One of the most fun things to do, at least to this Whovian, is to examine breadcrumbs left by the wonderfully complex mind of Steven Moffat and try to figure out how the current season of Dr. Who’s long suspense-filled story arc will conclude. This season has been no different with the question that was raised early on, “Did we just see the end of The Doctor?”
When playing the “What if?” game (Doctor Who version), you have to pay attention to even the most minute detail in every episode that season and sometimes, in this case especially, episodes from the first part of the season.
Remember what we saw in ‘Impossible Astronaut’:
The Doctor brings Rory, Amy, and River together at the very lake that he knows (we learn later) is the very spot, the very day, and the very time he is set to die. We see a member of The Silent watching them. We learn later that it is also River Song that The Silence has programmed to kill The Doctor (‘A Good Man Goes to War’). The Teselecta confirms that Lake Silencio is the spot and that River Song is the one who does the deed (‘Let’s Kill Hitler‘). The Doctor says that he is tired of running and goes to meet the mysterious Astronaut that has emerged from the lake. After a brief exchange that we don’t hear for the most part, The Doctor is hit with a pulse from what looked like to me as his sonic screwdriver once which starts his regeneration, then again which seemingly stops it and kills him before he can finish the process. River confirms his death and his body is burned.
That is what we saw, but was it the truth?
Ever since we first met little Amelia Pond and the crack in her wall (‘The Eleventh Hour’), the idea of perception filters has been a common theme. From Prisoner Zero to The Silent to little Georgie (‘Night Terrors‘), we have continually run into creatures that make those around them see what they want them to see. We’ve also seen that The Silence will stop at nothing to eliminate The Doctor and not let anything or anyone stand in their way, which includes Amy, Rory, and River (‘A Good Man Goes to War’).
Here’s what I think happens.
The Doctor never dies. It is all a ruse to trick The Silence into thinking River completed her mission, something which she will maintain as the truth even though it throws her into a maximum security prison for an untold amount of time.
So how did they accomplish it? A Tenza, probably Georgie. Remember, the TARDIS doesn’t just take The Doctor where he wants to go, but sometimes where he needs to go (‘The Doctor’s Wife’), so maybe the little stop in ‘Night Terrors’ wasn’t just because of Georgie’s pleads.
Remember when The Doctor was sitting with Georgie on his bed and he was showing Georgie how the screwdriver worked? I think Georgie is at Lake Silencio with everyone and creates the scenario that plays out before us and, more importantly, in front of The Silent that is watching them. Once it is all completed and The Silent is satisfied, the ruse is ended, River and The Doctor have a heartfelt moment and our trio zips away leaving River to take the fall in order to preserve the peace.
I may be wrong. But I may also be right. Who knows? The beauty of The Moff is that even when you are convinced you have it all figured out, and even if it all comes together how you predicted it will, you’re still surprised in the end.
So you’ve read my prediction, what’s yours?
– James Zappie
