I've got to talk about Utopia

[kalleah]

Every time we get to a "major" episode, I worry about the impact it will have on my ability to write in this fandom.  Well, I may or may not get anything productive done tonight as I am currently high on Utopia, but I'll be just fine.

And yeah, if you're playing at home, that does mean I'm working.  I'm currently four chapters into a sequel to Voyages of Discovery.  Anyway, that's not the point of this post.  :)

For next week, I have some theories.  Here they are, in no particular order.

• I cringe at the idea of the Master with the Doctor's TARDIS, but the Doctor obviously did some jiggery-pokery as he was leaving.  What will be funny is if they end up having to use Jack's vortex manipulator to get back to Cardiff, which the Doctor made quite a lot of fun of in the beginning.  There's some lovely irony for you.
• The fact that the Doctor's hand is inside the TARDIS has to be significant.  Either the Master is going to start cloning away with it or it's going to be useful somehow in getting them back inside the ship.

Let's also not forget some outstanding questions, besides the obvious.

• What or where is Utopia?  Let's not forget that in all the distraction around the Master.  Someone or something put out a beacon for the remainder of humankind.  I can't think it's just a throwaway plot line.  So what happens with the humans on that ship?  I'd like to see them again.  If we don't, and I think it's a good possibility that we don't, then that's some damn fertile ground for fanfic.
  
• How did the Master end up in a watch?  My thought on that is that he hid on purpose to avoid the Time War - not necessarily knowing that the Doctor was going to obliterate both species, but being generally sneaky.
• So, while the Master was safely hidden as a human during the Time War, and thus avoided being obliterated, how did the Doctor not realize he was around when they were both in the same time and place?  Saxon's been operating in the UK for some time, obviously, and the Doctor has been in the same vicinity several times since Saxon presumably made his appearance.  I thought there was some general timey-wimey Time Lord psychic detection.
• About the election.  Saxon's running for Prime Minister?  Now, I'm an American, but I didn't think that was a generally elected position.  Wouldn't he be locally elected, say, in London, and then chosen by his party as Prime Minister?  If that's the case, why did a "Vote Saxon" poster end up in Cardiff?  (It was on the door of the dance hall that Jack and Tosh went into in Captain Jack Harkness.)

And general observations and love:

• "Stop it."  Bwahahaha.  It's Jack, all right.
• I am pretty sure that the lovely tentacled lady, whose name I cannot spell, didn't say her beginning and end word when she said "I'm sorry" and shot the Master.  Also bwahahaha.
• All the pretty.  ::sighs::
• John was in the credits!  Yay.
• And, as a final note, I'm impressed by the Beeb's ability to keep us all from finding out that this was truly a three-parter.  I assumed, from all the discussion about the last two episodes, that this was a standalone episode.  I loved that I was surprised by that.

EDIT:

It occurred to me after the fact that I had assumed (as most had done, I suspect) that the title Last of the Time Lords referred to the revelation about the Master/Saxon.  I was dead wrong about that and hadn't expected it to happen as early as Utopia.  Wow.

So, mulling over the last title, I am convinced that the reference may be to the Doctor's choice whether to kill the Master or not.  If he does, then he is finishing a genocide he began and killing the only other member of his species.  If he doesn't, then an evil goes free.  He couldn't do it to the Daleks, on several occasions, and this will be worse.

I suspect this is what RTD and crowd meant by a "bleak" and "devastating" end to the season.

Poor, dear Doctor.  I'm almost glad Rose isn't here right now, because she would be nothing but a target for the Master to use against him.  I'm not entirely convinced that he won't make the threat -- he overheard the discussion about Rose and the Time War while still the Professor, after all.

Comments

[platypus]

I don't know. I think this really complicates the Doctor/TARDIS relationship. She shut him out, and ran off with another Time Lord!

[kalleah.livejournal.com]

She shut him out, and ran off with another Time Lord!

Hussy.

[wendymr.livejournal.com]

So, while the Master was safely hidden as a human during the Time War, and thus avoided being obliterated, how did the Doctor not realize he was around when they were both in the same time and place? Saxon's been operating in the UK for some time, obviously, and the Doctor has been in the same vicinity several times since Saxon presumably made his appearance. I thought there was some general timey-wimey Time Lord psychic detection.

There is. But the Master was human, so of course the Doctor couldn't detect him - just as the Family couldn't detect the Doctor as a Time Lord in HN/FoB. I thought that was pretty much said in the episode - I think Martha said it. And he ended up in the watch much the same way as the Doctor did in HN/FoB, I'd guess :)

As for UK politics, yes, Saxon would have to have been an MP (Member of Parliament) first, and then elected party leader. He'd have his own constituency - and we don't know where that is. You would still find party leader pictures on election posters nationwide, just to remind people of who they're really voting for - lots of people don't have a clue who their local candidates actually are ;)

[kalleah.livejournal.com]

But the Master was human, so of course the Doctor couldn't detect him

Right, when he was in the form of the Professor. That makes complete sense to me. But he changed into a Time Lord when he opened the watch, and that form went back (presumably) in time to the UK.

The Doctor and the Master have been in the same place and time although they have never met. As early as The Runaway Bride, we've had references to Saxon. So, at those times, why didn't the Doctor sense him? They've both been near London in their Time Lord forms.

You would still find party leader pictures on election posters nationwide

Thanks for that clarification - that's been bugging me for a while. :)

[principia.livejournal.com]

Okay, well after having found out that the shot that looked like a remake of that scene from The Shining was, in fact, supposed to be a happy smile (yikes!), I would agree that my biggest issues with the episode center around Saxon.

Yes, you are generally correct about the way PMs are elected in Britain. It's not a direct election. In reality, though, when people vote for Labour they know they're voting for Tony Blair (or were previously; now it'd mean a vote for Gordon Brown).

I would be interested to know what party Saxon is ostensibly part of Conservatives for Voldemort and The Master!, and yes, how could The Doctor have spent so much time on Earth while Saxon was out and about and not have sensed him?

[kalleah.livejournal.com]

supposed to be a happy smile (yikes!)

That. Is. Not. A. Happy. Smile.

But that being said, I am glad he's not gone off and become evil. I was a bit concerned.

how could The Doctor have spent so much time on Earth while Saxon was out and about and not have sensed him?

Maybe Rusty will explain that. I'm inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt after all he's done for us. :)

[karenor.livejournal.com]

how did the Doctor not realize he was around when they were both in the same time and place?

Indeed! Good point. And here I was thinking: why didn't he detect that he'd already opened the watch? He totally should have sensed him at least when he was in current London, I'd say. But maybe it is something timey-wimey...since it hadn't happened in the Doctor's timeline yet. Maybe he had to know he existed to know up there in his head.

With the prime minister stuff...I think in parliamentary systems you basically vote for a party and the party leader of the winning party becomes prime minister...So in effect, you are pretty much voting for them, and I think it'd be national. oh but people have already answered that. *shuts up*

The fact that the Doctor's hand is inside the TARDIS has to be significant.

I'm not sure, but I'm thinking the hand was significant to the Master's regeneration. Just cuz of his reaction and the way the scene was shot.

[kalleah.livejournal.com]

Let me say first off: love the neck!pr0n icon. Distracting.

And here I was thinking: why didn't he detect that he'd already opened the watch?

Yeah, that too! Granted he was a little distracted about it. Now, Martha totally could have taken the watch away from the Professor. He would have let her have it. Oh well.

[vinceliav.livejournal.com]

I personally think it's as simple as a 'Doctor Detector' like Jack called it. I think it's just going to allow the The Master to know when the Doctor is there.

[ivydoor.livejournal.com]

I am only going to say this:

18 minutes in. 65 caps.

I am so overkilling this.

[kalleah.livejournal.com]

18 minutes in. 65 caps.

Good God, woman! You're going to give yourself carpal tunnel just from that.

How, if I might ask, do you do your screen caps?

[paiger1218.livejournal.com]

I honestly think part of the hand storyline is that the TARDIS has tricked herself into sensing that Ten is onboard with the Master, or that somehow she's reading the Master as Ten, so maybe that's what's going on. I absolutely loved this episode, though the explanations about Rose made me cry like a baby, especially Jack saying he went back to the 90's to watch her grow up, very very sad stuff. I really hope she comes back someday, because this is just frakking killing me. Also, Martha's line "I know that voice" referring to Saxon suggests that he either goes back in time before Martha meets Ten, or something else happened, but I think that's where she recognizes his voice from. Interesting stuff about the heart of the TARDIS suddenly coming back to haunt us, again, it would be nice if Rose were back, especially since I truly wonder if she's sharing Jack's fate, and what that means for her... still trying to figure out how the Doctor didn;t sense Saxon and how Saxon has been able to regenerate at all, according to canon (including the movie) as the Master, he wouldn;t be able to regenerate, so I'm not sure what's going on with that. Wow, I've just rambled on and on, sorry 'bout that. This episode kicked some serious arse. Oh, I'm American too, though I would love to live in Europe someday.. right, goig now hehehe

[kalleah.livejournal.com]

the TARDIS has tricked herself into sensing that Ten is onboard with the Master

Oooh. Good idea.

Also, Martha's line "I know that voice" referring to Saxon

I took it that if he's prominent enough to be on the cusp of Prime Minister-ship that she knows who he is.

[sollersuk.livejournal.com]

"I know that voice"

How sad can one be? My instantaneous reaction was that Martha was a "Life on Mars" fan.

[larielromeniel.livejournal.com]

I usually don't bother to avoid spoilers...but tonight, I did. And man oh man.

Gotta watch the episode all over again now!

Trying to decide whether Jack is letting the Doctor off too easily...but they do sort of have a lot going on.

So *happy* to see Jack back in his old persona, though.

And now I wanna know how the Master escaped the Eye of Harmony. And how was he able to regenerate? The last body we saw him in was NOT a Time Lord body.

Questions answered...but lots more raised and I'm eager to see the answers!

[kalleah.livejournal.com]

Questions answered...but lots more raised and I'm eager to see the answers!

Yes, and I love that we have new questions. Yay.

[squeeepatrol.livejournal.com]

Great discussions, annd I squeed all over that ep, but I also squeed over your new about the fic! Can I just say Oh oh oh - am 'cited by this??

Yes?

Ta :)

[kalleah.livejournal.com]

I also squeed over your new about the fic!

That makes me happy, too. I was debating when to start posting and have decided it's just not far enough along for me to be comfortable posting yet. But, hopefully, soon. I'm so flattered that you're excited. :)

[kalleah.livejournal.com]

I had a major brainstorm and made an edit to the whole post ... if Rusty does this, it's both the meanest and the most compelling thing he's done yet.

[kb91.livejournal.com]

I had a major brainstorm and made an edit to the whole post ... if Rusty does this, it's both the meanest and the most compelling thing he's done yet.

Ohhh, my, yes. I think this is a very plausible theory, and no matter what the Doctor ends up doing, it will break him even more than he is already broken. And that's saying something.

My poor Doctor!

[samanfur.livejournal.com]

Some answers on how a UK general election works are here (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/vote_2005/basics/4351315.stm).

The Prime Minister is the leader of whichever party wins the election (more parliamentary terms're explained here (http://www.parliament.uk/faq/parlgov_faq.cfm) and here (http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/about-us/factsheetspub.cfm)). It's a national post, so it's a general election.

If you don't mind me asking (since I've had discussions on how UK elections work with friends of mine in the US a few times, but never come across someone who thought this particular way before), what made you think that the PM was chosen by the party rather than the people?

[kalleah.livejournal.com]

what made you think that the PM was chosen by the party rather than the people?

I'm not sure. I had a government class way back in middle school and I'm positive some subconscious memory of how things actually worked stayed with me. I guess I thought it was analogous to say the American Speaker of the House or the Senate Majority Leader. Both of those positions are elected by the parties in power. So, a person votes for their own Senator or Representative, and then the majority party in each body elects a leader.

[sunnytyler001.livejournal.com]

Oh yes he did, didn't he? He heard about Rose... And I so want to read a fic about that! Just imagine! The Bad Wolf versus the The Master! Fantastic!
Ooohhh and John Simm is brilliant as the Master! I adore him!

[kalleah.livejournal.com]

Oh yes he did, didn't he? He heard about Rose

And I suspect he'll use the idea of Rose against the Doctor, that a Time Lord would become so attached to a human.

[sapphireblue88.livejournal.com]

Considering I've only been a fan for about three weeks now, I really have no idea about the Master. Can someone just breifly explain what his significance has been? Obviously, he's another time lord and that has major ramifications, but there's got to be something more. To be honest, when Martha first saw the watch and likened it to the Doctor's, I thought it was more timey-wimey stuff and the Professor was actually the Doctor. (plz don't hurt me for my newbiness!)

As to your theory about the title, what would it matter if he killed Saxon or not? It's not like the Doctor and the Master can reproduce to have another pure-blood Time Lord to restart the species, and my guess is half-blood Time Lords just won't be the same. So the Time Lords will still be very close on the edge of extinction and the Doctor will still be the Last of the Time Lords.

There's the whole question of syntax, though. (Seems English major-ish, but stick with me) The Doctor never referred to himself as "the last time lord," simply as "the last of the time lords," the plural of lords and the word "of" suggesting that he is one of a few who are still living. Relate this to endangered animals. If there are three pandas in a zoo and they are the last pandas in existence, they'd be called "the last of the pandas". If two of them died without any reproduction, then the remaining one would be called "the last panda", not necessarily "the last of the pandas", because the former is the clearest phrase. So maybe the Doctor (clever lad he is) knew that some time lords would employ the Chameleon Arch to escape the Time War, but figured that they'd be human for so long they wouldn't remember and would never return.

wow ... my first Doctor Who rambling ... hopefully it doesn't go to waste. : )

[kalleah.livejournal.com]

I'll let one of the old school crowd address the significance of the Master, but the short version: Time Lord nemesis.

what would it matter if he killed Saxon or not?

It makes a huge difference. The Doctor was directly responsible for the obliteration of his people. Now, he finds out that someone is left alive. (That someone turns out to be, as I said, his greatest nemesis.)

It's genocide, part 2, plain and simple. It may be necessary, considering the threat the Master poses, but it's still a horrible consequence.

[blackcat-1.livejournal.com]

Lots of interesting questions raised here.
In CJH, did you also notice BADWOLF scrawled on the stairwell Jack and Tosh were standing in, at the beginning? That, combined with your mention of the Saxon poster on the door of the same dance hall (which I thank you for pointing out, as I hadn't noticed it at the time) could well give rise to further theories...

[kalleah.livejournal.com]

I did notice the BAD WOLF scrawling in that episode, but I missed the Vote Saxon! poster. Granted, I wasn't looking for it then as Saxon hadn't been brought up yet in Doctor Who.

My husband spotted it and called me over to rewatch the beginning of the episode, and didn't tell me what I was looking for. I just gasped when I saw it, bigger than life.

[neth-dugan.livejournal.com]

The 'Vote Saxon' thing also confuses me... greatly. Not so much that is says 'Vote Saxon' because even if you don't vote for the Prime Minister directly, they do campaign a lot and your vote is influenced by them.

The basic system is that you vote for your MP (Member of Parliment, like a congresman), and the party with the overal majority forms the government, and the head of that party is the Prime Minister. You don't vote for HIM, you vote for the party, as it were. Which is how Tony Blair can stand down and no public election is needed - just one within our party (well, for deputy anyway, there weren't enough MP nominations for anyone other than Gordon Brown for leader so he got it, there are several candidates for Deputy though - Go Alan!).

ANY WAY. Given this, for Saxon to become PM, he'd need to be the head of a party. Whils an indipendant can become an MP, he can't become PM. Unless they've some how changed the lawas DRASTICALLY. Doing so would basically create the elected PM something similar to head of state, which you can't with out making the Queen not head of state.

It's all rather confusing how Saxon would become PM, basically. And makes no sense at all from what we currently know.

It's just very, very ODD.

[kalleah.livejournal.com]

Given this, for Saxon to become PM, he'd need to be the head of a party.

We can't rule that out, can we?

[blackcat-1.livejournal.com]

Ooo! I had another thought today (probably one that several million other people have already had – I’m a bit slow!)
OK, here it is: two Time Lords equals possible pathway between universes (is this right?), so, Doctor realises this, but of course, he has to forsake the chance of an emotional reunion with the one he loves, in order to save the multiverse by destroying the Master. Heartache all over again for our hero, as not only has he had to destroy the only other Time Lord (that he knows about, at least), but once again loses his chance to be with Rose (someone pass the hankies…)

[kalleah.livejournal.com]

so, Doctor realises this, but of course, he has to forsake the chance of an emotional reunion with the one he loves, in order to save the multiverse by destroying the Master

I don't know about that. Maybe two Time Lords in theory could open a doorway to another universe, but I can't see the Doctor really getting his hopes up that the Master would help him do it. He might have that thought later on, but I'm not sure that will be in his initial reaction.