WARNING! SPOILERS: This post contains spoilers and speculation for the Doctor Who series nine episode The Girl Who Died. The Girl Who Died is a wild roller coaster ride as we soar into silly and plummet into serious. The Vikings are goofy fun while the villains stand around and dont do much. Yet none of that matters because this is Ashildrs story and Maisie Williams portrayal of the fey girl is so captivating that everything else falls away. Writer Jamie Mathiesons script has an unfortunate tendency to jarring leaps of tone but Ashildrs character is so finely crafted it is easy to forgive any missteps. She is a fully realized human being, both complicated and fascinating to watch as she trips over her foolish pride and frustration and radiates fierce loyalty for her tribe. It is easy to see how the Doctors gift of immortality could well turn into a curse for ageless Ashildr. She will lose everything she holds dear and any further attachments she forms are doomed to heartbreak and loss. Her path mirrors his own and the Doctors guilt and arrogance may well have created a monster. How will next episode writer Catherine Tregenna deal with this dilemma? Its unusual for the second half of a two-parter to be penned by a different person though a welcome change as this is the first script by a woman since 2008. Can Tregenna maintain the core of this well drawn character even if Ashildr is destined for darkness? The Girl Who Died was a tantalizing beginning to Ashildrs tale but the true story of her long life may only be found in next weeks The Woman Who Lived.
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.
