Doctor Who Review: Mummy On The Orient Express - 10 Ways To Read The Cards
7. The Devil
The Devil is the card of ignorance and negativity. It is not an exterior force but a disease that devours from within. The villain in this episode is not the Mummy. He was turned into a weapon, a soldier who was never allowed to leave the service. Gus is the monster. He is the voice of selfishness and greed that resides within all of us. It is implied that Gus was not working alone. Who is the true voice behind the synthetic one? Is Missy creating scenarios where the Doctor is forced to sacrifice people? Is her so-called Promised Land a kind of personal hell for the Doctor? This reminds me of a short story by Robert Bloch called That Hell-Bound Train. A devilish conductor offers a man a wish if he agrees to give up his soul and ride the train to hell after his death. The man asks for the ability to stop time at his happiest moment. But he cannot decide on that moment and dies after living a long life. As he boards the train he realizes that there are others beside him and they are all experiencing their last, greatest moments. So he stops time and thwarts the devil as he and the souls he collected will now travel aboard the train forever. Like the Doctor, they are compelled to ride the tracks to the afterlife but never arrive there.
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.
