Doctor Who 9x10 Thoughts
Nov. 26th, 2015 11:18 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
iariaFace the Raven
Up until this point this season has mostly only been okay. I've liked some episodes but nothing more. This one I really enjoyed and I loved the final 15 minutes. From the reveal that Clara took Rigsy's Chronolock till the very last scene everything was pretty damn perfect.
The End
I knew Clara was leaving of course and I was okay about it. I like her and I love Clara and Twelve's relationship [they are a delight] but I'm not attached enough to make her leaving upsetting. I was certainly not expecting to cry when she did but I did. I wasn't expecting to be really sad either but I am. I find I'm going to miss her a lot more than I thought I would.
+ Clara's goodbye to the Doctor was perfect. I loved everything about it. I love how well she knows the Doctor.
- I loved the Doctor's rage and the way Clara put a stop to it. Okay I have to quote it: "You will save Clara or I will rain hell on you for the rest of time. .. I can do whatever the hell I like. You've read the stories, you know who I am. ... The Doctor is no longer here, you are stuck with me! And I will end you and everything you love." Shivers up my spine. Because there was a time when the Doctor wasn't. When he did horrible things and everything he says he is something he's do. Hell, the Doctor does some pretty terrible stuff at times anyway. He can be really scary. I love that as soon as he says 'have you ever heard of anything stopping me?' we get Clara stepping in and stopping him.
- I love that she owned the fact that she caused it and refused to let the Doctor take the blame from her. It was her choice, her mistake.
- I loved "You're going to be alone now and you're very bad at that." That is so true. He is the worst at that.
- "I know what you're capable of. You don't be a warrior. Promise me. Be the Doctor." 'be the Doctor', this is kind of painful to watch (in a good way.)
- "I'm not asking you for a promise. I'm giving you an order. Do not insult my memory. There will be no revenge. I will die and no one else will suffer." Oh, that is so Clara to order the Twelve about. I love that in her final moments she gives one last order. I really love how this is framed - it's about protecting the Doctor, yes, but it's also about protecting everyone else, and about choosing her legacy post-death. She doesn't want her death to lead to more death and destruction.
- The Doctor in so much shock once Clara steps in and squashes his rage (for a little while). The way he asks "What about me?", ouch.
- One final hug. The way the Doctor says "stay with me". Clara cupping the Doctor's face and asking him to be "a little proud of her". The Doctor holding and kissing Clara's hand. All really beautiful.
- Clara going out to meet her death, whispering to herself "Let me be brave."
+ The acting was excellent from everyone involved.
+ It's been a narrative thread since last season that Clara has been getting increasingly reckless, risking her life more and taking chances. Acting more like the Doctor. And the Doctor has been getting increasingly more worried about it including in this very episode. So how events happened felt like a very satisfying pay off.
Clever Clara - too clever, too sure of herself now, too used to winning and surviving. She thought she was being like the Doctor, gaming the system, making a new path in secret to pull out at the moment of reckoning in an 'a ha' gotcha moment. Except she's missing something vital the Doctor has - knowledge and experience. He takes the risks but usually with an understanding of what those risks are. Clara didn't understand. She crossed from clever to incautious and in a way it felt inevitable. The episode began with them return to the TARDIS triumphant after yet another harrowing adventure so why should this one be any different? But luck always ends at some point and unfortunately for Clara it ended pretty badly for her.
+ Ashildr was really great in these scenes. I loved her reaction when she realised Clara had taken the Chronolock. Her horror, her shock, her panic to reassure the Doctor that she never meant this, her regret.
+ Of course, this is Moffat so I feel like Clara's death isn't set in stone. I would honestly be surprised if there was no timey-wimey stuff in the final episodes. There is always timey-wimey stuff. Plus Missy is still out there and it would feel weird if she didn't show up in the next episode. She's 'saved' people from death before.
Oh. 'Hybrid'. I almost forgot about that little piece of foreshadowing. I wonder if Clara will be made into a hybrid of something thus saving her life? So her human body is gone but her consciousness/self is merged into a new being. She spends a surprising amount of time inside Dalek's - could she end up a Dalek/Human hybrid?
I would actually be fine if Clara's death was permanent because I really loved how it played out but 'hybrid' has been brought up so often this season I feel like it has to come into play.
+ But who is behind all of this? I feel like Stavros or Missy would be too predictable. Though I expect one or both to show up. A new enemy? Ashildr asked for the Doctor's confession dial... I wonder if it could be the Time Lords? What if the Time Lords managed to come through the crack and now this is some big test for the Doctor? I've only seen bits of Old Who but I feel like this is something they would do. Wow, that would be rather bitter and cruel, wouldn't it? The Doctor has spent so long now wanting them back, mourning them, and to finally get them back only to lose a Companion in the process (even if by mistake). I doubt the Doctor would be very forgiving about it.
Other
+ I was really happy to see Rigsy again. I loved him in Flatline and he was great here again. My favourite moment was actually the end scene of him tagging the TARDIS in memorium of Clara which was really beautiful. I also loved that in all the drama he was the one who asked the name of the 'murdered' woman and that when she was revived he was right there to help her.
+ It seems appropriate that this episode, my favourite thus far this season, sees the return of a great character from my favourite episode last season. It's also super fitting and... right that Rigsy returns in this episode because he was Clara's Companion during her turn as the Doctor.
+ I loved seeing Ashildr again too. I really love the idea of her creating an alien refuge sanctuary hidden in the shadows of London.
+ I really liked Ashildr's trap for the Doctor. I thought it was clever and perfectly suited for the Doctor. Of course it would have been completely undone if Clara had used her key instead.
+ The Doctor hesitated after Rigsy asked for help - did some part of him sense that it was a trap? That something terrible was going to happen?
+ "Bring the new human. (pause) No don't bring the new human I'll just get distracted." - Doctor. LOL. Here's an idea - make Rigsy's daughter a future Companion. The Doctor already likes her which is the first hurdle already jumped.
+ I loved the Doctor getting his cue cards. I hope they don't disappear completely with Clara leaving. It would be a nice call back to her if they showed up again when the Doctor is trying to be nice.
Up until this point this season has mostly only been okay. I've liked some episodes but nothing more. This one I really enjoyed and I loved the final 15 minutes. From the reveal that Clara took Rigsy's Chronolock till the very last scene everything was pretty damn perfect.
The End
I knew Clara was leaving of course and I was okay about it. I like her and I love Clara and Twelve's relationship [they are a delight] but I'm not attached enough to make her leaving upsetting. I was certainly not expecting to cry when she did but I did. I wasn't expecting to be really sad either but I am. I find I'm going to miss her a lot more than I thought I would.
+ Clara's goodbye to the Doctor was perfect. I loved everything about it. I love how well she knows the Doctor.
- I loved the Doctor's rage and the way Clara put a stop to it. Okay I have to quote it: "You will save Clara or I will rain hell on you for the rest of time. .. I can do whatever the hell I like. You've read the stories, you know who I am. ... The Doctor is no longer here, you are stuck with me! And I will end you and everything you love." Shivers up my spine. Because there was a time when the Doctor wasn't. When he did horrible things and everything he says he is something he's do. Hell, the Doctor does some pretty terrible stuff at times anyway. He can be really scary. I love that as soon as he says 'have you ever heard of anything stopping me?' we get Clara stepping in and stopping him.
- I love that she owned the fact that she caused it and refused to let the Doctor take the blame from her. It was her choice, her mistake.
- I loved "You're going to be alone now and you're very bad at that." That is so true. He is the worst at that.
- "I know what you're capable of. You don't be a warrior. Promise me. Be the Doctor." 'be the Doctor', this is kind of painful to watch (in a good way.)
- "I'm not asking you for a promise. I'm giving you an order. Do not insult my memory. There will be no revenge. I will die and no one else will suffer." Oh, that is so Clara to order the Twelve about. I love that in her final moments she gives one last order. I really love how this is framed - it's about protecting the Doctor, yes, but it's also about protecting everyone else, and about choosing her legacy post-death. She doesn't want her death to lead to more death and destruction.
- The Doctor in so much shock once Clara steps in and squashes his rage (for a little while). The way he asks "What about me?", ouch.
- One final hug. The way the Doctor says "stay with me". Clara cupping the Doctor's face and asking him to be "a little proud of her". The Doctor holding and kissing Clara's hand. All really beautiful.
- Clara going out to meet her death, whispering to herself "Let me be brave."
+ The acting was excellent from everyone involved.
+ It's been a narrative thread since last season that Clara has been getting increasingly reckless, risking her life more and taking chances. Acting more like the Doctor. And the Doctor has been getting increasingly more worried about it including in this very episode. So how events happened felt like a very satisfying pay off.
Clever Clara - too clever, too sure of herself now, too used to winning and surviving. She thought she was being like the Doctor, gaming the system, making a new path in secret to pull out at the moment of reckoning in an 'a ha' gotcha moment. Except she's missing something vital the Doctor has - knowledge and experience. He takes the risks but usually with an understanding of what those risks are. Clara didn't understand. She crossed from clever to incautious and in a way it felt inevitable. The episode began with them return to the TARDIS triumphant after yet another harrowing adventure so why should this one be any different? But luck always ends at some point and unfortunately for Clara it ended pretty badly for her.
+ Ashildr was really great in these scenes. I loved her reaction when she realised Clara had taken the Chronolock. Her horror, her shock, her panic to reassure the Doctor that she never meant this, her regret.
+ Of course, this is Moffat so I feel like Clara's death isn't set in stone. I would honestly be surprised if there was no timey-wimey stuff in the final episodes. There is always timey-wimey stuff. Plus Missy is still out there and it would feel weird if she didn't show up in the next episode. She's 'saved' people from death before.
Oh. 'Hybrid'. I almost forgot about that little piece of foreshadowing. I wonder if Clara will be made into a hybrid of something thus saving her life? So her human body is gone but her consciousness/self is merged into a new being. She spends a surprising amount of time inside Dalek's - could she end up a Dalek/Human hybrid?
I would actually be fine if Clara's death was permanent because I really loved how it played out but 'hybrid' has been brought up so often this season I feel like it has to come into play.
+ But who is behind all of this? I feel like Stavros or Missy would be too predictable. Though I expect one or both to show up. A new enemy? Ashildr asked for the Doctor's confession dial... I wonder if it could be the Time Lords? What if the Time Lords managed to come through the crack and now this is some big test for the Doctor? I've only seen bits of Old Who but I feel like this is something they would do. Wow, that would be rather bitter and cruel, wouldn't it? The Doctor has spent so long now wanting them back, mourning them, and to finally get them back only to lose a Companion in the process (even if by mistake). I doubt the Doctor would be very forgiving about it.
Other
+ I was really happy to see Rigsy again. I loved him in Flatline and he was great here again. My favourite moment was actually the end scene of him tagging the TARDIS in memorium of Clara which was really beautiful. I also loved that in all the drama he was the one who asked the name of the 'murdered' woman and that when she was revived he was right there to help her.
+ It seems appropriate that this episode, my favourite thus far this season, sees the return of a great character from my favourite episode last season. It's also super fitting and... right that Rigsy returns in this episode because he was Clara's Companion during her turn as the Doctor.
+ I loved seeing Ashildr again too. I really love the idea of her creating an alien refuge sanctuary hidden in the shadows of London.
+ I really liked Ashildr's trap for the Doctor. I thought it was clever and perfectly suited for the Doctor. Of course it would have been completely undone if Clara had used her key instead.
+ The Doctor hesitated after Rigsy asked for help - did some part of him sense that it was a trap? That something terrible was going to happen?
+ "Bring the new human. (pause) No don't bring the new human I'll just get distracted." - Doctor. LOL. Here's an idea - make Rigsy's daughter a future Companion. The Doctor already likes her which is the first hurdle already jumped.
+ I loved the Doctor getting his cue cards. I hope they don't disappear completely with Clara leaving. It would be a nice call back to her if they showed up again when the Doctor is trying to be nice.
