In THE animation during the archon quest Pantalone requests Dottore to tell the story where he dies, yet *SOMEHOW* Dottore uses it to explain how Pantalone makes him cherish his time in this world more.
Well, he never *outright* says it. When you first watch it, the impression you get is that Dottore is explaining how the death of Zandik caused him to assess his own mortality, and he's reflecting on it as he reaches his own end. After the story is over, Pantalone asks what the story has to do with Dottore depositing his data in the Northland Bank. Dottore says "*it* had made me cherish my time in this world all the more". But what is "it"? Later in the scene Pantalone says that Dottore doesn't cherish life, so is the subject of the story not the death of Zandik?
Dottore is a great speaker, he's methodical in what he says and knows how to get the reaction of what he wants from his audience, he's manipulative and charismatic. Yet during the story he makes two slip ups that Pantalone endearingly interjects to correct. The second one is more of a difference in their perspectives (both of them are very intentional in their word choice, Pantalone's objection to 'unsettling' sounds like a different conflict to me), but the first one is blatant. Dottore starts to imply that Zandik survived using the elixir, right? Now I haven't checked the translations, but he specifically says "Fortunately, Zandik succeded. In a miraculous turn of events, he gained the extra time he needed." What if he meant "In a miraculous turn of events [Zandik] gained the extra time [Pantalone] needed."?
Pantalone is the one who prompted Dottore to tell the story of his death, why would he dodge the subject of the story itself? An opportunity for fun banter or to create a fairytale? Why would the doctor do that? It makes more sense to me that Dottore was telling the story of Pantalone's life being extended. *Fortunately*, Zandik succeeded in extending Feofan's life*. The story itself becomes about their "perfect partnership".
If the story is about their "perfect partnership" then Dottore's comment about what caused him to cherish life more has a different meaning. it becomes: "I am giving the final blueprint of my being (his data) to you (the bank) because you are the reason i care about this world." which makes Pantalone's reply of "so you do have a sense of self-preservation" far more funny.
I do want to go on a tangent here though, Dottore's response to Pantalone correcting him on Zandik's death is almost petulant. like "UGH. YEAH. HE REMAINED HUMAN." but it could have so many different meanings. its probably not sympathetic regret due to Pantalone's potential long term reaction to the loss of Zandik. Its potentially loathing that his original self couldn't overcome an obstacle that Dottore now has. It could be that he's giving into Pantalone's misunderstanding of what he was saying, that he would rather admit to being wrong than double down on such sentiments. Or that he's correcting how *Zandik* isnt the one who succeeded and developed the elixir and was an ingredient. Another aspect is 'remained human', which implies that Pantalone did not remain human, but perhaps it's supposed to be remained mortal, or that Dottore loathes his own humanity, and sees death and mortality as an aspect of humanity.
