger would have compelled him to tell the Lord Marshal that Riddick had survived and a new force would again be sent to kill Riddick. This time they might succeed where Vaako failed. However, as a Furyan who had been converted (presumably reluctantly). He believes Riddick has a chance to kill the Lord Marshal where he himself had failed. To avenge all the Furyans killed on their homeworld. So by saving Riddick and not returning to base, he would not have to tell that Riddick is still alive. Giving Riddick an advantage which Riddick took. You don't need to be an Elemental to calculate the odds against Riddick succeeding. So if Riddick's attempt fails, Vaako would likely be punished for not killing Riddick and then he the Purifier would be next. So by committing suicide he save himself from Vaako's fate and dies with a hope that Riddick might succeed.

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    It might help the chances of this answer if you were to edit it and add some paragraphs and such. New answers to an old question with an Accepted answer that appear to be a big block of text are unlikely to receive many upvotes. Of course, you will need to register your username first, prior to being able to edit your answer. Cheers! – can-ned_food Apr 23 '17 at 23:38

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