Doctor Who: 3x13 "Last of the Time Lords"
Jul. 1st, 2007 01:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kerravonsenI'm glad that intimations from my flist led me to expect less of this episode...
...because Rusty went and pulled another Doctor!Sue on us. (sigh)
That was really irritating.
Well, half-irritating. The idea of using the Archangel network against the Master was actually a reasonably nify idea. And Faithful Martha going around the globe telling stories, that also was nifty.
Using it to regenerate the Doctor and give him god-like powers is just too cheesy, though. (And Super-aged Doctor was even more meh than Aged-Doctor. Meh.)
Especially since the real solution turned out to be destroying the Paradox Machine. With bullets? When it could have destroyed the Earth? Dumb, really dumb. If that was the solution, why the heck didn't they just destroy it before they got caught in the first place? Dumb, dumb, dumb.
The origin of the Toclafane was a nice twist, I think. Ties it back with "Utopia", explains the Master's contempt at the idea -- not that he'd hatched his plan yet, but it was certainly twisted enough.
Then we come to the Defeat Scene. Shows what a long, suffering year it's been that all the Joneses vow that they're going to kill the Master (and like, Mr. and Mrs. Jones kissing because Mr. Jones swears he's going to do it, not her... ah, hatred, thou art a forge). And the other irony, that the Legendary Martha rumoured to be the only one who could kill the Master -- all these people, all over the world, thinking that the death of the Master would solve everything (whereas it really wouldn't have -- remember, real solution was the "break the Paradox Machine and it will all have been a dream" one).
My friend Jonathan doesn't like Ten that much, because of the way that he's so "Aren't I clever! Look at me being clever!" like a boy; and the way he's patronizing (yes, Nine was a little like that, but not as much as Ten). And geeze, he'd have a lot of ammunition for this one, how ruddy more patronizing could Ten get "Yep, I'm going to lock him up in my TARDIS because he's My Responsibility." (sigh)
Of course we knew that the Doctor would persuade Mrs. Jones not to shoot. And then Lucy Saxon does it instead. Way to go, Lucy!
The slashers are going to have a field day over the Doctor crying over the Master's death.
Then we have that scene at the end, with someone with red nails picking up the Master's ring, and the echo of the Master's laughter. Yes, folks, he's NOT gone for good.
Was that person Lucy Saxon? If so, I can see two possible reasonings:
A) Lucy Saxon fell out of love with the Master, after he slapped her around too much. Evidence for this is discolouration on her face (bruises?), and her expression when the Master isn't looking -- distaste and fear. Also the fact that she said "Doctor" along with the others, as evidence that she'd switched sides. She shot him because she hated him, and she just couldn't take it any more. This doesn't explain why she picked up the ring -- unless it was someone else, not Lucy, who picked up the ring.
B) It Was All A Plot. Lucy Saxon is still working with her beloved Harry, and shot him as part of his contingency plan, knowing that he'd never get away unless the Doctor really thought he was dead. Lucy pretended to switch sides (by saying "Doctor" when it looked as if the Master was losing), and shot him when Mrs. Jones didn't. It explains why the Master dared Mrs. Jones to shoot him, because he knew he had his Plan B; and why he refused to regenerate. Then Lucy went and picked up his ring as he'd instructed her to, after the bonfire was over.
Neither of these theories fit all the facts, though.
Jack is the Face of Boe? No wai! Maybe? Ick.
Predictions that came true: (see here and here for some)
- "The only way that Martha will be allowed to save the day will be to rescue and un-age the Doctor, so that he can save the day." (sigh)
- the Toclafane were from the year 100 trillion (I just didn't figure out the rest of it)
- "The Master will appear to be utterly defeated, but we will get some clever hint that he may have escaped after all"
- "The Doctor and the Master end up fighting at the top of a mountain cataract"
- Martha left the Doctor (![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
watervole called that right)
Dagnabbit, I didn't want Martha to leave! (pouts) Though her reasons for leaving were sound.
I'm getting very irritated at Ten. Or maybe it's Rusty I should be getting irritated at.
Y'know, Doctor, you don't deserve Martha. Stupid fool you are, Doctor. (pouts some more)
I'm not looking forward to the Christmas Special... Rusty, it's time you changed jobs.
...because Rusty went and pulled another Doctor!Sue on us. (sigh)
That was really irritating.
Well, half-irritating. The idea of using the Archangel network against the Master was actually a reasonably nify idea. And Faithful Martha going around the globe telling stories, that also was nifty.
Using it to regenerate the Doctor and give him god-like powers is just too cheesy, though. (And Super-aged Doctor was even more meh than Aged-Doctor. Meh.)
Especially since the real solution turned out to be destroying the Paradox Machine. With bullets? When it could have destroyed the Earth? Dumb, really dumb. If that was the solution, why the heck didn't they just destroy it before they got caught in the first place? Dumb, dumb, dumb.
The origin of the Toclafane was a nice twist, I think. Ties it back with "Utopia", explains the Master's contempt at the idea -- not that he'd hatched his plan yet, but it was certainly twisted enough.
Then we come to the Defeat Scene. Shows what a long, suffering year it's been that all the Joneses vow that they're going to kill the Master (and like, Mr. and Mrs. Jones kissing because Mr. Jones swears he's going to do it, not her... ah, hatred, thou art a forge). And the other irony, that the Legendary Martha rumoured to be the only one who could kill the Master -- all these people, all over the world, thinking that the death of the Master would solve everything (whereas it really wouldn't have -- remember, real solution was the "break the Paradox Machine and it will all have been a dream" one).
My friend Jonathan doesn't like Ten that much, because of the way that he's so "Aren't I clever! Look at me being clever!" like a boy; and the way he's patronizing (yes, Nine was a little like that, but not as much as Ten). And geeze, he'd have a lot of ammunition for this one, how ruddy more patronizing could Ten get "Yep, I'm going to lock him up in my TARDIS because he's My Responsibility." (sigh)
Of course we knew that the Doctor would persuade Mrs. Jones not to shoot. And then Lucy Saxon does it instead. Way to go, Lucy!
The slashers are going to have a field day over the Doctor crying over the Master's death.
Then we have that scene at the end, with someone with red nails picking up the Master's ring, and the echo of the Master's laughter. Yes, folks, he's NOT gone for good.
Was that person Lucy Saxon? If so, I can see two possible reasonings:
A) Lucy Saxon fell out of love with the Master, after he slapped her around too much. Evidence for this is discolouration on her face (bruises?), and her expression when the Master isn't looking -- distaste and fear. Also the fact that she said "Doctor" along with the others, as evidence that she'd switched sides. She shot him because she hated him, and she just couldn't take it any more. This doesn't explain why she picked up the ring -- unless it was someone else, not Lucy, who picked up the ring.
B) It Was All A Plot. Lucy Saxon is still working with her beloved Harry, and shot him as part of his contingency plan, knowing that he'd never get away unless the Doctor really thought he was dead. Lucy pretended to switch sides (by saying "Doctor" when it looked as if the Master was losing), and shot him when Mrs. Jones didn't. It explains why the Master dared Mrs. Jones to shoot him, because he knew he had his Plan B; and why he refused to regenerate. Then Lucy went and picked up his ring as he'd instructed her to, after the bonfire was over.
Neither of these theories fit all the facts, though.
Jack is the Face of Boe? No wai! Maybe? Ick.
Predictions that came true: (see here and here for some)
- "The only way that Martha will be allowed to save the day will be to rescue and un-age the Doctor, so that he can save the day." (sigh)
- the Toclafane were from the year 100 trillion (I just didn't figure out the rest of it)
- "The Master will appear to be utterly defeated, but we will get some clever hint that he may have escaped after all"
- "The Doctor and the Master end up fighting at the top of a mountain cataract"
- Martha left the Doctor (
watervole called that right)Dagnabbit, I didn't want Martha to leave! (pouts) Though her reasons for leaving were sound.
I'm getting very irritated at Ten. Or maybe it's Rusty I should be getting irritated at.
Y'know, Doctor, you don't deserve Martha. Stupid fool you are, Doctor. (pouts some more)
I'm not looking forward to the Christmas Special... Rusty, it's time you changed jobs.
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no subject
Date: 2007-07-01 06:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-01 08:38 am (UTC)That was my assumption.
Literally true (though you could argue that it was Jack who ultimately saved the day), but I think a very misleading summary of the episode, the greater part of which was devoted to Martha being very heroic.
That was my assumption.
<q>"The only way that Martha will be allowed to save the day will be to rescue and un-age the Doctor, so that he can save the day." </q>
Literally true (though you could argue that it was Jack who ultimately saved the day), but I think a very misleading summary of the episode, the greater part of which was devoted to Martha being very heroic.
<q<>Dagnabbit, I didn't want Martha to leave! (pouts) Though her reasons for leaving were sound.
</q>
They may just have been teasing us, since they left themselkves with an opportunity to bring her back.
One other thought: With no time machine, the Master is going to be stuck in our time for a while. I wouldn't be surprised to see him appear in the second season of Torchwood.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-01 10:38 am (UTC)Good point.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-02 02:21 am (UTC)I thought he was leaving the show?
no subject
Date: 2007-07-02 04:55 am (UTC)But at least, according to this press release, Martha's going to be back.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-02 11:57 am (UTC)I get House before you do you know. Careful! (-8
I could've sworn he'd confirmed it. Must've missed the rumor debunking. :)
no subject
Date: 2007-07-02 09:01 pm (UTC)You said series 3 spoilers!
Date: 2007-07-02 10:08 pm (UTC)non-sequitur
Date: 2007-07-02 11:10 am (UTC)Re: non-sequitur
Date: 2007-07-02 11:33 am (UTC)