Doctor Who: The Rings of Akhaten Review - 9 Themes To Think About
5. If You Build It Will They Come?
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Merry, Queen of Years, is the people of Akhatens self-made sacrificial lamb. They have filled her with their history, deliberately building the perfect enticement for the old god that threatens them. They are willing to sacrifice a child, a most precious thing indeed, in order to preserve the rest of their society, and have done so for generations. Does believing in god have to mean sacrificing what is most dear to you? Do gods only survive by feeding off sacrifice? Or are they perpetuated by the fear, envy, ignorance and rigidity of their worshippers? Do people exist to serve the gods or do gods exist to keep people in their place? What is going to happen to the people of Akhaten now that their god has been destroyed?