Merlin?

[JoeZhang]

In Peter David's "One Fateful Knight" in Short Trips: The Quality of Leadership, the Merlin Doctor is the eighth Doctor, straight up, no alternate.

I'm pretty sure the NA presented two other alternatives - a future doctor with red hair and also em.. some other dude who might or might not be an alternative universe doctor who's name escapes me but is in Happy Endings.

Having said that, unlike the River Song situations absolutely nothing is presented on screen but guesswork.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

I'm pretty sure the NA presented two other alternatives - a future doctor with red hair

That's actually from Ben Aaronovitch's novelization of Battlefield. That Doctor reappears in two stories by Peter Anghelides, "Good Companions" and "Revenants" in BBC Books' Short Trips anthologies.

I only brought up "One Fateful Knight" because it's the only time that the Doctor is explicitly Merlin in a story, other than the novelization. The Anghelides stories are, by authorial intent, supposed to be that Doctor, but we don't actually see that Doctor being Merlin. So there's room for plausible deniability.

and also em.. some other dude who might or might not be an alternative universe doctor who's name escapes me but is in Happy Endings.

Muldwych.

Having said that, unlike the River Song situations absolutely nothing is presented on screen but guesswork.

Actually, I'd say that River Song's identity is, at least for us viewers, purely guesswork at this point, too.

We assume that she knows the Doctor and that she's from his future, but we don't actually know this.

 

[EJA]

It's nothing like River Song. See this line of thinking is exactly what I'm talking about. It really is pointless engaging in these discussions with you EJA. You have your own continuity obviously. All well and good. That doesn't mean that it's the right continuity. It also doesn't mean that nothing is rendered invalid from the past.

Okay, explain how it is nothing like the situation with River.

 

[EJA]

In Peter David's "One Fateful Knight" in Short Trips: The Quality of Leadership, the Merlin Doctor is the eighth Doctor, straight up, no alternate.

I'm pretty sure the NA presented two other alternatives - a future doctor with red hair and also em.. some other dude who might or might not be an alternative universe doctor who's name escapes me but is in Happy Endings.

Having said that, unlike the River Song situations absolutely nothing is presented on screen but guesswork.

*Sigh.* The Merlin Doctor had already experienced the events the Seventh Doctor was; he left a note for his past self in Arthur's tomb warning himself about Morgaine having gotten hold of a nuke.

Oh yes, and Ancelyn also recognises the TARDIS, and knows that it's larger on the inside.

 

[Admiral_Young]

The River and Doctor meet out of chronological sequence. The younger Doctor has no clue who she is. Nothing to do with leaving a note behind to his younger self. Unless you were referring to River's diary. So I'm not sure what you're talking about when you say it's like River.

 

[EJA]

^That's just nitpicking. The Doctor and Morgaine meet out of chronological sequence; in Battlefield it's the Doctor's first meeting with her from his POV; it's Morgaine's final encounter with him from her POV.

 

[Admiral_Young]

How is that nitpicking? That is exactly what we're shown in the episodes. Wow.

 

[EJA]

Maybe I used the wrong words. The point is, it isn't as dissimilar to the situation with River as you seem to think.

 

[Admiral_Young]

The difference being is as I pointed out that the Doctor in this case has no foreknowledge OF River when he first meets her, she does about him. In fact River knows EVERYTHING about the Doctor including his real name which she whispers in his ear and makes him do a WTF face. You've made a point about the Seventh Doctor leaving a note to his younger self. This is a significant difference which separates both incidents.

 

[EJA]

The difference being is as I pointed out that the Doctor in this case has no foreknowledge OF River when he first meets her, she does about him. In fact River knows EVERYTHING about the Doctor including his real name which she whispers in his ear and makes him do a WTF face. You've made a point about the Seventh Doctor leaving a note to his younger self. This is a significant difference which separates both incidents.

And Ancelyn, Morgaine and Mordred all having knowledge of the Doctor's future, having experienced it.

I actually once wrote a little story myself with the Eighth Doctor visiting Arthur's dimension. Here it is:

http://www.whofic.com/viewstory.php?sid=37444

Since writing it, I have considered revising it somewhat, with one idea being to have Morgaine be the cause of the 8th Doctor's regeneration into the Ninth.

 

[Admiral_Young]

Okay. I'll admit that there are SOME similarities between the two. They're not exactly alike though.

 

[Sindatur]

So, River said she's living her life Backwards to the Doctor's. Does that make her Arthur? Or maybe she's Merlin, and the Doctor is Arthur?

 

[Skellington]

^Interesting point. However, not all of their meetings can be in reverse chronological order, as it would make the diary redundant.