I'd say there are probably a hundred different ways to interpret it. Clara's reaction really sells it to me though. I can see her taking something away from that. Ah, I hadn't thought of it in light of that. Thank you.
What exactly she's thinking is open to interpretation, but I think she's realizing that the Doctor doesn't just have values for the sake of values, but that he's learned them from a long lifetime of experiences. *nods* I love the journey of new companions, what they come to understand. (Showing not telling. <3)
That's just the way I choose to see it though. One interpretation of a couple of facial expressions. I'm rather enjoying watching JLC's face; she's always having reactions to things. She sells a whole thought process in just a couple of looks. It's good fun. Mmmm, yes. She has a VERY good face.
I love that the text can be interpreted so many different ways. This is Moffat at his best. Not so much a mirror as a disco ball. Ahahahahahah! That's the PERFECT analogy. *adopts*
There's something different from every angle and it sheds light in a scattered pattern, giving the scene a slightly different lighting every time you look at it. It becomes very compelling indeed. This. The whole thing just sort of blew me away initially, but there was so much there that I couldn't quite take it in. I keep going back and finding more, and yet more. <3
Also, I think I might have to make a banner featuring (parts of) this quote by Moffat (from a few years ago, before Ten regenerated, as Ten's death definitely echoes this in some ways):
Davison's Doctor is beautifully unaware that he is a hero — he simply responds as he feels he must when confronted with evil and injustice, and does so with a very 'human' sense of fluster and outrage. In one of the comparatively few perfect decisions in Doctor Who, Davison is allowed to finally expire saving, not the entire universe, but just one life. This isn't to show, as has been suggested, that he's any less capable or powerful than the other Doctors —just that, for him, saving one life is as great an imperative as saving a galaxy. This, then, is the Doctor as I believe he ought to be — someone who would brave a supernova to rescue a kitten from a tree.
This episode was essentially the Doctor doing just that. Except the supernova was a god, and the kitten was a little girl. :)
Ah, yes. The Caves of Androzani. Good one. Well-contrasted against the death he *expects* in EoT. He's expecting to go out saving the whole of creation from some fresh hell. And then he survives it all, but still gives his life for Wilf the kitten.
And echoed again in Akhaten. There wouldn't have been any trouble at all if he had just left the little girl to sacrifice herself, if he had walked away. And yet he involves himself, and is fully prepared to sacrifice himself in her stead.
...for him, saving one life is as great an imperative as saving a galaxy.
Got it in one with that. I can almost see in my head, those words across images of Five carrying Perry, Ten telling Wilf it's his honor, and Eleven telling Merry that she's unique in the universe.
Well-contrasted against the death he *expects* in EoT. He's expecting to go out saving the whole of creation from some fresh hell. And then he survives it all, but still gives his life for Wilf the kitten. RTD always had that death in mind - not Wilf specifically, but a very low-key death. Initially it would have been a 'nobody' - just a random person the Doctor didn't even know. But then Wilf was a possibility and well... the rest is history. (Seriously, The Writers Tale is worth buying, just for that moment when RTD figures out the whole Wilf thing. *flails*)
And echoed again in Akhaten. There wouldn't have been any trouble at all if he had just left the little girl to sacrifice herself, if he had walked away. And yet he involves himself, and is fully prepared to sacrifice himself in her stead. Someone - calapine?) - suggested that when he'd been there before, with Susan, he'd become aware of the way they would occasionally sacrifice humans, but was at that stage still very much in the non-intervention mindset, and is now looking to put it right.
Got it in one with that. Brilliant, isn't it?
I can almost see in my head, those words across images of Five carrying Perry, Ten telling Wilf it's his honor, and Eleven telling Merry that she's unique in the universe. I love that speech to Merry. It's long, and quite complicated, and there really isn't time, but this is what's important to him. He believes (and is ready to die) for every word.
I'll have to consider it some time when I've got more cash to spare.
Someone - calapine?) - suggested that when he'd been there before, with Susan, he'd become aware of the way they would occasionally sacrifice humans, but was at that stage still very much in the non-intervention mindset, and is now looking to put it right.
I can see that from One. With him it was usually the companions intervening. He grew up though.
I'll have to consider it some time when I've got more cash to spare. It is the best book I've ever read on writing. He captures what it's about and how it works and what it feels like nothing else.
I can see that from One. With him it was usually the companions intervening. He grew up though. He sure did.
no subject
Ah, I hadn't thought of it in light of that. Thank you.
What exactly she's thinking is open to interpretation, but I think she's realizing that the Doctor doesn't just have values for the sake of values, but that he's learned them from a long lifetime of experiences.
*nods* I love the journey of new companions, what they come to understand. (Showing not telling. <3)
That's just the way I choose to see it though. One interpretation of a couple of facial expressions. I'm rather enjoying watching JLC's face; she's always having reactions to things. She sells a whole thought process in just a couple of looks. It's good fun.
Mmmm, yes. She has a VERY good face.
I love that the text can be interpreted so many different ways. This is Moffat at his best. Not so much a mirror as a disco ball.
Ahahahahahah! That's the PERFECT analogy. *adopts*
There's something different from every angle and it sheds light in a scattered pattern, giving the scene a slightly different lighting every time you look at it. It becomes very compelling indeed.
This. The whole thing just sort of blew me away initially, but there was so much there that I couldn't quite take it in. I keep going back and finding more, and yet more. <3
no subject
I must have watched from the song to the end about a dozen times now. It's the scene that keeps on giving. *nods*
no subject
Also, I think I might have to make a banner featuring (parts of) this quote by Moffat (from a few years ago, before Ten regenerated, as Ten's death definitely echoes this in some ways):
Davison's Doctor is beautifully unaware that he is a hero — he simply responds as he feels he must when confronted with evil and injustice, and does so with a very 'human' sense of fluster and outrage. In one of the comparatively few perfect decisions in Doctor Who, Davison is allowed to finally expire saving, not the entire universe, but just one life. This isn't to show, as has been suggested, that he's any less capable or powerful than the other Doctors —just that, for him, saving one life is as great an imperative as saving a galaxy. This, then, is the Doctor as I believe he ought to be — someone who would brave a supernova to rescue a kitten from a tree.
This episode was essentially the Doctor doing just that. Except the supernova was a god, and the kitten was a little girl. :)
no subject
And echoed again in Akhaten. There wouldn't have been any trouble at all if he had just left the little girl to sacrifice herself, if he had walked away. And yet he involves himself, and is fully prepared to sacrifice himself in her stead.
...for him, saving one life is as great an imperative as saving a galaxy.
Got it in one with that. I can almost see in my head, those words across images of Five carrying Perry, Ten telling Wilf it's his honor, and Eleven telling Merry that she's unique in the universe.
no subject
RTD always had that death in mind - not Wilf specifically, but a very low-key death. Initially it would have been a 'nobody' - just a random person the Doctor didn't even know. But then Wilf was a possibility and well... the rest is history. (Seriously, The Writers Tale is worth buying, just for that moment when RTD figures out the whole Wilf thing. *flails*)
And echoed again in Akhaten. There wouldn't have been any trouble at all if he had just left the little girl to sacrifice herself, if he had walked away. And yet he involves himself, and is fully prepared to sacrifice himself in her stead.
Someone -
Got it in one with that.
Brilliant, isn't it?
I can almost see in my head, those words across images of Five carrying Perry, Ten telling Wilf it's his honor, and Eleven telling Merry that she's unique in the universe.
I love that speech to Merry. It's long, and quite complicated, and there really isn't time, but this is what's important to him. He believes (and is ready to die) for every word.
no subject
I'll have to consider it some time when I've got more cash to spare.
Someone - calapine?) - suggested that when he'd been there before, with Susan, he'd become aware of the way they would occasionally sacrifice humans, but was at that stage still very much in the non-intervention mindset, and is now looking to put it right.
I can see that from One. With him it was usually the companions intervening. He grew up though.
no subject
It is the best book I've ever read on writing. He captures what it's about and how it works and what it feels like nothing else.
I can see that from One. With him it was usually the companions intervening. He grew up though.
He sure did.