Very Late Meta

[stick_poker]

Eleven steals all the scenes, doesn't he? I don't know why I've suddenly noticed this now, but whatever was happening in the scene before he's there, it all quickly gets diverted into what Eleven's doing afterwards.

Nine said 'I'm the Doctor, now forget me' and Rose could have done just that, if she hadn't been looking for some way out of her life

Comments

[elisi]

Promethia sent me here, and now I'm thinking...

Mostly, I'm reminded of this quote by Matt Smith, describing his Doctor:

"He is completely, unconsciously himself, without any compromise," which sums it up exactly. He never worries how others perceive him, he just *is*. Ten, in Midnight, is enjoying being 'just a passenger' (see all of Ten's issues and his desire to be human), but Eleven could never keep up that kind of pretense, nor would he want to. Ten, in many ways, was acting a role a lot of the time, but Eleven finds that impossible.

(This is rambling. But it's quite early. I hope it makes sense...)

ETA: You know, Eleven reminds me of this poem, this bit in particular:

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
And run my stick along the public railings
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
And pick flowers in other people's gardens
And learn to spit.

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
And eat three pounds of sausages at a go
Or only bread and pickle for a week
And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.

[stick_poker]

It was indeed early, and I could have done without this idea keeping me awake for some of last night too, but that definitely makes sense, especially Ten wanting to be human, trying to enjoy being just a passenger.

I'm not quite so certain about Eleven never being able to keep up a pretence. I think there's a way where he's coming across that everything he does is bluster, given the way he's been able to bluff answers to questions like 'why are you taking me with you?' Maybe I'm just naturally suspicious...

[elisi]

Firstly, then I love bendingwind's comment below. Agree a lot. [insert a ton of meta about the Doctor being a storyteller/trickster]

Secondly, then yes, the Doctor lies. A lot. But... *thinks* He lies about things, rather than himself. He doesn't pretend to be something he's not (just look at how that works out in The Lodger, and even then his lies are lies of omission) - his lies are always for a specific *purpose*, not an attempt to hide.

(He lies about his reasons to ask Amy along, because he's trying to work out what's wrong with her. He lies to Amy and Rory about future!almost-dead!Doctor being dead in The Big Bang, because future!almost-dead!Doctor needs time to work on the Pandorica. He lies to the Daleks to try to save the world. But he's always 100% himself in the way he does it... Does that make sense?)

[stick_poker]

Ah, yes; he lies about things, rather than himself, but, is he using what people expect of him to make those lies stick sometimes? He can get away without answering a question properly because he often doesn't bother, just goes on talking about whatever he was going to be talking about, and the question is, when is he doing that because no-one's said anything interesting enough to divert his attention and when is he doing that to avoid the subject that he doesn't want to be drawn on?

[elisi]

Well, that's where the fun begins! ;)

("If I always told you the truth I wouldn't need you to trust me...")

[bendingwind]

Firstly, then I love bendingwind's comment below. Agree a lot. [insert a ton of meta about the Doctor being a storyteller/trickster]

*flutters eyelashes*

I feel like I've been accidentally LJ-stalking you for a while now because apparently most of my f-list is also on yours. XD

On a much more related note: I don't think the Doctor lies more or less than your average person. It just so happens his lies seem more dramatic because they often deal with life and death--well, they would, nearly everything he does is life and death. I can draw considerably less epic parallels to almost all his lies in lies I've told before, and not ones I consider to be huge massive monster lies (a la Veggie Tales). I really do think it's a matter of scale--his life is massively more epic than ours so his lies are necessarily more epic, but I don't think any more severe.

I mean, what would you do if nearly-dead you zapped into the air in front of you, fell down the steps and told you to tell Amy and Rory you were dead to buy time?

[elisi]

*flutters eyelashes*
Well if you want actual meta, then points 8 and 9 from this essay. (For now, at least. *g*)

I feel like I've been accidentally LJ-stalking you for a while now because apparently most of my f-list is also on yours. XD
Heh. Same here. (Also - meta icon snap!) Aaaaand having just had a look at your LJ you have written Spike/Buffy and Eleven/River. I can see why we share a flist! I am now tempted to add you, although I should warn you that my commenting is very random.

his life is massively more epic than ours so his lies are necessarily more epic, but I don't think any more severe.
Oh absolutely! The first example that springs to mind is when Amy is dying in the Byzantium, and the Doctor and River's different tactics:

AMY: So. what's wrong with me?
RIVER: Nothing. you're fine.
DOCTOR: Everything, you're dying.
RIVER: Doctor!
DOCTOR: Yes, you're right, if we lie to her, she'll get all better!

Here the lie does not serve any purpose - other than make Amy feel better - so the Doctor shoots it down immediately... He doesn't tend to think about people's emotions (unless they're part of something bigger), but focusses squarely on the problems. Which is why he has a tendency to be cruel to be kind:

SOPHIE: Why are you saying that? That's horrible.
DOCTOR: Is it true?
SOPHIE: Of course it's not true. I'm not staying in a call centre all my life, I can do anything I want!
The DOCTOR smiles.
SOPHIE: Oh! Yeah! Right! (fist bumps the DOCTOR) (to CRAIG) Oh, my God! Did you see what he just did?

He is very blunt and honest, generally, and his lies are blunt too, I think. (This is v. interesting btw. Thank you!)

I mean, what would you do if nearly-dead you zapped into the air in front of you, fell down the steps and told you to tell Amy and Rory you were dead to buy time?
Indeed.

[bendingwind]

Omg. Meta. That links to more meta. Friends? Random commenting is 100% acceptable.

[promethia_tenk]

Here the lie does not serve any purpose - other than make Amy feel better
I just feel the need to point out that controlling panic *is* a practical purpose. Nothing exacerbates danger like panic . . . as the Doctor proceeds to demonstrate by his own example. Not that 'nothing, you're fine' is a particularly believable lie.

He is very blunt and honest, generally, and his lies are blunt too, I think.
I think more often he probably just sidesteps, rather than outright lying?

[elisi]

I just feel the need to point out that controlling panic *is* a practical purpose.
Very true.

I think more often he probably just sidesteps, rather than outright lying?
Oh absolutely. Real lies tend to take work, and you need to keep track of them. Not answering a question, on the other hand, is just simple and straightforward. :)