4. A Mindless Weapon
The Skovox Blitzer is representative of the heedless soldier just following orders. When encountering a human his solution to the potential threat is always to destroy. Once again, in a recurring theme from series eight, we are presented with a thing trapped within its programming. The Skovox is a manufactured monster that responds only to a recognized superior. It does not think for itself. It does what it is told. This mirrors the Doctors current perception of soldiers. He looks at one and sees only a mindless killing machine. He is having a hard time peeling away the prejudice to see the person underneath. Hes quick to condemn because he has yet to forgive his own past actions in the Time War. He sees Danny through a lens warped by his own self-hatred. What the Doctor doesnt realize is that he views soldiers the same way generals do. They are cogs in the military machine, a means to achieve an end. They are playing pieces not human beings and thus they are easy to sacrifice.