did River really do that to the doctor? Spoilers for current season

[pbellosom]

Considering River bestowed an unknown number of regenerations on the Doctor, could he not do that to himself in the future?

I dont think it would have to be all of them as wibbly-wobbley stuff about paradoxes if the younger version kills himself for his futur self etc

But maybe 1 or 2 regenerations would suffice.

N.C

Oh wow, a constant loop of Doctor's bestowing their regenerations upon there past selves and dieing until eventually we get one Doctor with thousands of the same two regenerations left. It would be beautifully timey wimey.

[Lahela]

Here's a thought, that episode makes a big deal about the fact that the only person the Doctor trusts enough to solve the mystery is himself. Given that he clearly intended to get shot there, the only person he trusts enough to wear a space suit and kill him is also himself. It's so wibbly wobbly timey wimey.

A great theory, but it would require the Doctor to use a gun.

[Nth Chevron]

He hasnt used one since the 'Moment' during the Time-War

N.C

[4thDoctor]

What if it's the flesh "Doctor" in the astronaut suit?

[Quizziard]

That's been an obvious suggestion since they melted Amy. Does "flesh" burn? The question is, if he "needs" to die sufficiently he's prepared to pull such a wicked stunt on the others, would the main people being tricked (e.g. The Silence, who we know were present) be fooled by flesh? And, especially if it was the flesh, they've used flesh before.

My (just thought of it) money is on: it was the real Doctor who died, in full view of the Silence. In the episode finale we'll get some VERY complicated SM-penned timey-wimey which lets him defeat the Silence, rescue Melody, kiss River and stop himself being killed. Which means, just like the Saturday morning cliff-hangars, look for a different viewpoint on what we think we've seen happen.

[4thDoctor]

No, I didn't mean what if it was the flesh Doctor who was killed but what if it was the flesh Doctor who's in the suit and kills the true Doctor?

[Lahela]

No, I didn't mean what if it was the flesh Doctor who was killed but what if it was the flesh Doctor who's in the suit and kills the true Doctor?

You'd still have the gun issue. They made a big deal about the Flesh being as "real" as their human counterparts, so surely the Flesh Doctor would be as averse to using a gun as the real Doctor.

[4thDoctor]

It depends on how dire the situation is, the Doctor once gave a man a pistol so that he could kill himself when the situation was desperate. "Image of the Fendahl".

[Nth Chevron]

Or the episode 'Dalek' he did carry a gun but didnt use it.

Besides, i got the impression and i think River confirmed it during hers and the Doctors scan of the empty suit in Day of the Moon, that the suit had inbuilt weapons for preotection - frm watching the scene of the Doctors death i think the 'gun' was just embedded into an arm of the suit, so splitting hairs i know, but its not technically a gun, just like the TARDIS is a Time-Travelling wonder thats sentient but to the Daleks its a weapon, and has been used as such, for instance, it was used as a battering ram to break the Time walls in 'The Girl who Waited'

N.C