Historically speaking, I’ve not been much for writing meta, but I am a recovering English major and writing mathematical proofs is really not the same as writing literary analysis. So. Here I am. ( spoilers for )
First off, thank you so much for reccing my fic, it's really sweet of you and i'm glad you enjoyed it so much.
Secondly - good call on the parallels between the Mumford and Son's song and this ep! Because it's all about holding on to what is right and essential - and that thing is so clearly love, rather than fear and rather than hate.
The Doctor is scared. He’s much less gleeful in this episode than in others *nods* I found him quite enigmatic in this ep. He played his cards close to his chest, he gives a lot less away. He seemed jaded and tired. Perhaps not having a full time companion has started to take its toll on him? Too much introspection and introversion. I was particularly surprised when the woman at the start said "They said you'd be able to help" and he replied "Did they? Well, i wish they'd stop". A flippant comment maybe, but when has he ever not wanted to help and to save? And in the end, the sad thing about this ep is that he doesn't actually save anyone, technically. Amy and Rory are here because of association with him in the first place. He can't save Oswin. Okay, he potentially saved lots of people because he helped the Daleks destroy the Asylum, but that's an unknown. I really felt for him by the end of this.
You’re only young once, but they’ve lived so many lives now that it must be getting properly exhausting. I totally agree and while i will be completely and utterly gutted to see them go, i think this is why it's right that they leave this season.
Your whole bit about Amy and Rory made me feel so warm, because you're spot on. That you don't need to go to the Asylum to become a Dalek. That you have to communicate to open the door to love again. And did you also notice Love and Hate written on Amy's knuckles during her photoshoot at the start? That early moment was a nod to the whole theme of the ep.
I have seen people, elsewhere, asking what was so special about Oswin that her mind remained the same. And my answer to that is exactly what you say: she held onto love. She's a really wonderfuk character, she cried but she didn't crumble.
And this is the legacy of the Asylum of the Daleks: the Daleks will not remember the man who killed them, but the Doctor will remember the Dalek who saved him. The Dalek who wasn’t really a Dalek at all but a girl, a human girl. And the weapon she had was love. *applause* That is thoroughly quotable, that last bit. This was a beautiful meta. I love that it is about love, and that you've focused in on that as the theme that holds our characters together.
I'm hoping you'll meta more this series, especially as it's Amy and Rory's final one.
You're very welcome! And thank you for writing such a lovely fic, and for pointing out the song in the first place!
I was particularly surprised when the woman at the start said "They said you'd be able to help" and he replied "Did they? Well, i wish they'd stop". A flippant comment maybe, but when has he ever not wanted to help and to save?
I don't know--I assumed that what he meant was that he wished people would quit talking about him, because he was trying so hard to lie low. But he did say it rather bitterly, didn't he?
while i will be completely and utterly gutted to see them go, i think this is why it's right that they leave this season.
*nods sadly*
I did see the love and hate knuckles. That was a nice touch, and it fit quite naturally with the whole photoshoot thing.
Oswin was wonderful. Doctor Who does the "love saves you from becoming a monster" thing all the time, but this was really fantastically executed.
I wish I knew what I was stealing from Harry Potter! I was never allowed to read it as a kid, and so I just pick up bits of it from internet fandom. :P
And thank you very much! I'm glad you liked it. :) I've never been much for meta before, but I've been writing a lot more since I've not had writing assignments at school anymore, so who knows. :P
And did you also notice Love and Hate written on Amy's knuckles during her photoshoot at the start? That early moment was a nod to the whole theme of the ep.
I hadn't spotted this, but what a lovely, telling, visual!
Secondly - good call on the parallels between the Mumford and Son's song and this ep! Because it's all about holding on to what is right and essential - and that thing is so clearly love, rather than fear and rather than hate.
The Doctor is scared. He’s much less gleeful in this episode than in others
*nods* I found him quite enigmatic in this ep. He played his cards close to his chest, he gives a lot less away. He seemed jaded and tired. Perhaps not having a full time companion has started to take its toll on him? Too much introspection and introversion. I was particularly surprised when the woman at the start said "They said you'd be able to help" and he replied "Did they? Well, i wish they'd stop". A flippant comment maybe, but when has he ever not wanted to help and to save? And in the end, the sad thing about this ep is that he doesn't actually save anyone, technically. Amy and Rory are here because of association with him in the first place. He can't save Oswin. Okay, he potentially saved lots of people because he helped the Daleks destroy the Asylum, but that's an unknown. I really felt for him by the end of this.
You’re only young once, but they’ve lived so many lives now that it must be getting properly exhausting.
I totally agree and while i will be completely and utterly gutted to see them go, i think this is why it's right that they leave this season.
Your whole bit about Amy and Rory made me feel so warm, because you're spot on. That you don't need to go to the Asylum to become a Dalek. That you have to communicate to open the door to love again. And did you also notice Love and Hate written on Amy's knuckles during her photoshoot at the start? That early moment was a nod to the whole theme of the ep.
I have seen people, elsewhere, asking what was so special about Oswin that her mind remained the same. And my answer to that is exactly what you say: she held onto love. She's a really wonderfuk character, she cried but she didn't crumble.
And this is the legacy of the Asylum of the Daleks: the Daleks will not remember the man who killed them, but the Doctor will remember the Dalek who saved him. The Dalek who wasn’t really a Dalek at all but a girl, a human girl. And the weapon she had was love.
*applause* That is thoroughly quotable, that last bit.
This was a beautiful meta. I love that it is about love, and that you've focused in on that as the theme that holds our characters together.
I'm hoping you'll meta more this series, especially as it's Amy and Rory's final one.
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I was particularly surprised when the woman at the start said "They said you'd be able to help" and he replied "Did they? Well, i wish they'd stop". A flippant comment maybe, but when has he ever not wanted to help and to save?
I don't know--I assumed that what he meant was that he wished people would quit talking about him, because he was trying so hard to lie low. But he did say it rather bitterly, didn't he?
while i will be completely and utterly gutted to see them go, i think this is why it's right that they leave this season.
*nods sadly*
I did see the love and hate knuckles. That was a nice touch, and it fit quite naturally with the whole photoshoot thing.
Oswin was wonderful. Doctor Who does the "love saves you from becoming a monster" thing all the time, but this was really fantastically executed.
I wish I knew what I was stealing from Harry Potter! I was never allowed to read it as a kid, and so I just pick up bits of it from internet fandom. :P
And thank you very much! I'm glad you liked it. :) I've never been much for meta before, but I've been writing a lot more since I've not had writing assignments at school anymore, so who knows. :P
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I hadn't spotted this, but what a lovely, telling, visual!
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