Mission Impossible: Clara Oswald in Review – Part 4
Connor Johnston continues his series analysing Clara’s character development over Series 8.
In this series, we’ll be tracking the developments of Clara’s character as she is thrown into the strangest, most dangerous and most amazing environments, and hopefully watch as her popularity in the opinions of the fan base skyrocket. The series now concludes with evaluations of episodes 10-12 in Series 8 as well as the 2014 Christmas Special.
In the Forest of the Night
Because it’s the only way to get you back to the TARDIS, make you think you’re saving someone. Well, you know what, Doctor? This time, the human race is saving you. On behalf of this world, you’re very welcome. Now, go. Save the next one.
Frank Cottrell-Boyce‘s Doctor Who debut is a strange kind of episode, being as it’s an episode in which my personal opinion has changed constantly since its first transmission. While many have debated the episode’s quality, one thing we can hopefully all agree on is the great justice it served Clara’s character. In what I can only describe as an unorthodox, under-appreciated, poetic fairy-tale (been working on that one for a while) we received an alternate and extended glimpse into Clara’s life as a teacher – though this time with a slightly younger age group then we’d previously been introduced to. There is a degree of “carefree-ness” to the way she conducts herself professionally that makes her so approachable in the school hierarchy, but more evident than anything is her striking ability to appear as a genuine point of guidance for her students – specifically evident in this episode through her comical interactions with the character of Ruby. Clara is portrayed as the Carer – not only of her students but also pivotally of the Doctor, though not in the way Capaldi’s comments during “Into the Dalek” would have you believe. In a touching moment where Clara’s duty of care is extended to the Time Lord we see how much, like her students, the Doctor inspires her – but more on that later.
“Into the Forest of the Night” also delves deeper into the wild thicket of Clara and Danny’s relationship when Miss Oswald’s lies finally catch up to her blooming romance. Deception and lies continued to be a massively prominent theme for the entire series – they do feel fairly focused on Clara’s personal story and contribute to the building of her persona as a control freak quite effectively. Leading the life that Clara does instantly comes across as a recipe for disaster for a control freak, and it’s by lying that she’s learns to somehow contain the chaos of her two lives to a controllable level. While her lies have never been intended maliciously, there’s no secret that when she does lose control of them no one is shielded from their consequences, and least of all Danny Pink. By this point in the series their love is no secret to the audience (and thanks to the events of the episode no secret to the children of Coal Hill any longer) – but it’s clear that through the duration of “In the Forest of the Night” Clara gains a very deserved respect and admiration for her boyfriend and also acquires a determination to in turn make herself a better person and a better partner by promising to become completely honest with him and in turn strengthen their bond further come next episode…. *cough* If only the world was not so cruel and Moffafied.
Stunner Soufflé Scene: As much as Series 8 focused on the character development of both Clara and the Doctor separately, it also had a tremendous focus on the evolution of the pair’s dynamic as a double act. The start was anything but smooth sailing, but making it through some temporary turbulence and an ‘almost-parting of ways’ Clara and the Doctor’s relationship emerged stronger than ever before – and it’s in this scene where Clara selflessly convinces the Doctor to leave the seemingly un-saveable earth in a plea for him to continue saving other worlds that this is truly illustrated.
Since the hugging of Glasgow, through the ‘cracks’ forming in their relationship, to the rekindled excitement of surviving the Orient Express: Clara and the Doctor continued to lay the foundations to becoming two friends on two completely equal levels of the dynamic. It’s due to the incredibly strong mutual respect and admiration that Clara has for the Doctor, as well the heroic light she sees him through, that when she convinces him to let the human race save his life and continuing living to inspire and save others as he has inspired and saved her it comes across as one of the most genuine and beautifully motivated scenes in Doctor Who history – perfectly mirroring the dialogue of “Kill the Moon” in such a fulfilling way to truly illustrate how much the cycle of their relationship has evolved in no less than 3 short episodes.
Dark Water / Death in Heaven
I’m not his associate. I’m his best friend. Right now, his best friend, anywhere in the universe. Have you got any sort of Cyber-Internet in there because, really, you should look it up. Look up what happens to you if you harm me.
The crescendo of a Doctor Who finale always involves something major for the main companion at the time. Series 1 saw Rose transform into the Bad Wolf, Series 2-4 saw Rose, Martha and Donna end their regular appearances, Series 5 and 6 saw dramatic domestic disturbances for the Ponds and Series 7 saw Clara sacrifice herself to save the Doctor across all his lives. The greatly upsetting crescendo of Series 8 for Clara was the absence of any triumphant climax in the utterly boring, normal and ordinary (yet still equally as heartbreaking) death of Danny Pink. The character of Danny Pink was one that both Clara and the audience built a strong relationship with throughout the series, and the rawness of his death is something that is both specifically heartbreaking to watch and seemingly the breaking point for Clara. We watch Clara move through the different stages of grief; confusion, depression, anger, longing; before we learn the exact lengths she will go to get Danny back. In an act of total betrayal, we see the broken and afraid Clara threaten the Doctor himself unless he bends the laws of time to save Danny’s life. In a beautiful moment that truly shows how far the pair have come, the Doctor without hesitation forgives Clara: “Do you think I care for you so little that betraying me would make a difference”.
Clara is a character with amazing strength (keep that in mind when I bring it up again later in the piece) and it’s proven constantly in this two-parter either by being abruptly critical in making sure it is in fact Danny she is speaking to in the 3W institute and when she stands up to the Cybermen in a bid to stall and save her own life. However, it just serves to prove how sincere her feelings for Danny are that losing him and then having to watch him suffer and sacrifice himself again in the graveyard is the one thing to totally break her. As the episode draws to a close and any hope of Danny’s survival dissolve for good, it is her strength that once again prevails and has her put the Doctor’s needs in front of her own, giving him up to lead a life she has no idea is not true, ignorant to the fact that he is doing the exact same thing…
Stunner Soufflé Scene: Throughout the entire series and particularly this article I’ve constantly drawn attention to Clara’s strength not only as a character, but as a genuinely portrayed human being. The scene I’ve chosen today is not one that I’m sure anyone expected – but I believe it’s the one scene of the two-parter most crucial to accessing in great detail the depth of her humanity. It’s a scene that not only shows the chaos and anger that overwhelms Clara when her defences go down, but also shows her lose control of herself and the situation and recklessly go to whatever cost, fuelled by anger, to seek a glimpse of revenge.
The Stunner Soufflé is the scene where, having stolen Missy’s weapon earlier in the graveyard, Clara threatens to kill her as soon as she has given the Doctor Gallifrey’s co-ordinates. Gone is the ‘prim and perfect, shallow poster girl’ some would incorrectly have you believe Clara is – and standing before us is the dangerously vulnerable, grieving, angry and hateful woman whose had her love cruelly stolen from her. Clara’s actions have such striking confidence and clarity in this scene. There’s no doubt or fear, and it’s a little bit unsettling. If not for the Doctor stopping her in a bid to ‘save her soul’ there would have been no hesitation in her murder of this ‘creature’ she abruptly robs of any soul or opportunity for mercy. The Doctor’s actions in this scene further illustrate how far the duo have come in the series in terms of caring for each other and the protective nature Capaldi’s Doctor has for Clara. This, married with their ‘Goodbye, Good lie’ send-off scene at the end stressed once again how they both feel an overwhelming duty, as equals, to look out for each other: the best friends in the entire universe.
Last Christmas
I’ve always believed in Santa Claus. But he looks a little different to me.
What’s a better way to conclude the most wonderful day of the year than opening on a pair of now former best friends, separated by deception and closing with the two reunited and ready to face the universe together, hand-in-hand and completely honest with each other. For Clara, “Last Christmas” wasn’t an episode about a polar base under siege, or even a dream-inducing alien threat… it was a story of redemption, closure, acceptance, second chances; and most of all her belief in Santa Claus – though not the one you may be thinking of. As well as tying up the Series 8 themes of “Impossible Heroes” and a dynamic on the rocks, Last Christmas also offered a fulfilling cessation to Clara’s relationship with fallen soldier Danny Pink, giving Clara the moment she needed to fully accept and move on from Danny’s death… but more on that later.
You’ll notice that each quarter of the series has in turn focused strongly on one aspect on the Doctor and Clara’s dynamic. Episodes 1-3 were very much centred on the readjusting of the two travellers to each other’s company, episodes 4-6 were all about Clara fitting the Doctor into her life and episodes 7-9 were massively focused on the breaking apart and re-strengthening relationship between the pair. In case you haven’t picked up one constant theme in these final 3 stories is the gradual equality achieved by such a repaired and strong bond. Both Clara and the Doctor attempted to be the bigger person in the relationship by letting each other go and both have been through the hardships and stages of regret. For the first time in a long time the pair are in a position to fully understand and relate to each other – and it’s a relationship that I can’t wait to see more of in the New Year.
After a stunning episode of suspense, horror and thrill for Clara, the time to awaken has come at last… However, while it’s possibly only been a short amount of time for the Doctor; it’s startlingly been 62 years for Clara since they last parted ways. In that time Clara’s lived her dream life (really that should have been a clue) – she’s travelled around the world, seen wonders, inspired and taught children from all over the (whist regrettably not having any of her own), has even learnt how to fly a plane in fear of a repeat of “The Bells of Saint John” – and most importantly missed the Doctor unconditionally. It’s in this moment, a man who lives all his life burdened by regrets looks towards a woman who’s running out of time to make more mistakes of his own and shames his own stubbornness. In a wonderful turn of events they both receive something he rarely gets or gives: a second chance in a honest and strong relationship, something Clara was robbed of with Danny Pink in the previous episode and something the Doctor has been robbed of so many times before.
One of the final reasons Last Christmas fits so well into the grand narrative of Doctor Who and more specifically Clara’s development is that besides from feeling like the perfect conclusion to a near perfect series, it also simultaneously feels like an invigorating natural start to Series 9 and a new chapter into one of, if not the greatest TARDIS team of all time. For this Christmas at least, the end is just the beginning..
Stunner Soufflé Scene: The sentiment of the entire special is something that really stuck a chord personally with me, but also is perfect in illustrating the audience’s relationship with Clara as well as giving substance to the episodes illusive title. The Stunner Soufflé scene is of course Clara’s “Extra Last Christmas” with Danny Pink, where we once again see the overwhelming chemistry between the pair (even when admittedly one is but a dream construct) create a scene both lovely and emotional, offering a final closure on their relationship. Jenna shines in her scenes with Danny, by tapping into the depth of Clara’s innermost grief and providing a performance that as always is exceptionally memorable. I mentioned earlier about the audience bearing witness to Clara moving through the several stages of grief after losing Danny initially, and it’s in this scene that her desolation reaches it’s natural end in a heart-wrenching acceptance of Danny’s lack of presence in her life.
After an acceptance that Danny is nothing but a figment of Clara’s self-consciousness, the next step is not to forget that pain, but rather to find the right place for it, to let it exist alongside all the other things that life has to offer, to find a way to look back while still moving forward. That’s part of what Danny is getting at when he gives meaning to the episode’s title, explaining that people get together at Christmas because there’s always the chance it might be the last time. “Do you know why people get together at Christmas? Because every time they do, it might be the last time. Every Christmas is last Christmas. And this is ours. This is a bonus! This is extra!” Many indubitably had entered the special valuing each moment with Clara under the pretence this could indeed be our own last Christmas with the character we’ve watched evolve in front of our eyes, however by Santa’s saving grace it seems we too have received an unexpected gift in the form of a brand new series with Clara and the Doctor hitting our screens in 2015.
So ends, in an incredible fashion, Clara and the Doctor’s journey throughout Series 8 and wraps up a sensational series of development for Clara Oswald as a character. This is where the chapter ends, a new one now begins… We have had the time of our lives.
Just like Clara’s time with the Doctor, this series of articles is not coming to an end just yet! Join me early in the New Year with a complete analysis of Clara’s development by comparing her established character in Series 7 and Series 8.
