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Forest of the Dead (TV story): Difference between revisions
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|doctor= [[Tenth Doctor]] | |doctor= [[Tenth Doctor]] | ||
|companions= [[Donna Noble]] | |companions= [[Donna Noble]] | ||
|enemy= [[Vashta Nerada]] (redeem themselves)<br>[[Proper Dave]] ( | |enemy= [[Vashta Nerada]] (redeem themselves)<br>[[Proper Dave]] (possessed; redeems himself)<br>[[Other Dave]] (possessed; redeems himself)<br>[[Anita]] (possessed; redeems herself) | ||
|year= [[51st century]], [[The Library]] | |year= [[51st century]], [[The Library]] | ||
|writer= [[Steven Moffat]] | |writer= [[Steven Moffat]] | ||
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Continuing on from ''[[Silence in the Library]]'', [[River Song]] uses her [[Sonic blaster|blaster]] to create a hole in the wall - enabling her, [[Tenth Doctor|the Doctor]] and the others to escape the shadow-possessed [[Proper Dave]] down a corridor. | Continuing on from ''[[Silence in the Library]]'', [[River Song]] uses her [[Sonic blaster|blaster]] to create a hole in the wall - enabling her, [[Tenth Doctor|the Doctor]] and the others to escape the shadow-possessed [[Proper Dave]] down a corridor. | ||
All this is being watched on TV by the girl. She switches channels and eventually finds a channel showing [[Donna]] being taken out of the ambulance on a stretcher. Donna wakes up in an ambulance with no memories of her past life, and is treated in a facility by [[Doctor Moon]]. The way time progresses in her virtual world seems to be lead by her thoughts; Doctor Moon suggests she walks by the river and she suddenly appears at the river. She occasionally finds this odd, but is reassured by Doctor Moon. Before she knows it, she is married to her ideal man [[Lee McAvey|Lee]], who has a stammer, and has two children of her own. She is then approached by a hooded figure in a playground, who turns out to be [[Miss Evangelista]]. She warns Donna that the world is not real. Donna is stubborn and | All this is being watched on TV by the girl. She switches channels and eventually finds a channel showing [[Donna]] being taken out of the ambulance on a stretcher. Donna wakes up in an ambulance with no memories of her past life, and is treated in a facility by [[Doctor Moon]]. The way time progresses in her virtual world seems to be lead by her thoughts; Doctor Moon suggests she walks by the river and she suddenly appears at the river. She occasionally finds this odd, but is reassured by Doctor Moon. Before she knows it, she is married to her ideal man [[Lee McAvey|Lee]], who has a stammer, and has two children of her own. She is then approached by a hooded figure in a playground, who turns out to be [[Miss Evangelista]]. She warns Donna that the world is not real. Donna is stubborn and skeptical of Miss Evangelista's words, although soon, much to her horror, she observes that all the children in the playground are copies of one another. | ||
Meanwhile, the Doctor squabbles with River Song, but is soon stunned when she whispers something in his ear to prove that he comes to trust her completely. However, Anita now has two shadows. They are then forced to flee as the Vashta Nerada suit creature has caught them up again. The [[Time Lord]] tries to reason with the [[Vashta Nerada]] as it takes over more of the team, and finds out they came as microspores in millions and millions of books and then hatched. Other Dave stays behind, but is then killed by the Vashta Nerada, leaving the Doctor inbetween the two Daves. He escapes and sets off after the other three. | Meanwhile, the Doctor squabbles with River Song, but is soon stunned when she whispers something in his ear to prove that he comes to trust her completely. However, Anita now has two shadows. They are then forced to flee as the Vashta Nerada suit creature has caught them up again. The [[Time Lord]] tries to reason with the [[Vashta Nerada]] as it takes over more of the team, and finds out they came as microspores in millions and millions of books and then hatched. Other Dave stays behind, but is then killed by the Vashta Nerada, leaving the Doctor inbetween the two Daves. He escapes and sets off after the other three. | ||
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*The [[teleport]]s can only teleport three people at a time. | *The [[teleport]]s can only teleport three people at a time. | ||
*The Doctor uses his future sonic screwdriver to save [[River Song]]'s neural pattern within [[CAL]]. | *The Doctor uses his future sonic screwdriver to save [[River Song]]'s neural pattern within [[CAL]]. | ||
*When the Doctor says that history can be rewritten, River's response is "Not one line!" These are the same words [[First Doctor|the Doctor]] says to [[Barbara Wright]], when she attempted to change history. ([[DW]]: ''[[The Aztecs]]) | *When the Doctor says that history can be rewritten, River's response is "Not one line!" These are the same words [[First Doctor|the Doctor]] says to [[Barbara Wright]], when she attempted to change history. ([[DW]]: ''[[The Aztecs]])'' | ||
*The frantic music from [[Midnight (TV story)]] is heard during a scene where Donna Noble freaks out, having seen her "children", whom she had tucked in bed, disappear without a trace, while she was in the Data Core. | *The frantic music from [[Midnight (TV story)]] is heard during a scene where Donna Noble freaks out, having seen her "children", whom she had tucked in bed, disappear without a trace, while she was in the Data Core. | ||
*River also associates running with her time with the Doctor, echoing sentiments expressed by [[Donna Noble]] and [[Jenny]]. | *River also associates running with her time with the Doctor, echoing sentiments expressed by [[Donna Noble]] and [[Jenny]]. | ||
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*Following the broadcast of ''[[Silence in the Library]]'' there was much discussion in the ''Doctor Who'' fan community over the identity of River Song, with speculation that she might be a future incarnation of [[Romana]] or an alias of [[Bernice Summerfield]] being two of the ideas put forth. ''The episode, ultimately, leaves her origin ambiguous although it does establish several times that this was the first time the Doctor met River, meaning she cannot be a past character.'' | *Following the broadcast of ''[[Silence in the Library]]'' there was much discussion in the ''Doctor Who'' fan community over the identity of River Song, with speculation that she might be a future incarnation of [[Romana]] or an alias of [[Bernice Summerfield]] being two of the ideas put forth. ''The episode, ultimately, leaves her origin ambiguous although it does establish several times that this was the first time the Doctor met River, meaning she cannot be a past character.'' | ||
*In ''[[Planet of the Ood]]'', the Doctor is told his "song may end soon", leading to speculation the "death" of River Song is what is being referred to. | *In ''[[Planet of the Ood]]'', the Doctor is told his "song may end soon", leading to speculation the "death" of River Song is what is being referred to. | ||
*Given Song's knowledge of the Doctor's true name, coupled with various references in | *Given Song's knowledge of the Doctor's true name, coupled with various references in dialog in this and the preceding episode, additional speculation has included the possibility that she is the Doctor's future wife, or that the Doctor revealed his name to her just prior to his own death ("the only time I could," he says). ''It's unlikely the Doctor told her his name before his own death since Song clearly expected to meet the Doctor from a time after their relationship; she wouldn't have had this expectation if he was dead in her timeframe. However, given Davies' own comments that they have prepared to ensure this series continues long after the upcoming final regeneration, it is possible that his final death brings on a resurrection of some form.'' | ||
**''Given the ease with which she tries to determine where she is in his personal timeline, it's likely that she wasn't expecting to meet the Doctor from any time period more specific than 'one where he knows me.' If she's witnessed the Doctor die, since he's a time traveler she could reasonably expect to encounter him from before his death much like times in the past when companions have encountered earlier versions of 'their' Doctor (mostly the multi-Doctor stories, although Sally Sparrow's one face-to-face meeting with the Doctor is a similar scene). In those scenarios, the Doctor seems to just take it in stride.'' | **''Given the ease with which she tries to determine where she is in his personal timeline, it's likely that she wasn't expecting to meet the Doctor from any time period more specific than 'one where he knows me.' If she's witnessed the Doctor die, since he's a time traveler she could reasonably expect to encounter him from before his death much like times in the past when companions have encountered earlier versions of 'their' Doctor (mostly the multi-Doctor stories, although Sally Sparrow's one face-to-face meeting with the Doctor is a similar scene). In those scenarios, the Doctor seems to just take it in stride.'' | ||
*Another idea put forth is that River Song is actually the Doctor's mother. This is based on a joke that Steven Moffat said in the pod cast. Although it would explain how she knows his name it does not explain why she constantly states he hasn't met her yet or her forwardness towards him. ''That said, it was Moffat who invented the phrase "wibbly wobbly, timey wimey"...'' This theory does not explain why she was so forward towards him (for example the playfully flirtatious tone of her retort "spoilers" when the Doctor asked her why she had handcuffs). | *Another idea put forth is that River Song is actually the Doctor's mother. This is based on a joke that Steven Moffat said in the pod cast. Although it would explain how she knows his name it does not explain why she constantly states he hasn't met her yet or her forwardness towards him. ''That said, it was Moffat who invented the phrase "wibbly wobbly, timey wimey"...'' This theory does not explain why she was so forward towards him (for example the playfully flirtatious tone of her retort "spoilers" when the Doctor asked her why she had handcuffs). | ||
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*The Doctor has previously spoken his name in [[EDA]]: ''[[Vanderdeken's Children]]'' and also [[EDA]]: ''[[Interference]]'' | *The Doctor has previously spoken his name in [[EDA]]: ''[[Vanderdeken's Children]]'' and also [[EDA]]: ''[[Interference]]'' | ||
*The teleport system is similar to that used in [[DW]]: ''[[The Ark in Space]]'' in that it is limited to three at one time. | *The teleport system is similar to that used in [[DW]]: ''[[The Ark in Space]]'' in that it is limited to three at one time. | ||
*The [[sonic blaster|squareness gun]] used by River Song to blast a hole in the wall of the Library is the same gun used by [[Jack Harkness]] when he first met the Doctor. It was left behind in the TARDIS when Jack Harkness was teleported out with the Doctor & Rose into the game shows on Station Five. ([[DW]]: ''[[The Empty Child]]''/''[[The Doctor Dances]]''/''[[Bad Wolf]]'') (''Per Steven Moffat, ''Doctor Who Confidential'': "River Runs Deep"'') | *The [[sonic blaster|squareness gun]] used by River Song to blast a hole in the wall of the Library is the same gun used by [[Jack Harkness]] when he first met the Doctor. It was left behind in the TARDIS when Jack Harkness was teleported out with the Doctor & Rose into the game shows on Station Five. ([[DW]]: ''[[The Empty Child]]''/''[[The Doctor Dances]]''/''[[Bad Wolf]]'') (''Per Steven Moffat, ''Doctor Who Confidential'': "River Runs Deep"'') | ||
*Despite his explicit statement to the contrary, the Doctor has given away a sonic screwdriver or two. [[Liz Shaw]] has one in ''[[Inferno]]'', and [[Sarah Jane Smith]] has her sonic lipstick. Although he could be referring to never giving away his screwdriver. ''Liz Shaw's device was only ever shown to open the door to the Doctor's workshop. It was referred to as a "door handle." He never gives them as a gift. In Sarah Jane's case he may have given it with the intention that she use it along with the other | *Despite his explicit statement to the contrary, the Doctor has given away a sonic screwdriver or two. [[Liz Shaw]] has one in ''[[Inferno]]'', and [[Sarah Jane Smith]] has her sonic lipstick. Although he could be referring to never giving away his screwdriver. ''Liz Shaw's device was only ever shown to open the door to the Doctor's workshop. It was referred to as a "door handle." He never gives them as a gift. In Sarah Jane's case he may have given it with the intention that she use it along with the other artifacts he gave her to protect the Earth.'' | ||
*Just as in [[DW]]: ''[[The Girl in the Fireplace]]'' and ''[[Last of the Time Lords]]'' the Doctor maintains that he is "always all right" in the wake of a great loss. | *Just as in [[DW]]: ''[[The Girl in the Fireplace]]'' and ''[[Last of the Time Lords]]'' the Doctor maintains that he is "always all right" in the wake of a great loss. | ||
*The Doctor says that having 4,022 minds talking inside one's mind (referring to CAL) is like being him. In the [[Eighth Doctor Adventures|Eighth Doctor Adventure]] ''[[The Gallifrey Chronicles]]'', it is revealed that the Doctor had downloaded the entire [[The Matrix|Matrix]] into his head, effectively meaning that he had every single Time Lord's mind inside his own. Whether or not this line is an indication that the Matrix is still present in the Doctor's mind is unclear. It could also be referring to the Doctor's ability (referenced in ''[[The Parting of the Ways]]'') to see "all that is, all that was, all that ever could be". It is generally assumed that some point after ''[[The Gallifrey Chronicles]]'', the Doctor restored the Time Lords and Gallifrey, presumably removing the Matrix from his mind, only for them to be destroyed in the [[Last Great Time War]]. In ''[[Panacea|Gallifrey: Panacea]]'', [[Irving Braxiatel]] is implied to have heard | *The Doctor says that having 4,022 minds talking inside one's mind (referring to CAL) is like being him. In the [[Eighth Doctor Adventures|Eighth Doctor Adventure]] ''[[The Gallifrey Chronicles]]'', it is revealed that the Doctor had downloaded the entire [[The Matrix|Matrix]] into his head, effectively meaning that he had every single Time Lord's mind inside his own. Whether or not this line is an indication that the Matrix is still present in the Doctor's mind is unclear. It could also be referring to the Doctor's ability (referenced in ''[[The Parting of the Ways]]'') to see "all that is, all that was, all that ever could be". It is generally assumed that some point after ''[[The Gallifrey Chronicles]]'', the Doctor restored the Time Lords and Gallifrey, presumably removing the Matrix from his mind, only for them to be destroyed in the [[Last Great Time War]]. In ''[[Panacea|Gallifrey: Panacea]]'', [[Irving Braxiatel]] is implied to have heard rumors of the impending Time War and engineered the removal of the Time Lord biodata archive from Gallifrey. This may also be a reference to the Time Lord Intelligentsia referenced in [[The Invisible Enemy]], described as the intellectual power of a thousand Time Lords. The Doctor remarked, however, that he hadn't had access to that since he left the Time Lords. | ||
*No mention is made of the fact that the 4,022 people brought back to physical existence at the end of the story are now alive 100 years later than they were "saved," which would likely mean they now have no jobs, homes or living direct family — so what's to become of them? ''They probably sued the Felman Lux Corporation for billions.'' | *No mention is made of the fact that the 4,022 people brought back to physical existence at the end of the story are now alive 100 years later than they were "saved," which would likely mean they now have no jobs, homes or living direct family — so what's to become of them? ''They probably sued the Felman Lux Corporation for billions.'' | ||
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==External Links== | ==External Links== | ||
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/s4/episodes/S4_09 BBC Website - Episode Guide: '''Forest of the Dead'''] | *[http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/s4/episodes/S4_09 BBC Website - Episode Guide: '''Forest of the Dead'''] | ||
{{Series 4}} | {{Series 4}} | ||
