The Time of the Doctor

[such_heights]

I laughed, I cried, I loved it.

So I had two main wishes on my Christmas list for this episode - an explanation for the cracks in time, and an Amy Pond cameo.

*VICTORY DANCE*

Okay, first of all let's talk Tasha Lem. Who is a future regeneration of River Song and I absolutely believe that's a deliberately seeded plot point to pick up in the future. The flirty marriedness of her and the Doctor, the line about her fighting the psycopath inside her all her life, and finally the fact she's always been able to fly the TARDIS. Only River Song can do that. So River is saved from the library (my bet: by Clara during her many lives), then given extra regenerations by the Time Lords?, then becomes the Papal Mainframe and therefore head of the very order that created her and then imprisoned her. Beautiful. I feel like this paves the way either for Alex Kingston + Twelve or for Orla Brady to come back. OR BOTH, BOTH IS GOOD.

No, seriously, anyone who is all 'Moffat only writes one female character ever', on this occasion I AM PRETTY SURE IT'S ON PURPOSE. ON ACCOUNT OF HOW SHE IS RIVER. I was a little surprised they didn't confirm it for sure in this episode but I have every faith that's going to come back in s8.

Anyway.

Holy shit this episode played the long game. The cracks, the Silence, Kovarian, Gallifrey, Trenzalore, everything all came together and was practically tied up with a bow I'm delighted.

To recap:

Something blows up the TARDIS, creating cracks in the universe. Gallifrey, stuck in a pocket universe, uses these cracks to push through and get the Doctor to help them, by asking a question on the planet of Trenzalore, covered by a truth field. As it turns out, the question of 'Doctor Who?' is not actually all that important.

If Gallifrey comes through, a huge war will start. The Doctor stays on the planet so that it's a stalemate - if he leaves, Trenzalore is destroyed, if he lets the Time Lords through, war breaks out. It's a siege.

A siege that is supported by the Papal Mainframe, the Clerics and the Silence, who are good guys as it turns out.

Meanwhile, Kovarian creates a faction and breaks out, taking some Clerics and Silence with her in order to change the Doctor's timeline so he never reaches Trenzalore. First plan: blow up the TARDIS. Which creates the very cracks that Gallifrey is trying to get through. Second plan: create a bespoke assassin to kill him, by seeding the Silence throughout history and kidnapping Melody Pond. Melody becomes River, marries the Doctor rather than killing him, then becomes Tasha, who is the Papal Mainframe, so all in all this is not a good series of plans.

Eventually, the only person who can save the day is the only person who could save Gallifrey in the 50th: Clara. Clara, who can see the other way when no one else can, who can intercede and advocate for peace and mercy. Clara who begs the Time Lords to stop what they're doing and help the Doctor instead. And so they do, retreating back into the pocket universe (for now) but not until they give him a new set of regenerations, previously established as canon in The Five Doctors, among others.

And then, and then. Amy Pond. The first face this face saw. When we saw the little Amelia stand in it was lovely, and I thought it was all we'd get. AND THEN KAREN AND HER STUPID FACE SHOWED UP AND IT WAS BEAUTIFUL AND PERFECT AND OH GOD THE UGLY CRYING.

I can't even on that bit. It was just, oh, my heart. Eleven needed to see her one last time and so did I. ;_;

FEELINGS, I HAVE THEM. The blanketfort of squee is now open! *passes round tissues and tea*

Raggedy man, goodnight.

Comments

[pocketmouse]

Oh god I may have to actually watch it. I didn't watch the 50th, I haven't managed to watch much of anything without Ponds in it, but I just might --

[such_heights]

It does have lots of plot throwbacks to the Ponds era! And the last five minutes, at least, are worth a go.

[recessional]

Oh, okay. If the prime importance of his Amy is reinforced, maybe I will watch it.

[such_heights]

It certainly is in the final scene, yep. *still sniffly*

[lizbee]

I HAD SO MANY FEELINGS

And then Amelia turned up, and we never saw her face, but I figured, that's okay, Caitlin Blackwood is probably too old now.

AND THEN THERE WAS UNEXPECTED KAREN GILLAN.

I've thought in the past that Orla Brady would make a good Romana, but she's just fine as a future!River. (I'm curious to know what course of events leads her to become part of the organisation that raised and traumatised her, but I expect that's mostly Kovarian's fault.)

[such_heights]

I'M SO HAPPY SHE CAME BACK, OMG.

Hm, yes. I'm interested that Kovarian's lot were an unauthorised offshoot, and I can imagine River wanting to step in and make sure that they were generally moving in the right direction.

[lizbee]

Also, I kind of like the idea of River (a) making her peace with the Silence, and (b) becoming the awesome future!Pope.

[laurashapiro]

Thank you so much for your summary, because I ended that episode not understanding much of anything. I shall be referring back to this post fairly often, I suspect.

Hope you're right about River!

[frayadjacent]

Hear hear! I was about to make a similar comment. I don't remember previous series terribly well, so it's good to get an explanation!

[ellen_fremedon]

I love the idea that Tasha is a future River! HEADCANON ACCEPTED.

[kass]

THIS. +1 x a billionty

[metonymy]

I was sort of only half paying attention and working on a tricky bit of my knitting, and then wee Amelia ran through and I teared up, AND THEN AMY POND AND FULL-ON TEARS.

My sister made fun of me. I'M GONNA FIND OUT WHAT SHE LOVES AND MOCK IT.

[nekare]

I seriously didn't expect it to affect me like this, but I've been crying since wee Amelia appeared. I just - I'm going to miss Eleven so stupidly much. He's most definitely My Doctor. ;___;

[minim_calibre]

DAMN POND CRY TRIGGER THINGS.

HER STUPID FACE. ARGH. I WOULD HAVE BEEN FINE, BUT POND, AND THEN THE CRYING STARTED.

[elisi]

For now, just one point. You got Kovarian's plans the wrong way round:

Plan 1: River.

When River fails, they go for plan 2 - the end of The Pandorica Opens is essentially a long attack on River, by someone who knows her life intimately: Her father kills her mother, her husband is imprisoned, and she is stuck in the exploding TARDIS as it explodes on the day she was conceived.

Timey-wimey. :)

(I am intrigued by your Tasha Lem theory, and will think about it.) ETA: No, not convinced. Two things: 1, she said she never got the hang of driving the Doctor and if there was one thing River did, from the very first moment, it was drive the Doctor. 1, she'd not seen Eleven's face before. Which indicates an older friend, and also that the Doctor just has a type. :) But feel free to ignore me!

Mostly though, then yes - AMY! <3

[silverhare]

Nudity is required in the papal mainframe? It should have been obvious that River is in charge of that church. *giggles*

(Am rewatching.)

[ashpags]

All of the ugly crying. Amy/Amelia Perfection. *sips tea and hopes the tannins will help heal my heart/synapses*

[juniperphoenix]

I loved it. I watched it three times back-to-back.

I love that the show spent three years building up Trenzalore as something to fear and dread, only to turn around and show us something so joyous and hopeful.

I love Eleven and his face.

On the subject of Tasha, I will just note that "Lem" is an anagram of "Mel" (while the name "Tasha" is linked with Christmas).

[kass]

I love that the show spent three years building up Trenzalore as something to fear and dread, only to turn around and show us something so joyous and hopeful.

And that at first it really did seem that we were heading for the Trenzalore we'd seen, where the TARDIS is his tomb atop the battlefield -- until Clara thought to just ask the Time Lords for their help.

I love Eleven and his face.

More than words can say.

I will just note that "Lem" is an anagram of "Mel" (while the name "Tasha" is linked with Christmas).

Oooooooooh. That is really cool.

[independence1776]

It was a very good episode. I loved how everything came together and that Clara basically saved the day.

Not sure I buy the Tasha-is-River theory, but hey, that's the fun of fandom-- everyone has their own interpretation. :)

Amy's appearance is when I started crying. I'd managed to hold it together before that…