POINTS OF DEBATE continues as August moves on. I mentioned in the last entry that the 96 Telemovie has created a fair amount of controversy that I'd like to address in this format. I already discussed some of its disruptive influence in the previous essay so let's draw away from that for a bit and tackle a different topic.
We're probably going to get into, at least, a bit of a social justice discussion in this entry (which might upset some of you since you were certain all of Series 11 was riddled with pesky SJW messages). Most specifically, we'll be looking at some of the ideas presented by those who consider themselves transgendered. As usual, I'm going to try to skirt the issue as much as possible. Pretentious Doctor Who Essays will always try to stay away from political discussions and stick as much as possible to just nerdy Doctor Who stuff. However, how transgenders (or trans, for short) view themselves is a handy way to perceive Time Lords who have regenerated into both forms. So we're probably going to incorporate an ideology or two that they use.
A while back, when I tried to properly chronicle River Song's timeline, we got into a brief discussion of Right To Life vs Pro Choice. No feathers seemed to get ruffled on that occasion. I'm hoping the same happens here.
ACTUAL TIME LORDS WHO HAVE CROSSED GENDERS
While even Sydney Newman, himself, was open to the concept of Time Lords being able to alternate reproductive organs from incarnation to incarnation, we've not seen this actually happen until very recently. Here are the only Time Lords, thus far, who have demonstrated this ability:
The Corsair - We've never actually seen the Corsair. We've only heard talk of him. The Doctor mentioned in The Doctor's Wife that he seemed to be mainly male but occasionally switched to female during certain incarnations.
Missy - This was the first hard evidence that Time Lords could change genders (Eleven could talk a lot of nonsense, sometimes, so we weren't entirely sure if what he was saying about the Corsair was actually true). After being the Master for many incarnations, he has a regeneration where he becomes a woman and chooses to alter her title accordingly. It's my personal theory that there are multiple incarnations of the Master that we never saw onscreen. (I explain this theory better here: https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2016/10/chronologies-and-timelines-master-part-1.html). While we may not have witnessed every body the Master has worn, to the best of our knowledge, he was always male until Missy.
The General - The first gender change regeneration that we see happen before our very eyes. In this instance, the General has always been female with just one male body.
The Doctor - Finally, it happens to our protagonist. Once more, this is a Time Lord that has been pre-dominantly male. Even if we count those "secret incarnations" that we saw in Brain of Morbius as being valid (which I dismiss as balderdash, anyway. Those were Morbius' previous bodies), they were all men. Thirteen is the first Woman Doctor.
I think it's safe to say that there is a definite pattern, here. While Time Lords can change genders, they tend to stick to one of them most of the time. This will help validate, at least, one of the theories regarding what type of pronoun to assign them. We'll explore that idea soon enough....
It may be entirely possible that there are Time Lords who bounce back and forth frequently. They're male one incarnation - female the next. Then back to male. Then back to female. And so on... We have never seen a Time Lord like this, yet. So, until we do, I like to think that Time Lords choose a sort of "main gender" and only occasionally deviate from it.
With that mind then, let's look at our first method of gender assignation:
PREDOMINANT PRONOUN
It's a simple enough idea, of course. Whichever sex a Time Lord is most of the time receives the appropriate pronoun. The Corsair, Master and Doctor were all, mainly, men. So we use "he" or "him" when we talk about them. The General would be called "she" or "her" because she's a woman throughout most of her incarnations.
The problem with this method becomes apparent very quickly. When we are talking about something the Time Lord did while they were in their recessive gender - it starts to sound stupid.
For example: The General tried to stop the Doctor from stealing The Moment during the Time Wars. However, when she arrived at the appropriate storage chamber in the Omega Vault, the Moment was already gone.
I intentionally used the General since she was in a male incarnation when we first met her. So assigning a pronoun that doesn't suit what she was doing during any of the events of Day of the Doctor feels extra odd.
But we can see how this doesn't really work with other Time Lords, too.
Example 2: At the climax of Death In Heaven, Missy reveals that he has been building a Cyber Army for his arch nemesis the whole time. All those Cybermen are meant to be a gift for the Doctor.
That one makes even less sense since we're even using a female name but assigning her a male pronoun. The Predominant Pronoun idea seems to be only so applicable.
THE SLASHES - PART 1: HIM/HER
In many ways, this one probably works best. It is the most comprehensive, at least. Whenever you are talking about a Time Lord that has crossed into both genders, you don't use a gender specific pronoun, anymore. You assign them with him/her, instead. This allows you to explore any exploit they've done in whatever body and you never get the gender wrong.
Example: At first, we believe the Doctor is the only being in the Universe to own a TARDIS. But we discover quite quickly that he/she is not alone. By the end of Season Two, we encounter his/her first rival Time Lord: The Monk!
Even though we're talking about adventures involving the First Doctor, we are never forgetting the fact that later incarnations will not always be men. It's a very safe blanket statement that makes us never forget that the Doctor is both sexes.
The biggest drawback to this is that he/she does start becoming tedious quite quickly. Yes, it is a very inclusive way to address him/her. But, honestly, we just want to start assigning a specific gender after a while rather than using "the slash" all the time. I know this is an issue of aesthetics more than anything. But whenever I start saying him/her or he/she a lot, I just feel like it's getting tired. It's really best to only use it in instances where you're addressing all the incarnations of a Time Lord.
Example 2: Throughout all of his/her incarnations, the Master/Missy has frequently shown selfish motives and a strong leaning towards destructiveness. Once in a while, he/she will actually form an alliance with the Doctor and do selfless and constructive things - but there's always an ulterior motive behind the gesture.
I do find this method works well in a situation like this. We are talking about the entire personal history of the Doctor's greatest rival. So both pronouns should be assigned, here. Note that I even said Master/Missy since I am discussing all of his/her incarnations. A Time Lord that changes titles depending on the gender of the incarnation should have both names mentioned when speaking of them in such a context.
THE SLASHES - PART 2: THEY/THEM
Here is where we actually borrow a concept from the Transgender Community. A Time Lord that changes gender once in a while vaguely resembles what we might call someone who is "non-binary" or "gender fluid". Like these Time Lords, they mainly identify as one gender. They might be born female but identify as male most of the time. Frequently, you will see someone like this dressing to look like a man. However, some trans people will actually feel like the gender they were born with once in a while. So, on certain days, someone female-born who mainly identifies as male may actually choose to put on a dress, wear make-up and put their hair up in a feminine style (or wear a wig that is female-looking). Again, most of the time, they appear male. But they have these feminine days every now and again. When they do, they change their appearance accordingly. The same thing can happen, of course, with a male-born trans who is non-binary or gender fluid.
People of this persuasion prefer that we use the pronouns they/them when referring to them. Again, it's very inclusive and gets us to remember that, though they frequently identify as just one gender, this is not always the case. This concept can work with the Doctor, too. Particularly when referring to the exploits of all incarnations.
Example: Wherever they go in Time and Space, the Doctor always chooses to stand up for the oppressed and defeat the tyrant. The evil dictator may even appear to hold some victory over them during part of the battle. But, in the end, the Doctor usually wins.
Another problem of aesthetics arises with this method. It's a pluralization. So it starts to sound like we are talking about several people (which is, sort of, the case with a Time Lord) when we are actually only meant to be discussing a single character. Yes, a Time Lord is represented by many different incarnations but they are meant to be one individual. Using this particular pronoun becomes legitimately confusing.
I do actually have a few non-binary or gender fluid friends. They even admit that, while this is the way they prefer to be addressed, they can see how it can get really complicated, sometimes. There are moments when it really does just sound like you're talking about an entire group rather than a single person!
ONE METHOD THAT DEFINITELY WORKS - BUT ONLY IN CERTAIN CONTEXTS
Since this is a POINTS OF DEBATE essay, I am choosing to show advantages and disadvantages to every theory I present rather than trying to take a specific side on the issue. However, I do feel that there is one method that definitely works - just not all of the time.
Quite simply, when we are talking about the specific exploits of a certain incarnation - we should employ the gender of that incarnation. If something happened exclusively to the Fourth Doctor, then we would refer to the Doctor as he/him. By the same token, if it's a Thirteenth Doctor adventure, then we switch to she/her.
Example 1: Sutehk made a conscious effort in the early 1900s to escape from the prison his people placed him in. Fortunately, the Doctor was able to thwart him. However, he came very close to losing...
Example 2: The Pting is, perhaps, one of the most dangerous creatures in the Universe. However, on the only occasion that we've seen the Doctor encounter one, she came up with a clever solution to rid herself of it.
As we can see, these are references to very specific stories featuring a certain incarnation of the Doctor. In such an instance, we should use the gender of that incarnation. Something broader doesn't really work well. So why not just commit to the appropriate pronoun?
ULTIMATE CONCLUSION:
When dealing with something isolated, calling Doctors One to Twelve "boys" and Thirteen a "girl" is the best way to go. But what should we use when dealing with all the incarnations of a gender fluid Time Lord?
I was inspired to write up this debate because I find myself actually asking this quite frequently when I work on these essays. If I'm talking about the entire history of the Doctor or the Master/Missy (or the other two we mentioned) I am often puzzling over what pronoun to assign them.
Have I found a personal preference? No. This really is a huge grey area for me. If you should start looking through previous essays that I've composed since some of these characters have changed genders, you will find that I use all of these methods.
Sometimes, I employ a predominant pronoun. Other times, it's she/him. Other times, still, it's they/them. To be quite honest, a lot of it depends on my mood. I get tired of using one technique and think the entry might look nicer if I switch it up to another for a bit. There are even moments when I just don't feel inclined to use a certain form of address at all when I'm writing something that deals with this. It really can be as simple as that.
I truly am a fickle creature, sometimes!
And that's another POINT OF DEBATE done. Hope you didn't find the gender politics annoying! But this issue really does prey upon me, sometimes, when I am trying to write in here....
Some of what I wrote in this particular entry relates quite a bit to an UNADULTERATED BOORISH OPINION essay that I wrote a while back. Check it out if you'd like:
A FEMALE DOCTOR
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2017/07/unadulterated-boorish-opinion-female.html
Tuesday 13 August 2019
Wednesday 7 August 2019
POINTS OF DEBATE: WHAT IS UP WITH THE EYE OF HARMONY?
POINTS OF DEBATE is a newer topic that I introduced last year. It's fun to explore certain areas of the show that have been left ambiguous and postulate on what they might actually mean. So far, there's been only a few entries on the matter. It's time to change that. I'm going to try to make August the month where we debate a few more points.
THE EYE OF HARMONY: IN THE BEGINNING....
So we're sitting somewhere in the mid-to-late 70s and The Deadly Assassin, the all-time coolest Doctor Who story, ever, gets transmitted (it's true! This really is my favorite story. Read the review: https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2016/01/book-of-lists-top-ten-who-stories-1.html). One of the things that makes this such an enjoyable yarn is all the important continuity that it finally establishes. Continuity that is, often, maintained throughout the rest of the show's life. Time Lords, for instance, are still wearing those crazy collars and funny hats. The Matrix is still the repository of all Time Lord knowledge. And so on...
But there is one crucial fact about Time Lord culture that has become a bit fuzzy. As Deadly Assassin draws towards its conclusion, we learn that Gallifrey has a very unique power source. It seems that, way back in the Ancient Times, Rassilon took a Black Hole (possibly the one Omega created with his stellar manipulator) and rigged it up so that his people could draw energy from it. Apparently, the Black Hole now rests on Gallifrey, itself, and can be accessed through use of certain artifacts that the Lord President is in possession of. The Master, who was at the end of his first regeneration cycle, attempted to use this power source to save himself from death. Such a gesture would have destroyed the entire planet of the Time Lords. Fortunately, the Doctor was around to stop him.
This unique power source was given a very high-handed title: the Eye of Harmony. For the rest of the Classic Series, the facts established about its nature in Deadly Assassin are respected. It isn't talked about much (it only gets name-checked one more time in The Five Doctors) but we know it's always there, keeping the lights on for all of Gallifrey. It's a firm piece of established continuity. As solid as Time Lord apparel or the Wisdom of the Matrix.
Or is it?
THE EYE OF HARMONY - THE McGANN YEARS...
After Seven long years of depression and sadness, Doctor Who returns ever-so-briefly to our screens. The production team bringing the show back honor all sorts of things regarding the show's past. They even go to the trouble of bringing back Sylvester McCoy for a bit so that he can have a proper regeneration into Paul McGann.
There's jelly babies and 900-year old diaries (that, technically, had only been a 500 year old diary before - but, we get it: the Doctor needs a longer diary) and even the sonic screwdriver is back. It's even pretty awesome that the Doctor now keeps gold dust for any Cybermen trouble.
But there is one piece of continuity that starts to get a little convoluted. Like Deadly Assassin, the story's climax revolves, once more, around the Eye of Harmony. Which would lead one to believe that the Doctor and the Master must head back to Gallifrey. Cause that's where the Eye of Harmony is, right?
But it's not. It's now aboard the Doctor's TARDIS. The Master is still in a state of regeneration crisis and is tapping the Eye of Harmony again to fix the problem. This time, he's using the Eye's power to steal all of the Doctor's remaining lives. Fortunately the Doctor is able to stop him and re-seal the Eye. Just like he did in Assassin.
But what's happened, here? Why is the power source of the Time Lords now sitting in the cloister room of the TARDIS? How did this occur?
We're never given a proper answer. Which means, of course, that we can formulate a debate.
THE ACTUAL DEBATE
There are several theories that can be used to solve this discrepancy. All of them receive some evidence in certain stories to back them up. But none of that evidence can be considered conclusive. Which is why this still remains a, sort of, unsolved grey area.
Let's look at the strongest theories:
1. Just A Link
This is the most popular theory that fans prefer to believe in.We did not actually see the Eye of Harmony in the TARDIS during the 96 Telemovie. But, rather, a physical link that the TARDIS has to the Eye. Apparently, all TARDISes draw from the power source on Gallifrey to function. Within every TARDIS interior is a portal of sorts that leads directly to the Eye. The portal is meant to stay closed. This seals the link between TARDIS and Eye of Harmony and gives the time craft a constant flow of energy to draw from. But the portal can be opened so that the energy from the Eye can be applied to other tasks. It is, however, a very dangerous thing to do and can cause damage to localized time and space near a TARDIS if you're not careful. Naturally enough, the Master did not care what harm he might cause. He just opened the portal and tried to steal the Doctor's regenerations.
The basic idea is that instead of saying: "This is a link to the Eye of Harmony on Gallifrey" the Doctor and the Master use a bit of shorthand to make things less contrived. They just call it the Eye of Harmony. Since that's what you, technically, find on the other end of the link.
2. Every TARDIS Has An Eye of Harmony
This one is slightly harder to swallow - but there are some corners of fandom that support this theory. The Doctor and the Master call the strange contraption in the center of the cloister room the Eye of Harmony because it is, essentially, the same thing that exists on Gallifrey. As every TARDIS is built, a Black Hole is, somehow, taken from the Universe and placed inside the time vessel to be used as a power source. It seems a bit like overkill, really. Does a TARDIS really need the same level of energy that is used to power an entire world? There also seems to be quite a few TARDISes in existence. Can the Time Lords really find that many Black Holes out there to use as generators for TARDISes? As absurd as this may seem, there is some interesting evidence to support this.
3. The Doctor Stole the Eye
This is more of a pet theory that I haven't heard a whole lot of other fans discuss. But I must admit, I like the idea of it. We saw the Doctor in possession of two powerful artifacts from Galifrey during Season 25. It seems he's really good at stealing important stuff from his home planet. Could he have also stolen its power source? Was there, perhaps, an unseen adventure that took place where the Doctor saw it as necessary to take the Eye of Harmony away from the Time Lords?
My guess is that a link still exists between the Eye and Gallifrey, but it works in the exact reverse of the link described in the first theory. The Doctor has rigged the Eye to power his TARDIS, but he is also sending energy from the Eye back to his homeworld at the same time. This is why the Time Lords aren't chasing him down to get the Eye back. The planet still has its power source, it's just no longer located on Gallifrey. The Doctor has it, now.
My guess is that some sort of evil renegade among the Time Lords was going to use it for a nefarious deed of some sort. Or perhaps an alien invader tried to steal it away. Whatever it was, the Doctor decided the Eye would be safer if he kept it in his own hands. So he took it away from Gallifrey but still sends them the energy they need to maintain their lifestyle.
THE EYE OF HARMONY IN THE NEW SERIES - BOOMTOWN
Technically, the Eye of Harmony received no mention until seven seasons after the series was revived in 2005. But, even in those first six seasons, certain allusions have been made to it. Several of which support different theories that we just discussed. The strongest example, in fact, takes place right in the very first season.
The way the Doctor re-fuels the TARDIS in Boomtown does, sort of, re-enforce the premise that TARDISes have a link to the Eye of Harmony that powers them. That pit-stop in Cardiff is the first time in the history of the show that we see the Doctor need to "gas up" his vehicle. Could this be because the TARDIS relied on a different source of energy up until recently?
At this point in his personal history, the Doctor believes that he has destroyed Gallifrey. He doesn't realize, yet, that it's just been sealed in a stasis cube. Either way, if the TARDIS had a link to the Eye of Harmony to power it, that connection would now be broken. He would need to find an alternative fuel source. He discovers a way to harness time rifts to keep his ship going and makes the occasional visit to places like Cardiff to power it back up.
While the Doctor offers no explanation to the nature of: "I didn't have to do this all the time. I used to be able to just leech off the Eye of Harmony." as he re-fuels in Boomtown, we can still draw certain inferences from the gesture. This need to suddenly get petrol for the TARDIS does give some degree of evidence that the Eye of Harmony we saw in the Cloister Room was more of just a link than the actual artifact. Now that the link is broken, he has to find other ways to keep his vehicle going.
THE EYE OF HARMONY IN THE NEW SERIES - JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE TARDIS
Finally, we reach the mid-way point of Series Seven and the Eye of Harmony receives a name-check in the tale: Journey to the Center of the TARDIS. If you're watching close enough, you see it first on a read-out of one of the screens on the TARDIS console. A short while later, the Doctor very hastily explains what the Eye of Harmony is to Clara and two of the VanBaalen brothers as they run past it in the center of the TARDIS. Seeing the Eye again in the TARDIS strongly re-enforces ideas put forward in Theories 2 and 3.
The Eye of Harmony we see in Journey to the Center of the TARDIS might be a Black Hole that was taken from time and space to specifically power the TARDIS. It receives the same name as the power source on Gallifrey because it works on the same basic principles. But it is not the same Eye of Harmony that we saw in Deadly Assassin. It is a special Eye of Harmony made specifically for a TARDIS.
Alternatively, this could be the same Black Hole that was powering Gallifrey in Assassin. The Doctor stole it some time before the events of the 96 Telemovie and is now using it to power his TARDIS.
With that nice scary scene in Journey to the Center of the TARDIS, we seem to be capable of eliminating Theory 1, altogether. Or is that truly the case? There are some discrepancies to address...
DISCREPANCIES IN JOURNEY
There are, at least, three things that make the Eye of Harmony in Journey to the Center of the TARDIS different from the other times we've seen it:
1. Aesthetics
At no point in its previous appearances has the Eye of Harmony looked like a big nasty sun raging away. Yes, it has taken a different shape each time we've seen it. But this form is extremely different from how it's looked before. Which would insinuate that this is a very different Eye of Harmony, altogether.
2. Effects
The Eye of Harmony can be a dangerous thing to be around. In Assassin, you needed a special Sash to protect yourself from its harmful effects. In 96 Telemovie, it did some pretty crazy stuff to time and space. But we've never seen it have this weird burning effect like it does in Journey.
3. Origins
The explanation the Doctor offers to Clara and the VanBaalen brothers of what the Eye of Harmony actually is seems somewhat different from the one we get as Spandrell and the Doctor are enjoying a drink in the Central Register. With Spandrell, it seems to be explained as a Black Hole held in stasis. With Clara and the bros, it's a star in the process of a becoming a Black Hole that's held in stasis.
These are all pretty big differences. Which may lead one to believe that this is an Eye of Harmony that the Doctor engineered himself sometime after the events of Boomtown. Tired of making pit-stops to refuel, the Doctor went out and found a star on the verge of death and sealed it within his TARDIS.
This means Theory 1 might still have some credence. The Eye of Harmony we see in 96 Telemovie is still just a link to the one on Gallifrey. After the Time Wars end, that link is broken. For a time, the Doctor depends upon Rift Energy to keep his TARDIS alive. Eventually, however, he creates his own version of the Eye and uses it as a power source.
Does this mean Theories 2 and 3 no longer hold any water? Of course not! We can still get them to make sense quite easily.
DISCREPANCIES TO THE DISCREPANCIES
While the Eye of Harmony in Journey to the Center of the TARDIS may seem different from when we've seen it previously, this doesn't mean it is not the same artifact. Such discrepancies can be easily explained away.
1. Aesthetics
Yes, it looks very different in Journey. But, as I've already mentioned, it's changed appearances every time we've seen it. This would suggest, to me, that its outside environment influences its aesthetics. The Eye of Harmony is such an advanced piece of technology that it might be sensitive to these sort of things and would take on new shapes in new situations.
If we are going with Theory 3 - then, when it was resting for all those years on Gallifrey, it took on the form of a sort of gem-shaped column. When the Doctor stole it and placed it in his TARDIS, it took on a half-spherical form. Eventually, the TARDIS receives some serious damage during the Time Wars which caused the Eye of Harmony to change in appearance, again.
If we are simply going with Theory 2 - then the shape the Eye has on Gallifrey has no bearing. It's not the same Eye of Harmony. However, it would still have similar qualities to the power source we see on the planet of the Time Lords. Which means that, again, damage from the Time Wars would cause it to change shape.
2 and 3. Origins and Effects
If we continue with this idea that the Eye is shaped by its environment, than the discrepancies in its origins and effects can line up quite easily, too.
In Theory 2, we see the Eye of Harmony in the Doctor's TARDIS before and after the Time Wars. My guess would be that the Eye took some serious damage during a battle and actually stopped working for a bit. For a while, the Doctor depends on Rift energy but eventually gets the Eye repaired. However, he has to "roll it back" a bit. Instead of it being a Black Hole, it is now a star on the verge of becoming a Black Hole. Such a change in its nature causes it to have very different effects on anyone who comes near it, too. Now, if you're too close to the Eye for too long, it burns you alive.
With Theory 3, those damages from the Time War would be even more extreme. After all, the Eye was still powering Gallifrey at the same time that it was charging the Doctor's TARDIS. With All Things Time Lord seemingly destroyed, there would be all kinds of excess energy with nowhere to go. Perhaps the Doctor had to, flat-out, shut the Eye of Harmony down for a bit until he could find a better way to control it. So, for a time, he's dependent on Rift energy. But, just like in Theory 2, he changes the nature of the Eye to get it working again. So, once more, it can easily be the same Eye we've seen in Assassin and Telemovie.
ULTIMATE CONCLUSION
The title I've just composed for this particular subsection is highly inaccurate. I say: "Ultimate Conclusion" but there is none. All three theories that I've been kicking around hold equal merit. All three of them could explain why the Eye of Harmony seems so different every time we've seen it in the show. There is still nothing that has been stated in dialogue that gets any theory to be more accurate.
Someday there may be another story that takes place deep in the bowels of the TARDIS where we come across the Eye again. When this happens, the Doctor might say something to the nature of: "Of course, this isn't the true Eye of Harmony - that's actually on Gallifrey. Every TARDIS had a link to it. But, because of the Time Wars, I had to come up with my own special version of it." Or he might just say: "This is an Eye of Harmony. There are, in fact, many. Every TARDIS has one and then there's one that powers Gallifrey, too." Or he might even say: "Just like the TARDIS, I also stole the Eye of Harmony from Gallifrey. For a while, I got into collecting powerful Gallifreyan artifacts. You should have seen what the Hand of Omega could do!" Any statements of this nature could really clear this issue up.
More than likely, though, we'll never get any kind of clarification. The many-changing appearances, origins and effects of the Eye of Harmony will forever remain a mystery....
There we go: First POINT OF DEBATE that we will tackle this month. That crazy 96 Telemovie will have bearing in another debate that is to follow....
As I have mentioned before, POINTS OF DEBATE and FIXING CONTINUITY GLITCHES are quite similar to each other. This particular essay shows that even better than the others. This is a legitimate continuity issue that does need solving. But, truth be told, there is still not enough conclusive evidence to come up with a solid explanation. Which is why I've chosen to put it under the category that I have. It's all just too ambiguous, still. Better to let it just rest in a haze of multiple theories than to commit myself to a single one.
Do I have a theory that I prefer over the others? Yes. I do like the idea that, at some point after Survival, the Seventh Doctor had some wild adventure where he felt the need to take the Eye of Harmony from Gallifrey for safe possession. He has been holding it ever since.
I just like the image that it conjures....
Other POINTS OF DEBATE:
Something About Missy:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2018/08/points-of-debate-was-missy-truly.html
Something About Goronwy:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/01/point-of-debate-was-goronwy-from-delta.html
THE EYE OF HARMONY: IN THE BEGINNING....
So we're sitting somewhere in the mid-to-late 70s and The Deadly Assassin, the all-time coolest Doctor Who story, ever, gets transmitted (it's true! This really is my favorite story. Read the review: https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2016/01/book-of-lists-top-ten-who-stories-1.html). One of the things that makes this such an enjoyable yarn is all the important continuity that it finally establishes. Continuity that is, often, maintained throughout the rest of the show's life. Time Lords, for instance, are still wearing those crazy collars and funny hats. The Matrix is still the repository of all Time Lord knowledge. And so on...
But there is one crucial fact about Time Lord culture that has become a bit fuzzy. As Deadly Assassin draws towards its conclusion, we learn that Gallifrey has a very unique power source. It seems that, way back in the Ancient Times, Rassilon took a Black Hole (possibly the one Omega created with his stellar manipulator) and rigged it up so that his people could draw energy from it. Apparently, the Black Hole now rests on Gallifrey, itself, and can be accessed through use of certain artifacts that the Lord President is in possession of. The Master, who was at the end of his first regeneration cycle, attempted to use this power source to save himself from death. Such a gesture would have destroyed the entire planet of the Time Lords. Fortunately, the Doctor was around to stop him.
This unique power source was given a very high-handed title: the Eye of Harmony. For the rest of the Classic Series, the facts established about its nature in Deadly Assassin are respected. It isn't talked about much (it only gets name-checked one more time in The Five Doctors) but we know it's always there, keeping the lights on for all of Gallifrey. It's a firm piece of established continuity. As solid as Time Lord apparel or the Wisdom of the Matrix.
Or is it?
THE EYE OF HARMONY - THE McGANN YEARS...
After Seven long years of depression and sadness, Doctor Who returns ever-so-briefly to our screens. The production team bringing the show back honor all sorts of things regarding the show's past. They even go to the trouble of bringing back Sylvester McCoy for a bit so that he can have a proper regeneration into Paul McGann.
There's jelly babies and 900-year old diaries (that, technically, had only been a 500 year old diary before - but, we get it: the Doctor needs a longer diary) and even the sonic screwdriver is back. It's even pretty awesome that the Doctor now keeps gold dust for any Cybermen trouble.
But there is one piece of continuity that starts to get a little convoluted. Like Deadly Assassin, the story's climax revolves, once more, around the Eye of Harmony. Which would lead one to believe that the Doctor and the Master must head back to Gallifrey. Cause that's where the Eye of Harmony is, right?
But it's not. It's now aboard the Doctor's TARDIS. The Master is still in a state of regeneration crisis and is tapping the Eye of Harmony again to fix the problem. This time, he's using the Eye's power to steal all of the Doctor's remaining lives. Fortunately the Doctor is able to stop him and re-seal the Eye. Just like he did in Assassin.
But what's happened, here? Why is the power source of the Time Lords now sitting in the cloister room of the TARDIS? How did this occur?
We're never given a proper answer. Which means, of course, that we can formulate a debate.
THE ACTUAL DEBATE
There are several theories that can be used to solve this discrepancy. All of them receive some evidence in certain stories to back them up. But none of that evidence can be considered conclusive. Which is why this still remains a, sort of, unsolved grey area.
Let's look at the strongest theories:
1. Just A Link
This is the most popular theory that fans prefer to believe in.We did not actually see the Eye of Harmony in the TARDIS during the 96 Telemovie. But, rather, a physical link that the TARDIS has to the Eye. Apparently, all TARDISes draw from the power source on Gallifrey to function. Within every TARDIS interior is a portal of sorts that leads directly to the Eye. The portal is meant to stay closed. This seals the link between TARDIS and Eye of Harmony and gives the time craft a constant flow of energy to draw from. But the portal can be opened so that the energy from the Eye can be applied to other tasks. It is, however, a very dangerous thing to do and can cause damage to localized time and space near a TARDIS if you're not careful. Naturally enough, the Master did not care what harm he might cause. He just opened the portal and tried to steal the Doctor's regenerations.
The basic idea is that instead of saying: "This is a link to the Eye of Harmony on Gallifrey" the Doctor and the Master use a bit of shorthand to make things less contrived. They just call it the Eye of Harmony. Since that's what you, technically, find on the other end of the link.
2. Every TARDIS Has An Eye of Harmony
This one is slightly harder to swallow - but there are some corners of fandom that support this theory. The Doctor and the Master call the strange contraption in the center of the cloister room the Eye of Harmony because it is, essentially, the same thing that exists on Gallifrey. As every TARDIS is built, a Black Hole is, somehow, taken from the Universe and placed inside the time vessel to be used as a power source. It seems a bit like overkill, really. Does a TARDIS really need the same level of energy that is used to power an entire world? There also seems to be quite a few TARDISes in existence. Can the Time Lords really find that many Black Holes out there to use as generators for TARDISes? As absurd as this may seem, there is some interesting evidence to support this.
3. The Doctor Stole the Eye
This is more of a pet theory that I haven't heard a whole lot of other fans discuss. But I must admit, I like the idea of it. We saw the Doctor in possession of two powerful artifacts from Galifrey during Season 25. It seems he's really good at stealing important stuff from his home planet. Could he have also stolen its power source? Was there, perhaps, an unseen adventure that took place where the Doctor saw it as necessary to take the Eye of Harmony away from the Time Lords?
My guess is that a link still exists between the Eye and Gallifrey, but it works in the exact reverse of the link described in the first theory. The Doctor has rigged the Eye to power his TARDIS, but he is also sending energy from the Eye back to his homeworld at the same time. This is why the Time Lords aren't chasing him down to get the Eye back. The planet still has its power source, it's just no longer located on Gallifrey. The Doctor has it, now.
My guess is that some sort of evil renegade among the Time Lords was going to use it for a nefarious deed of some sort. Or perhaps an alien invader tried to steal it away. Whatever it was, the Doctor decided the Eye would be safer if he kept it in his own hands. So he took it away from Gallifrey but still sends them the energy they need to maintain their lifestyle.
THE EYE OF HARMONY IN THE NEW SERIES - BOOMTOWN
Technically, the Eye of Harmony received no mention until seven seasons after the series was revived in 2005. But, even in those first six seasons, certain allusions have been made to it. Several of which support different theories that we just discussed. The strongest example, in fact, takes place right in the very first season.
The way the Doctor re-fuels the TARDIS in Boomtown does, sort of, re-enforce the premise that TARDISes have a link to the Eye of Harmony that powers them. That pit-stop in Cardiff is the first time in the history of the show that we see the Doctor need to "gas up" his vehicle. Could this be because the TARDIS relied on a different source of energy up until recently?
At this point in his personal history, the Doctor believes that he has destroyed Gallifrey. He doesn't realize, yet, that it's just been sealed in a stasis cube. Either way, if the TARDIS had a link to the Eye of Harmony to power it, that connection would now be broken. He would need to find an alternative fuel source. He discovers a way to harness time rifts to keep his ship going and makes the occasional visit to places like Cardiff to power it back up.
While the Doctor offers no explanation to the nature of: "I didn't have to do this all the time. I used to be able to just leech off the Eye of Harmony." as he re-fuels in Boomtown, we can still draw certain inferences from the gesture. This need to suddenly get petrol for the TARDIS does give some degree of evidence that the Eye of Harmony we saw in the Cloister Room was more of just a link than the actual artifact. Now that the link is broken, he has to find other ways to keep his vehicle going.
THE EYE OF HARMONY IN THE NEW SERIES - JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE TARDIS
Finally, we reach the mid-way point of Series Seven and the Eye of Harmony receives a name-check in the tale: Journey to the Center of the TARDIS. If you're watching close enough, you see it first on a read-out of one of the screens on the TARDIS console. A short while later, the Doctor very hastily explains what the Eye of Harmony is to Clara and two of the VanBaalen brothers as they run past it in the center of the TARDIS. Seeing the Eye again in the TARDIS strongly re-enforces ideas put forward in Theories 2 and 3.
The Eye of Harmony we see in Journey to the Center of the TARDIS might be a Black Hole that was taken from time and space to specifically power the TARDIS. It receives the same name as the power source on Gallifrey because it works on the same basic principles. But it is not the same Eye of Harmony that we saw in Deadly Assassin. It is a special Eye of Harmony made specifically for a TARDIS.
Alternatively, this could be the same Black Hole that was powering Gallifrey in Assassin. The Doctor stole it some time before the events of the 96 Telemovie and is now using it to power his TARDIS.
With that nice scary scene in Journey to the Center of the TARDIS, we seem to be capable of eliminating Theory 1, altogether. Or is that truly the case? There are some discrepancies to address...
DISCREPANCIES IN JOURNEY
There are, at least, three things that make the Eye of Harmony in Journey to the Center of the TARDIS different from the other times we've seen it:
1. Aesthetics
At no point in its previous appearances has the Eye of Harmony looked like a big nasty sun raging away. Yes, it has taken a different shape each time we've seen it. But this form is extremely different from how it's looked before. Which would insinuate that this is a very different Eye of Harmony, altogether.
2. Effects
The Eye of Harmony can be a dangerous thing to be around. In Assassin, you needed a special Sash to protect yourself from its harmful effects. In 96 Telemovie, it did some pretty crazy stuff to time and space. But we've never seen it have this weird burning effect like it does in Journey.
3. Origins
The explanation the Doctor offers to Clara and the VanBaalen brothers of what the Eye of Harmony actually is seems somewhat different from the one we get as Spandrell and the Doctor are enjoying a drink in the Central Register. With Spandrell, it seems to be explained as a Black Hole held in stasis. With Clara and the bros, it's a star in the process of a becoming a Black Hole that's held in stasis.
These are all pretty big differences. Which may lead one to believe that this is an Eye of Harmony that the Doctor engineered himself sometime after the events of Boomtown. Tired of making pit-stops to refuel, the Doctor went out and found a star on the verge of death and sealed it within his TARDIS.
This means Theory 1 might still have some credence. The Eye of Harmony we see in 96 Telemovie is still just a link to the one on Gallifrey. After the Time Wars end, that link is broken. For a time, the Doctor depends upon Rift Energy to keep his TARDIS alive. Eventually, however, he creates his own version of the Eye and uses it as a power source.
Does this mean Theories 2 and 3 no longer hold any water? Of course not! We can still get them to make sense quite easily.
DISCREPANCIES TO THE DISCREPANCIES
While the Eye of Harmony in Journey to the Center of the TARDIS may seem different from when we've seen it previously, this doesn't mean it is not the same artifact. Such discrepancies can be easily explained away.
1. Aesthetics
Yes, it looks very different in Journey. But, as I've already mentioned, it's changed appearances every time we've seen it. This would suggest, to me, that its outside environment influences its aesthetics. The Eye of Harmony is such an advanced piece of technology that it might be sensitive to these sort of things and would take on new shapes in new situations.
If we are going with Theory 3 - then, when it was resting for all those years on Gallifrey, it took on the form of a sort of gem-shaped column. When the Doctor stole it and placed it in his TARDIS, it took on a half-spherical form. Eventually, the TARDIS receives some serious damage during the Time Wars which caused the Eye of Harmony to change in appearance, again.
If we are simply going with Theory 2 - then the shape the Eye has on Gallifrey has no bearing. It's not the same Eye of Harmony. However, it would still have similar qualities to the power source we see on the planet of the Time Lords. Which means that, again, damage from the Time Wars would cause it to change shape.
2 and 3. Origins and Effects
If we continue with this idea that the Eye is shaped by its environment, than the discrepancies in its origins and effects can line up quite easily, too.
In Theory 2, we see the Eye of Harmony in the Doctor's TARDIS before and after the Time Wars. My guess would be that the Eye took some serious damage during a battle and actually stopped working for a bit. For a while, the Doctor depends on Rift energy but eventually gets the Eye repaired. However, he has to "roll it back" a bit. Instead of it being a Black Hole, it is now a star on the verge of becoming a Black Hole. Such a change in its nature causes it to have very different effects on anyone who comes near it, too. Now, if you're too close to the Eye for too long, it burns you alive.
With Theory 3, those damages from the Time War would be even more extreme. After all, the Eye was still powering Gallifrey at the same time that it was charging the Doctor's TARDIS. With All Things Time Lord seemingly destroyed, there would be all kinds of excess energy with nowhere to go. Perhaps the Doctor had to, flat-out, shut the Eye of Harmony down for a bit until he could find a better way to control it. So, for a time, he's dependent on Rift energy. But, just like in Theory 2, he changes the nature of the Eye to get it working again. So, once more, it can easily be the same Eye we've seen in Assassin and Telemovie.
ULTIMATE CONCLUSION
The title I've just composed for this particular subsection is highly inaccurate. I say: "Ultimate Conclusion" but there is none. All three theories that I've been kicking around hold equal merit. All three of them could explain why the Eye of Harmony seems so different every time we've seen it in the show. There is still nothing that has been stated in dialogue that gets any theory to be more accurate.
Someday there may be another story that takes place deep in the bowels of the TARDIS where we come across the Eye again. When this happens, the Doctor might say something to the nature of: "Of course, this isn't the true Eye of Harmony - that's actually on Gallifrey. Every TARDIS had a link to it. But, because of the Time Wars, I had to come up with my own special version of it." Or he might just say: "This is an Eye of Harmony. There are, in fact, many. Every TARDIS has one and then there's one that powers Gallifrey, too." Or he might even say: "Just like the TARDIS, I also stole the Eye of Harmony from Gallifrey. For a while, I got into collecting powerful Gallifreyan artifacts. You should have seen what the Hand of Omega could do!" Any statements of this nature could really clear this issue up.
More than likely, though, we'll never get any kind of clarification. The many-changing appearances, origins and effects of the Eye of Harmony will forever remain a mystery....
There we go: First POINT OF DEBATE that we will tackle this month. That crazy 96 Telemovie will have bearing in another debate that is to follow....
As I have mentioned before, POINTS OF DEBATE and FIXING CONTINUITY GLITCHES are quite similar to each other. This particular essay shows that even better than the others. This is a legitimate continuity issue that does need solving. But, truth be told, there is still not enough conclusive evidence to come up with a solid explanation. Which is why I've chosen to put it under the category that I have. It's all just too ambiguous, still. Better to let it just rest in a haze of multiple theories than to commit myself to a single one.
Do I have a theory that I prefer over the others? Yes. I do like the idea that, at some point after Survival, the Seventh Doctor had some wild adventure where he felt the need to take the Eye of Harmony from Gallifrey for safe possession. He has been holding it ever since.
I just like the image that it conjures....
Other POINTS OF DEBATE:
Something About Missy:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2018/08/points-of-debate-was-missy-truly.html
Something About Goronwy:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/01/point-of-debate-was-goronwy-from-delta.html
Thursday 1 August 2019
BOOK OF LISTS: TOP 5 TWO-TIMERS - NUMBER THREE
The Two-Timer Countdown continues. Again, we're going to 60s Who...
Doctor Who in the 60s did an excellent job with the crafting of its two-timers. We don't actually see a whole lot of them. But when they do come along, they're an absolute delight! It's almost obvious by the end of their first appearance that we need to see them again.
This particular two-timer even concludes his first story on a very open-ended note. He shakes his fist towards the heavens and vows revenge on the Doctor. And, as we watch him do this, we can't wait to see that next clash.
A TRULY UNIQUE VILLAIN
It's strange that fans don't rant and rave more about The Time Meddler. The story makes a huge contribution to established continuity. It reveals, for the first time, that the Doctor is not the only owner of a TARDIS. That he seems to come from a whole race of beings that can time travel. That, alone, should have fans foaming at the mouth as they watch this four-parter. But no one actually seems all that thrilled about the tale. Most fans complain that things move too slowly. Yes, it can feel a bit cumbersome in places. But what Willian Hartnell story doesn't suffer from that problem?!
But the Monk, himself, also breaks new ground in the show. Which is part of what makes his character so interesting. Up until him, villains all tended to be dark and ruthless and almost mad with a lust for power. Someone like Yartek from Keys of Marinus was a great example of the sort of villainy we'd been seeing in the first two seasons of Who. Yes, we did have Nero in The Romans who was definitely playing things up for laughs. But Nero wasn't truly a villain in the story - more an antagonist.
Whereas the Monk is truly up to no good and must be stopped. He is definitely the villain of the story rather than someone who is just creating a bit of conflict. But he is crafted very differently from the Yarteks we've been seeing so far. He's not cold and calculating and viciously efficient. He's more a bumbler. Aside from his very first scene where he spots the TARDIS on the shore, something always seems to be going ever-so-slightly wrong for the Monk. The Doctor is dropping pebbles on his head or the wind is blowing his snuff away before he can snort it. Or various Saxons and/or Vikings are showing up at the monastery at inopportune moments. All of it creates some great comedy of errors that Peter Butterworth is a master at playing up. He really is great fun to watch as he dithers about trying to get his plans to work but running into an endless array of distressing obstacles. We really haven't seen a baddie like this, yet. Normally, it's a much more serious portrayal going on. The Monk comes in like a breath of fresh air and gives us something very different from what we've been getting so far.
His uniqueness doesn't end there, however. When other baddies reveal their ultimate plan, it's usually some mad scheme of conquest that will result in the endless suffering of innocents. The Monk just wants to see King Harold enjoy a longer reign. We know he can't do this. That he will change history. But, beyond that, we really don't think his goals are all that horrible. His villainy, for the most part, really isn't all that loathsome. In fact, he's quite likeable. He even shows compassion at one point. While in the middle of a sneaky maneuver, Wulnoth begs him to tend to Edlred's wounds (I guess you might say Eldred must live!). The Monk wants to ignore the plea but caves in and helps the injured villager. Other nasties like Tegana from Marco Polo or Forester from Planet of Giants would have told the Saxon where to go. But the Monk stops and does the right thing. Even if it does throw a monkey wrench into his all-important plans. Up until this moment, a bad guy never showed such a softer side. It's a very nice change of tone.
JUST PLAIN FUN
Naturally enough, a character as nuanced as this needs to be cast well. Peter Butterworth seems the perfect choice. He always knows where to land with the character. He makes him comedic but doesn't go too far with it. He gives him this very gentle overtone - but we still know he's dangerous when he needs to be.
And he's so damned clever. Purposely describing the Doctor when Vicki and Steven have not told him what he looks like is a very well-executed double-bluff. Sending the Vikings to a non-existent hiding place to buy him the extra time to flee the angry Saxons is another simple-yet-effective move. Yes, the Monk is goofy and clumsy - but he's not stupid.
The taunts he gives the Doctor as they discuss the quality of their TARDISes is another really fun moment in his first story. Other Renegade Time Lords in future stories will do the same thing. But, once more, we're seeing it for the first time, here. And it's great fun. Everything in The Time Meddler screams: "This is a very entertaining and unique villain. He must return!"
Thankfully, he does.
ONLY THREE EPISODES...
Desperate to pad out The Dalek Masterplan, Dennis Spooner decides to bring the Monk back. This creates a nice revenge subplot while the principal business of the Daleks reclaiming their taranium core continues to try to span 12 episodes.
The Monk's re-appearance is only three short parts. But they are three very entertaining, fun-filled episodes. One of the other things that made the Monk so enjoyable in his initial story was all the mischievous skulking about that he did as he tried to execute his plans. We love watching him almost prance about the monastery with glee as he tries to re-write history. Spooner capitalizes on this ten-fold when he brings him back. The Monk wanders all over the place in Masterplan, causing all sorts of problems.
He vaguely resembles the Master in Ultimate Foe. He is not the central threat of the story - he's just causing all sorts of interesting side-action. He switches alliances and tells endless lies whenever it suits him. He's also sabotaging things and creating all sorts of traps. But, whereas the Master is much deadlier in Foe, the Monk is more about harmless pranks. He definitely wants to do something to the Doctor's TARDIS that will strand him. But, beyond that, he's not really up to much of anything. He just happens to accidentally get embroiled in the affairs of the Daleks and Mavic Chen. But he only wants to extricate himself from their business as quickly as possible. Any other evil Renegade Time Lord out there would have tried to steal away the Daleks' power and make it their own. But that's not what the Monk is about. He's a trouble-maker, no doubt. But, by no means, is he a sinister mustache twirler hell-bent on taking over the cosmos. That's just not his style. Again, it's a very different nuance to anything we've seen before.
In this second appearance, Spooner also remembers to give us more of that banter between the Doctor and the Monk that we love so much. Again, they seem to be comparing TARDISes like they might be penis sizes.
Part of what puts Craig Owens on this list is the way Matt Smith and James Corden interact. Hartnell and Butterworth spark off of each other just as brilliantly. The chemistry these two create as they take the piss out of each other is another huge contribution to what makes the Monk the wondrous two-timer that he is.
SADLY, THAT"S IT
Once more, the Monk is left in the same plight as we saw him in Time Meddler. The Doctor has done considerable damage to his TARDIS. Rendering it near-useless.
One would think this means another battle against the Monk was soon to come. But it never happened. And this is truly sad. The Monk should have returned countless more times. Imagine him meeting Troughton's Doctor. The two would have spent the entire story bumbling around each other. It would have been a veritable Bumble Fest. Other incarnations of the Doctor would have been quite fun, too. Perhaps the Monk would've also eventually regenerated and we could have enjoyed new and different incarnations from him. This is a two-timer that should have kept plaguing the Doctor for decades.
Sure, we got the Master, instead. And he/she has been great fun in his/her own way. But there was a special quality to the way the Monk was written. Butterworth's portrayal enhanced things considerably. Thus making him an utter delight to watch that was worthy of many more appearances. In fact, how great would it have been to see a story like Mark of the Rani where the Doctor had to deal with the Monk and the Master at the same time (Mark of the Monk?)? Or, even better: the Master, the Monk and the Rani all at once!
A gigantic missed opportunity. But, at least, we got a fantastic two-timer out of the deal!
See you again soon as we reveal Number Two.
The other two installments:
Fifth Place:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/06/book-of-lists-top-5-two-timers-number.html
Fourth Place:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/06/book-of-lists-top-5-two-timers-number_25.html
Doctor Who in the 60s did an excellent job with the crafting of its two-timers. We don't actually see a whole lot of them. But when they do come along, they're an absolute delight! It's almost obvious by the end of their first appearance that we need to see them again.
This particular two-timer even concludes his first story on a very open-ended note. He shakes his fist towards the heavens and vows revenge on the Doctor. And, as we watch him do this, we can't wait to see that next clash.
A TRULY UNIQUE VILLAIN
It's strange that fans don't rant and rave more about The Time Meddler. The story makes a huge contribution to established continuity. It reveals, for the first time, that the Doctor is not the only owner of a TARDIS. That he seems to come from a whole race of beings that can time travel. That, alone, should have fans foaming at the mouth as they watch this four-parter. But no one actually seems all that thrilled about the tale. Most fans complain that things move too slowly. Yes, it can feel a bit cumbersome in places. But what Willian Hartnell story doesn't suffer from that problem?!
But the Monk, himself, also breaks new ground in the show. Which is part of what makes his character so interesting. Up until him, villains all tended to be dark and ruthless and almost mad with a lust for power. Someone like Yartek from Keys of Marinus was a great example of the sort of villainy we'd been seeing in the first two seasons of Who. Yes, we did have Nero in The Romans who was definitely playing things up for laughs. But Nero wasn't truly a villain in the story - more an antagonist.
Whereas the Monk is truly up to no good and must be stopped. He is definitely the villain of the story rather than someone who is just creating a bit of conflict. But he is crafted very differently from the Yarteks we've been seeing so far. He's not cold and calculating and viciously efficient. He's more a bumbler. Aside from his very first scene where he spots the TARDIS on the shore, something always seems to be going ever-so-slightly wrong for the Monk. The Doctor is dropping pebbles on his head or the wind is blowing his snuff away before he can snort it. Or various Saxons and/or Vikings are showing up at the monastery at inopportune moments. All of it creates some great comedy of errors that Peter Butterworth is a master at playing up. He really is great fun to watch as he dithers about trying to get his plans to work but running into an endless array of distressing obstacles. We really haven't seen a baddie like this, yet. Normally, it's a much more serious portrayal going on. The Monk comes in like a breath of fresh air and gives us something very different from what we've been getting so far.
His uniqueness doesn't end there, however. When other baddies reveal their ultimate plan, it's usually some mad scheme of conquest that will result in the endless suffering of innocents. The Monk just wants to see King Harold enjoy a longer reign. We know he can't do this. That he will change history. But, beyond that, we really don't think his goals are all that horrible. His villainy, for the most part, really isn't all that loathsome. In fact, he's quite likeable. He even shows compassion at one point. While in the middle of a sneaky maneuver, Wulnoth begs him to tend to Edlred's wounds (I guess you might say Eldred must live!). The Monk wants to ignore the plea but caves in and helps the injured villager. Other nasties like Tegana from Marco Polo or Forester from Planet of Giants would have told the Saxon where to go. But the Monk stops and does the right thing. Even if it does throw a monkey wrench into his all-important plans. Up until this moment, a bad guy never showed such a softer side. It's a very nice change of tone.
JUST PLAIN FUN
Naturally enough, a character as nuanced as this needs to be cast well. Peter Butterworth seems the perfect choice. He always knows where to land with the character. He makes him comedic but doesn't go too far with it. He gives him this very gentle overtone - but we still know he's dangerous when he needs to be.
And he's so damned clever. Purposely describing the Doctor when Vicki and Steven have not told him what he looks like is a very well-executed double-bluff. Sending the Vikings to a non-existent hiding place to buy him the extra time to flee the angry Saxons is another simple-yet-effective move. Yes, the Monk is goofy and clumsy - but he's not stupid.
The taunts he gives the Doctor as they discuss the quality of their TARDISes is another really fun moment in his first story. Other Renegade Time Lords in future stories will do the same thing. But, once more, we're seeing it for the first time, here. And it's great fun. Everything in The Time Meddler screams: "This is a very entertaining and unique villain. He must return!"
Thankfully, he does.
ONLY THREE EPISODES...
Desperate to pad out The Dalek Masterplan, Dennis Spooner decides to bring the Monk back. This creates a nice revenge subplot while the principal business of the Daleks reclaiming their taranium core continues to try to span 12 episodes.
The Monk's re-appearance is only three short parts. But they are three very entertaining, fun-filled episodes. One of the other things that made the Monk so enjoyable in his initial story was all the mischievous skulking about that he did as he tried to execute his plans. We love watching him almost prance about the monastery with glee as he tries to re-write history. Spooner capitalizes on this ten-fold when he brings him back. The Monk wanders all over the place in Masterplan, causing all sorts of problems.
He vaguely resembles the Master in Ultimate Foe. He is not the central threat of the story - he's just causing all sorts of interesting side-action. He switches alliances and tells endless lies whenever it suits him. He's also sabotaging things and creating all sorts of traps. But, whereas the Master is much deadlier in Foe, the Monk is more about harmless pranks. He definitely wants to do something to the Doctor's TARDIS that will strand him. But, beyond that, he's not really up to much of anything. He just happens to accidentally get embroiled in the affairs of the Daleks and Mavic Chen. But he only wants to extricate himself from their business as quickly as possible. Any other evil Renegade Time Lord out there would have tried to steal away the Daleks' power and make it their own. But that's not what the Monk is about. He's a trouble-maker, no doubt. But, by no means, is he a sinister mustache twirler hell-bent on taking over the cosmos. That's just not his style. Again, it's a very different nuance to anything we've seen before.
In this second appearance, Spooner also remembers to give us more of that banter between the Doctor and the Monk that we love so much. Again, they seem to be comparing TARDISes like they might be penis sizes.
Part of what puts Craig Owens on this list is the way Matt Smith and James Corden interact. Hartnell and Butterworth spark off of each other just as brilliantly. The chemistry these two create as they take the piss out of each other is another huge contribution to what makes the Monk the wondrous two-timer that he is.
SADLY, THAT"S IT
Once more, the Monk is left in the same plight as we saw him in Time Meddler. The Doctor has done considerable damage to his TARDIS. Rendering it near-useless.
One would think this means another battle against the Monk was soon to come. But it never happened. And this is truly sad. The Monk should have returned countless more times. Imagine him meeting Troughton's Doctor. The two would have spent the entire story bumbling around each other. It would have been a veritable Bumble Fest. Other incarnations of the Doctor would have been quite fun, too. Perhaps the Monk would've also eventually regenerated and we could have enjoyed new and different incarnations from him. This is a two-timer that should have kept plaguing the Doctor for decades.
Sure, we got the Master, instead. And he/she has been great fun in his/her own way. But there was a special quality to the way the Monk was written. Butterworth's portrayal enhanced things considerably. Thus making him an utter delight to watch that was worthy of many more appearances. In fact, how great would it have been to see a story like Mark of the Rani where the Doctor had to deal with the Monk and the Master at the same time (Mark of the Monk?)? Or, even better: the Master, the Monk and the Rani all at once!
A gigantic missed opportunity. But, at least, we got a fantastic two-timer out of the deal!
See you again soon as we reveal Number Two.
The other two installments:
Fifth Place:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/06/book-of-lists-top-5-two-timers-number.html
Fourth Place:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/06/book-of-lists-top-5-two-timers-number_25.html
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