the Moment isn't a sentience, or an interface, or an echo - it's the Bad Wolf scattering herself through time and space.
The two things aren't mutually exclusive, IMO. What if the reason the Moment attained sapience in the first place is because Bad Wolf put a little of herself in it?
I read a review of the special, I forget where. They really enjoyed it, but questioned why the Moment had to be Rose. I don't think out of any particular anti-Rose sentiment, but they felt it could have been any companion (they wanted Donna, as I recall).
Silly. Of course it had to be Rose. Because Rose was the Doctor's rehabilitation. Because he went from this event to being Nine with her image stashed away in his head somewhere (nothing is ever forgotten, not completely). Because Rose was the one with a big, transcendent, space-time link that could hook her into an event like this. Because all the girls with a box are one girl with a box. Because she said "the Time War ends" and "I wanted you safe, my Doctor," and willed it so.
I am also increasingly struck by the mirroring between the Moment and the TARDIS. Both of them Time Lord boxes which grew to self-awareness and developed opinions, both temporally transcendent individuals who get "past" and "future" mixed up. And, of course, the Doctor keeps the TARDIS on the sidelines of any fight because she's the most powerful ship in the universe; the Moment is a good candidate for most powerful weapon in the universe, as the one thing in the Vault of Rassilon Forbidden Weapons that wasn't used-
Except that what makes her so dangerous isn't her sheer destructive capacity, but the fact that she'll get into your head. A little bit like the TARDIS, which takes you where you need to go whether than where you think you're headed. Or like the Doctor, who flips your world upside down whether you like it or not. I get the feeling that nobody comes away from an encounter with the Moment with their self-deception intact. (Maybe that's why it isn't a "of Rassilon;" maybe Rassilon didn't want to look himself in the eye
Retrospectively, I am very amused by the Time Lord general's observation that only one person would be mad enough to try to use a sentient weapon that will sit in judgment over you. I feel like this both says some rather profound things about the Doctor's conscience and is nicely echo-y of the TARDIS's assertion that he was the only one mad enough to try to steal her.
Talking of mirroring, it's fascinating that River and the Moment are both weapons designed to wreck the Doctor and yet they both end up redeeming him. It's so clever the way the show sets up things so that our minds are prepared for them when they come up "for real" at a later date.
Yes, I think it was possibly intentional to make her dialogue at the beginning very reminiscent of Idris, and it makes perfect sense to me. Although I have my own views I also think it's probably a mistake to be too dogmatic about the Moment's precise nature. As with the White Lady in the End of Time.
I thought the fact that the Doctor wanted to get as far from the TARDIS as possible to do the act spoke volumes. If one was being Christian about it, one could describe the Moment as "The Hound of Heaven" - the small voice of conscience that will not let you go. And I recall George Herbert's wonderful poem "The Collar", describing his struggle with conscience, particularly its first line:
Hello! I saw your meta post on the LJ front page. Awesome job of pulling the different story threads. Moffat truly is the master of the long game. I despair of people with short attention spans who can't appreciate his attention to detail.
Hello! *waves* Make yourself welcome. I have meta and tea. :)
Awesome job of pulling the different story threads. Thank you. It's what I do! (Can't really help it - oh and promethia_tenk is the other half of my brain.)
Moffat truly is the master of the long game. I despair of people with short attention spans who can't appreciate his attention to detail. We can only feel sorry for them, and in time they will understand. Or at least find other things to occupy themselves. I remember when RTD was in charge and everyone hated every single thing he did (and I was endlessly pointing out how it wasn't terrible), so I'm pretty philosophical. But I love Moffat more. Because he has a million metaphors and layers and everything is beautiful.
I have long thought about his erasing his name as an erasure of himself. He didn't forget, he just gave up - Ouch. But yes, I can see that. When he lost his Ponds, he definitely gave up.
And Santa Moff made it all better and you showed us every step that took us there!! Trust the Moff! :)
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The two things aren't mutually exclusive, IMO. What if the reason the Moment attained sapience in the first place is because Bad Wolf put a little of herself in it?
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Silly. Of course it had to be Rose. Because Rose was the Doctor's rehabilitation. Because he went from this event to being Nine with her image stashed away in his head somewhere (nothing is ever forgotten, not completely). Because Rose was the one with a big, transcendent, space-time link that could hook her into an event like this. Because all the girls with a box are one girl with a box. Because she said "the Time War ends" and "I wanted you safe, my Doctor," and willed it so.
Of course it had to be Rose!
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Dammit, I wanted to include that! Might have to do a separate post on all the women.
(General note for everyone: Will get to comments when I can.)
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Except that what makes her so dangerous isn't her sheer destructive capacity, but the fact that she'll get into your head. A little bit like the TARDIS, which takes you where you need to go whether than where you think you're headed. Or like the Doctor, who flips your world upside down whether you like it or not. I get the feeling that nobody comes away from an encounter with the Moment with their self-deception intact. (Maybe that's why it isn't a "of Rassilon;" maybe Rassilon didn't want to look himself in the eye
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I thought the fact that the Doctor wanted to get as far from the TARDIS as possible to do the act spoke volumes. If one was being Christian about it, one could describe the Moment as "The Hound of Heaven" - the small voice of conscience that will not let you go. And I recall George Herbert's wonderful poem "The Collar", describing his struggle with conscience, particularly its first line:
"I struck the board and cried 'No More!'"
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Awesome job of pulling the different story threads.
Thank you. It's what I do! (Can't really help it - oh and promethia_tenk is the other half of my brain.)
Moffat truly is the master of the long game. I despair of people with short attention spans who can't appreciate his attention to detail.
We can only feel sorry for them, and in time they will understand. Or at least find other things to occupy themselves. I remember when RTD was in charge and everyone hated every single thing he did (and I was endlessly pointing out how it wasn't terrible), so I'm pretty philosophical. But I love Moffat more. Because he has a million metaphors and layers and everything is beautiful.
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I have long thought about his erasing his name as an erasure of himself. He didn't forget, he just gave up -
And Santa Moff made it all better and you showed us every step that took us there!!
*SOBS*
*SQUISH*
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♥ ♥ ♥
I have long thought about his erasing his name as an erasure of himself. He didn't forget, he just gave up -
Ouch. But yes, I can see that. When he lost his Ponds, he definitely gave up.
And Santa Moff made it all better and you showed us every step that took us there!!
Trust the Moff! :)
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