"The Last of the Time Lords"
"Martha Jones, you saved the world."
- The Doctor
Right then! Here we are at the end of the third season of the new
Doctor Who series and what a ride it has been to get here. First the Dalek raged war upon the human race, followed by the Cybermen (and Dalek) also raging war upon the human race. Who else could possibly top that duo of evil and wage war upon the human race again? The Master, that's who! And who exactly is needed to help put an end to the Master's reign of terror? A potential doctor: one Martha Jones.
One year has passed since the events in the previous episode. The Doctor, Martha's family and Captain Jack are all still prisoners of the Master on the flying aircraft carrier
Valiant. During this time, the Master with the help of his "children," the Toclafane, have conquered and enslaved the Earth. Labor camps have been set up with the purpose of building a fleet of ships and devices capable of decimating the universe in the process of setting up a new Time Lord empire.
Martha, who escaped from the Master's clutches by using Jack's Vortex Manipulator, has spent all her time searching for a way to stop the Master. She has become an almost mythical figure during her travels. Upon returning to England in order to put the final parts of her ultimate plan into motion, she meets up with Thomas Milligan, a member of the resistance. Milligan takes Martha to Professor Docherty for some secret purpose.
Meanwhile, on the
Valiant, the Doctor and Co. hatch their own plan to take down the Master. The plan fails when the Doctor ends up unable to use the Master's own laser screwdriver on him. The Master then sends out a broadcast of the Doctor being aged by 900 years, his regeneration suspended. This turns the Doctor into an odd, tiny creature, which the Master keeps in a birdcage.
Martha meets up with Professor Docherty (and while there catches the broadcast of The Master's) who is able to help Martha disable a Toclafane. They are able to open the metal casing to discover the truth of what the Toclafane are: they are what became of the humans from the episode, "Utopia;" the very same humans that The Doctor, Martha and Captain Jack helped "save." For these creatures to exist in this time period and for them to kill and enslave their own ancestors is a paradox, one that can only exist because of the now modified TARDIS. Martha shares with Milligan and Docherty her plan to kill The Master via a special gun made up of components previously hidden around the globe; hence why Martha has been traveling. Martha states that she has returned to find the last component then kill The Master. Martha and Milligan leave professor and head to safe house of sorts to await the time when they can travel with ease. After they leave, Docherty rats them out to The Master in order to find out information about her missing son.
In hiding later that night, Martha shares her tales with the people crammed into the house. She shares with them a story about a protector that has looked over them, even when they didn't know it was happening. She tells them that his name is The Doctor and that she loves him. As if on schedule, The Master appears with his goons, kills Milligan, captures Martha and destroys her weapon.
Back on the Valiant, The Master prepares to kill Martha in front of her family, The Doctor and Jack. He wants her death to consider with the time of the launch of his space fleet. Martha starts laughing at The Master and reveals her real plan, which was not to build a gun or to kill The Master, but rather to share a tale of the Doctor with the rest of the world. At one specific time, the scheduled launch time of the fleet, the entire world would think The Doctor's name. Because the entire world is linked into The Master's Archangel Network of satellites, the psychic energy derived from them concentrating on The Doctor causes him to regenerate to his old 10th Doctor self, except that he is full of glow, floaty energy. He is able to stop The Master from launching the space fleet but as The Master attempts to escape using the vortex manipulator, The Doctor hitches a ride dropping them near a cliff on Earth. The Master claims that he will destroy the fleet via a triggering device, which in turn would destroy the planet. The Doctor knows this is a bluff and is able to stop The Master a second time and they both teleport back to the Valiant just in time for Jack to destroy the paradox machine. Time reverses itself sending them all back exactly one year to time before the Toclafane appear.
The Doctor decides that the only thing he can do is to keep The Master imprisoned in the TARDIS, but his plans are ruined when Lucy Saxon, shoots The Master. The Doctor begs him not to die, to regenerate, but as a last act of defiance, The Master refuses and dies. afterwards, The Doctor cremates The Master's body and returns to Cardiff with Martha and Jack. Jack decides to stay behind so that he can continue with work with Torchwood. Martha finally decides to leave the Doctor and stays behind (beforehand, checking to see if Doctor Milligan is around) to continue her education and care for her family. The Doctor leaves only to have the HMS Titanic smash through the TARDIS walls.
Points, observations and commentary:
First things first: I was disappointed by this episode. The season long build-up leading to last week's
"The Sound of Drums" episode seemed to be more fulfilling than the resolution presented here. Sure, I did enjoy the episode, but methinks that this episode suffers from what I like to call
"The Best of Both Worlds" syndrome (
Star Trek: The Next Generation season three finale and season four premiere). I can remember how blown away I felt from that finale only to be disappointed by second part at the start of the next season (this happened again and again on this series from this point on). If memory serves, I do believe reading and interview where the producers stated that they had no idea how to resolve part one, so it literally opened with a dud (energy weapon). Now I am not saying that Russell T Davies didn't know how he would end The Master's storyline; rather, it seemed kind of forced in places, and the quality was no where near what was presented in the last episode. It's almost as if they were some burnout or maybe it was rushed. Whatever the case may be, it did not "wow" me like the previous episode.
Did anyone think of
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy television series when the first shot of the computerized warning to stay away from Earth was flashed on the screen? The guitar folk-like music played soon after that helped re-enforce that feeling.
Speaking of music, what the heck happened to it in this episode? Did the composer phone it in from home in his sleep while on drugs? After last week's beautiful score, I expected nothing but the same excellence here (it's a two-parter after all, technically three-parter) and what do I get but a twangy, Martha Jones theme and an unremarkable orchestrated score (see my comments about the episode feeling like it was 'rushed' above). Yeah, I understand that Martha is supposed to be a legendary figure now; but folky twangs? Sigh.
At first, I wasn't too impressed by John Simm's portrayal of The Master in this episode as well, but then again, how could he top that performance? What I found more devilishly humorous was what he was accredited of doing during the past year (and no, I do not mean the enslavement of the planet): building statues of himself everywhere, including craving his face into Mount Rushmore. Where he did shine were when he captured Martha and in his final moments with The Doctor, which made up for all the standard, evil villain of the week that we presented with in this episode.
David Tennet's final scene with The Master was touching. The Doctor was finally alone and that was most terrifying to him, especially after he discovered that he was not alone in the first place (maybe this also helps to explain why The Doctor always needs a companion). Then again, The Master has a way of coming back to life, so who knows? But if he was revived (there was that hand that took his ring), wouldn't the Face of Boe be aware of it and therefore, would his "you are not alone" warning apply to this time or the next or the next, etc. Ow, my brain hurts now moving on
Miss Martha Jones: I did enjoy Freema Agyeman's final performance in this episode. I really did find her believable in the role of a now legendary freedom fighter. Of note, the blank stare she gives The Master after he kills Milligan. She really came into her own this episode and I am happy for the character's growth. Sadly, this growth also means that she would have to come to her senses (finally) and realize that her love for The Doctor would be unrequited and as a result, she must leave him. How amusing was it when she left the TARDIS the first time only to return to fully explain herself and her feelings to The Doctor (again, indirectly), who finally did seem to get it (maybe) in the end. I'm still upset with her for not coming out and just telling him. She was able to tell the people she was hiding out with that she "loves him" (my jaw dropped at that one) but when it comes time at the end, she still doesn't speak directly, rather we get the story of her "getting out."
While I do understand that this is considered a children's show in the UK (one that adults love as well), I was semi-shocked at the killing of the Toclafane via gun pointed into the camera at point blank range by Milligan. That seemed more appropriate for
Torchwood than
Doctor Who. Yes, I understand the world (at that time frame) is extremely different but I wonder if a different camera shot could had been used to convey the same information. OK, jumping down from the soapbox
Besides all the references to the original and revival Doctor Who series this episode, did anyone catch yet another Rose reference, in front of Martha no less?
The Master: "Days of old, Doctor, you had companions who could absorb the time vortex. This one is useless."
What The Master didn't know here was that Martha was going to be the instrument of his come-uppings and he would quickly learn that he shouldn't had underestimated Martha. Now that Martha is gone, one would hope that they limit references to Rose next season. Don't get me wrong, I love the character of Rose, but there is no need to constantly remind the audience of her, especially now that her competitor (in spirit) is gone. Now that I reflect upon it, The Master's final words are more truer than I realized:
The Master: "Always the women."
Explain to me why the Valiant's guards help Jack towards the end when they are attempting to rush the TARDIS, but none decide to turn and kill The Master? Either way, the Toclafane would still had been a threat, so that cannot be the reason.
Last week, the young Master reminded me of Damien from
The Omen films. A reader commented that he was reminded of a young Anakin Skywalker. Well, with this episode, the circle is now complete! What genre fan would not think of
Return of the Jedi when The Master's fineral pyre appeared on screen? I fully expected a squadron of X-Wings and fireworks overhead during it. I kid, I kid.
(I apologize in advance for bringing religion into this discussion, but since they wanted to bash me over the head with symbolism, I feel it's my place to point it out.). What the heck is the deal with all the Christ symbolism in this episode? I'm not saying it cannot or should not be done, but come on! It's so obvious that it loses all credibility with me. Examples: The Archangel Network of satellites; The Doctor being regenerated (ressurected) via basically prayer through the Archangel Network and becoming all glowy and floating, arms outstretched; the words that The Master is afraid of hearing from The Doctor are "I forgive you;" The Master constantly calling the Toclafane, "his children;" The Master even comes right out and mentions it in reference to how Martha is going to stop him, "Faith and hope, is that all?" and a few line later, "Is that your weapon, prayer?"
I think this would had been more effective if this was used more subtley rather than the in-your-face method, ala the movie,
Superman Returns. Subtle makes all the difference.
Did that scene where The Master and The Doctor teleport off the Valiant seem pointless as they same scene could had been done on the ship itself?
Wow! Looking back, it seems that I hated this episode, when that is far from the case. Disappointed, yes; hated, no. My next point may not help my cause
I'm sorry, but those "team of mine" lines of Jack's when he is justifying why he is leaving The Doctor to return to
Torchwood just made me cringe.
On the otherhand, I did enjoy the final revelation that Jack (more than likely) is the Face of Boe. I especially was fond of The Doctor's shocked reaction. It's great that things like that can still surprise him. I also like that the producers can now justify John Barrowman's real life aging on Torchwood (as opposed to Star Trek: The Next Genration's Commander Data).
The Doctor's hand is still there, Gandalf and the Titanic! Ha!
Finally, I'll close this by quoting one of the final exchanges between The Doctor and Martha (partially quoted at the top of this blog entry).
The Doctor: "Martha Jones, you saved the world."
Martha: "Yes, I did! I spent a lot of time with you thinking I was second best, but you know what? I am good!"
Yes, you are Martha, yes, you are.
I really hope my contributions were informative (or at least made sense). Thanks for reading and for all the comments! Until next season, take care!
Expelliarmus!
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