You Get Out What You Put In.
spoilers up through 4x10.
An examination of the Doctors character. Quite long. So pull up a chair, stay for a while.
(Put into sections because I'm a long-winded person. Also, apologies for the bad grammar. When I get off on these tangents I have a great deal of trouble making any sort of cohesive argument).
The Creature
first off, regarding Midnight: that creature brought out the worst in everyone, including the doctor. it fed everyones paranoia, creating hysteria. Like with the words, it didn't put in any NEW information. it just took what it was given and repeated it back: thus amplifying it. I think the creature was The Beast, or some form of it. The planet midnight definitely seems like the perfect place to trap something no living creature should come into contact with. And if the devil is merely a concept, a reflection of us, thats exactly was the creature did: just reflected back what it was given.
Arrogant bastard
And it brought out the ugliness in ten's character. I don't think I have ever seen him be quite so condescending or insulting. I rewatched the episode again with the express purpose of finding out where it all went "wrong," and each time there is an intense "shift" in the tone (new levels of panic) you can see how his arrogance and personality made it worse. He insults them as humans. his foremost concern ISN'T with calming the fears of the passengers or making them feel as if they would be safe, he's off being curious and having fun studying the creature. He asserts authority with NO explanation- yes he showed the psychic paper to get in to the cockpit, but why not later? Why no "well actually I'm part of a study conducted and I'm an expert in alternate lifeforms." He doesn't even give them a slightly believable lie as to why they should trust him. Which seems odd because he seems to love throwing out the ole "health and safety" lines.
it also, interestingly enough, made him LESS clever. he says he was a traveller when they asked who he was, but then was at a loss for words when they demanded to know more. I was shouting at my screen: stop talking down to them! just give them a lie, they won't know any better. they were all still listening to him when he was encouraging them to the back (albeit still with protest) but then he had to go off on his whole "blah blah I need to stay away more because I'm better and special" line. Which, to be honest, really wasn't necessary because I don't think he had any intention of staying away from the thing. That, combined with his "you NEED me" line made me feel as if his self-importance was clouding his judgement.
He has stared down daleks, cybermen, and entire armies (even ones who had no idea who he was) with less mania and more authority than he did here. Look at his face after his "because I'm clever" line, eyes wide and crazed. I honestly would have a hard time believing him there either.
The Doctor completely powerless, and why he didn't do anything
I think this helps explain the doctors impotence in this episode compared to what we know he is capable of (and what RTD has tried to shove down our throats). I'm of the belief that the Doctor is powerful not just because of his intelligence, but that for whatever reason he holds it back or never uses it. although how much I don't know. Maybe he isn't. but I'm trying to make this episode work in regards to things that have been revealed and shown about the doctor in the past. But so why didn't he do more? Up until the point when people started panicking there was no opportunity or reason to do anything; then he began to be twisted and weakened by the psychological effects, and how can you save people who won't let you? And when the creature is fighting you through the people you are trying to save?
He has stared down the devil himself without flinching, but here was something that wouldn't even look at him. AND he wouldn't dare "mind meld" with a creature who is clearly possessing the mind of another. By the time things went to hell he was rendered immobile and speechless. and speech is his number 1 power. how does he fight something he can't see or speak to? or even understand? his power is his words. and if you take that away.....
fighting back, and the devil may care.
The fact that he was unable to break free mentally is another piece of evidence that the creature was at least some form of ancient evil that was trapped there waiting for "so long" in the dark, because we've never seen the doctor be mentally breached before: even by the carrionites who survive by pulling the names out of people's minds. Even by the sun who was alive, he was able to fight it off for quite a while. But here he was, more terrified than he's probably ever been and he was completely taken over. Even though he was obviously fighting back tooth and nail. Eventually he was able to fight back a little bit, but it almost wasn't enough.
afterwards He wasn't even able to fake being ok and move on with a quip as we've always seen him do. I'm not sure if its just because he knows he doesn't have to pretend with Donna or if he really was more scarred from this experience than he's ever been (excluding the time war).
The Doctor Not Being "Done Yet"
which brings me to a few things River said when discussing Ten. She implied that he wasn't "done yet," and that she keeps wishing for HER doctor because he could stare down armies. When Ten insists that he IS the doctor, river replies "yeah. someday." I read somewhere that RTD said regarding River: "pay attention to everything she says."
So is this a clue to something? The doctor still hasn't figured out or become who he is. he is the doctor, but he isn't yet THE Doctor.
...
The end. hopefully a few of you are still reading this.
Discuss.
...
An examination of the Doctors character. Quite long. So pull up a chair, stay for a while.
(Put into sections because I'm a long-winded person. Also, apologies for the bad grammar. When I get off on these tangents I have a great deal of trouble making any sort of cohesive argument).
The Creature
first off, regarding Midnight: that creature brought out the worst in everyone, including the doctor. it fed everyones paranoia, creating hysteria. Like with the words, it didn't put in any NEW information. it just took what it was given and repeated it back: thus amplifying it. I think the creature was The Beast, or some form of it. The planet midnight definitely seems like the perfect place to trap something no living creature should come into contact with. And if the devil is merely a concept, a reflection of us, thats exactly was the creature did: just reflected back what it was given.
Arrogant bastard
And it brought out the ugliness in ten's character. I don't think I have ever seen him be quite so condescending or insulting. I rewatched the episode again with the express purpose of finding out where it all went "wrong," and each time there is an intense "shift" in the tone (new levels of panic) you can see how his arrogance and personality made it worse. He insults them as humans. his foremost concern ISN'T with calming the fears of the passengers or making them feel as if they would be safe, he's off being curious and having fun studying the creature. He asserts authority with NO explanation- yes he showed the psychic paper to get in to the cockpit, but why not later? Why no "well actually I'm part of a study conducted and I'm an expert in alternate lifeforms." He doesn't even give them a slightly believable lie as to why they should trust him. Which seems odd because he seems to love throwing out the ole "health and safety" lines.
it also, interestingly enough, made him LESS clever. he says he was a traveller when they asked who he was, but then was at a loss for words when they demanded to know more. I was shouting at my screen: stop talking down to them! just give them a lie, they won't know any better. they were all still listening to him when he was encouraging them to the back (albeit still with protest) but then he had to go off on his whole "blah blah I need to stay away more because I'm better and special" line. Which, to be honest, really wasn't necessary because I don't think he had any intention of staying away from the thing. That, combined with his "you NEED me" line made me feel as if his self-importance was clouding his judgement.
He has stared down daleks, cybermen, and entire armies (even ones who had no idea who he was) with less mania and more authority than he did here. Look at his face after his "because I'm clever" line, eyes wide and crazed. I honestly would have a hard time believing him there either.
The Doctor completely powerless, and why he didn't do anything
I think this helps explain the doctors impotence in this episode compared to what we know he is capable of (and what RTD has tried to shove down our throats). I'm of the belief that the Doctor is powerful not just because of his intelligence, but that for whatever reason he holds it back or never uses it. although how much I don't know. Maybe he isn't. but I'm trying to make this episode work in regards to things that have been revealed and shown about the doctor in the past. But so why didn't he do more? Up until the point when people started panicking there was no opportunity or reason to do anything; then he began to be twisted and weakened by the psychological effects, and how can you save people who won't let you? And when the creature is fighting you through the people you are trying to save?
He has stared down the devil himself without flinching, but here was something that wouldn't even look at him. AND he wouldn't dare "mind meld" with a creature who is clearly possessing the mind of another. By the time things went to hell he was rendered immobile and speechless. and speech is his number 1 power. how does he fight something he can't see or speak to? or even understand? his power is his words. and if you take that away.....
fighting back, and the devil may care.
The fact that he was unable to break free mentally is another piece of evidence that the creature was at least some form of ancient evil that was trapped there waiting for "so long" in the dark, because we've never seen the doctor be mentally breached before: even by the carrionites who survive by pulling the names out of people's minds. Even by the sun who was alive, he was able to fight it off for quite a while. But here he was, more terrified than he's probably ever been and he was completely taken over. Even though he was obviously fighting back tooth and nail. Eventually he was able to fight back a little bit, but it almost wasn't enough.
afterwards He wasn't even able to fake being ok and move on with a quip as we've always seen him do. I'm not sure if its just because he knows he doesn't have to pretend with Donna or if he really was more scarred from this experience than he's ever been (excluding the time war).
The Doctor Not Being "Done Yet"
which brings me to a few things River said when discussing Ten. She implied that he wasn't "done yet," and that she keeps wishing for HER doctor because he could stare down armies. When Ten insists that he IS the doctor, river replies "yeah. someday." I read somewhere that RTD said regarding River: "pay attention to everything she says."
So is this a clue to something? The doctor still hasn't figured out or become who he is. he is the doctor, but he isn't yet THE Doctor.
...
The end. hopefully a few of you are still reading this.
Discuss.
...