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 ;)

[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]

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. :)

[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.

[principia.livejournal.com]

I'm just gonna go out on a limb (pun intended) and guess it's got something to do with The Hand? Maybe The Master rigs some device that makes him basically echo back like The Doctor's own 'signature,' and so The Doctor would ignore it as background noise? I can't imagine The Master would Arch himself again, although I suppose he could have done/will do so.

[principia.livejournal.com]

Rose would've batted her eyes and asked to see it, and then told him she'd see if The Doctor could fix it for him. And then calmly wandered off. I can just see her turning up in the launch room wearing her big gritted-teeth Houston-we-have-a-problem smile with watch in hand. At which point we get The Doctor's stunned reaction, possibly a little emo, and then...

Unless The Doctor could hear the watch when handling it, he probably would have ended up having the professor open it anyway - but at least he'd have been prepared. Of course, he might have invited the professor on board prior to having him open the watch, which would still leave The Master on board the TARDIS, but at least at that point it'd have been a fight for control.

[karenor.livejournal.com]

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

That's totally what I call that icon too. :)

Now, Martha totally could have taken the watch away from the Professor. He would have let her have it.

Totally. But then, she had no reason to assume he'd be an EVIL Time Lord, I guess.

[ivydoor.livejournal.com]

I am only going to say this:

18 minutes in. 65 caps.

I am so overkilling this.

[kalleah.livejournal.com]

I can't imagine The Master would Arch himself again

I can't, either. For one, he'd risk being trapped again, and we've established that the memories get suppressed when they take human form.

Maybe The Master rigs some device that makes him basically echo back like The Doctor's own 'signature,' and so The Doctor would ignore it as background noise?

It's a good a theory as any! I'll just be happy if they explain it.

[kalleah.livejournal.com]

I can just see her turning up in the launch room wearing her big gritted-teeth Houston-we-have-a-problem smile with watch in hand.

Hee. That's the best description for that particular smile I've heard.

Unless The Doctor could hear the watch when handling it, he probably would have ended up having the professor open it anyway - but at least he'd have been prepared.

Exactly. Curiosity is what gets him into trouble every time. I mean ... think what would have happened if the Doctor had taken his own dang advice and not gotten off the TARDIS at the end of the universe? The Master dies as a human. No harm, no foul. But I suppose, with the Doctor having heard about Saxon already, it's a done deal.

The causality of time travel makes my head hurt.

But ... that does explain why Saxon/the Master hasn't approached the Doctor or tried to harm him up to this point. He knows, even if the Doctor doesn't, that the Doctor has to go to the end of the universe and fetch him back.

[kalleah.livejournal.com]

But then, she had no reason to assume he'd be an EVIL Time Lord, I guess.

True, so I don't fault her too much for it. She did go get the Doctor ASAP after all.

[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?

[wendymr.livejournal.com]

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.

Ah, of course! Now I see what you mean. And... I don't know. The Doctor should have detected him in The Lazarus Experiment - unless Saxon had some way of disguising himself at the time. His people knew the Doctor was around, so it's possible.

Maybe the final two episodes will explain it? I hope so!

[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

[ivydoor.livejournal.com]

goldy_dollar tipped me off on this: in WMP all you have to do is "ctrl"+"i". I pause the playback to get a clear shot then click.

I'm slacking off a bit. But I'm still going to end up with a ton of them. Hee!

[kalleah.livejournal.com]

The Doctor should have detected him in The Lazarus Experiment - unless Saxon had some way of disguising himself at the time.

Exactly. But then again ... not all plot points are explained. ::points at Pete Tyler popping out to save Rose and coughs::

[kalleah.livejournal.com]

Cool trick. I may have to use that.

[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.

[ivydoor.livejournal.com]

Here's the result:

*dies*

[tlttlotd.livejournal.com]

The Doctor did disguise himself from the Family of Blood near the end of the episode... two can probably play at that game.

[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!