The Pandorica Opens

[st_aurafina]

Did you see on the cliff? It said 'Theta Sigma' in big old letters! *loves to pieces*



(Sigma Theta is the Doctor's nickname from university. This gives me a very happy glowing feeling, either that River knew him at university, or that she knew him well enough that he told her the name.)

This episode rang all my bells - smart, timey-wimey twisty story telling, careful interlacing into other episodes, utterly random but delightful cameos, someone other than the Doctor flying the TARDIS and flying it capably, Daleks that aren't the main point of the story, alternate histories. I love that the Moff can basically make the universe revolve around Amy without making her a special snowflake. I love the utterly creepy atmosphere when River was prowling around Amy's house. The picture!



At first I thought "Oh, brilliant! This means that Auton!Rory will get to go back with Amy and have a life! That's nice, and I totally accept it as a sentimental way to bring Rory back to life, because it's creepy and Amy will call him her Real Life doll, and laugh." Then I thought "Oh, no, wait. Rory's there BECAUSE of the photo. The Alliance saw it, and assimilated it into Amy's mythology, and that's why there has to be a Roman!Rory at Stonehenge." So, I don't know. But I like that I don't know.

When we first saw the Pandorica, I said "There'd bloody better not be Daleks in that thing". Because I am still sorely disappointed by the Genesis Ark being full of Daleks, and not, say, Romana. And it was fairly obvious that it had to be the Doctor in there, but whether it was blue-braces!Doctor that we saw cruising through The Time of Angels/Flesh and Stone, or some evil!Doctor, I didn't know. I did not pick that this was the first time the Pandorica has opened. And hence I am heartened by the fact that we know River will see him again when the Pandorica opens again to let him out. I'm really fascinated to know how it all works out. I am quite worried about the Good Man that River is going to kill, and for the first time I'm starting to wonder if it isn't going to be the Doctor.

The closing sequence, all in slow motion, with River desperately trying to land the TARDIS, and Rory fighting a losing battle with the Nestene consciousness - oh, my heart. That was beautiful, and wracking, and I could watch it a hundred times over.

It feels weird but good to look forward to the next episode, after several years of disappointment. RTD did not have the knack of carrying his awesome ideas through to a second episode, but Moffatt has a better track record for me.

I love the irony of Jack losing his hand when they took his Vortex Manipulator. I have a fantastic image of him minus one hand, trying to figure out how to wank left-handed. (I'm sure he'll figure it out. With a lot of practice. Maybe someone will lend him a hand?)

Oh, wow, I am way too drunk to be posting. I really, really hope that I can make the spoiler cut work...

Comments

[senmut]

It sounds interesting.

[st_aurafina]

It was! The Moff writes excellent time travel, he knows how to twist up timelines and play with the drama. It was one of the best episodes of the season.

[eumelia]

I'm quite sure his hand would grow back...

I'm waiting for fic on this! It is so obviously Jack, what with describing him as handsome.

I really want Jack and River to meet... two 51st Century Awesomecakes!

[st_aurafina]

I think it probably would, too - though perhaps a little slower than post-regenerative Ten's did.

It was definitely Jack, it had to be!

[lunarwolfik]

"Oh, brilliant! This means that Auton!Rory will get to go back with Amy and have a life! That's nice, and I totally accept it as a sentimental way to bring Rory back to life, because it's creepy and Amy will call him her Real Life doll, and laugh."

Exactly! Because Auton!Rory, while not as awesome as a Real Human!Rory, is still much much better than no Rory at all. And the fact that it ties back to the Robot Doctor from the WWII ep makes it a lot more plausible. And makes that part of the episode make a lot more sense because it had Plot Purposes!

Plus she could dress him up and call him a Ken Doll.

I was also thinking that it was Evil!Doctor (like Evil Dream!Doctor) but, alas, no. Although it was fun seeing the whole thing turned on it's head with something being put IN the box instead of COMING OUT of it. I was also so glad it wasn't full of Daleks. Because while Daleks are scary scary things, the fact that they are ALWAYS the big bad gets kind of old after a little while.

The closing scene was EPIC and WONDERFUL.

[st_aurafina]

And the fact that it ties back to the Robot Doctor from the WWII ep makes it a lot more plausible. And makes that part of the episode make a lot more sense because it had Plot Purposes!

OMG, yes! This makes so much sense!

The closing scene was EPIC and WONDERFUL.

It was! The whole episode was a visual feast.