The episode opens with Clara/Bonnie/Clara? Waking up from a dream….except she’s still in a dream…except she’s not, she’s in Zygon hibernation.
Clara still has some limited control over her body, which means that the cliffhanger at the end of the last episode- the doctor and Osgood about to get blown up on a plane- is resolved. Bonnie falters, the missile misses. I’m happy. I love Osgood, she’s so smart.
I love Osgood so much #DoctorWho
— maddy (@maddydell) November 8, 2015
We find out the Zygon revolution will involve unmasking every Zygon currently in human form, causing mass panic and inevitable war.
Turns out, there isn’t much support amongst the Zygon population for the revolution. By the end it seems to be just Bonnie and her bodyguards. Or Zygella. That’s a great name.
The black archive scene was wonderfully tense. The writers took a risk in having it comprise so much of the episode, but all of the drama and action was in those words exchanged over a table. Possibly even the Doctor’s best speech… ever.
We’re gonna need to discuss Peter Capaldi’s performance in this week’s episodes for months and years to come. #DoctorWho
— Fatma (@_Barabears) November 8, 2015
Turns out the Osgood box(es) are empty. There’s no weapon, nothing to star a war, nothing in them but buttons. Yes. This is more like the old Doctor, who always looks for a peaceful solution. Remember when Eleven blew up an entire species of cybermen?
I was all for Osgood as the new companion, but I suppose we can’t have everything.
Orchestrated mass murder
Now, the ending. I’m all for the forgiveness of villains but mass murder was orchestrated! And Bonnie seems to have just been forgiven of umpteen war crimes.
Having said that, these two episodes have been rather more political than Doctor Who usually is.
“The only way people can live in peace is if they are prepared to forgive”. #DoctorWho #auspol
— Sandra K Eckersley (@SandraEckersley) November 8, 2015
And one line hit the nail on the head for me. “Why does peacekeeping always involve killing?” Why, indeed.
At least this all answers one thing.
The Doctor’s very first question. “Am I a good man?”
Of course you are Doctor, of course you are.
