Doctor Who 4x13: Journey's End

[butterfly]

Well, here it is -- the last episode of Series Four; the last episode of Donna's series as the companion. Will a companion really die an 'everlasting death'? How quickly will they uncliffhanger the cliffhanger? Are the Doctor and Rose going to get a chance to hug at any point? Is there going to be set-up for the 2009 specials? Is RTD going to rip my heart out and, if so, will it be in a good way? I guess now I'm going to find out.

Journey's End

Oh, it never fails to crack me up how quickly they resolve the cliffhangers. That may be a record.

So! I already have my Doctor/Rose hug (and he's still him. hee). Yay! Mickey and Jackie saved Sarah Jane ("We Smiths have to stick together."). Yay! Oh and...

TOSH SAVED GWEN AND IANTO! OH, YES! FROM BEYOND THE FUCKING GRAVE!

Oh, Jackie's love for her daughter is so lovely (as is her assumption -- "if they've got the Doctor, they've got Rose." Yes.) And Sarah Jane is such a badass. The Dalek terrify her and she's surrendering herself to them so that she can go help the Doctor.

And Martha, doing the brave thing all alone, the way she does (see: "Last of the Time Lords", "Human Nature"/"Family of Blood", "The Doctor's Daughter").

Oh, Rose's adorable halting confession ("Basically, we've been building this... this travel machine... this, uh, dimension cannon so that I could... well, so I could... ("what?") so I could come back... shut up.") and the Doctor's flirty, teasing reaction to her. It's just like being back in S2, the way he thinks that every thing she does ever is the cleverest, cutest, most wonderful thing. Seriously, Rose confesses to building something that has universe-destroying potential and he's over there preening because it means that she really, really likes him.

I... may have watched that conversation a few times before continuing forward.

Oh! Oh!

Doctor-Donna. Doctor-Donna.

We have a Doctor-Donna. The Doctor and Donna's 'son' (in the same way that Jenny was his 'daughter'). Ha! Loved that scene.

"I've got a job to do." That's Martha's catchphrase. She's the professional one, who gets the job done no matter what. Hmm.

"Incinerate."

Poor, poor immortal Jack. Ouch.

...

Davros is kinda a loon, isn't he?

Oh, wait, that's completely in character. Carry on, then.

(am so glad that Jackie was not dissolved into nothing)

Martha's going to give the Daleks a chance to surrender, isn't she? Seriously, every single one of these people kicks so much ass.

Aw! Rose giving Martha the love. *hearts*

"She's good."

Ooo! Rose-Martha conversation.

"My name's Rose. Rose Tyler."
"Oh, my God. He found you."

Her reaction was so utterly beautiful. Both of their reactions. Aw.

Davros recognized Sarah Jane. Dude, for the win. How made out of win is this episode so far?

"How many have died in your name?"

And then flashback of heartbreaking awesome. Oh, my (and he counts Ursula as one of the fallen, I note).

And more Doctor-Donna. Both Doctor-Donna. Half-human, half-time lord. Both of them.

More of RTD's destiny, which is always created in choice. Donna reached out for the hand and it resonated backward. No one ever forced her to make the choice.

"So, there's three of you. Three Doctors?"
"I can't tell you what I'm thinking right now."

I love Jack so much.

And the Doctor got what he wanted -- what started to happen in "Dalek" and in "Evolution of the Daleks". A Dalek changed his mind about being a monster and made it stick. Not just for himself, but for all of them. Ha!

Aw, the Doctor and Rose noticed that Gwen looks like Gywneth. Cute. (wow, they have no personal space -- could they be more all up in each other?)

And they take the Earth back and hugs all around! Love the hugging!

Too dangerous to have a TARDIS. Born in battle.

"That's me, when we first met. And you made me better."

And then the Doctor and Donna. He had to be there for her when... because everything that's inside his head doesn't fit. She's a human with Time Lord knowledge (the Doctor on the beach is a Time Lord with a human heart -- literally and metaphorically). It's too much, so he takes it away. It'll kill her if she keeps it.

One of the things that I've been saying every time that I talk about not being sure if a plot twist will work was, "But if anyone can do, RTD can."

The Doctor ended series four the same way he began it. He's alone in the TARDIS. He's had to do to one of his friends the same thing that the Time Lords did to Zoe and Jamie. He's never going to see Rose again. Jack, Sarah Jane, Martha, Mickey all have places to go. And he's alone.

And Donna's story is heartbreaking. Plain and simple. But in a dramatically satisfying way.

Rose is more complicated because... part of her is always going to hate that the Doctor is missing her, but she can't ignore the man in front of her either. He's the Doctor, too. Still the Doctor. All his memories and feelings. He gave a version of himself that chance to live that life that he can never have. Rose has a chance to be happy and safe. And he would always choose her safety over his own happiness. Always. Part of his heart is always going to be missing, but that was true anyway. That's always true. If he knows that she has a chance to be happy, then his own pain won't seem so bad. As for Rose... she loves the Doctor. Completely. Both of them are the Doctor and one of them needs to be sealed away. And he needs her. Rose's compassion combined with her love is very powerful. She'd never leave him hurting and... one of them has more options than the other. And she believes that this universe's Doctor will have Donna to hold his hand.

Pete's World's Doctor is a killer again. Rose is the person who turned Nine into Ten. She taught him how to stop being a general and stop being a killer.

So, yes. That story really worked for me. Full-circle to start anew is something that I really enjoy and that's exactly what this is. Rose saved the Doctor once -- and then Donna and Martha and Sarah Jane and Jack saved him some more. She's the one who healed him. He knows that better than anyone. He knows better than anyone else exactly what the man who killed the Daleks needs. Rose is what he wants more than anything in the universe and part of him can live a life with her. And he won't go mad because... she really did make him better. I hurt for the Doctor that continues on living in this universe, so badly, but... he will live on. He was already, this season before Rose came back. He won't be S2 Doctor ever again (I did enjoy that glimpse of him, when he and Rose were talking), but S4 Doctor managed to be pretty damn happy traveling with Donna. He'll survive. Be all right. In the end.

And the Doctor that's in Pete's World... Rose will heal him. She's already healing him. And he won't be trapped, the way Jack is, into living endlessly on after she's gone. He'll get to hold her in his arms when they both look eighty and know that he doesn't have to run anymore. Part of the Doctor can finally rest. The real Doctor, the proper Doctor, because both of them are.

Yeah. That works. Parts of it hurt and parts of it make my heart sing, but overall... it works. Russell told his story about the Doctor finding a home. But it's not his story alone, so only part of the Doctor is allowed that happy ending.

Comments

[dividedloyalty.livejournal.com]

I loved the episode until the closed the stories for Rose and DoctorDonna.

The funny thing is, Rose didn't actually do anything, I think. Hmm, no, she didn't. Ok, that's not too important. What bugged me was the whole fanfiction ending she got. All you said was very moving, but I Loved how Doomsday ended. It was beautiful. It was dramatic and strong.

That second Bad Wolf Bay just seemed.. Off? I don't think I can explain this well. I mean, what's the point of putting a character through that, putting the viewers through that, all the emotional investment we had, for the whole point of a painful separation be thrown away? No, it doesn't work for me.

But the worst was how the Doctor 'saved' Donna. She was begging him. Begging. He knew what would happen to her, SHE knew what would happen to her, she would die. And she was begging to let her BE.

He didn't let her. He completely disregarded Donna. That was a monstruosity.

Davros was right. One of the best moments. The Doctor tries and again to send a message, a lesson of peace. He's surrounded himself, created himself, an army of trigger happy people (in his own opinion). He reinforced that by his total disregard for Donna.

Better let her live a meaninless life than die a savior, a hero. I'm not saying she should have died, I'm not even saying I think she'd be better off dead. But she kinda wanted to remain. She wanted that. I can't accept that kind of violation lightly.

In that light. the episode worked well, I guess. The Doctor did prove Davros right. His true colors showed. They shone.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

That second Bad Wolf Bay just seemed.. Off? I don't think I can explain this well. I mean, what's the point of putting a character through that, putting the viewers through that, all the emotional investment we had, for the whole point of a painful separation be thrown away? No, it doesn't work for me.

What's the point of ever having a reunion? I mean, if you really don't ever like parted lovers to be reunited, then that's the way you feel, but it's a pretty classic staple of love stories in general.

He didn't let her. He completely disregarded Donna. That was a monstruosity.

He chose her living over her dead. He does that. Does he have the right to? Has that ever mattered to him before? He isn't going to let her die. Especially not because of him. Just look what he did to River! Talk about trapping someone in a meaningless existence!

Whether or not her future life will be meaningless... the Doctor would argue that even if she never grows from the person she is at this moment in time, her life is not meaningless. It was this Donna who saved him in "The Runaway Bride".

[dividedloyalty.livejournal.com]

The reunion wasn't the problem. Not exactly.
I'm starting to see that my problem is with how they portrayed Rose and their relationship. In Turn Left, I really thought I was watching Rose after going through some major changes, major developments. She was different, darker and for I moment I actually enjoyed "Rose: Defender of the Earth".

Then I find that she didn't actually bring anything to the finale's story. No big weapon, no big revelation. She was just trying to get back to the Doctor all along. There was little meaning to the time she spent away. She wasn't growing into herself, she was trying to be back at the same point she left. And that bugged me.

Because for someone that spent so long, and tried so hard to be with the Doctor, she snogged the copy pretty quickly. :/ I loved Billie Piper's reaction to that scene on the Confidential (I won't go into it in case you haven't seen it).

Anyway, I guess you are right in a way. The reunion didn't bug me that much. It was everything else.

And Donna's situation... Well. I've come to terms with it. Captain Jack seems to be the one that loves the Doctor above everything hehehe I don't need to be like that. In a way, it was actually pretty cool, because as I said before, The Doctor's soul really was revealed. I don't want him to be perfect, so I'm ok with hating him for what he did. :)

[ivy03.livejournal.com]

"So, there's three of you. Three Doctors?"
"I can't tell you what I'm thinking right now."

I had to pause it at this point I was laughing so hard. Oh, Jack.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

I love Jack. He's so... Jack.

[amalthia]

loved your episode reaction. Though I'm so very sad about how the Donna story arch ended. I'm really hoping they find a fix next season because I can't imagine Donna not remembering.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Donna's ending absolutely breaks my heart. It really does. But I like tragic endings if they resonate with me and feel in character and, to me, this did.

Not that I'd argue against getting Donna back. She's magnificent and I'd love her to come back.

[kitkatbyte.livejournal.com]

A Dalek changed his mind about being a monster and made it stick. Not just for himself, but for all of them. Ha!

Yes, that is true! That is a very positive point. I like!

Russell told his story about the Doctor finding a home. But it's not his story alone, so only part of the Doctor is allowed that happy ending.

It's painful, but I think it's a good resolution to many things.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Yes, that is true! That is a very positive point. I like!

That's exactly what the Doctor was hoping for in "Evolution of the Daleks". For them to realize that their way of doing things is wrong and should stop. And one of them did! A Dalek had character growth.

It's painful, but I think it's a good resolution to many things.

Yes. Because the Doctor and Rose in the TARDIS for the rest of her life is... not workable for this show. Much as I personally would watch it. That the Doctor did this... he just showed her that if he could he would spend the rest of his life with her. The part of him that isn't the 'Last of the Time Lords' with the weight of the universe on his shoulders can give her a lifetime in a way that he simply couldn't with everything he was carrying.

[demeter918.livejournal.com]

It was such a contrast. One Doctor got a happy ending and the slow path with Rose on a parallel world, the other Doctor is left with his companion stripped of all her memories of him and she can't ever remember if he doesn't want it to kill her.

But yeah. I'm glad at least a small part of the Doctor received a 'happy ending'.

And I'm unbelievably happy that Rose gets a chance to start her own happy ending. Even if I have misgivings about it.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

It was such a contrast. One Doctor got a happy ending and the slow path with Rose on a parallel world, the other Doctor is left with his companion stripped of all her memories of him and she can't ever remember if he doesn't want it to kill her.

It really was such an expression of how much the Doctor loves both of them and how much being who he is makes it impossible for him to be what they need. He can't let Donna burn (anymore than he could let Rose burn in "Parting of the Ways"). He doesn't have it in him.

And he can't live the life with Rose that he would want to live, where he can center his universe around her. And this new Doctor can. Rose can be all he wants in the universe and that can be okay. He doesn't have to constantly think of the bigger picture and of watching her grow old and die in front of his eyes. He can just... love Rose with everything inside him.

[doctor-addict.livejournal.com]

I completely and utterly agree with everything you have said. It was heart breaking to watch, but in a very good way. A prime example of why Rusty is a complete legend.

Mind if I friend you?

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Hello! I never mind being friended! It's nice to meet you.

It was heart breaking to watch, but in a very good way. A prime example of why Rusty is a complete legend.

He really is such a fantastic writer! I'm apt to agree with David Tennant when he says that Russell is the greatest writer in television.