4. The Rings Of Akhaten "The Most Important Leaf In Human History"
"This leaf isn't just the past, it's a whole future that never happened. There are billions and millions of every unlived days for every day we live, an infinity. All the days that never came. And these are all my Mum's."
This speech is a great contrast to the a lot of Doctor speeches, because it's all about being human. That simple experience of living, the stories we create just by living out ordinary lives: that's the point of this speech. It's also unusual because it's functional, defeating the old god in a way even the Doctor couldn't dream up. Clara figures it out, because Clara is what all great companions are: intensely human. Finally, it's a speech about loss. It's both epic and desperately personal, as Clara lets go of her most important memento of her mother. It's a speech about symbols, about the clever David taking down the monstrous Goliath. It speaks to a fundamental truth of human existence, to the reality of death and the complicated nature of life.
Rebecca Kulik lives in Iowa, reads an obsence amount, watches way too much television, and occasionally studies for her BA in History. Come by her personal pop culture blog at tyrannyofthepetticoat.wordpress.com and her reading blog at journalofimaginarypeople.wordpress.com.
