DW 9.02. The Witch's Familiar
Less than 24 hours before the next episode... I'm all for openers that function like finales, but my goodness, they take some work. As always, with endless thanks to promethia_tenk without whom I couldn't do this, I don't think.
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When Missy shows up, she expects the Doctor’s undivided attention. (As her attention is usually fixed on him…)
MISSY JUST WANTS TO BE HIS ONE AND ONLY < / 3 < / 3 < / 3
Linguistically there’s an interesting distinction being made in this episode between ‘compassion’ and ‘mercy’. You may not have compassion - and some people may not deserve it - but you can still show mercy.
Can you, though?? I believe you can feel compassion and still show no mercy, but can you really show mercy in the absence of compassion?
Deaths are always symbolic, and this episode opened with Clara 'resurrected' if you will, having been exterminated at the end of last episode. Death means change. When Clara first met the Doctor, she was also killed, uploaded to the datacloud by the spoonhead, echoing the same 'Where am I?' that she had cried when she was a Dalek. And if we count this episode's death, then she is quite literally:
( ... )
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Having never watched it myself, I am nonetheless sure you are right. :)
MISSY JUST WANTS TO BE HIS ONE AND ONLY < / 3 < / 3 < / 3
Now I'm going to have Chesney Hawkes stuck in my head all day. *g*
Can you, though?? I believe you can feel compassion and still show no mercy, but can you really show mercy in the absence of compassion?
The main thing that sprung to my mind, was this scene from Schindler's List (Schindler speaking to Amon Goeth):
“Power is when we have every justification to kill, and we don’t… That’s what the Emperor said. A man steals something, he’s brought in before the Emperor, he throws himself down on the ground. He begs for his life, he knows he’s going to die. And the Emperor… pardons him. This worthless man, he lets him go… That’s power, Amon. That is power.”
BRANE EXPLOSION
I was SO PLEASED when I thought of it!!!! ETA: Also I love your gif! :D
Now THIS I already shrieked over while watching the ep. I’M SO ( ... )
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So glad you liked it! And meandering is always welcome. <3
and about the hybrid, no one has said a thing
I've not been listening to the screaming (which is stupid, this is Doctor Who!), but am more surprised about the lack of talk about the hybrid. The mercy thing is wrapped up. The hybrid very much isn't.
When hybrid was mentioned and Clara DID split into those million pieces, my mind jumped to Clara carrying Time-lord DNA WITH HER WHEN SHE WAS A DALEK. [...] When she jumped into the Doctor's Time-Stream, she was PART of the Doctor, thereby able to find him in all these points (signficant and non). So...the hybrid already happened. *eyes narrow* Interesting. I like your thoughts and wish to subscribe to your newsletter. (I didn't have time to delve as deep as I wish I had, but yeah - Clara is all over Dalek/Time Lord. 'Asylum' starts with the Doctor going to Skaro... (IT'S A TRAP!) To save a woman's daughter. Oooooooh ( ... )
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That's one way to learn about mathematics and psychology.
DOCTOR: Of course, the real question is, where did I get the cup of tea? Answer? I'm the Doctor. Just accept it.
I assumed he had some stocked up in the TARDIS, because it's not like in "The God Complex" where he was in a hotel and he wanted to be prepared.
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Heh. Yes, nicely said. :)
I assumed he had some stocked up in the TARDIS, because it's not like in "The God Complex" where he was in a hotel and he wanted to be prepared.
TARDIS went boom. Where did he get the cup? I don't think the Daleks have cups. And Colony Sarf emptied his pockets... (Don't get me wrong, I love the fact that it's unexplained. Like a magic trick, I don't want to know.)
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I never catch everything on first view. Like, ever. Wish I had time to watch it more than I do...
Maybe it's related to the Twelth Doctor being refered to as a "magician" and will be explained later on.
I think it's very much related to him being a magician, and I don't think it'll be explained at all. :)
How many times has the TARDIS exploded recently?.
Well, this time it was the HADS. So perfectly consistent with in-show rules. Even so, you're right. It does explode a fair bit.
River Song: I hate good wizards in fairy tales; they always turn out to be him.
♥ ♥ ♥
The cups came with the tea?...Lame answer I know. I can't picture Daleks even making a cup of tea like they did in "Victory Of the Daleks".
Yeah, wrong planet. Although... I shall have to rewatch the first Dalek story (with the 1st Doctor). They had trays and everything then.
As for Colony Sarf, I refused to pay attention to his scenes because the character ( ... )
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(Now that you mentioned it btw, I have posted a question for your "Death in Heaven" meta, just so you know).
The scene with the Doctor in Davros's chair was amazing even without all the meta. Because he's NOT OKAY. He won't commit genocide, he doesn't give in to the temptation when Davros presents it, but try telling me all those Daleks in that room weren't in very immediate danger (channelling emotions through a gun, like you said, brilliant, he's waving it around like a maniac) and in a consequent "oh shit, oh shit, what do we do with this crazy fuck" mindset.
By the way, that is one smart-ass Dalek: "Clara Oswald is not alive ". Hey, I didn't say she was *dead*!
(*Very* black humour at its finest, it reminded me of TWORS:
DOCTOR: And they want me dead.
DORIUM: No, not really. They just don't want you to remain alive.
DOCTOR: That's okay, then. I was a bit worried for a minute there. And amazing timing from Davros too, the Doctor gets the greatest "you son of a bitch" ( ... )
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All I can do is to link to previous meta, or this would have been literally endless. SO much there. (Although I'm v. pleased about the deaths.)
(Now that you mentioned it btw, I have posted a question for your "Death in Heaven" meta, just so you know).
Yes I saw. I get email notifications every time someone comments anywhere in my LJ, so don't worry I've not seen something.
The scene with the Doctor in Davros's chair was amazing even without all the meta. Because he's NOT OKAY. He won't commit genocide, he doesn't give in to the temptation when Davros presents it, but try telling me all those Daleks in that room weren't in very immediate danger (channelling emotions through a gun, like you said, brilliant, he's waving it around like a maniac) and in a consequent "oh shit, oh shit, what do we do with this crazy fuck" mindset.
All this. SO not OK. And hey, he's killed a LOT of Daleks in his life. What's one more?
By the way, that is one smart-ass Dalek: "Clara Oswald is not alive ". ( ... )
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Point two: Future REFLECTS and EFFECTS the past. Of course, Twelve has to 'change' Davros to give him the concept of mercy. He was the only Doctor to run into him at that minefield. The state was in flux because HE CHOSE TO LEAVE THE FIRST TIME. Mercy is irrelevant and is reflected at several points in the past. YET...River didn't blink at the concept. I'm sure Eleven wouldn't have either, as being CLOSER to Twelve (in states of being) the flux is resolved at a faster rate. Twelve's actions reflect in his past, but the outward ripples (say for Four or Six) as 'slower' in showing up.
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