#vespiform

Possibly the most high stakes game of charades is played, far more secrets are unveiled than anyone intended and a certain Donna Noble inadvertently secures her place in literary history.

And no, it's not a Venom AU despite the recent artwork I reblogged, sorry to disappoint.

After an altercation with some vespiforms, the Master has to suck venom from the Doctor's shoulder. Softness and hair stroking ensues.

No clue why it recommended me this

But

Like

All I can think about is the vespiform

You wouldn't think that a single show would need three entirely unrelated species of Bee People. Which is why for the third entry of Bee Week, we're talking about wasps instead! It's probably close enough.

The Vespiform is the titular Wasp from "The Unicorn and the Wasp." But it's not any old wasp - it's a six-foot tall giant alien CGI wasp that can take human form at will and has read too many Agatha Christie novels. (It also just so happens to also be a white anglo-saxon protestant. Make of that what you will). It's just silly. Just a straight-up giant wasp. It's utterly ridiculous!

I actually really like the idea that there are just giant shape-shifting wasps out there, occasionally visiting unsuspecting planets and seducing their women. It's one of the few examples of Kirk-style diplomacy that we see in Doctor Who (outside of Jack, that is). Which brings me to my next point: despite all superficial evidence, they Vespiforms are not monsters. The villain doesn't kill because he's a giant wasp bent on global domination, he kills because he's had a bunch of murder mysteries downloaded into his brain and figures that's just what you do. This is also why a guy with a two foot long stinger feels the need to bash people with a lead pipe. (Have I mentioned that this episode is really silly? This episode is really silly.) Also evidence suggests his aim is better with more conventional weapons.

The Starfire is another interesting element. Why would you build such a device? It seems like it could backfire very easily, as indeed it does. My thought is that it must be a lot like the fob watch, designed to allow the child to have a normal human life, and then tell him what he needs to know when he comes of age. Gives a whole new meaning to "the birds and the bees." Well, son, you may be noticing your body has been going through some changes. That's because you're actually 50% giant alien wasp. It's perfectly normal at your age, and nothing to be worried about. But yeah, it is cool that he basically Hulks out. (I was sitting there waiting for him to say "you wouldn't like me when I'm angry.") So, perhaps we should amend the description to giant telepathic shape-shifting alien wasps. It's got a nice ring to it.