elisi | DW 8.08. Mummy on the Orient Express.

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DW 8.08. Mummy on the Orient Express.

This is pretty short, especially compared to my usual offerings...

I have a few thoughts, but I think I'm a bit meta'd out after last week. My main observation is that this one I just found immensely likeable. It carried through all the themes of the season (soldiers - really, that whole part was beautiful - fear as a motivator, Clara's Doctor-ness etc), but above all this was a character piece. It picked up from last week beautifully, and since Clara has had a normal upbringing with loving parents she is able to deal with, and voice, her emotions. We see the Doctor's unease, but she says her piece and both we, and the Doctor, know where she stands. Of course then the plot begins to unfold and she is taken through another emotional rollercoaster, and ends up with a change of heart.

Those that think it comes out of nowhere, please see the conversation between Clara and Maisie:

'It would be so much easier if we could just like the people we're supposed to like. But then I guess we wouldn't need fairy tales.'

The whole nature of the story, the way they're all being manipulated, is also the sort of stuff I love. I wonder who is pulling the strings...

Perkins! Almost forgot Perkins. He was wonderful, and I could totally see Twelve/Perkins. (I've not really thought about Twelve and relationships, because he's so abrasive, but Perkins... Yes, I could see it.)

But above all I adore that scene on the beach (the music! I don't think I've mentioned Twelve's theme yet, but I love it, and how oddly sombre it is), which of course evokes another...

Beaches

CLARA: Weren't we just on a train?
DOCTOR: Oh, that was ages ago.

There is something about the way he says that line that reminds me of something I can't quite put my finger on. Although it might be this Seventh Doctor quote:

MEL: I'm going now.
DOCTOR: Yes, that's right, you're going. You've been gone for ages. You're already gone. You're still here. You've just arrived. I haven't even met you yet. It all depends on who you are and how you look at it. Strange business, time.

But of course then they talk. Love this exchange more than words can say:

CLARA: So you saved everyone.
DOCTOR: No I just saved you and let everyone else suffocate. Hahaha.

But here's the heart of it of course:

CLARA: So when you lied to me, when you made me lie to Maisie-
DOCTOR: I couldn't risk Gus finding out my plan to stop him.
CLARA: So you were pretending to be heartless.
DOCTOR: Would you like to think that about me? Would that make it easier? I didn't know, if I could save her. I couldn't save Quayle, I couldn't save Moorhouse, there was a good chance that she would die too. At which point, I would have just moved onto the next, and the next, until I beat it. Sometimes the only choices you have are bad ones. But you still have to choose.

This seeming heartlessness is not a new thing of course. To pull out the two quotes that sprang to my mind:

RIVER: There are five people in this room still alive, focus on that. Dear God, you're hard work young!
Forest of the Dead

RIVER: Father Octavian, when the Doctor's in the room, your one and only mission is to keep him alive long enough to get everyone else home.
Flesh and Stone

The trajectory here is interesting, actually. River was very much the Doctor's protector (the very few times she loses it, it is because the Doctor gets shot). Morally, she doesn't much care - she's a Pond, she is very much focussed on 'her' people. Clara starts out the same way, sort of. The Doctor deeply impresses her on Akhaten, and she sees a way using her natural people-caring skills on a much bigger scale. It is centred around the Doctor, and we see how devoted she is in Name of the Doctor especially. Of course there was an undercurrent of slight mistrust, as the Doctor did not understand her impossibleness, which led to odd suspicions on both sides. But of course it got resolved, and everything was lovely.

Enter Twelve. And Clara's absolutes being to crumble. I've been saying that she is becoming more and more Doctor-y, and it's an fascinating process. She is becoming more detached from the Doctor, and rather than seeing the world as centred around him she is coming to see the world from his point of view. Not looking at him, but looking through his eyes. ('Sometimes the only choices you have are bad ones. But you still have to choose.' She understands this now. it would probably have been better if he'd explained this before abandoning her on the Moon, but better late than never.)

Which, sort of, brings me to my new header.

The comments/discussions on my Kill the Moon post were rather excellent, and the most interesting point was that Caecilius and Frobisher were both involved in Fixed Point events. (Well Children of Earth might be a 'fuzzy' point - either way, the Doctor will not go near it.) And this could have something to do with why he has this particular face...

Also Clara is of course 'the woman twice dead', so we have three separate characters for each of them. Which was just so plain neat that I couldn't not do something with it.

The words are from this song, and are just beautiful and poetic:

(Lyrics)

And that's all for today. :)

(Spoilers for Flatline in comments.)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Beautiful review - and one that explains Clara's oddness and back-n-forth here of late. She is becoming HIM. And sometimes, that transition is not very welcome (Rory), nor is it easy (River).

Gorgeous meta, as always...wonderful parallels and quotes to boot.

*HUGS*

Beautiful review - and one that explains Clara's oddness and back-n-forth here of late. She is becoming HIM. And sometimes, that transition is not very welcome (Rory), nor is it easy (River).
Yes, it's complicated and difficult - he trusts her to do his job (Kill the Moon), but that doesn't mean it's straightforward. He's been doing this a long time, she is just starting out. BUT. If you look on it as him essentially training her up to do his job... It fits beautifully.

Gorgeous meta, as always...wonderful parallels and quotes to boot.
Thank you. Very short, but I wanted to write something. It was such a lovely episode. :)

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This - points to notification above - is very strange. THIS post? Must be a terribly slow day...

I like how they're showing that Clara becoming like the Doctor is not necessarily a good thing. It happened to Rose in her second series as well but it was not addressed very much and was almost always treated positively (apart from a small speech by Jackie in Army of Ghosts which was never addressed again).
I don't know that I see the Rose parallels so much... Not that they aren't there, but the emphasis was very very different with Rose. Clara is much more aware of how dangerous the Doctor is, whereas the number one priority for Rose was to stay with him, come what may. (Rose was focussed on the Doctor (like River), Clara is being drawn into his world, learning to understand why he is the way he is.)

I'm a little worried about Clara losing herself, though. This is more insidious than being torn apart by the time winds and her echoes showing up in the Doctor's timeline.
Mmmm. But then what is she? *pokes her again*

I'm not saying there any parallels apart from both their second series showing how they become more like the Doctor. :)

But then what is she? *pokes her again*

Whatever she is, she was specifically 'chosen' for the Doctor... :X

I'm not saying there any parallels apart from both their second series showing how they become more like the Doctor. :)
All Companions become like the Doctor. It's part of the job. But Clara was like that from the beginning...

Whatever she is, she was specifically 'chosen' for the Doctor... :X
I said - way back after Asylum of the Daleks - that there were SHENANIGANS afoot. (How did Oswin end up in the Asylum? It shouldn't be possible.)

Edited 2014-10-18 20:58 (UTC)

I'm gonna be sad if she turns out to be fake/a trap after all.

Oh she'll be more, not less.

(With Moffat the solution is always that people are all the things. More is more.)

I hope so. I really, really hope so.

It's Moffat. :)

I know and I trust him but this is still gonna really, really hurt. :/

Everything will end in hugs and rainbow sparkles and everyone being family.

Mmm, yes... it's just how we get there that I'm worried about...

"Because, just sentimentally, I like big victories. I don't like sacrificial lambs. I like the hero that brings everybody home, I think that's exciting, and I can't really be arsed with this feeling of 'Shame we didn't bring Trevor back with us as well...'. I like 'Aaah! Here comes Trevor - he's alive too!'. I like that! [...] Well, I'm saying this, but you haven't seen The Girl in the Fireplace... if there's a point to the bittersweet thing, fair enough - but I like big victories. And I like it when a film teases you with the possibility of a really dark ending [and ends up being the happiest thing evar] Doctor Who's on at 7 o'clock in the evening and it should be a bit like that. Also, it does buy you the right to be a bit darker earlier on."
Moffat

What a lovely, comforting quote! :) Gosh, I do love his viewpoint and his thought process.

It's like a big hug. :)

ETA: Also this. (The quote in the middle)

Edited 2014-10-19 15:07 (UTC)

Yes it's 2am. I only just managed to get around to watching Flatline (why does Saturday night have to be DW night AND the most sociable night of the week??) and am too tired to think much beyond:

she is coming to see the world from his point of view. Not looking at him, but looking through his eyes.

'I just hacked your optic nerve'…..it just keeps getting better. The Doctor is literally seeing through Clara's eyes as she literally takes his place (and screwdriver) as The Doctor. And your quotes above about the seeming heartlessness in the far of death are also even more relevant in light of the ending of Flatline. Oh Clara, where are you going…(I *know* you don't like to emphasise the parallels between Rose and Clara, because they had very different focuses and reasons for their actions, but I can't help but be reminded of 'Fear Her' in Flatline - not just the evil drawings sucking people into 2D, but also the way the Doctor and the Tardis are taken by the monster and it's up to Rose/Clara to be the Doctor and save the day…and the supposedly happy ending marred by some doom-laden foreshadowing. Anyway.)

Also, OH LOOK THE TARDIS BECAME EVEN MORE OF A SQUARED CIRCLE THAN IT IS NORMALLY.

I CAN'T WITH ALL THIS OVERT SYMBOLISM. I'M GOING TO BED NOW.

….oh, except one thing I've been pondering: all the eyes. So, so many references now - they are definitely leading to something. We know that Missy has apparently been watching the Doctor and Clara's every move, so maybe that's just it? Constant reminders that she is watching and possibly in control….or perhaps something is going to be made of Clara, having *watched* and learned all about the Doctor? Is she going to be made some sort of Witness against him?

Definitely bedtime.

Edited 2014-10-19 01:12 (UTC)

Yes it's 2am. I only just managed to get around to watching Flatline (why does Saturday night have to be DW night AND the most sociable night of the week??)
Dunno. And 2am? Next time, just go to bed and talk to me Sunday. :)

'I just hacked your optic nerve'…..it just keeps getting better. The Doctor is literally seeing through Clara's eyes as she literally takes his place (and screwdriver) as The Doctor.
The dinosaur was killed because of important information in its optic nerve... It's alllll about eyes! (Can't wait to see what you do with all this.)

And your quotes above about the seeming heartlessness in the far of death are also even more relevant in light of the ending of Flatline. Oh Clara, where are you going…
She has mirrored the Doctor from the very beginning. This is the natural ending point. (Not that this is the end, but this has been foreshadowed since forever.)

I *know* you don't like to emphasise the parallels between Rose and Clara, because they had very different focuses and reasons for their actions, but I can't help but be reminded of 'Fear Her' in Flatline - not just the evil drawings sucking people into 2D, but also the way the Doctor and the Tardis are taken by the monster and it's up to Rose/Clara to be the Doctor and save the day…and the supposedly happy ending marred by some doom-laden foreshadowing. Anyway.
Well, those are sort of opposite ends of the spectrum for quality, but I know what you mean. I wish Rose had been allowed to be as amazing as she could have been/as she sometimes was.

Also, OH LOOK THE TARDIS BECAME EVEN MORE OF A SQUARED CIRCLE THAN IT IS NORMALLY.
Flatline seemed to go out of its way to tick all the boxes I had laid out in my Kill the Moon meta. *is smug*

I CAN'T WITH ALL THIS OVERT SYMBOLISM. I'M GOING TO BED NOW.
I HOPE YOU SLEPT WELL!

….oh, except one thing I've been pondering: all the eyes. So, so many references now - they are definitely leading to something. We know that Missy has apparently been watching the Doctor and Clara's every move, so maybe that's just it? Constant reminders that she is watching and possibly in control….or perhaps something is going to be made of Clara, having *watched* and learned all about the Doctor? Is she going to be made some sort of Witness against him?
No idea. Am leaving that one alone for now...

And 2am? Next time, just go to bed and talk to me Sunday
Ha. Yeahhh….in theory, excellent idea. In practise: NOT POSSIBLE! When Season 5 was airing I was living in Spain and had no wifi in my flat. I used to take my laptop and sit outside my university faculty building (across the road from my flat) to steal the wifi and download the ep at 3am.

Well, those are sort of opposite ends of the spectrum for quality, but I know what you mean. I wish Rose had been allowed to be as amazing as she could have been/as she sometimes was.
Oh yes. Agreed on both counts. I don't think Fear Her is the absolute *worst* New Who ep, but it's definitely…dodgy…whereas Flatline was BRILLIANT.

Flatline seemed to go out of its way to tick all the boxes I had laid out in my Kill the Moon meta. *is smug*
You deserve ALL THE SMUG.

I am feeling the need to write a summary of the various repeated themes/tropes that have come up this season, much like I did with all the Clara theories last season. I can't keep them all in my head any more, and think I might understand them better if I have them written down…will try to do something before the 2-part finale.

Edited 2014-10-19 19:45 (UTC)

Ha. Yeahhh….in theory, excellent idea. In practise: NOT POSSIBLE! When Season 5 was airing I was living in Spain and had no wifi in my flat. I used to take my laptop and sit outside my university faculty building (across the road from my flat) to steal the wifi and download the ep at 3am.
That is... dedication. Wow.

Oh yes. Agreed on both counts. I don't think Fear Her is the absolute *worst* New Who ep, but it's definitely…dodgy…whereas Flatline was BRILLIANT.
Fear Her is not a very good example, actually. Turn Left is much better, and why I think Rose got screwed over - I was so pleased with how competent and brilliant she was, and then the second the Doctor returned it was all about him, again. Whereas with Clara it's very much Clara-centric... She has the Doctor to guide her a lot of the time, and it's all set up very specifically to make her 'Doctor-like' - and to show the downside also.

You deserve ALL THE SMUG.
:D

I am feeling the need to write a summary of the various repeated themes/tropes that have come up this season, much like I did with all the Clara theories last season. I can't keep them all in my head any more, and think I might understand them better if I have them written down…will try to do something before the 2-part finale.
Sounds like an excellent idea!

That is such a beautiful review, as always :)

Aw, thank you. ♥

THAT BEACH SCENE PARALLEL IS UNTOWARD. SHAME ON YOU.

She is becoming more detached from the Doctor, and rather than seeing the world as centred around him she is coming to see the world from his point of view. Not looking at him, but looking through his eyes.
Y E S. I've been fascinated by Clara's character arc lately but hadn't managed to pin down what exactly she's been turning into. THIS IS IT. And so distinct from the ways Amy and Eleven were the same but codependent -- Clara and Twelve aren't "addicted" to each other so much as Clara is becoming more and more his "accomplice".

Special golden star for The Pierces.

THAT BEACH SCENE PARALLEL IS UNTOWARD. SHAME ON YOU.
Don't blame me, blame the show.

Y E S. I've been fascinated by Clara's character arc lately but hadn't managed to pin down what exactly she's been turning into. THIS IS IT. And so distinct from the ways Amy and Eleven were the same but codependent -- Clara and Twelve aren't "addicted" to each other so much as Clara is becoming more and more his "accomplice".
Flatline. That's all I'm saying.

Special golden star for The Pierces.
You can thank Promethia for that one. She was going to make an Amy-River-Clara vid to it...

Flatline. That's all I'm saying.
I JUST SAW IT. EVERYTHING I WANTED.

Btw, happy upcoming birthday!

I JUST SAW IT. EVERYTHING I WANTED.
IKR? For me, it was like the writers took my Let's Kill the Moon post and went out of their way to tick every box...

Btw, happy upcoming birthday!
Thank you! :)

Wonderful meta :)

Thank you. :)

My main observation is that this one I just found immensely likeable.
That was also my feeling—very much enjoyed it :)

above all this was a character piece.
since [Clara] has had a normal upbringing with loving parents she is able to deal with, and voice, her emotions. We see the Doctor's unease, but she says her piece and both we, and the Doctor, know where she stands.
*nods* Loved that as well :) Communication, at last!

I wonder who is pulling the strings...
Still haven't seen Flatline but I only glimpsed a few very faintly spoilery things and I get the feeling you did call some things and get it quite right, didn't you? ;)

MEL: I'm going now.
DOCTOR: Yes, that's right, you're going. You've been gone for ages. You're already gone. You're still here. You've just arrived. I haven't even met you yet. It all depends on who you are and how you look at it. Strange business, time.
Oh that's a beautiful quote ♥ CLASSIC.

Loving the thoughts on apparent heartlessness, River vs. the Doctor vs. Clara. And the header! ;) And that song! It's beautiful and the lyrics are gorgeous indeed ♥

*nods* Loved that as well :) Communication, at last!
No wonder the Doctor is so thrown... ;)

Still haven't seen Flatline but I only glimpsed a few very faintly spoilery things and I get the feeling you did call some things and get it quite right, didn't you? ;)
It's fair to say that I'm feeling rather smug, yes. *cough*

Oh that's a beautiful quote ♥ CLASSIC.
I ADORE Seven. ♥

Loving the thoughts on apparent heartlessness, River vs. the Doctor vs. Clara. And the header! ;) And that song! It's beautiful and the lyrics are gorgeous indeed ♥
It all just came together!

First, happy birthday! ^_^

No wonder the Doctor is so thrown... ;)
Indeed. :)

It's fair to say that I'm feeling rather smug, yes. *cough*
Quite right too. XD (See-through-her-eye imagery! The TARDIS being a square box with I think circles on her that reminded me so much of the Pandorica! Plus the obvious with Clara and Missy. Did you shout at your screen? I would have but maybe you're a more dignified person XD)

I ADORE Seven. ♥
♥♥♥

First, happy birthday! ^_^
Thank you! ♥

Quite right too. XD (See-through-her-eye imagery! The TARDIS being a square box with I think circles on her that reminded me so much of the Pandorica! Plus the obvious with Clara and Missy. Did you shout at your screen? I would have but maybe you're a more dignified person XD)
I just felt very smug. And the children said 'It looks like the Pandorica!' and I went 'Oh, there's more to it than that...'

Soooo much more to it! ;)

I didn't go into details. ;)

Yeah, they didn't get a live essay XD Do the biggest know bits about your meta speculations? :)

Nnnot really. They're not that interested.

Okay ^_^

(That icon XD)

Buffy ftw.

^_^

Very interesting thinky thoughts! I'm really loving this season. I love prickly 12 and I adore Clara.

I'm really curious to hear your thoughts on Flatline.

This is a very solid season, and it's doing fascinating things. :)

And Flatline seemed to tick a LOT of my boxes. I felt rather smug...

Hoping you have a wonderful day, celebrating the auspicious occasion of your birth! :)

Thank you!

♥ ♥ ♥

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DW 8.08. Mummy on the Orient Express.

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Happy Birthday!

Re: Happy Birthday!