Doctor Who – World Enough and Time

By: Sharon Kurack

 TARDIS rollercoaster is what we’re on, fellow Whovians, and boy is Part One of the Season 10 finale a big one! Sure, we may have seen some of the spoilers (like cybermen and eventually John Simm reprising the role of The Master), but the end result of a “Holy Time Lord!” reaction still remains. The episode opens with spoiler number one already known: The Doctor (Peter Capaldi) stumbles out of the TARDIS somewhere cold and desolate with his hair a more disheveled mess and fights the oncoming regeneration. We’ve known that it’s been coming. Now, it’s a question of when: next episode or Christmas?

We don’t get long to contemplate regeneration; however, when a 400 mile long by 100 mile wide colony ship is presented, seemingly headed towards a black hole. Why is this relevant? Despite Bill’s (Pearl Mackie) reservations (and fears) about Missy (Michelle Gomez), Twelve believes his Time Lady friend in rehab should go on a “test mission.” His logic is that after helping them get off Mars, she should answer a distress signal with both Nardole (Matt Lucas) and Bill as her companions and him monitoring. Doesn’t sound like a bad idea at all, does it? But perhaps that’s where trust becomes a two-way street? Up until now, Missy had done nothing to prove that she would purposely get them killed and Twelve so desperately wants to believe his “former man-crush” is good or has some good left. During a past conversation with Bill over chips, the Doctor explains that he and Missy grew up together and had a pact to explore every star. However, the Master was too busy burning them all to remember the pact. Noting the extremely rare emotion and importance of this request, Bill acquiesces to help upon the promise Twelve won’t get her killed or at least try not to. Oh, Bill…

So, Missy’s “test” leads us, Bill, and Nardole to the 400 mile colony ship headed for a black hole. Once the TARDIS lands in the control room, the closest point to the black hole, our “misadventurers” exit and trip the alarm, causing the engines to set to reverse thrust, moving away from the black hole. As Missy introduces herself as “Doctor Who” with her assistants, a skai ship crew member appears on the communication screen, seeking their identification. He later enters the control room with fear painted (blue) all over, gun pointed, asking if any of them were human. Why human? Is it because we’re so darn squishy? Apparently what Jorj (Oliver Lansley), our resident Blue man, explains is that humans attract “them” up to the control room from the bottom of the ship. Once Bill outs herself as human, Jorj points the gun at her and shoots a hole right through her just as the elevators open. Shot through the heart (and Jorj to blame), Bill collapses and the creatures, which look like gauze-wrapped patients, take her to be “repaired.” (Keep that wording tightly close, Doctor Who fans, it’s about to get real with the easter eggs and hints.) Before the doors close to them completely, Twelve leaves the message “wait for me” to Bill’s subconscious as she must still be alive if “they” are repairing her.

While Twelve and company are trying to figure out how best to proceed, we find out the colonies hadn’t arrived on the ship yet; it only had a skeleton crew. However, the life form readings are in the thousands. How is that possible? The Doctor explains what’s going on with the ship while we watch what has become of Bill, as both as at opposite ends of the ship. Time moves differently depending on where you are on the ship because of the “superman gravity” of the nearby black hole. The end closest to the black hole has time moving at a snail’s pace while the end furthest away moves much faster. Everything that happens to Bill seemingly spans years as she waits for Twelve, while to the Doctor, they’re only separated for mere minutes.

What becomes of Bill? We next see her awakening from surgery, with a creepy doctor (not Who) saying something about a “full conversion” being unnecessary. (If you’re keeping track, that’s yet another cyber clue…) Everything about the “hospital” where Bill has ended up has a deliberate cyberman feel. Faster than you can say “upgrade,” an Igor-like man skulks around Bill as she awakens. A few moments pass as Bill comes to, feeling her chest and finding an Ironman-like heart. The Doctor’s voice is then heard, telling her to wait for him, and she holds onto that hope in order to press on and stand. A sound piques her curiosity and she follows it to the hallway, keeping her IV in tow. What she sees is yet another clue: three rooms labeled “In,” “Conversion Theater” and “Out.” The sound, which seems to have a cyber voice feel to it with the word “pain” said on repeat, is coming from the “Out” door. Bill continues to explore, finding a room full of the creature that brought her to the “hospital.” One of these “patients” is what is causing the noise, which rouses the head nurse and “Igor.” Bill quickly hides behind the large conveniently placed curtain and watches as the nurse turns off the sound. “Igor” sees Bill, but pays not mind, gesturing for her to hide until they leave. Thus starts an unlikely friendship, which is exactly what Bill needs.

Over “time” they become friends and Bill finds out the following information: She is at the bottom of the ship where time moves faster, those “things” that took her are people being “cured,” those people still feel pain and her new friend has a television to watch the control room on the ship. (Side note: Anyone else get a “feeling” about this “Igor” friend being able to see the control room all this time?) As Bill and “Igor” are getting chummy, we watch the Doctor explain the concept of time with a black hole involved. Time barely moves for him while for Bill it seems to be racing, which could be a problem for her short human lifespan. Also, Bill cannot leave the hospital otherwise her new heart will stop working. As the Doctor continues in his slow-moving time, we find out that the thousands of life forms are actually the descendants of the cremates that had gone to reverse the engines. We also learn from “Igor” about Operation Exodus, which is when everyone will be “upgraded” (Squee!) and move to the top of the ship.

Finally, Twelve, Missy and Nardole take the elevator to the bottom of the ship, but not before Bill notices them on the screen as they slowly make their way. She convinces “Igor” to take her to the elevators, but sneakily he takes her to the operating room to “save” her by “upgrading” to a full conversation. Missy stays behind by the elevators, hacking into the computer to find out more information while Twelve and Nardole make their way to the new empty operating room. While Missy does her research, we find out the ship was not from Earth, but from an Earth-like planet called Mondas. (Are you screaming yet?) “Igor” stalks in, pleased to find Missy. He claims she should remember the ship and once the Doctor realizes what she’s done, he’ll never set her free. Okay, what? Big reveal number 1: “Igor” is The Master (John Simm) pre-Missy, a past self, and is worried about his future. Holy Time Lords!

Meanwhile, Twelve and Nardole look around the operating room until they not only notice the patients, but also a glowing pair of cyberman boots. They find out about Operation Exodus and also find a Mondasian Cyberman. Maybe it won’t attack? Twelve presses his luck, asking about finding Bill Potts, when it turns into reveal number 2: That Mondasian Cyberman IS Bill. Upon that reveal, The Master and Missy appear, flanking the cyberman (Bill) who keeps repeating “I waited,” until it sadly ends with “for you” and a tear. Right in my cyberman feels!

Next week brings about Season ten’s end and perhaps Peter Capaldi’s finale as the Doctor. Are The Master and Missy teaming up, or is she pulls a Missy “red herring?” Will a Mondasian cyberman be Bill’s fate? And will we be teased with more regeneration magic? Part two of the finale is next week and will certainly prove to be a wild ride to end Season 10.