DW 9.05. The Girl Who Died

[elisi]

Sorry this is so late, and scattered/basic. But it’s been a busy week... Mostly I'm just skimming the surface, picking out the main things I can see, without delving below in any kind of detail.

OTOH then Vikings/Norse mythology is stuff I am good with. (Nordic girl here.)

Comments

[elisi]

My reaction to the Doctor's decision to save Ashildr. *points at icon*
Yeah, you're not wrong... Like, it's 100% understandable, BUT.

My tagline for this episode on Tumblr is "That distant WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING is Jack Harkness btw".
LOL. (And oh my god, please Santa Moff give us Ashildr/Jack. Or at least Ashildr AND Jack.)

I don't think Jack was exactly forgiving but they were stuck at the end of the universe and trying to save the rest of the human race. That tends to focus you somewhat. He still gave the Doctor some verbal hell for it.
Well, he was also hero-worshipping the Doctor/in love. And from what I saw of the next time trailer, Ashildr relegates the Doctor to 'sidekick', whereas Jack was always grateful to tag along. But then Jack was screwed up before he found the Doctor, whereas Ashildr was very secure in her place in the world.

This episode was the opposite of the previous two: seemed very simple and yet produced a WEALTH of reflection
*nods a LOT* I've been BUSY, but also just been trying to sort through stuff in my head and I only just began to get s grasp of everything now...

Lofty reminded me so much of Rory, the blacksmith with a baby...
There are a lot of Rory-mirrors. Bennett was another. I like that. Men who are comfortable not being testosterone-fulled meatheads.

and of course the Doctor had to get involved once a child started crying.
!!! I can't believe I didn't think of that. Of course.

[sea_thoughts]

Oh yes, completely understandable. But also wallbangingly bad.

Well, he was also hero-worshipping the Doctor/in love. And from what I saw of the next time trailer, Ashildr relegates the Doctor to 'sidekick', whereas Jack was always grateful to tag along. But then Jack was screwed up before he found the Doctor, whereas Ashildr was very secure in her place in the world.

Jack wanted explanations because he was brought back 'by accident' as it were and only the Doctor could actually tell him what happened. Rose couldn't control the power of the TARDIS and he was a victim of that, but it came from a pure place. The Doctor's not directly responsible for his resurrection (just for running away and judging Jack as being 'wrong'). Whereas he IS directly responsible for Ashildr's resurrection and his motives were... not exactly pure, either. His intentions were good but then they usually are... He deliberately brought Ashildr back... and then he left. He abandoned her. *sigh*

And oh my god, please Santa Moff give us Ashildr/Jack. Or at least Ashildr AND Jack.

That would be wonderful.

[elisi]

Oh yes, completely understandable. But also wallbangingly bad.
Yup.

Jack wanted explanations because he was brought back 'by accident' as it were and only the Doctor could actually tell him what happened. Rose couldn't control the power of the TARDIS and he was a victim of that, but it came from a pure place.
Yes. Rose didn't understand what she was doing.

Whereas he IS directly responsible for Ashildr's resurrection and his motives were... not exactly pure, either. His intentions were good but then they usually are... He deliberately brought Ashildr back... and then he left. He abandoned her. *sigh*
It's a sort of combination of Jack (in what happened) & Waters of Mars (in the Doctor's actions). There's also the fact that he did for Ashildr exactly what he refused to do for Danny...

That would be wonderful.
Ashildr/Clara would also be quite acceptable!

[sea_thoughts]

There's also the fact that he did for Ashildr exactly what he refused to do for Danny...

I hadn't thought of that. But he doesn't feel responsible for Danny's death in the way he obviously does for Ashildr's. At least Danny had a choice about coming back or not. Ashildr and Jack didn't.

[elisi]

I hadn't thought of that. But he doesn't feel responsible for Danny's death in the way he obviously does for Ashildr's.
True. But he gets people killed ALL THE TIME...

At least Danny had a choice about coming back or not. Ashildr and Jack didn't.
Well, he did eventually. Not when Missy 'upgraded' him - although he then had the option to sacrifice himself.

[sea_thoughts]

True! I guess the question is why was Ashildr different? What made him want to bring her back?

Well, he did eventually. Not when Missy 'upgraded' him - although he then had the option to sacrifice himself.

He didn't have a choice about the 'upgrade', no. And I still wonder if Missy was behind the wheel of that car which knocked him down.

[elisi]

True! I guess the question is why was Ashildr different? What made him want to bring her back?
Maybe he saw himself in her? The outsider, with a head full of stories, yet deeply attached to her home and her place int he world. Like him, but better. Also there's probably a case of the straw that broke the camel's back.

He didn't have a choice about the 'upgrade', no. And I still wonder if Missy was behind the wheel of that car which knocked him down.
Oh I'm convinced she was culpable.

MISSY: Cos she's perfect, innit? The control freak and the man who should never be controlled. You'd go to hell if she asked. And she would.

[sea_thoughts]

Ah yes. If the Doctor is "the man who should never be controlled", I always thought Danny was "the man who could not be controlled". Not by the Cybermind... and not by Clara, either.

[elisi]

Good point.

[promethia_tenk]

and of course the Doctor had to get involved once a child started crying.
!!! I can't believe I didn't think of that. Of course.
I woke up thinking about that, and when I got to the keyboard? *swish* Right out of my head. *headdesk*

[elisi]

Glad it's not just me...

(I will write notes on Post Its at work, just to make sure I don't forget random thoughts/insights.)