Anticipating The Name of the Doctor
Guest contributor Noah Fischel prepares for the end of Series 7.
Well then, beautiful friends. It’s been riveting. An absolute thrill ride. We’ve been from alien worlds to ghostly houses. Hacking teams to theme parks full of an evil Silver Nemesis (ha, see what I did there)? And with all that, it’s hard to believe that this series has come to an end once again. But in the (recently) fabled words of Moffat:
“We’re not going to dwell on the past. It’s all about looking toward the future.”
So, what does the Moff have planned for us that will secure the future? What do we have waiting for us on Trenzalore? Who is Clara Oswald and that zany alien we know as “The Doctor”? In short, what am I (and hopefully you, if you haven’t fallen asleep yet) looking forward to for the end of this roller coaster that is, or was, or may be, Series 7?
The Doctor
What’s he in for?
The Doctor, more than anyone, has the most to lose. His greatest secret will be revealed! How do you beat that? Honestly, I may be taking back my previously stated point of thinking that Moffat won’t reveal it. If you listen closely to the TV trailer you’ll hear:
Simeon(?): What is your name?
Doctor(?): It’s-
(???????): NOOOOOOOOO!
So then, there’s that. But there is also the possibility that it’s not just his name getting revealed. Combing through the internet, I’ve found some great fan theories and my favourites so far have been:
- The Doctor isn’t truly the last of the Time Lords and there are some Time Lords still out there.
- THE Doctor is actually dead and our favourite Time Lord is really an imposter.
- Trenzalore is a copy of Gallifrey that the Doctor made to keep the “good” Time Lords safe and sound.
As you can see, the ones that I have highlighted have to do with the Time Lords, which is what I am really hoping for. We’ve also got post-Library River Song (sort of). She’s dead. So she can’t truly return, but having a River Song that knows all she can and a Doctor that knows almost everything too will be a welcome sight. They will both be up to speed on almost everything (if they get to converse with each other) and there won’t be any secrets or spoilers with each other.
Clara ‘Oswin’ Oswald
Or whoever she is. We’ve been in her presence pretty much since the first episode of Series 7. Oswin Oswald saved the Doctor, then died. Clara Oswald, Victorian Barmaid, saved the Doctor… And… Also died. Clara Oswald, Modern-day nanny, has traveled with the Doctor…. And died (in an alternate timeline when she burned in the Eye of Harmony, but that’s another story). Clara is in every way, shape, and form, the “Impossible Girl”. She’s also been the perfect thing for the Doctor. A mystery wrapped in a tight skirt and an astonishing help. I don’t appreciate the negative feedback people give her. In my opinion, she’s slowly becoming the best companion since Sarah Jane and has had a phenomenal characterization. The dynamic that her and the Doctor have (referring to her being a “full time companion,” but also remembering she has duties to attend to at home) is a great way to show how well a truly modern girl can be for the Doctor.
What’s she in for?
Resisting every urge in my mind to do so, I have gone against reading Clara’s true identity and spoiling the episode for myself, so this part is based solely on what my mind has concocted for her arc.
The thing I’ve realized about Clara is that, even though she’s still pretty important, she doesn’t have very much to lose on Trenzalore. In fact, from what I think (and many fan theories out there NOT SPOILERS), she has something to gain. What if she’s the one that learns the Doctor’s name? That would make her one of a very select few that know it. Of course, we could all just follow the Cartmel Masterplan and think that he’s the Other from Time Lord mythology and accept his nickname of Theta Sigma, but it seems that RTD and now Moffat are going their own way for the Doctor’s life.
We also finally figure out the mystery she represents. What she is, what she was, and what she will be. Among the fan theories, there are:
- She’s the Doctor’s daughter (This theory would obviously be voiced).
- She’s a projection from the Library so that River can help the Doctor.
- She’s an altered flesh avatar of someone who needs the Doctor’s help.
None of those sound plausible in my mind, but I’d be hard pressed to find another explanation. If anything, she’s the mystery I want solved most of all. I just hope it’s something simple. Anything else, like a “She’s the most important girl in the universe and things revolve around her” plot line would probably make things complicated/awkward in the TARDIS for the 50th anniversary and Series 8.
The Paternoster Gang
The Paternoster Gang, made up of kick-ass chambermaid Jenny, lesbian lizard-woman Vastra, and comedic war hero Strax, are quite possibly my absolute favourite of returning characters during the Eleventh Doctor’s era. They, essentially, are like a family and getting to see a family that is made up of quite different people, each affected by the Doctor in their own ways, is an interesting sight to see. They all make a great team together and it is a wonderful addition each time they are featured.
What are they in for?
Not much is known about their roles in the finale, and I think it’s better that way. The only true glimpse of how they affect the plot is watching Strax about to brawl with Vastra (which would be fun to watch). In a fight between swordswoman Vastra and Sontaran veteran Strax, I’m not truly sure who would win (mainly because of Strax’s slight loss of marbles). We do know they get kidnapped from the plot synopsis, so we have that in store for us, but only time will tell for them.
And there we have it. My final thoughts leading to the finale. What is true and what isn’t? At the time of writing this, comments have been disabled on the site due to fear of spoilers from the leaked finale DVD’s, but when the comments return, I would enjoy discussing (or, Disqus… ha) with you guys about the finale. Here’s to looking forward!
