A Good Man Goes to War

[vervet_monkey]

 I watched last nights Doctor Who at the Union cinema. This was as epic and awesome as it sounds, and is the way all Who should be watched ever.

I loved the episode itself, although satisfaction wore off quickly as all the unanswered questions began to dawn on me. But here is picspammy review:

 

 

Amy and baby was a sweet scene. Although I am surprised Amy didn't fight to keep hold of Melody more, rather had complete faith in the idea that they would get her back. No matter what. The words themselves were quite beautiful, they reminded me of the clichéd scene where the Mother sends the child to do something scary, but I don't really mind.

I also completely fell for Amy's description of Rory as the Doctor. But then we get:

And all is forgiven. The delivery of that line makes me scared of Rory. Which shows quite how much his character has developed. And makes me love him that little bit more.

 

 

 

Initially, on a completely shallow note, how amazing does River look in this scene. 

 

Rewatching this scene plays on so many more levels than without knowing who River is. It becomes her telling her Father about her birthday, but the sadness in it worries me. Part of me thinks that it is in fact Rory that River kills, rather than the Doctor. Of course it may be that she knows he is about to go through losing his child and fighting to get her back. But I think there may be more than that. 

 

 

Creepy rhymes are creepy. 

 

I like the idea of the Doctor calling in favours and ending up with an assorted band of followers. Them all agreeing to work together raises questions, but then I guess they are the more tolerant in accepting the Doctor in the first place. Either that or the Doctor has them scared.

 

 

Hooded cloaks, we just know he's going to be under there somewhere. I quite like the idea of military religion, kind of makes sense. Both require sacrifice and complete belief in what you are told, above what anyone else may tell you. I am wondering where the Clerics fit in with River though. They were holding her hostage (or at least involved in), and they were who she was working for at the crash of the Byzantium. I kind of feel agreeing to work for the people that kidnapped your Mother and tried to turn you into a weapon is a little odd, even if you are in prison, and to be honest, if you can break out of prison when you please, why bother unless you wanted to?

 

And again with Elevens distaste for the human. It intrigues me. Is it actually new, or is it him trying to distance himself, so convincing himself he does not approve of the human?

 

 

This sends shivers down my spine. Eleven is dark, darker than Nine or Ten. And he's aware of it too, I think. That bubbly excitable puppy is hiding something. I'm thinking maybe we haven't moved on quite as far from Ten as he would like us to believe. Repressed anger that he's trying to get over, or at least seem to get over. And it looks like it might do him some damage on the way too.

 

 

I can't be the only one seeing parallels between this and the Doctor wielding the electric toothbrush in The Lodger? No, just me? OK then.

 

I'm glad Amy is fighting now.  I guess I can go with she knew they wouldn't hurt Melody, they want her alive, but she could be hurt in the cross fire, but they don't want her, so she can fight now. Rorys speech the other side of the door makes me giggle. I can see him in my head trying to juggle baby and work out how to get the door open while getting caught up in his robes.

 

 

*Melts* Rory and baby. Awwwwww. And 'Mrs Williams' made me smile too. In my head he is Rory Pond, rather than Amy Amy Williams. This scene was kind of like, no, this is my wife, and I will fight for her, Doctor be damned! Like I said, I love the growth of Rory this season.

 

 

Yeah, so I included that picture mostly because, Rory! I don't have much more to say other than, awwwwwww, family of Ponds :)

 

 

The Doctor is also taking Rory more seriously too it seems. Perhaps because he is a centurion? A figure is more easy to relate to for the Doctor than when he sees him as a human only?

 

This scene sort of reiterates that Ganger!Amy on the TARDIS was just an avatar, not sentient like the others. I assume to explain why the Doctor could kill her. Amy does seem to only remember one reality, not both. The bit about not knowing if they could overhear also perhaps explains why the Doctor couldn't tell Ganger!Amy what was going on and what he was going to do, for fear that they would work it out too and take some other action (I'm not sure what, as they weren't going to kill her...)

 

 

Yes, our Doctor is not the most level headed when he is angry is he (See: Waters of Mars). I also love this line somewhat.

 

 

Oh Eleven how I love you. Although as I've said before, I don't think he is really as naive as he makes out (Elizabeth I anyone?). So baby really does have a time head. And I guess as they still have her she will have more of a time head as we go on. I'm a little fuzzy on Timelord ageing though? I assume (and am therefore probably wrong) that the child at the end of DoM was River. So they can regenerate as children. So then do their child bodies age at what rate? Slower than human I assume. And at what point does that stop and they just bumble along regenerating? Right now we have our youngest body ever inhabited by our oldest Doctor ever, how does that work? I'm guessing these are questions that don't actually get answered either...
 

Also, the Doctor assumes that the child in the spacesuit is Melody (and therefore River). I suppose just because the Doctor assumes it doesn't make it right, but assuming that means that River knew what was going on with regard to that throughout DoM. I may have to go back and watch with that in mind I think. 

 

 

Very similar to Davros in JE. And still accurate, whatever the Doctor would like to believe. I would like to think that given that this keeps being drummed into him we will begin to see a different Doctor, not one that pushes humanity away, but not one who manipulates it to the extent Ten did either. 

 

 

*hugs Amy* I kind of think that part of Amy would want to be out there fighting, but the bigger part needs to protect her daughter. Again this shows how much their relationship has grown, not so long ago Amy would not have let Rory go. Nor would he have wanted to. Now he is awesome epic fighting guy. I like. 

 

 

And to return to the shallow, he looks damn good doing it too!

 

 

OK, so Melody being flesh? Completely didn't see it, I suck at predicting things. Which is quite nice, I get surprised! 

 

So did they just have very few monks to actually fight? Because they seemed to get rid very quickly. I guess they were just too keep them occupied? 

 

Karen plays Amy's anger at the Doctor wonderfully. You can feel the contempt, which while not actually (entirely) at the Doctor, gets directed his way anyway. 

 

The Doctors anger at River was also justified. You can tell he feels let down, disappointed. As he should, he knows no better yet. But I'll let Rivers speech talk for itself

 

 

I have all sorts of love for that entire speech. I like the idea that the Doctor didn't choose his name because it means healer, but that it means healer because he chose it. Also highlights the Doctors entanglement with the Universe, human and otherwise. He cannot escape it, however he pushes humanity away, it is connected to him as he is to it.

 

 

Again I was one of the people that needed to be hit round the head with this before I got it. And then I was like, well, duh, she's called Melody Pond! And of course it asks as many questions as it answers, but as far as a non-answer goes I am happy with it. And it would be a shame to stop speculating now! I did have the very amusing image of Amy and Rory being all 'Have her home by 10' to the Doctor. And I need to go and rewatch all of the episodes with River and re-work out what might be (so probably isn't) going on. 

 

 

So, like I said, I watched this in a cinema. So we're all sat there a little in shock trying to digest and put this into our own head-cannons, then this comes onto the screen. Cue laughter. Only Doctor Who.

 

I imagine I will be back with questions later. But that review has taken up the entire of the afternoon and I need to go start dinner, so not right now! Overall I liked the episode, and am happy with the answers we have got. Not impressed at waiting until September now, but never mind!

 

Edited to fix formatting (I hope!)
 

 

Comments

[locker-monster.livejournal.com]

Mmm, Rory... Can he wear the armour all the time now? :-D

Man, I totally missed that sub-text in River and Rory's conversation. She's talking to her dad, but she's talking to her dad on her birthday. Something tells me Rory and Amy missed out on a lot of birthdays because of all this madness. I'm tempted to go back and see if River acted any different when she was around Amy and Rory.

Another interesting thing about Rory is how he treats the Doctor now. He tells him, the last Time Lord in the universe, to come back instead of running off and the Doctor listens. It's the same when the Doctor asks Rory's permission to hug Amy. I think their friendship reached a new level during that month. Rory wasn't just following the Doctor around. They were fighting together, side by side.

I want some icons of bad ass Centurion Rory now.

[vervet-monkey.livejournal.com]

Mmm, Rory... Can he wear the armour all the time now?

I know right!

Rory is getting more awesome on all sorts of levels. I wasn't too keen on him in S5, now he is by far my favourite of team TARDIS. Amy's description of Rory puts him on the same level as the Doctor, obviously to make us all want to throw things at the screen, but it works too.

So much Rory love!

[the-willows.livejournal.com]

This is quality, all of it. Hat's off to you! ♥

[vervet-monkey.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[chloris67.livejournal.com]

This is a wonderful picspam of the episode! I love the pictures and quotes you picked. I agree with a lot of what you said here. Rory is awesome, Eleven is very dark, and there are too damn many unanswered questions! :D

[vervet-monkey.livejournal.com]

Rory is awesome, Eleven is very dark, and there are too damn many unanswered questions!

I think that describes this season pretty well!