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ladyofleithian...and...well, wow. Seriously, wow.
First off, I really loved the teaser of the one woman trapped in the hotel long after the rest of her party is picked off by the Minotaur (yes, it's a Minotaur. Also known as one of those characters in Greek Mythology that scared the hell out of me as a kid, even if Theseus and the Minotaur was one of my favorite myths. * Not quite the same Minotaur in this episode -- long story here, I'll get to it later -- but...y'know) and she's sitting outside the hotel room scribbling her last words. And the whole "praise him" stuff...yeah, that was fucking terrifying. Something about the way it was shot at least really terrified me. And then her being killed by the beast... *Shivers* Yeah, that was frightening. And from there, the monster proceeded to scare the living bejesus out of me. I think there was something about the sound design for the monster that really helped it work -- the great thudding footsteps, the roars and grunts -- as well as the effects. Seriously, I have to say it's one of the most terrifying Minotaurs I've ever seen. And the people becoming possessed by the thing and going on and on about praising him, as well as how they just die with...well, no reason. They just shut down. And that one conspiracy guy, Howie, becoming possessed and the answers he gives while possessed. And the fact that he overpowered Gibbis. And how he was just so determined to find the Minotaur. On a bit of a sidenote, I really, really liked Eleven's reaction to Howie's death. Just that regret. Also, going on a room-smashing spree after Rita's death. It's one of those moments where Matt Smith is just so good an actor that he can make you honestly believe what could turn out to be a particularly Narmy scene. And because...well, the Doctor feels this need to save people. It's always been there, and I doubt it's a stretch to think what happened during the Time War contributed to that. Not to mention the other people he's lost. I believe SF Debris' review of "The End of Time" said it well -- "if you can't save people, what good are you?" And while the Doctor, no matter what happens, is still very much a good man even with his failures, he himself doesn't seem to realize it. Perhaps it doesn't make sense, but guilt in general...sometimes the feeling can be so overpowering it can twist your thought processes a bit (see also the Nostalgia Critic in "To Boldly Flee"). The brain's an odd thing. Even now, really, I can't quite figure it out. It can do awesome things, and other times, when it's under duress in some way, shape or form, it can break. And with the Doctor, I doubt that it's any exception. **
But back to the episode.
Another thing that terrified me during the episode was Rita's last moments. Just how she was outside the hotel room talking with the Doctor over the phone, the Doctor's telling her to get inside and hide from the creature, she's begging the Doctor to remember her as she was, she's deep in belief...yeah, a really well done scene, especially Eleven's reaction after she's killed (before he goes on a room-smashing spree). And it's really made worse, not just because of what I previously described, but also because of Eleven's promise to get everyone out alive. Which only makes what happens to just about everyone but Gibbis as well as Eleven and his crew...well, I can imagine how horrible it must be for him. Knowing that he failed to save them. And that Rita could have gone traveling with him, Rory and Amy. Every possibility that could have been if people got out of the hotel alive...gone.
*Sighs*
Man, this is getting depressing way too quickly. Here's McCoy as a dentist: http://cheezburger.com/7301192192.
*Sighs*
And now, back to the episode.
I think another thing that contributed to the Doctor's feelings of guilt was...well, the matter that he himself managed to help sort of lead to these deaths because he drew the wrong conclusion about what the Minotaur was feeding off of. He thought it was fear, but if nothing else, it was faith -- faith in a general something. Conspiracy theories, belief in the Doctor...hell, I think it could extend to things like hope, patriotic fervor, etc. And the Minotaur...there's the matter of its race being worshipped as gods at one point. It's almost like the darker counterpoint to how the Doctor was revived in "Last of the Time Lords" -- "Last of the Time Lords" had people using faith to save themselves as well as the Doctor, save all of Earth (with Martha's help -- and her faith and loyalty to the Doctor, in a way, being one of many things keeping her going. ***) while in "The God Complex", their faith is their downfall.
And one of the points it's most painful is when Eleven ultimately breaks Amy's faith in him. Telling her that he mostly brought her along because he wanted to be adored, and that, if nothing else, it was time to stop waiting, amongst other things. There's a sort of Chekhov's Gun with "The Eleventh Hour" in regards to the madman with a box line. Here, it's used to ultimately defeat the Minotaur, and to also grant the Minotaur some peace in death, considering that the Minotaur itself is a death seeker. And it's made worse considering that the Minotaur is a sort of dark mirror to the Doctor -- a creature soaked in blood, a creature who, for which, death would be a gift. In the beginning, the Ninth Doctor was very obviously welcoming death; it really took Rose to teach him to live again. Ten...well, he was happy before losing Rose. Then he became a Death Seeker again, sort of -- it took Donna and, later, Martha, and then Donna again to save him. And yet...well, after all that's happened to him, Eleven may find shelter with Amy and Rory, but he's not better. If nothing else, he's far from better. True, he might act better, but in truth, he is still very much broken. And the worst part is that he does something that could, if nothing else, potentially destroy him: he lets Amy and Rory go. He gives them a home and a car, and while there is some hilarity what with Amy's comment about a goblin that feeds on indecision, and some sweet moments such as Amy wanting River to visit, it's clear that she's mostly laughing to keep herself from crying. Indeed, once the Doctor leaves, she starts crying. Because here she is, with Rory, and it seems that she's back at square one again in a way, waiting for the Doctor. And the Doctor's reasoning for it? He doesn't want to see her or Rory (or both) dead (which adds a healthy dosage of Harsher in Hindsight with "The Angels Take Manhattan"). And it's not an invalid thought; after all, not many companions have died, but some have (Adric, for example), and even some who don't die...well, he feels that he's ruined their lives (as seen in "Journey's End", "Let's Kill Hitler", etc.). Not to mention all the random people around him who die -- the people that still weigh heavily in his mind. Because to him, there really is no such thing as an unimportant person. It's seen in stuff like "Father's Day", "A Christmas Carol", etc. And the idea that he can't save everyone...well, I doubt it is a stretch to think that was what was in his room. That or Lake Silencio... (There could be other things in the Doctor's room, though)
I also really loved the characters; they were all very likable, Amy's snark about where the Doctor took them, Amy reassuring Gibbis about the Weeping Angels, and the nod back to "The Horns of Nimon". Hell, the entire episode was awesome. Sad, but awesome.
* I dunno; something about the idea of a brave hero defeating the monster where others failed was appealing to me. Also, Ariadne. She was amazing.
** And I think the sad/oddly sweet/whatever thing about the Doctor is how he can think he's failed people even if they were presented in-story as villains or Asshole Victims or what-have-you. Ten did it a lot, I can remember -- e.g. regretting being unable to save Lance near the end of "The Runaway Bride". And blaming himself in general such as in "Journey's End". I mean, Doctor, I love you dearly, but you can be incredibly naive sometimes. You're sweet, you're badass, but you have such a case of Chronic Hero's Syndrome that it can get a tad Woobie-ish. (And I doubt it's a stretch if it's one of many traits exploited for the "the Doctor must suffer" episodes, e.g. the season three finale, "Midnight", etc.)
*** I actually remember listening to a sampling of the commentary for "The Green Death" with Russell T. Davies and Katy Manning (Jo's actress) and how one Jo scene that Davies remembers most is her throwing herself in front of the Doctor to protect him, which actually destroys Azal. Which...well, I think it might have been one of many things that influenced his writing as well. Rose, for example, and Martha. Hell, there are many examples of those things in the RTD era of DOCTOR WHO. People sacrificing themselves if only so others may live, people taking up arms so others may live, etc. And then there are the Azals who just don't understand why people would do it. As Harriet Jones says, "[The Daleks] know nothing of any human, and that will be [their] downfall." Acts of sacrifice and selflessness just don't seem to fit with their view of the world (with Blue and Orange Morality in some places). It's sort of like they sort of go through mental rewrites of reality to fit their way of thinking (see also Davros, the Dalek Emperor, etc). There's the occasional force of nature and there's the occasional Humans Can Be Scarier Than Any Monster thing, and the monsters can vary, and even the Doctor goes into that sort of mindset in "The Waters of Mars", but in the end, it comes down to people having twisted rationales for things (see also CHILDREN OF EARTH, and among many scenes, the cabinet discussing which children to give to the 456), and that's one of the most terrifying things there is.
So overall? Amazing, but yeah...bring tissues.
First off, I really loved the teaser of the one woman trapped in the hotel long after the rest of her party is picked off by the Minotaur (yes, it's a Minotaur. Also known as one of those characters in Greek Mythology that scared the hell out of me as a kid, even if Theseus and the Minotaur was one of my favorite myths. * Not quite the same Minotaur in this episode -- long story here, I'll get to it later -- but...y'know) and she's sitting outside the hotel room scribbling her last words. And the whole "praise him" stuff...yeah, that was fucking terrifying. Something about the way it was shot at least really terrified me. And then her being killed by the beast... *Shivers* Yeah, that was frightening. And from there, the monster proceeded to scare the living bejesus out of me. I think there was something about the sound design for the monster that really helped it work -- the great thudding footsteps, the roars and grunts -- as well as the effects. Seriously, I have to say it's one of the most terrifying Minotaurs I've ever seen. And the people becoming possessed by the thing and going on and on about praising him, as well as how they just die with...well, no reason. They just shut down. And that one conspiracy guy, Howie, becoming possessed and the answers he gives while possessed. And the fact that he overpowered Gibbis. And how he was just so determined to find the Minotaur. On a bit of a sidenote, I really, really liked Eleven's reaction to Howie's death. Just that regret. Also, going on a room-smashing spree after Rita's death. It's one of those moments where Matt Smith is just so good an actor that he can make you honestly believe what could turn out to be a particularly Narmy scene. And because...well, the Doctor feels this need to save people. It's always been there, and I doubt it's a stretch to think what happened during the Time War contributed to that. Not to mention the other people he's lost. I believe SF Debris' review of "The End of Time" said it well -- "if you can't save people, what good are you?" And while the Doctor, no matter what happens, is still very much a good man even with his failures, he himself doesn't seem to realize it. Perhaps it doesn't make sense, but guilt in general...sometimes the feeling can be so overpowering it can twist your thought processes a bit (see also the Nostalgia Critic in "To Boldly Flee"). The brain's an odd thing. Even now, really, I can't quite figure it out. It can do awesome things, and other times, when it's under duress in some way, shape or form, it can break. And with the Doctor, I doubt that it's any exception. **
But back to the episode.
Another thing that terrified me during the episode was Rita's last moments. Just how she was outside the hotel room talking with the Doctor over the phone, the Doctor's telling her to get inside and hide from the creature, she's begging the Doctor to remember her as she was, she's deep in belief...yeah, a really well done scene, especially Eleven's reaction after she's killed (before he goes on a room-smashing spree). And it's really made worse, not just because of what I previously described, but also because of Eleven's promise to get everyone out alive. Which only makes what happens to just about everyone but Gibbis as well as Eleven and his crew...well, I can imagine how horrible it must be for him. Knowing that he failed to save them. And that Rita could have gone traveling with him, Rory and Amy. Every possibility that could have been if people got out of the hotel alive...gone.
*Sighs*
Man, this is getting depressing way too quickly. Here's McCoy as a dentist: http://cheezburger.com/7301192192.
*Sighs*
And now, back to the episode.
I think another thing that contributed to the Doctor's feelings of guilt was...well, the matter that he himself managed to help sort of lead to these deaths because he drew the wrong conclusion about what the Minotaur was feeding off of. He thought it was fear, but if nothing else, it was faith -- faith in a general something. Conspiracy theories, belief in the Doctor...hell, I think it could extend to things like hope, patriotic fervor, etc. And the Minotaur...there's the matter of its race being worshipped as gods at one point. It's almost like the darker counterpoint to how the Doctor was revived in "Last of the Time Lords" -- "Last of the Time Lords" had people using faith to save themselves as well as the Doctor, save all of Earth (with Martha's help -- and her faith and loyalty to the Doctor, in a way, being one of many things keeping her going. ***) while in "The God Complex", their faith is their downfall.
And one of the points it's most painful is when Eleven ultimately breaks Amy's faith in him. Telling her that he mostly brought her along because he wanted to be adored, and that, if nothing else, it was time to stop waiting, amongst other things. There's a sort of Chekhov's Gun with "The Eleventh Hour" in regards to the madman with a box line. Here, it's used to ultimately defeat the Minotaur, and to also grant the Minotaur some peace in death, considering that the Minotaur itself is a death seeker. And it's made worse considering that the Minotaur is a sort of dark mirror to the Doctor -- a creature soaked in blood, a creature who, for which, death would be a gift. In the beginning, the Ninth Doctor was very obviously welcoming death; it really took Rose to teach him to live again. Ten...well, he was happy before losing Rose. Then he became a Death Seeker again, sort of -- it took Donna and, later, Martha, and then Donna again to save him. And yet...well, after all that's happened to him, Eleven may find shelter with Amy and Rory, but he's not better. If nothing else, he's far from better. True, he might act better, but in truth, he is still very much broken. And the worst part is that he does something that could, if nothing else, potentially destroy him: he lets Amy and Rory go. He gives them a home and a car, and while there is some hilarity what with Amy's comment about a goblin that feeds on indecision, and some sweet moments such as Amy wanting River to visit, it's clear that she's mostly laughing to keep herself from crying. Indeed, once the Doctor leaves, she starts crying. Because here she is, with Rory, and it seems that she's back at square one again in a way, waiting for the Doctor. And the Doctor's reasoning for it? He doesn't want to see her or Rory (or both) dead (which adds a healthy dosage of Harsher in Hindsight with "The Angels Take Manhattan"). And it's not an invalid thought; after all, not many companions have died, but some have (Adric, for example), and even some who don't die...well, he feels that he's ruined their lives (as seen in "Journey's End", "Let's Kill Hitler", etc.). Not to mention all the random people around him who die -- the people that still weigh heavily in his mind. Because to him, there really is no such thing as an unimportant person. It's seen in stuff like "Father's Day", "A Christmas Carol", etc. And the idea that he can't save everyone...well, I doubt it is a stretch to think that was what was in his room. That or Lake Silencio... (There could be other things in the Doctor's room, though)
I also really loved the characters; they were all very likable, Amy's snark about where the Doctor took them, Amy reassuring Gibbis about the Weeping Angels, and the nod back to "The Horns of Nimon". Hell, the entire episode was awesome. Sad, but awesome.
* I dunno; something about the idea of a brave hero defeating the monster where others failed was appealing to me. Also, Ariadne. She was amazing.
** And I think the sad/oddly sweet/whatever thing about the Doctor is how he can think he's failed people even if they were presented in-story as villains or Asshole Victims or what-have-you. Ten did it a lot, I can remember -- e.g. regretting being unable to save Lance near the end of "The Runaway Bride". And blaming himself in general such as in "Journey's End". I mean, Doctor, I love you dearly, but you can be incredibly naive sometimes. You're sweet, you're badass, but you have such a case of Chronic Hero's Syndrome that it can get a tad Woobie-ish. (And I doubt it's a stretch if it's one of many traits exploited for the "the Doctor must suffer" episodes, e.g. the season three finale, "Midnight", etc.)
*** I actually remember listening to a sampling of the commentary for "The Green Death" with Russell T. Davies and Katy Manning (Jo's actress) and how one Jo scene that Davies remembers most is her throwing herself in front of the Doctor to protect him, which actually destroys Azal. Which...well, I think it might have been one of many things that influenced his writing as well. Rose, for example, and Martha. Hell, there are many examples of those things in the RTD era of DOCTOR WHO. People sacrificing themselves if only so others may live, people taking up arms so others may live, etc. And then there are the Azals who just don't understand why people would do it. As Harriet Jones says, "[The Daleks] know nothing of any human, and that will be [their] downfall." Acts of sacrifice and selflessness just don't seem to fit with their view of the world (with Blue and Orange Morality in some places). It's sort of like they sort of go through mental rewrites of reality to fit their way of thinking (see also Davros, the Dalek Emperor, etc). There's the occasional force of nature and there's the occasional Humans Can Be Scarier Than Any Monster thing, and the monsters can vary, and even the Doctor goes into that sort of mindset in "The Waters of Mars", but in the end, it comes down to people having twisted rationales for things (see also CHILDREN OF EARTH, and among many scenes, the cabinet discussing which children to give to the 456), and that's one of the most terrifying things there is.
So overall? Amazing, but yeah...bring tissues.
