Thinking aloud with pictures...

[elisi]

Because we are watching one long, continuous story, and it's timey-wimey and told backwards, but also hugely dependent on what came before (i.e. Ten).

Let me show you what I mean (obvious point is obvious, but hey ho, that's not stopped me before):



The Impossible Astronaut (/this whole season) is literally the counterpoint to Waters of Mars. That is... on Mars the Doctor declared that The Laws of Time were his, and that he could do whatever he wanted and broke a Fixed Point.

In TIA he submits to The Laws of Time and - willingly - makes sure that the Fixed Point stays fixed, even though it means his own death.

Now the other thing is the Doctor's death. When Ten died you had to have a heart of stone not to feel for him (oh that music)...



OK, so he was man!pain incarnate, but he'd screwed up pretty much everything and died alone, realising what a fool he'd been.

Now Eleven... Well, it was a bit of a surprise, to say the least. And we didn't know what to make of it. But looking back at that scene on the beach, his final words are beginning to be painfully poignant:

Comments

[bendingwind.livejournal.com]

Interesting that you should bring up the ganger Doctor's inability to regenerate (sorry for butting in here), because, well:

Doctor: OK, so, basically better regenerate, that's what you're saying?

Interface!Amelia: Regeneration disabled. You will be dead in 32 minutes.

We've also got the Doctor showing up in a new coat, rather similar to how the ganger!Doctor and the Doctor distinguished themselves via shoes earlier.

I'm still not 100% exactly who is who and what's going on where, but I think we're seeing some sort of bait-and-switch occur. The ganger is poisoned and then goes to die on the beach (?).

[elisi]

The ganger is poisoned and then goes to die on the beach (?).
*shakes head firmly* Two reasons. 1) The Doctor on the beach is killed in the middle of regeneration, so it can't be the Ganger. 2) The Doctor on the beach is very clearly the one who has been through AGMGTW/LKH. Plus, you know, if it's Ganger!Doctor the whole thing is pointless. (I, uh, might have strong feelings about this... It's be like watching The Gift, and then discovering that it was BuffyBot who sacrificed herself.)

Anyway, there is SOMETHING going on, what with all the mirrors and everything. *pokes show and all the metaphors*

[bendingwind.livejournal.com]

The Doctor on the beach is killed in the middle of regeneration, so it can't be the Ganger.

Er, yes. Good point.

I actually do still think we're seeing ganger!Doctor in LKH, though (not AGMGtW), and I do still think that they switch out somehow at some point. I am just not 100% sure how/when that happens. It does lend weight to the theories that the ganger!Doctor is the one in the suit, as well, and the entire thing is engineered (with River?) to trick his enemies into thinking he has died.

ARGH I JUST WANT TO KNOW THESE THINGS ALREADY. XD

[elisi]

the entire thing is engineered (with River?) to trick his enemies into thinking he has died.
I can almost see it, except it doesn't fix anything.

[bendingwind.livejournal.com]

My general thought is that it allows River's use of her regenerations to revive real!Doctor after his death at the lake. Or something like that.

It's not a complete theory I'll admit, just where I think things are moving.

[elisi]

My general thought is that it allows River's use of her regenerations to revive real!Doctor after his death at the lake. Or something like that.
But she can't, because she used them all up. And also they cremated him. I think the solution will be something far bigger and more fundamental, like re-writing time or... SOMETHING. /o\

[bendingwind.livejournal.com]

It's probably ALL THE THINGS. XD

I can totally see Moffat having them switch out Doctors and rewrite time AND reboot the universe (again), and still have time for tea.

[elisi]

Totally.

[promethia_tenk]

PRETTY MUCH THIS. "All the things" seems to be the answer on this show.