Absolutely, death is everywhere in RTD's work. (I recently read a post speculating why. It clarified some things for me.)
Death isn't the enemy. Death just is. The Doctor doesn't fight against death, he fights for life.
If life and death are opposites, then doesn't fighting for life automatically imply one also fights against death? Appropriate, given the themes of mirrors and opposites this season...
Plus... most people, throughout history, have believed in some kind of afterlife, that death is just a Sea Change, rather than the Final End
That's true--but the concept of afterlife itself fights against Death. It fights against the thought that this one life is all there ever can be. (General us and general we, not specific.) For most of history, life was so fraught for so many people, they probably had to believe they'd be rewarded when they died, just to make their hardship bearable. I don't doubt its comfort, but it still fights against the finality of Death. I realize this is a philosophical difference we'll never agree on.
I agree, the Doctor's death is absolutely final. I'd be surprised if it wasn't. I also agree, the paradox won't be solved by a Ganger!Doctor, because it doesn't fit the metaphors. But it'll definitely come down to River.
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Death isn't the enemy. Death just is. The Doctor doesn't fight against death, he fights for life.
If life and death are opposites, then doesn't fighting for life automatically imply one also fights against death? Appropriate, given the themes of mirrors and opposites this season...
Plus... most people, throughout history, have believed in some kind of afterlife, that death is just a Sea Change, rather than the Final End
That's true--but the concept of afterlife itself fights against Death. It fights against the thought that this one life is all there ever can be. (General us and general we, not specific.) For most of history, life was so fraught for so many people, they probably had to believe they'd be rewarded when they died, just to make their hardship bearable. I don't doubt its comfort, but it still fights against the finality of Death. I realize this is a philosophical difference we'll never agree on.
I agree, the Doctor's death is absolutely final. I'd be surprised if it wasn't. I also agree, the paradox won't be solved by a Ganger!Doctor, because it doesn't fit the metaphors. But it'll definitely come down to River.