It finally came. This fifth episode mid season finale of Doctor who brought us the departure of the Ponds, Amy and Rory. We knew when it was going to happen, we knew what the story was going to involve, we even know who was going to replace them (and we’ve even seen her). What we didn’t know was the exact story and how it was going to happen? So what happened? Was their exit honorable enough for the two characters we’ve grown to love over the past two and a half years? Take a look after the break and find out.
So the Weepings Angels have taken Manhattan just like the title says. They’ve invaded all sorts of statues in 1930s New York City. Baby angels, life size statues, even the Statue of Liberty has been taken over. The Angels have found a new way of gathering energy. (Remember, they get their energy by displacing people in time). They’ve basically become farmers, of humans in New York. They’re policing an apartment building called the Winter Quay (pronounced key) and they keep displacing people, using them like batteries, kind of like the matrix. So what does that have to do with our favorite trio.
Well they’re hanging out in 2012 NYC reading a mystery book when Rory is zapped back to the 1930s. Who does he find there but Mrs. River Song (she’s a Mrs. now because she married the Doctor). They’ve been taken by a mob boss who has captured a Weeping Angel. Amy and the Doctor realized Rory was gone and ultimately realize that River wrote the book and is telling their story of when they went back to save him. They try to go back to the 30s themselves but have a hard time because there’s so much time energy interference from the Angels.
They make it back there and three of them reunite. It’s not so happy because they’re running from the Angels and there is tension amongst the four of them, especially River and the Doctor. Rory has been displaced by the Angels again, but this time only in space, not time, so he’s just at another place in Manhattan. He turns up at the Winter Quay. After he goes into the building he enters one of the apartments (with the Angels policing). The rest of the foursome shows up and then there’s the twist. Turns out they entered the apartment of old Rory and then old Rory dies. He became a victim of the Angels and now that he saw his own death he can’t escape it, it became a fixed point in time. Amy doesn’t like this and says that time can be rewritten (a nice Who-ism). They decide to fight the Angels, escape the apartment and try to run away. They make it as far as the roof when they realize they are trapped. So they decide for both of them to jump off together, therefore making a paradox and rewriting time.
Jumping worked, they all end up in 2012 and everyone is happy. They ended up in a cemetery and are celebrating their victory. As they all go back to the TARDIS Rory pauses for a moment and sees a gravestone with his name on it. Uh oh, he’s zapped back by a stray Angel. Amy is understandably devastated. After a passionate scene with the Doctor she realizes there is room on the headstone for one more and allows herself to be taken too. They’re both gone and the Doctor can never see them again because of some time laws. He’s devastated and River isn’t doing much comforting.
As the episode ends with the Ponds trapped back in the past Amy is able to talk to the Doctor one more time. River is the one who wrote that book, but Amy is the one who had it published so Amy wrote an epilogue. Although the Doctor doesn’t like the end of things he reads it and hears Amy’s advice. He shouldn’t travel alone, and he should make sure young Amy always has something to look forward to while she’s the girl who waited. The end…
So was it a good episode? In one word, yes it was. I wish we didn’t know it was coming because that really took away some of what could have been the dramatic effect. I liked how they through us for a loop and tried to make us thing they exited without the help of the Angels. At least they paid some credence to the fact that they announced their departure so early. There were some good themes throughout the episode. Like how the Doctor ripped out pages of books so he didn’t know the end. To the theme of the inevitable – that when you see what happens you can’t change it. It’s sort of like you can’t take back what already happened, you just have to deal with the consequences and plan for the future. I also liked how River was part of the episode. It was interesting that she was there end of her parent’s traveling with the Doctor. Somehow oddly fitting.
It still could have been better. It was not the most intense episode and could have had a lot more emotion in it. It also didn’t quite follow any of the arcs that they’ve put forth for the season. Maybe they didn’t want to start too much when they knew two actors were leaving. I’m still into it and look forward to Jenna Louise-Coleman’s official entrance as companion. Amy and Rory will be missed. They’ve been a staple over the past two and a half years. Doctor Who will go on and we’ll get our next new episode at Christmas.
What did you think of the Ponds’ departure?
