Thoughts on Adelaide, and how the Doctor sees the world.
Adelaide Brooke is not a companion.
I know this sounds obvious, but I've seen her described as a companion, and it made me think. As did the podcast etc.
She obviously doesn't slot in with Rose, Martha or Donna. But she's not like Astrid or Lady Christina either. Adelaide join the list of historical figures we get once or twice a season: Dickens, (Harriet Jones,) Queen Victoria, Madame de Pompadour, Shakespeare and Agatha Christie. That's how the Doctor sees her, and that is very important - because the Doctor loves great people from history. He's quite the fanboy, and this is something we see every time. Also - Reinette apart - he's very keen on keeping them where they belong. They're part of the tapestry of history, and that's what matters.
But Adelaide is different than the others we've seen, and not just because of when he arrives, or her fate etc. Adelaide is a hero, and a visionary. Someone whose parents were killed by Daleks, but who got inspired and wanted to explore the universe. The Doctor admires her deeply, and even - unbelievably - uses the 'L' word! I think she is someone he identifies with - or, maybe more accurately, *wants* to identify with. Someone he looks up to. And, unlike ordinary DW stories, it is Adelaide running the show - if anything the Doctor is *her* companion. (Yes, this is partly because he knows what's coming etc. But she's the Captain and the one in charge. In 'Planet of the Dead' Christina set herself up as leader, but there was a definite sense that it was the Doctor 'letting' her. Here the Doctor is on Adelaide's turf, and she makes sure he knows it.)
Which brings me back to historical figures Vs. companions. The Doctor picks up random, ordinary people, and they grow and they do extraordinary things and tend to save the world a lot. But - great people from history don't need the Doctor to give them a hand up.
I think this is part of what the Doctor's 'big people/little people' speech at the end of WoM is about. I can perfectly easily accept that this is how he sees the world. Not that he doesn't admire the 'little' people too, but just as he automatically sees himself as better than everyone else, so he probably divides the world up as well.
The thing is though, that the 'big people' often give him a harder time - especially if they're in a position of power. Look at Harriet Jones or Queen Victoria. We see the same pattern with Adelaide. She won't stand for the Timelord setting the rules. I think her suicide is very much an echo of the Master's - the Doctor can control almost everything, so they choose the one way of defiance that's left to them.
And I love how this reflects back on him - this is a woman he's admired for most of his life, one presumes. And as a consequence of meeting him - she kills herself. The Timelord Victorious? Not on her watch. She wins.
Now I *loved* that defiant "No!" at the end of the episode, and was THRILLED when I discovered that indeed it was the Doctor deciding not to go gently into that good night. Refusing to accept Adelaide's words or actions. And marrying Queen Elizabeth is like the icing on the cake on that one. I mean, you'll be hard pressed to find a more iconic historical figure. And I wonder if he actually changed history, by having a wedding proper - it certainly sounds like it: "And let me tell you, her nickname is no longer...hmmm. Anyway." After all, the Laws of Time are *his*, aren't they? He can do what he wants.
And I love it. I love it to infinity and beyond, and my glee contains no bounds! \o/
(Also - for reasons that approximately two people will get - I am *ridiculously* pleased that he named a galaxy 'Allison'! *g*)
That's all for now. I know I ought to have sat on all these thought a bit longer and turned them into proper meta, but they were eating my brain, so...
I know this sounds obvious, but I've seen her described as a companion, and it made me think. As did the podcast etc.
She obviously doesn't slot in with Rose, Martha or Donna. But she's not like Astrid or Lady Christina either. Adelaide join the list of historical figures we get once or twice a season: Dickens, (Harriet Jones,) Queen Victoria, Madame de Pompadour, Shakespeare and Agatha Christie. That's how the Doctor sees her, and that is very important - because the Doctor loves great people from history. He's quite the fanboy, and this is something we see every time. Also - Reinette apart - he's very keen on keeping them where they belong. They're part of the tapestry of history, and that's what matters.
But Adelaide is different than the others we've seen, and not just because of when he arrives, or her fate etc. Adelaide is a hero, and a visionary. Someone whose parents were killed by Daleks, but who got inspired and wanted to explore the universe. The Doctor admires her deeply, and even - unbelievably - uses the 'L' word! I think she is someone he identifies with - or, maybe more accurately, *wants* to identify with. Someone he looks up to. And, unlike ordinary DW stories, it is Adelaide running the show - if anything the Doctor is *her* companion. (Yes, this is partly because he knows what's coming etc. But she's the Captain and the one in charge. In 'Planet of the Dead' Christina set herself up as leader, but there was a definite sense that it was the Doctor 'letting' her. Here the Doctor is on Adelaide's turf, and she makes sure he knows it.)
Which brings me back to historical figures Vs. companions. The Doctor picks up random, ordinary people, and they grow and they do extraordinary things and tend to save the world a lot. But - great people from history don't need the Doctor to give them a hand up.
I think this is part of what the Doctor's 'big people/little people' speech at the end of WoM is about. I can perfectly easily accept that this is how he sees the world. Not that he doesn't admire the 'little' people too, but just as he automatically sees himself as better than everyone else, so he probably divides the world up as well.
The thing is though, that the 'big people' often give him a harder time - especially if they're in a position of power. Look at Harriet Jones or Queen Victoria. We see the same pattern with Adelaide. She won't stand for the Timelord setting the rules. I think her suicide is very much an echo of the Master's - the Doctor can control almost everything, so they choose the one way of defiance that's left to them.
And I love how this reflects back on him - this is a woman he's admired for most of his life, one presumes. And as a consequence of meeting him - she kills herself. The Timelord Victorious? Not on her watch. She wins.
Now I *loved* that defiant "No!" at the end of the episode, and was THRILLED when I discovered that indeed it was the Doctor deciding not to go gently into that good night. Refusing to accept Adelaide's words or actions. And marrying Queen Elizabeth is like the icing on the cake on that one. I mean, you'll be hard pressed to find a more iconic historical figure. And I wonder if he actually changed history, by having a wedding proper - it certainly sounds like it: "And let me tell you, her nickname is no longer...hmmm. Anyway." After all, the Laws of Time are *his*, aren't they? He can do what he wants.
And I love it. I love it to infinity and beyond, and my glee contains no bounds! \o/
(Also - for reasons that approximately two people will get - I am *ridiculously* pleased that he named a galaxy 'Allison'! *g*)
That's all for now. I know I ought to have sat on all these thought a bit longer and turned them into proper meta, but they were eating my brain, so...