The (many) unanswered questions of season 6 arc (SPOILERS)

[Jax]

^^Thing is, the Valeyard exists between the Doctor's "12th and final incarnation" so I doubt the "Fall of the 11th" has anything to do with him.

It would seem we have no final incarnation now though so am sure they could get around it.

 

[intrinsical]

14. Likewise, how exactly does everyone in the universe learn that the Doctor died (presumably without regenerating)? The only people to witness his death were Amy, Rory, River, and Canton. Who spread the word throughout the universe that the Doctor lives only until his 11th regeneration, then dies forever in Utah in 2011?

Remember, we saw a Silent at Lake Silencio. Obviously, there were more people there than what we saw.

16. How was River able to change a "fixed point in time"?

Just like any other point in time, fixed points can be changed. But when you try to change a fixed point, very bad things can happen as we saw in The Wedding of River Song.

17. How did the Silence and Madam Eyepatch learn about what a "fixed point in time" is, how to create one, etc. Even though a few other folks in this universe have time travel, the only true Lords of Time are the TimeLords. This is complicated stuff they are both apparently understanding and manipulating successfully.

Its the 51st century, where Captain Jack Harkness came from. If they can have a time agency and send time agents throughout time, they have the ability to time travel. Besides, the Silents have the prototype-TARDIS we saw in The Lodger last season.

21. River says that she sent a distress call and millions of people throughout time and space came to help. Where were they and what were they doing to help?

I doubt there are too many species advanced enough to punch through to a messed up time stream. So while they may want to help, they don't have the means to render assistance.

22. Why did the Doctor need to "marry" River? What was the purpose of it?

23. Is the Doctor even married to River? Does Rory proclaiming River married to a giant robot shaped like the Doctor, that the Doctor happens to be piloting, mean they are officially and forever husband and wife?

I'ld say yes they're married, but not married in the traditional sense with responsibilities in sickness and in health nor the grinding. My interpretation is its a wedding of convenience, The Doctor only did it to get River to collapse the messed up time stream and restore the fixed point.

25a. River has pictures of all the Doctors faces. Are they out of order?

Probably, she's an archeologist so I'ld imagine she assembled all the pictures from various historical artifacts and its all messed up like a jig-saw puzzle with missing pieces here and there.

26. If the Silence have occupied Earth for centuries, and on all continents (as stated in "Day of the Moon") then why hasn't the Doctor seen them before? Surely in all his own travels he'd have spotted one ONCE!

He may have, but he wouldn't remember would he?

27. The Doctor made it so that every time anyone watches the Moon Landing, they will get a powerful subliminal message to kill every Silence instantly and "on sight". Why didn't Amy, Rory, River & The Doctor instantly want to kill every Silence in "The Impossible Astronaut"? Surely they have seen the Moon Landing before!

The Doctor rewrote time when he inserted the subliminal message? *Shrugs*

28. When the Doctor learns that he needs to talk with Dorium, he says "Dorium is dead." So...why not get in your time machine and go back to BEFORE Dorium is dead and talk to him then? You know, like that you would do if you needed to talk to Vincent Van Gough.

Crossing time streams, staying within Dorum's temporal nexus, wibbly wobbly, timey wimey...

29. When the Doctor tries to call the Brig and learns he's phoned AFTER the Brig has passed away, why not travel back in time to BEFORE the Brig has died? Learning he dies does not make the Doctor part of events. He knows that Vincent Van Gough has died, but he can go back and see him. Also, just because a nurse tells you the Brig didn't see the Doctor again doesn't mean she's right. Maybe she doesn't know everything! Maybe the Brig kept some things a secret.

I think its a nod by Moffat to this little fan-drawn comic that was drawn shortly after Nicholas Courtney, the actor, died.

32. How does Dorium know that the question is, Doctor who?

Quite possibly because he was a trader in all sorts of strange items and rare information.

33. Why would "Doctor Who" be the oldest question in the universe? Wouldn't the oldest question be more like "Why do we have to die?" or "Is their a God and what is His address?" etc?

Unknown at this time. The question is just two words, but was Dorium asking "Doctor Who?" or Doctor, "Who?"

"Doctor Who?" seem to suggest that the question is asking about the identity of The Doctor.

Doctor, "Who?" on the other hand totally changes the question into asking the identity of a mysterious entity.

35. Hasn't the Doctor himself changed a "fixed point in time" by going in the robot? How is his escaping death by means of a robot stand-in not changing a fixed point in time?

It depends what the fixed point was, the actual death of The Doctor, or just the appearance that The Doctor is dead.

36. In "The Waters Of Mars" the Doctor boasts about how he has just changed a fixed point in time. Why wasn't Churchhill suddenly Emperor of Rome or whatever as a result?

There's a difference between a careful tinkering of a fixed point and outright changing a fixed point. The Doctor tinkered with Lake Silencio by replacing himself with a very convincing fake, so as far as observers are concerned the fixed point still happened. River Song on the other hand, simply stopped the fixed point from happening.

37. When River sees the Doctor die in Utah in 2011 does she remember that it is her

As seen in Doctor Who Confidential, yes. She was pretending that it is new to her. That's why she was able to react quickly enough to stop Amy from rushing to The Doctor's side when the astronaut shot him.

39. Why does River give all her regenerations up to save the Doctor whom she has just killed? What has happened to cause her to make this decision?

Short answer, love. Long answer, Mdm Kovarian and the Silents have brainwashed River to be fixated on The Doctor. And she did fail several times to kill The Doctor many times in Let's Kill Hitler. She must have been impressed by this. Even though she eventually succeeds in poisoning him, he still tried to save River from the Tessalecta. And when her mother, Amy, finally ordered the Tessalecta to show River Song, she realizes she has an amazing future with The Doctor. In typical woman behavior, she thinks she's in love with The Doctor and spends all her regenerations to save him.

40. Why does the Doctor love River? In this entire arc, I haven't seen any evidence to suggest the Doctor really loves River (a few lines of sexual innuendo don't count). If anything, he seems to love Amy, Donna, and Rose more (all three of whom have done things that bowl him over, leave him attracted to them, etc).

The Doctor is not in love with River Song, but its definitely clear that River loves The Doctor and he's done nothing to discourage it.

 

[intrinsical]

Oops, double post. Sorry.

 

[Neroon]

For point no. 2, I've thought of a new Who explanation. Y'see, once while they were sat in his office drinking a glass of wine, the Brigadier once told the Doctor of an American man he'd met while on operations in the US and had a gay affair with. That's why, after hearing he was dead, the Doctor sent Canton that letter instead. It tramples while pissing at the same time on old Who, it involves homosexuality. It just doesn't get more new Who than that does it.

When I feel bothered enough to read the others, I might make some more explanations up.

Infraction for trolling. Comments to PM

 

[doubleohfive]

I thought I saw a fairly obvious shot of the Doctor's bow-tie being a clip-on during "The Wedding of River Song."

I'll see about finding a screencap later... but I remember noticing it and thinking - a ha!

 

[ITL]

I thought I saw a fairly obvious shot of the Doctor's bow-tie being a clip-on during "The Wedding of River Song."

I'll see about finding a screencap later... but I remember noticing it and thinking - a ha!

I'm about five minutes into re-watching it as I type. I'll keep my eyes peeled!

 

[doubleohfive]

You should be able to see it right as he takes it off to use to bind his wrist to River's during the wedding scene. I think.

 

[ITL]

You should be able to see it right as he takes it off to use to bind his wrist to River's during the wedding scene. I think.

Slowly animating GIF of the scene....GO!

 

[Bacl]

You should be able to see it right as he takes it off to use to bind his wrist to River's during the wedding scene. I think.

Slowly animating GIF of the scene....GO!

AWESOME!!! Thanks for doing that!

The bow tie is real, folks. NOT A CLIP ON.

Clip on bow ties AREN'T cool.

 

[doubleohfive]

I remember that part -- but at some point, I feel like I did see a clip-on in the episode. I'm not saying its the one he always uses, and obviously for the scene the .gif shows, he's wearing a tied bow-tie... I'll get back to you.

 

[ITL]

I'm intrigued, now... Must find clip on!

 

[Bacl]

I remember that part -- but at some point, I feel like I did see a clip-on in the episode. I'm not saying its the one he always uses, and obviously for the scene the .gif shows, he's wearing a tied bow-tie... I'll get back to you.

Bow ties are hard to tie. In fact, one of the more endearing qualities of bow ties when NOT worn with a tuxedo is that they always look a little imperfect.

These imperfections reflect the style and attitude of the wearer, but on TV it would look odd if the Doctor's bow tie had one side longer than the other, or if the knot was rumpled, etc.

As a result, Matt Smith does not tie his bow ties, but rather uses "pre-tied" bow ties. Pre-tied bow ties are kind of an in-between, and usually have a longer more elastic neck to allow the wearer to put it on more like a necklace. They do this to save time, and to make sure the bow ties look the way they want them to. However, this is not meant to imply that the character of the Doctor wears a clip-on or a pre-tied bowtie. Something that production does to save time or create a proper look does not mean the character in the show is meant to be seen as doing the same thing. Thus, the fact that Matt Smith wears pre-tied bow ties does not prove the character of the Doctor wears them.

Seeing the doctor untie his bow tie in the manner that he did in TWORS proves that he is meant to be wearing normal bow ties, even if production needs to use the easy solution of pre-tied bow ties.

I am really glad that he is not meant to be wearing a clip-on or pre-tied. I like the emphasis being on him actually tying the damn things himself.

 

[doubleohfive]

Seeing the doctor untie his bow tie in the manner that he did in TWORS proves that he is meant to be wearing normal bow ties, even if production needs to use the easy solution of pre-tied bow ties.

Yeah, this was my general assumption as well. I just was thinking that it was odd (if I'm even remembering correctly) that the shot of the clip-on made it to screen.

 

[David cgc]

When he first puts on the outfit in "Eleventh Hour," you can just barely see it's a clip-on tie as he puts it on.

 

[Technobuilder]

I think its a nod by Moffat to this little fan-drawn comic that was drawn shortly after Nicholas Courtney, the actor, died.

First time I'd seen this! and it was brilliant!

Thank you very much.

Very Touching. (And extremely well done)

 

[Guartho]

You should be able to see it right as he takes it off to use to bind his wrist to River's during the wedding scene. I think.

Slowly animating GIF of the scene....GO!

AWESOME!!! Thanks for doing that!

The bow tie is real, folks. NOT A CLIP ON.

Clip on bow ties AREN'T cool.

*ahem* That only proves that the teselecta had a real bowtie. The doctor could still have a clip-on. *ducks and runs*