You Get Out What You Put In.

[crycrywolf]

spoilers up through 4x10.

An examination of the Doctors character. Quite long. So pull up a chair, stay for a while.

Comments

[ladyfox7oaks]

The idea that the creature/being was another form of the Beast is a very good one, especially given that we never see the thing's true face.
Which would also explain why the Doctor didn't just go "Oh- YOU again? Please!". Because if he'd had that physical link, the face, the shape, the writing- -any of it (From TIP/TSP)- it would have enabled him to get a better grip on what was actually going on, and treat things differently.
Agreed that it appeared to bring out the worst in him, that most condescending attitude of any Time Lord- the same things that drove him from him homeworld in the first place... I think that THAT was what he was contemplating at the end. His own arrogance and wrong-actions and their results, rather than just being frightened.
.02 - there you go.. :P

[chloris]

Interesting thought on the what the alien is. The question is whether it was simply reflecting back what it was given (fear and anger) or whether it was causing those emotions (or at least increasing them). I don't think it was clear in the episode.

The thing about the Doctor is that he *is* arrogant and condescending. Without a companion to translate and buffer his interactions with others, he just isn't very good at understanding human motivations. From his point of view, everything he says makes perfect sense and should be accepted by those around him.

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. I just wrote up some meta about the connections between this episode and 42, which is the last time we saw him so scared. Being possessed is, I think, the worst thing he can imagine. Add a mob on top of it, and I'm not surprised he's still shaken up at

[andesmusings]

I thought the 'look' in the pic above--after the 'because I'm clever' line, is hurt--hurt at the look the group gave him--the yeah right, we know about 'clever' people look, the hurt little boy on the playground with the too big vocabulary, who knew all the answers when the teacher asked....

[radiantbaby]

He actually even reminded me a bit of Luke Rattigan there...

[caudebac]

He is arrogant, of course. Otherwise, in Old!Who, he would never have been labelled a renegade. In fact, wasn't Romana assigned to him to watch over him?

I think the problem is first and foremost, he is very much alone. His Companions, his current friends, only know as much as he wishes to tell them, not more. While you can see SOME hint of reform (he tries not to get involved in major and famous events in history), the arrogance and the subjective moral code is still there. He looks at human being condescendingly, even when he praises them, almost like people do about pets.

Especially now that the Master's (allegedly) dead, there is no one that truly knows the Doctor well enough to understand how dangerous he really is.

Apologies for the random rambling.

[crycrywolf]

but how dangerous is the doctor though? this episode brought a lot of questions up for me. because for being so powerful, he was almost undone by a group of stupid, terrified passengers. and he seemed just another average person. i wrote an analysis a few weeks ago saying i thought perhaps the doctor was just holding himself back from his full power,which i do still believe, but......but now im not so sure. maybe there isn't anything more?

or the strength of the creature overpowering him was really just because it was taking HIS strength....

sort of went off subject, but it was a response to your line about the master...

[caudebac]

Yeah, I've wondered that often. Romana DID say the Doctor passed the Academy with "51% on the second try." So despite being brilliant, he...well, isn't the best.

His power, I would say would really have to be his intellect. That's one thing we can't argue against, and it's the one thing that trumps his enemies EVERYTIME. That said, the danger COULD be with all that he knows. Dangerous new life form, suddenly knowing everything the Doctor's ever known....I can imagine that would be disastrous. I don't think the Doctor himself is dangerous in that sense, though. His charisma and intellect are really what do it.

Just a theory.

[crycrywolf]

I just remembered....

but as far as powers go he can also see what is, what was, and what could be...a very general way of knowing the future. and he can sense when time is in flux..that might also be dangerous...

[pherber_m]

Interesting analysis. I found myself wondering if perhaps the Doctor himself might not have indirectly brought the creature down on them in the first place, when he coaxed the pilot into opening the shields. It might have just been the fact that they had stopped and were not on the usual route that got its attention, but on the other hand, opening the shield might have made their psychic presence (and the Doctor's in particular) more obvious.

[trustme1013]

You very well might be right!