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Doctor Who: the clues leading up to the ending
Simon Brew
Last weekend's episode, Turn Left, through a few spanners into the works where Doctor Who series four is concerned. But were the signs always there?
Minor spoilers ahead!
If Turn Left once again demonstrated Doctor Who’s ability to pull the rug a little, then we can’t say that the clues weren’t there, waiting to be seen. Granted, they weren’t easy to see, but here’s what we know for definite, as well as some questions that still need answering...:
* Right throughout the series, there’s been mention of disappearing bees. We’ve counted this a few times, and while there’s been no explanation as to why – and it still could be a red herring, of course – it was there again in Turn Left. What’s going on there, then?
* There's also been more obvious mention of disappearing planets, and true to form, the stars have begun to pop out of the sky, as we're promised the darkness is coming. The title of the next episode, The Stolen Earth, also ties into this.
* More obvious was the formal return of Billie Piper as Rose Tyler, whose face has popped up several times throughout the series. In fact, she was last seen screaming the Doctor’s name on the background screen in Midnight, and appeared even in the first episode of the series.
* Now it’s get interesting. We can’t track down a specific example, but do we remember someone making mention of something on Donna’s back earlier in the series? Does that mean that, in spite of being on a parallel timeline in Turn Left, the strange creature was actually with her throughout the series? Was she therefore, being diverted onto this timeline that we’ve been seeing these past weeks all along? That would make sense of the Doctor’s comment that how coincidental it is that he should meet Donna Noble twice. Or have we gone mad?
* Finally, and hats off to Den Of Geek contributor Gaye Birch for this, how about the picture that was set in the background of Doctor Moon’s office in Silence In The Library? Is that a child’s drawing of Rose Tyler and a wolf? It sure looks like it to us....
Share your speculation down in the comments field…!
User's Comments
Re: Doctor Who: the clues leading up to the endingThe first mention of Donna's back-beetle was in "The Fires of Pompeii" - episode 2. The town soothsayer (Lucius Dextrus) tells The Doctor "She is returning" then tells Donna "There's something on your back". | |
Re: Doctor Who: the clues leading up to the endingI *thought* it was Fires of Pompeii, but wasn't sure. Cheers Karl! | |
Re: Doctor Who: the clues leading up to the endingAlso there were little subtle things in this series that synch up with prior ones. One is that Bernard Cribbins was playing with a pocket watch a few epidodes ago that looked uncannily like the one that was shown in 'Family of Blood' and was used to make the master remember who he was. Could Ms Tate be another timelord? ( Rani?).. its a bit jump but thats what us geeks are here for! | |
Re: Doctor Who: the clues leading up to the endingI've wondered for a while if Donna would be 'turned' in some way against the Doctor, and that she's been manipulating him all along. That way at least they could give her the requisite heroic death, as she sacrifices herself to save the Doctor? | |
Re: Doctor Who: the clues leading up to the endingThere does seem to bee (!) a lot going on behind the scenes with Donna. She was portayed as shouty and a little 'dim' in her first appearance, however as the doctor noted she has become 'amazing' - sussing things out like the decimal countdown system in the corridors in the 'Doctors Daughter' as well as being as clever as Agitha Christy as well. Is she a 'temp'? to be something else as she seems really important, especially when you think that the doctor had already met her and all his prior encounters with people have led to bigger and better things (Captain Jack - Torchwood, Sarah Jane - Sarah Jane Adventures)..hmmm | |
Re: Doctor Who: the clues leading up to the endingI was SURE Donna would be killed off in this series. But now she's been told she's going to die, I'm positive she'll probably live.
The Time-Beatle thing did occur to me, but I don't think she's been under the influence of one all this time...no-one's spotted it. In the alternate future everyone was spotting it at some point...mind you, it wouldn't be the first time they've glossed over something like that, so let's not rule it out. Maybe the sooth sayer in Pompei was just parroting a phrase from Donna's future.
My theory on disapearing planets: we've never found out how the Doctor ended the Time War (apparently killing off both sides)...what if Gallifrey got sucked into the void between the worlds, which is where all these other planets are going. Someone is sucking more planets through, reality if fracturing again, hence Rose can cross between dimensions once more.
One thing you've missed is the constant mentions of the 'Medusa Cascade'...according to the Master back in Episode 13 last year the Doctor "single handidly sealed" it, but it's been mentioned pretty much every week.
I can't wait...but I'm going to have to! I'm presenting Radio at a Festival in denmark for the next 2 Saturdays, so I'll have to watch them back to back when I get back and stay off the internet! | |
Re: Doctor Who: the clues leading up to the endingThe Fires of Pompeii - "You have something on your back" as stated by Petrus Lucius Dextrus. | |
Re: Doctor Who: the clues leading up to the endingYou missed one of the biggest of them all. How many times has the Medusa Cascade been mentioned, and especially in reference to the Doctor's real name? | |
Re: Doctor Who: the clues leading up to the endingThat's a picture of a wolf?
It certainly wouldn't make the refrigerator at my house. | |
Re: Doctor Who: the clues leading up to the endingThe BBC site has since confirmed the wolf's presence in Fact File notes for the episode that followed- Forest of the Dead.
| |
Re: Doctor Who: the clues leading up to the endingIn "The Doctor's Daughter", there's a bit where the Doctor and Donna are talking about the Time Lords, and the Doctor is speaking of his loss. Then he says 'They'll never come back, not now', and Donna tells him that she thinks he's wrong. First I thought that she meant he was wrong that he would never get over his pain, but maybe this is some sort of hint that other Time Lords will be making appearances at some point in the future. |
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