A Good Man Goes To War (3207)

[jameshawking]

River being their child is, frankly, not surprising at all, really. It's just about the most popular and subscribed to theory about who she is (before this, of course, where it was confirmed).


Still though, a good episode. Great, even. Enough to offset of the disappointment I will undoubtedly feel later.

[Coco Pops]

He probably just waved his screwdriver at them.

I was not impressed with this episode AT ALL!

I think I may not like Dr.Who any more.

The show has just gotten to .... well too STUPID for my taste.

The summer isn't going to be long enough for me.


And I usta love the show so much.

But tell me why have you found it stupid?

I thought this was an awesome episode, with a few minor quibbles..... However the 2nd part I am keeping my expectations low. Usually the 2nd part of a two parter isn't as great sometimes.

[jameshawking]

I think it's fairly established by this episode that The Doctor isn't the "good man" that River kills. It's almost certainly going to be Rory, really. Especially since Moffat isn't the type to use phrases repeatedly without an intent. So with Amy calling Rory "a good man", The Doctor explicitly detailing that he's NOT a "good man", and with river's certainly memorable line about her killing "the best man she's ever known" (also a typical father line).

And it even ties into him dying.

again.

and again.

So yeah, Rory's dead.

Though I'm fairly highly amused that he keeps popping up to be the subtle hero, as opposed to amy's blatant spotlight.



Also, a note: Was anyone else annoyed by the fact that her name was Melody? I mean, really? You're going to ruin the whole (predictable) reveal by having the child's name be the damn reverse of River's?

River Song
Melody Pond

I mean...really?

[Nth Chevron]

Well River was using her name as written by the people of the forest, in English her name is Melody Pond, whose to say, like some other Earth languages, that direct translation doesnt bring her name out as Song River?

N.C

[Coco Pops]

I'll be honest "Good man goes to war" was great....... But I'm not excited about the 2nd part. Usually they are a minor let down. I hate to say this but they won't rescue the baby. That's my gut feeling.

Also where do you see the bony hand holding the sonic screwdriver? We didn't see that in Australia?

[Sealurk]

Also where do you see the bony hand holding the sonic screwdriver? We didn't see that in Australia?

It was shown immediately after the credits had finished on BBC One. I think I posted a link a while back.

[Coco Pops]

It was shown immediately after the credits had finished on BBC One. I think I posted a link a while back.

Well over here they never screened that end bit the scumbags ...

[Coco Pops]

Another thing that bugs me.

The soldiers were talking and they made mention of the Attraxi and how the Doctor helped them out but then called them back for a scolding.. Now that happened in "The 11th Hour" in the universe before he rebooted it...... So how do they know this story? Shouldn't this rebooted universe have no memory of the Doctor's past adventures, so why is Kavorian got a bug up her ass about him?

And how did she get away I thought they had captured her? she had silurians behind her when she was talking to the Doctor..

And why was she bossing those army people about is she their leader?

And why do the clerics follow a computer for their teachings. Can't pull a monk robe down unless the "Papal Mainframe says so" what a load of crap? And how does something with no head hold a hood up and chant?

[Sealurk]

Another thing that bugs me.

The soldiers were talking and they made mention of the Attraxi and how the Doctor helped them out but then called them back for a scolding.. Now that happened in "The 11th Hour" in the universe before he rebooted it...... So how do they know this story? Shouldn't this rebooted universe have no memory of the Doctor's past adventures, so why is Kavorian got a bug up her ass about him?

No, because Amy restored all that. Remember at her wedding in The Big Bang, the whole 'Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue' thing that restored the Doctor and the TARDIS to the universe? It also restored every action, every memory, everything he did across the entire space-time continuum. That's why the Doctor said memories were so powerful, and Amy was more powerful still because she had lived most of her life in very close proximity to one of the cracks.

And how did she get away I thought they had captured her? she had silurians behind her when she was talking to the Doctor..

The Doctor let them all go. The whole point was to get them to leave, to defeat Demon's Run without a single casualty, not to capture them. Remember Vastra coming in when Rory, Amy and the Doctor are all together with the baby? She says "Take a look, they're leaving. The human's [world?] is ours without a drop of blood spilled".

And why was she bossing those army people about is she their leader?

No idea. Possibly. Probably. I don't think we'll find out until the series comes back.

And why do the clerics follow a computer for their teachings. Can't pull a monk robe down unless the "Papal Mainframe says so" what a load of crap? And how does something with no head hold a hood up and chant?

Artificial intelligence, fifty-first century (or far future, at any rate)...I think computers are going to be far more powerful and capable than they are right now, and almost certainly self-aware, intelligent and effectively people. Besides many of us today arguably worship computers today, and certainly listen to what they tell us.

As for the monks - how does something with no head see where it's going, think, fight, stand up, not die etcetera - it's science fiction! It's a series dealing with a nine hundred year old alien who changes his body and personality every few years while traveling through time and space in a living police box that's bigger on the inside and fending off genocidal pepper pots, potato men with attitude, demons, ghosts, clones, aliens you forget about when you're not looking at them, murderous statues that don't always actually kill you and does so by waving a short metal wand with a glowing tip at them...but monks without heads bothers you?

EDIT: Also, religion. People do seemingly odd things in the name of belief and faith. Not pulling a monk's hood down on pain of death is relatively tame compared to some things in real life religions, and besides, the Papal Mainframe possible doesn't want people freaking out at the idea of, well, headless monks.

[Coco Pops]

No, because Amy restored all that. Remember at her wedding in The Big Bang, the whole 'Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue' thing that restored the Doctor and the TARDIS to the universe? It also restored every action, every memory, everything he did across the entire space-time continuum. That's why the Doctor said memories were so powerful, and Amy was more powerful still because she had lived most of her life in very close proximity to one of the cracks.



The Doctor let them all go. The whole point was to get them to leave, to defeat Demon's Run without a single casualty, not to capture them. Remember Vastra coming in when Rory, Amy and the Doctor are all together with the baby? She says "Take a look, they're leaving. The human's [world?] is ours without a drop of blood spilled".



No idea. Possibly. Probably. I don't think we'll find out until the series comes back.



Artificial intelligence, fifty-first century (or far future, at any rate)...I think computers are going to be far more powerful and capable than they are right now, and almost certainly self-aware, intelligent and effectively people. Besides many of us today arguably worship computers today, and certainly listen to what they tell us.

As for the monks - how does something with no head see where it's going, think, fight, stand up, not die etcetera - it's science fiction! It's a series dealing with a nine hundred year old alien who changes his body and personality every few years while traveling through time and space in a living police box that's bigger on the inside and fending off genocidal pepper pots, potato men with attitude, demons, ghosts, clones, aliens you forget about when you're not looking at them, murderous statues that don't always actually kill you and does so by waving a short metal wand with a glowing tip at them...but monks without heads bothers you?

EDIT: Also, religion. People do seemingly odd things in the name of belief and faith. Not pulling a monk's hood down on pain of death is relatively tame compared to some things in real life religions, and besides, the Papal Mainframe possible doesn't want people freaking out at the idea of, well, headless monks.

Good point but I'd like to see the Papal Mainframe get soniced.

[Alan]

In 3000-years time, we can only guess what changes have occurred in mankind, technology, religion, etc. Its not called the "Far Future" for nothing. I like that.

One thing I forgot to mention was this that I enjoyed hearing get addressed:

The Doctor: You think I wanted this? I didn’t do this! This...this wasn’t me!

River Song: This was exactly you. All this, all of it. You make them so afraid. When you began, all those years ago, sailing off to see the universe, did you ever think you’d become this? The man who can turn an army around at the mention of his name? Doctor – the word for healer, and wise man, throughout the universe. We get that word from you, you know. But if you carry on the way you are, what might that word come to mean? To the people of the Gamma Forests, the word ‘doctor’ means ‘mighty warrior’. How far you’ve come.

It addresses the change the Doctor has had on all time and space and the reputation he's gotten through the enemies he's defeated. He started off as a man just wanting to see everything and help people because life on Gallifrey was so boring. In all those years of travel...all those evils in all those corners of the universe he's fought he probably never dreamed he'd become a legend with a reputation. The Doctor's become something to be feared and now armies and weapons are being built to fight him and one such army is now planning to use the child of two of the Doctor's friends against him.

This mess IS the Doctor's fault. Not intentionally, but it is. And now the Doctor has to straighten things out. He's on a mission to to save a person that's intended as a weapon against him.

I cannot wait to see how this pans out. Roll on Autumn!

[Coco Pops]

In 3000-years time, we can only guess what changes have occurred in mankind, technology, religion, etc. Its not called the "Far Future" for nothing. I like that.

One thing I forgot to mention was this that I enjoyed hearing get addressed:

The Doctor: You think I wanted this? I didn’t do this! This...this wasn’t me!

River Song: This was exactly you. All this, all of it. You make them so afraid. When you began, all those years ago, sailing off to see the universe, did you ever think you’d become this? The man who can turn an army around at the mention of his name? Doctor – the word for healer, and wise man, throughout the universe. We get that word from you, you know. But if you carry on the way you are, what might that word come to mean? To the people of the Gamma Forests, the word ‘doctor’ means ‘mighty warrior’. How far you’ve come.

It addresses the change the Doctor has had on all time and space and the reputation he's gotten through the enemies he's defeated. He started off as a man just wanting to see everything and help people because life on Gallifrey was so boring. In all those years of travel...all those evils in all those corners of the universe he's fought he probably never dreamed he'd become a legend with a reputation. The Doctor's become something to be feared and now armies and weapons are being built to fight him and one such army is now planning to use the child of two of the Doctor's friends against him.

This mess IS the Doctor's fault. Not intentionally, but it is. And now the Doctor has to straighten things out. He's on a mission to to save a person that's intended as a weapon against him.

I cannot wait to see how this pans out. Roll on Autumn!

Me either. That hand holding the sonic Oooh spooky.......... But we never got that here in Australia they cut that bit off.. Also why was the prequel bit with the blue guy and Monks not shown on TV

[Galileo_Galilee]

You know, since those monks truly are headless I wonder how they keep that hood up in the shape of a head.

[jameshawking]

Interesting note:

The Sontaran was a soldier who became a nurse and was disgraced, but accepted it.

Rory was a nurse who was disgraced and embarrassed, put down, and now became an apparently intergalactic warrior, infamous and feared, and quite a capable one at that.


Other than Jack, has there been a warrior-companion?

[Coco Pops]

You know, since those monks truly are headless I wonder how they keep that hood up in the shape of a head.

And how can they chant?


http://drwho.answers.wikia.com/wiki/...r_have_a_child

What a fantastic wikia?

Actually this was the best episode of the season so far ... But reading the wiki I just realised my hunch that the baby can't be rescued is true.. So the Doctor can't ever rescue the baby and bring her back to Amy because there is that line in the poem "friendships die" meaning he will disappoint Amy and Rory.......Rescuing Melody/River will create some kind of paradox......

Possible theory
http://drwho.answers.wikia.com/wiki/...silence_linked

I just hope there is no wanky resolution to this it seems very messy.