Doctor Who: Thoughts on the TARDIS and some speculation

[butterfly]

So, I have a sore throat, but this does not stop my enthusiasm for tomorrow's DW!

I mean, you've got a Jack reference right in the bumper trailer ('Volcano day!') and all the plot and character stuff looks very intriguing as well.

As this episode is set in the past, I'm not banking on seeing Rose (of course, I didn't expect to see her in PiC, either!). Since the Doctor (from the trailer) believes that he's landed them in Rome...

The TARDIS is landing in the wrong place again (because, sure, Pompeii was a Roman city, but it certainly wasn't Rome).

With Rose, this happened all the time, starting with The Unquiet Dead and continuing through to The Idiot's Lantern. And I think the Doctor explains a bit of why in TIP/TSP -- when Jefferson says (in a bit of a disbelieving tone), "You're telling me you don't know where you are?" the Doctor replies, "No idea. More fun that way."

For the Doctor and Rose, going places together mattered more than where those specific places were -- this applies to episodes like TIP or TLG where the Doctor and Rose really didn't seem to know where they'd landed until after they got there.

The other (larger) factor, I think, was Bad Wolf. Once Rose made the decision to go on the TARDIS, I think that she was influencing the TARDIS from when she looked into it and guided herself to the right places and times (time being... flexible that way). This would apply to such things as The Unquiet Dead, which sets up the rift to be healed by Gwyneth in such a way that Blon will be drawn to it, thus showing Rose the power of the heart of the TARDIS and leading to Bad Wolf (also, the year gap in AiL can be explained this way -- Rose needed Blon in Cardiff and that meant stopping the Slitheen in London). However, this continued into series two, when the Doctor and Rose land in Scotland in 1879. This leads to the creation of TW and (in this universe) Torchwood's feelings towards the Doctor. And then we have The Idiot's Lantern. I wasn't sure at first how that fit into the pattern -- it doesn't seem relevant to later plot points, so why would BadWolf!Rose bring them there?

And then I remembered. Magpie Electronics, which has notably appeared in two episodes since TIL -- Martha's TV in The Sound of the Drums and the microphone in Voyage of the Damned. I suspect that we may see it again and that it may be important.

When Rose was Bad Wolf, she must have seen what would happen with Torchwood -- she created Jack's immortality and Jack has been needed (not a coincidence that 'Bad Wolf' appeared on the stairs behind Jack and Tosh in Captain Jack Harkness, nor that it appeared in a disguised form behind the Doctor in Gridlock -- both were times when what Rose had done as Bad Wolf were coming into play -- CJH led to Owen mucking with the rift which led to the son of Abbadon and Jack's life force being absolutely necessary to stopping him. Gridlock has the Face of Boe's warning to the Doctor about the Master and, again, it is Rose's creation of Jack's immortality that leads to everything that happens with the Master -- without Bad Wolf, Harold Saxon could not exist). She saw that she would be lost to the parallel world and, likewise, she would have seen that she would come back (though we don't know the extent of that return yet, just with what we saw in PiC). She saw everything -- all that is, all that was, all that ever could be. And she made choices, laid out a path.

She may be still laying out that path, even now.

Comments

[silly-cleo.livejournal.com]

This is really interesting, especially to me right now given we rewatched POTW last night and that line about her seeing all that ever was made me think exactly that, that in that moment she saw how her time with the Doctor would end.

Cool thoughts but I don't have much else to add. Except, Volcano Day! The Jack ref thrilled me. Also, like your icon. Also, just for random, HAI. ^_^

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Thanks! And hi back!

Volcano Day, yay! Random Jack references = Win!

[silly-cleo.livejournal.com]

Just, yeah, feeling sociable. Or something.

EXACTLY! I don't expect Jack himself but some other reference ot his presence would be so much fun. Also, as a classics major, I'm SO EXCITED about Pompeii! And they filmed on the Rome set! *a-flail* I've been waiting for tihs one since, like, Christmas or something.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

I'm really looking forward to it as well. Rome was such a fabulous series and I hope that DW gets some of the genuine flavor that that show captured so well. It looks like they do, from the trailer.

[silly-cleo.livejournal.com]

It really really does. I'm also weirdly (because I normally can take or leave them) really looking forward to the Confidential because they're gonna go round Rome! I love Rome! The city, I mean. I haven't actually seen the series, for which sin I expect to be evicted from my chosen degree any day now.

Also, yet another icon heart.

Also, because I forgot to say in my first comment, I'm sorry about your sore throat! Here, have virtual tea with honey. *nods*

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Thanks for your thoughtfulness! I'm hoping to feel better tomorrow, because my aunt and uncle are visiting.

It really really does. I'm also weirdly (because I normally can take or leave them) really looking forward to the Confidential because they're gonna go round Rome! I love Rome! The city, I mean. I haven't actually seen the series, for which sin I expect to be evicted from my chosen degree any day now.

Plus, David Tennant in shorts!

*coughs*

Yes. I'm looking forward to the Confidential for reasons that are quite deep and not at all shallow.

[silly-cleo.livejournal.com]

Well, better late than never. And I shall keep my fingers crossed for your feeling better! I'd send you to bed but it's what, 3 in the afternoon where you are?

*LOL* NEVER a bad thing! And hey, believe me, my reasons for wanting to see Rome are entirely shallow because I feel about Rome much the way I feel about David Tennant in shorts. Namely=guh pretty!