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End of Time, Part 1. Many thinky thoughts.
Please, no bitching in this post. This is RTD’s swan song, personally I’d have been disappointed if he hadn’t turned everything up to eleven. (Pun unintentional, I *swear*.) Also, I learned long ago (in a fandom far away) that these things happen when you’re on a Hellmouth, and there’s no point getting worked up. Writers have access to crack we mere mortals can only dream of...
But onto my thoughts - kinda scattered and stuff, but I couldn't not write...
First of all I love Wilf, and the beginning with the stained glass TARDIS was just lovely. Esp love how as Ten has gotten older, so have his companions: Rose, Martha, Astrid, Donna, [River], Adelaide (not really a companion, but I’m counting her anyway) and now Wilf. (Christina is obviously the exception that proves the rule.) Also love how older people are portrayed as just people, whilst also showing how much they’re capable of. :) And Minnie [June] goosing Ten [Tennant] was too delightful for words!
This actually ties in with one of my thoughts about the evolution of the Ood - how they went from a menace/plot point in S2, to creatures struggling for freedom in S4, to a people awesome in their own right in EoT. I really like that progression, the layering and depth that’s been added.
If you want my thoughts on the Timelord Victorious etc., look here. Also, this icon, that I got![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
kathyh to make for me:
Anyway - Lucy. Oh Lucy, Lucy, Lucy. I’ve always thought that she shot the Master because he *asked* her to (I’m afraid I prefer messed-up relationships to gals standing up for themselves, sorry), but I did like what they did with her here. “Till death do us part!” indeed.
(Btw love all the ‘magic’ elements - the fact that the resurrection looks like any kind of ritual from the Buffy verse, and the Doctor’s talk of prophecies - but then I am biased! *g* Also, re. all this 13th Century stuff - is this a shoutout to some Old Who episode?)
Of course the Master was rather delightful too - “Oh let them die” was entirely too perfect. :) Re. the way he goes wrong, then yes, I could have done without the burger-eating and the devouring a whole turkey with his bare hands (not to mention the tramp eating), but... I have to admit that it shows in a very effective, visceral way how he is barely holding himself together. All the talk about being hungry and about food (“That’s human Christmas out there!” worked especially well for me), was just disturbing on a very deep and uncomfortable level.
Café scene... Oh I loved it right from the start. Wilf waffling on and the Doctor just sitting there, looking like an alien Lord through and through. Am of course intrigued by Wilf, but that’s almost the least of it right now. Loved the Doctor sharing so completely out of the blue (“I’m going to die!”), and his tears for what happened on Mars... And then Donna being so very Donna. Love that Sean (or is it Shaun) is like a cross between Lance and Lee. And Wilf’s “She’s making do,” countered by the Doctor’s “Aren’t we all?” is such a *perfect* summary of where the show/the Doctor is at right now. There’s a hopelessness there that’s just gnawing away at poor Ten - he keeps losing everyone, and now he’s going to lose himself.
*pulls him into big hug*
I wanted to mention the cactus-aliens, and might as well do it now. Thought they were brilliant, and the girls are going “Shimmer!” with pretend sonic screwdrivers, which makes me laugh. Love those little light touches, that are just so *perfectly* DW.
But, to get to the Master... How much did I LOVE his banging on the steel can to catch the Doctor’s attention? So, SO much. And the smelling each other reminded me of the Family of Blood (obviously), but thought it worked rather well, in an oddly intimate way.
Had seen lightening-bolt-throwing Master in the previews (and been puzzled), but the explanation (he’s coming apart at the seams and is using up his life force) works well enough. I wonder if he could actually have killed the Doctor - he certainly left a big mark. Then of course came the part that turned me into a pile of fangirly goo... the Master’s family had estates? And he and the Doctor used to run in the red grass together, looking up at the stars? I can’t even.... As far as I know, until now all we’ve had (and this is from Old Who) is “We were at school together”, which could be interpreted in any which way, but wasn't anything concrete. THIS is straight out of fanon heaven, and I am *gratuitously* grateful to RTD for making it canon.
The Doctor’s response (about how many people the Master has killed) provokes another one of my favourite moments: The look on the Master’s face is the most incredible 'What has that got to do with anything?' and it just slays me. I love how inaccessible he is, how he operates outside any normal parameters.
And then there’s the drums... (He will knock four times!) Not sure I actually have anything coherent to say, because it is the most gorgeous, perfect moment. (Icon bytheanonsisters)
“What's inside your head?” indeed. (The heartbeat of a Timelord...)
Not sure I’ve got much to say about Naismith. And is there any reason the Master was wearing a collar/belt? I think I saw someone with a lead at some point... Anyway, it’s very hot, so I’m not complaining. And speaking of hot, then the way he figured out - and fixed - the Gate within a few moments was one of the most awesome things ever. (I have *such* a competence kink.) “My name - is the Master!" was, if possible, even better in context.
Also “I locked it. Idiot.” is one of those wonderful, wonderful lines that I just can’t help but adore. The Master > everyone else. *g*
Now, as concerns the 6 billion Masters (and peoples general reaction of ‘wtf?’ and ‘too long/lame’), I have this to say:
“Oh, go on. Crack a smile. It’s funny, isn’t it? Albert, funny? No? Little bit?”
Yes, it’s ridiculous. I think that’s the *point*. And quite frankly I could spend a very long time indeed watching the Master patting himself on the back. Esp when he’s wearing a pretty pink dress. :)
(Clearly he never watched ‘Rimmerworld’ from Red Dwarf. It’ll be fun to see what happens next.)
And Donna... *bites nails* I’m thinking that the Gate could probably fix her, but it’s doubtful the Doctor could get her there in time. Oh DoctorDonna - I’ve MISSED you. ::wants them back and is sad::
Which brings me to the final reveal - I was kinda expecting it, and am now worried that RTD will retcon his entire oeuvre. I hope not, but I’m very curious to see what happens next. They’ve never liked the Doctor and I could easily see something like this happening. (Gotta love Invader Zim!) Will they die (again), or will whatever they’re doing be reversed, or... what? This could be very interesting, esp in the light of the Doctor as the Timelord Victorious. I know he repented, as it were, but... he’s been running the show by himself for a long while, and he will NOT be told what to do, I don’t think.
If they *do* stay, I wonder if Eleven will be a call-back to One - on the run from his people... (Also if they stay, I nominate Donna as president of Gallifrey!)
Finally I wonder what ‘it’ is that’s returning. We know who ‘he’ is, we know who ‘they’ are, but what is ‘it’? *ponders*
Ooooh, could it be the devil? What with the Ood and all. That’d be neat continuity-wise if nothing else. ETA: It suddenly occurred to me that 'it' is probably Gallifrey...
That’s all for now. Must go be sociable. Please come talk to me - my head is all aflutter, and I’m sure I’ve missed tons of stuff. Like Wilf and the mysterious White Lady (the White Guardian? Old Whovians feel like filling me in?). Or Wilf and the fact that he’s never killed anyone... Love all this setup.
Bring on the second helping of crack nao, plz?
(Also moodtheme continues to make me squee! Srsly, how perfect is this one?)
But onto my thoughts - kinda scattered and stuff, but I couldn't not write...
First of all I love Wilf, and the beginning with the stained glass TARDIS was just lovely. Esp love how as Ten has gotten older, so have his companions: Rose, Martha, Astrid, Donna, [River], Adelaide (not really a companion, but I’m counting her anyway) and now Wilf. (Christina is obviously the exception that proves the rule.) Also love how older people are portrayed as just people, whilst also showing how much they’re capable of. :) And Minnie [June] goosing Ten [Tennant] was too delightful for words!
This actually ties in with one of my thoughts about the evolution of the Ood - how they went from a menace/plot point in S2, to creatures struggling for freedom in S4, to a people awesome in their own right in EoT. I really like that progression, the layering and depth that’s been added.
If you want my thoughts on the Timelord Victorious etc., look here. Also, this icon, that I got
kathyh to make for me:Anyway - Lucy. Oh Lucy, Lucy, Lucy. I’ve always thought that she shot the Master because he *asked* her to (I’m afraid I prefer messed-up relationships to gals standing up for themselves, sorry), but I did like what they did with her here. “Till death do us part!” indeed.
(Btw love all the ‘magic’ elements - the fact that the resurrection looks like any kind of ritual from the Buffy verse, and the Doctor’s talk of prophecies - but then I am biased! *g* Also, re. all this 13th Century stuff - is this a shoutout to some Old Who episode?)
Of course the Master was rather delightful too - “Oh let them die” was entirely too perfect. :) Re. the way he goes wrong, then yes, I could have done without the burger-eating and the devouring a whole turkey with his bare hands (not to mention the tramp eating), but... I have to admit that it shows in a very effective, visceral way how he is barely holding himself together. All the talk about being hungry and about food (“That’s human Christmas out there!” worked especially well for me), was just disturbing on a very deep and uncomfortable level.
Café scene... Oh I loved it right from the start. Wilf waffling on and the Doctor just sitting there, looking like an alien Lord through and through. Am of course intrigued by Wilf, but that’s almost the least of it right now. Loved the Doctor sharing so completely out of the blue (“I’m going to die!”), and his tears for what happened on Mars... And then Donna being so very Donna. Love that Sean (or is it Shaun) is like a cross between Lance and Lee. And Wilf’s “She’s making do,” countered by the Doctor’s “Aren’t we all?” is such a *perfect* summary of where the show/the Doctor is at right now. There’s a hopelessness there that’s just gnawing away at poor Ten - he keeps losing everyone, and now he’s going to lose himself.
*pulls him into big hug*
I wanted to mention the cactus-aliens, and might as well do it now. Thought they were brilliant, and the girls are going “Shimmer!” with pretend sonic screwdrivers, which makes me laugh. Love those little light touches, that are just so *perfectly* DW.
But, to get to the Master... How much did I LOVE his banging on the steel can to catch the Doctor’s attention? So, SO much. And the smelling each other reminded me of the Family of Blood (obviously), but thought it worked rather well, in an oddly intimate way.
Had seen lightening-bolt-throwing Master in the previews (and been puzzled), but the explanation (he’s coming apart at the seams and is using up his life force) works well enough. I wonder if he could actually have killed the Doctor - he certainly left a big mark. Then of course came the part that turned me into a pile of fangirly goo... the Master’s family had estates? And he and the Doctor used to run in the red grass together, looking up at the stars? I can’t even.... As far as I know, until now all we’ve had (and this is from Old Who) is “We were at school together”, which could be interpreted in any which way, but wasn't anything concrete. THIS is straight out of fanon heaven, and I am *gratuitously* grateful to RTD for making it canon.
The Doctor’s response (about how many people the Master has killed) provokes another one of my favourite moments: The look on the Master’s face is the most incredible 'What has that got to do with anything?' and it just slays me. I love how inaccessible he is, how he operates outside any normal parameters.
And then there’s the drums... (He will knock four times!) Not sure I actually have anything coherent to say, because it is the most gorgeous, perfect moment. (Icon by
theanonsisters)“What's inside your head?” indeed. (The heartbeat of a Timelord...)
Not sure I’ve got much to say about Naismith. And is there any reason the Master was wearing a collar/belt? I think I saw someone with a lead at some point... Anyway, it’s very hot, so I’m not complaining. And speaking of hot, then the way he figured out - and fixed - the Gate within a few moments was one of the most awesome things ever. (I have *such* a competence kink.) “My name - is the Master!" was, if possible, even better in context.
Also “I locked it. Idiot.” is one of those wonderful, wonderful lines that I just can’t help but adore. The Master > everyone else. *g*
Now, as concerns the 6 billion Masters (and peoples general reaction of ‘wtf?’ and ‘too long/lame’), I have this to say:
“Oh, go on. Crack a smile. It’s funny, isn’t it? Albert, funny? No? Little bit?”
Yes, it’s ridiculous. I think that’s the *point*. And quite frankly I could spend a very long time indeed watching the Master patting himself on the back. Esp when he’s wearing a pretty pink dress. :)
(Clearly he never watched ‘Rimmerworld’ from Red Dwarf. It’ll be fun to see what happens next.)
And Donna... *bites nails* I’m thinking that the Gate could probably fix her, but it’s doubtful the Doctor could get her there in time. Oh DoctorDonna - I’ve MISSED you. ::wants them back and is sad::
Which brings me to the final reveal - I was kinda expecting it, and am now worried that RTD will retcon his entire oeuvre. I hope not, but I’m very curious to see what happens next. They’ve never liked the Doctor and I could easily see something like this happening. (Gotta love Invader Zim!) Will they die (again), or will whatever they’re doing be reversed, or... what? This could be very interesting, esp in the light of the Doctor as the Timelord Victorious. I know he repented, as it were, but... he’s been running the show by himself for a long while, and he will NOT be told what to do, I don’t think.
If they *do* stay, I wonder if Eleven will be a call-back to One - on the run from his people... (Also if they stay, I nominate Donna as president of Gallifrey!)
Finally I wonder what ‘it’ is that’s returning. We know who ‘he’ is, we know who ‘they’ are, but what is ‘it’? *ponders*
Ooooh, could it be the devil? What with the Ood and all. That’d be neat continuity-wise if nothing else. ETA: It suddenly occurred to me that 'it' is probably Gallifrey...
That’s all for now. Must go be sociable. Please come talk to me - my head is all aflutter, and I’m sure I’ve missed tons of stuff. Like Wilf and the mysterious White Lady (the White Guardian? Old Whovians feel like filling me in?). Or Wilf and the fact that he’s never killed anyone... Love all this setup.
Bring on the second helping of crack nao, plz?
(Also moodtheme continues to make me squee! Srsly, how perfect is this one?)
no subject
I can see the logic behind that position. But I still think it's funny. :)
But at the very least, he should get an Oscar AND BEAT SEAN CONNERY OVER THE HEAD WITH IT.
I almost want to make that my byline now... Or at least have an Andrew icon with that line on it. For Gallifrey, the End of Time, and Timothy Dalton! \o/
Oh, and the rest of the episode was excellent too.
I am *so* glad to hear you say that! (Since I am presuming you weren't dazzled by John Simm's yumminess. *g*)