WARNING! SPOILERS: This post contains spoilers and speculation for the Doctor Who series eight premiere Deep Breath. From the moment the TARDIS is expelled from the belly of a dinosaur in the series eight opener of Doctor Who we are assured of only one thing. The Doctor is alive. Yet life is a strand twisted and tangled, weaving its uncertain way through reality until sliced to ribbons or crumbled to dust. There is no guarantee of definitive reward or divine retribution. There is no promise of satisfaction. Life means fumbling in the dark, staggering into the light, a relentless wind, an endless encounter with the unknown. To breathe is to choose and this story is centered squarely on Claras choice. Does she clutch a clenched fist to a heaving chest or reach out with fingers wide open? Each inhalation is after all an act of bravery, a token of agreement to brave the chaos of existence and keep moving through it. Deep Breath is less about the re-imagining of the Doctors life and more about Claras ability to accept or reject her new reality. She is the spoke of the wheel around which the events of the story, the participants and the Doctor revolve. Clara is in shock. She is confused, grieving, and desperate to hang on to the familiar. She is enduring what we all do after the loss of a loved one and faced with the decision we all must make. Clara has held her breath from the moment she witnessed the Doctor change. The question is will she let go?
Mary Ogle is the author and illustrator of “Orangeroof Zoo” a whimsical tale of magical realism told through the pages of a coloring book for adults. Working as a professional artist in the digital medium, Mary’s commissions have included everything from fine art to fan art, book cover design, illustration and book layout. Find more of Mary’s work at www.maryogle.com. Mary currently finds inspiration in the Ojai Valley, residing in a snug little cottage with a recalcitrant cat.
