Doctor Who: The Name Of The Doctor Review – 8 Ways Steven Moffat Defined The Heroine’s Journey

6. Embark On A Journey

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After their arrival on Trenzalore, Clara€™s trek begins, quite fittingly, in the catacombs. Catacombs are subterranean burial places, often found under sacred sites. In another call back to €œTime of Angels€ Clara echoes the Doctor when she says she hates them. As Clara climbs through the dying TARDIS she is taken on a journey of memory €“ recalling events from the alternate timeline established in €œJourney to the Centre of the TARDIS€. It is here she begins to wake up to her true self, as she relives experiences that were removed from her remembrance. She begins to understand that she is so much more than she once thought. The Doctor is undertaking a journey through the stages of grief. River is gone and he cannot bear to make contact with her echo. He deals with these emotions by denying River€™s importance to his life but her involvement with this quest forces him to confront the fact of her death. River is attempting to ascend to the next level of existence. Her €œafterlife€ is not truly that €“ it is a kind of purgatory €“ a place of endless waiting. Her connection to the Doctor has kept her tethered to this reality though she cannot participate fully within it. By speaking the Doctor€™s name she is letting go of his last hold on her, preparing herself to move on. Moffat has left it open, however, as to what River will become. Her final word €œspoilers€ was open-ended €“ she could have been trying to reassure the Doctor that Clara was alive, but it€™s also possible to take that as an indication that we haven€™t seen the last of River Song.
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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.