#goldpond

already did 55

88:What were you doing last night at 12 AM? watching portlandia

I think in Clara's case, it's just that the whole thing seems so guided by her own personality and world view. She already walked into this arrangement with an idea of what a hero should be like and being rather adept at projecting that image. "The Rings of Akhaten", in retrospect, is already a well-rounded presentation of that part - the compassion, the fear, the determination, the using her emotions for good... but also the setting of boundaries.

As Caitlin pointed out beautifully, it is really "just" the kind of hero she is and wants to be that is changing, whether it's deliberate or subconscious. So in some ways, of course she'd seem sure of herself there. Because she's been practicing for a very long time.

I love how they turned the “the companion is the Doctor’s conscience” around. As much as I like it when companions confront the Doctor and stand up for what they think is right, it’s not really a favourite approach of mine. I mean, there can be little doubt that the Doctor needs someone to stop him occasionally, needs another - better perspective - but as a summing up of the Doctor/companion relationship, it’s just too perfunctory in nature, for my taste. In some ways I prefered what the Doctor told Amy, that he’s seeing the wonders of the universe through their eyes. But of course that once again points to a function… they’re his friends. That is what should matter above all else.

I don’t think she’s the first companion to mirror the Doctor in not entirely positive ways. Rose grew a lot in series 2 and I've seen the (appreciative) argument made that her becoming more like the Doctor wasn't exclusively portrayed in a positive light. When Martha literally became a doctor keeping the earth safe from alien threats, she almost became the one to destroy the planet with the Osterhagen key. So it's not an entirely unique approach, but it's obviously done in a different way and I love it.

Doctor: "It's a scanner. I'm scanning. Why do I keep you around?" Clara: "Because the alternative would be developing a conscience of your own."

I've been mainly focusing on Clara's perspective here, but yes, it's definitely revealing something about the Doctor and furthering the exploration of his characterisation. Ironically, he's almost becoming... better.

In the self-loating, in the realisation that he might turn Clara into something worse (whether he actually is or not), there is this moment when he embraces being the Doctor. And not just the Doctor is the one who fights the monsters dimensions, but also the "never cruel or cowardly". He believes in the good nature of what they are encountering, he tries to communicate with them in any way he can... and only then does he reluctantly take on the "role" he has to play.

(Thank you! I think my last post was this one, right? I think tumblr has plenty of dw fandom discussions, there's a lot of meta being written... and a lot of arguments taking place. It's a rich environment if you know where to look.)

I've got to admit, I don't quite see the manipulation angle. Except maybe the lies she is telling, to keep up the appearance of everything being fine. But he's catching on there... and he's not willing to give this up anymore than she is, he's just suddenly the more honest person in this friendship.