Doctor Who/Recap/S32/E11 The God Complex: Difference between revisions

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Unfortunately alone, Amy opens up a door that calls to her. The Doctor happens to open another door (to Room 11) that has called to him, and glumly recognizes what is waiting for him. We never get to see it, and he puts a "do not disturb" sign on the door.
Unfortunately alone, Amy opens up a door that calls to her. The Doctor happens to open another door (to Room 11) that has called to him, and glumly recognizes what is waiting for him. We never get to see it, and he puts a "do not disturb" sign on the door.


After everyone's regrouped, the Doctor chats with Rita in the stairwell, reassuring her that everyone will be fine. She comments that she knows things will be fine -- after all, this is obviously Jahannam, Muslim Hell. And she's lived a good life, so she knows that Allah will judge her fairly and she can deal with whatever she encounters. The fact that she's now stuck in a shifting hotel with a couple of ''aliens'' is filed under "existential problems to worry about later". The Doctor promises to get her out and show her the stars. Rita asks the Doctor why he feels the need to be responsible for everyone, commenting that he has quite [[Title Drop|the God complex]]. The Doctor seems to take this to heart, but is distracted when he notices a CCTV camera nearby. He rushes off to find the room where all of the cameras lead, while Rita remains, staring into the camera wistfully. "Praise him," she says.
After everyone's regrouped, the Doctor chats with Rita in the stairwell, reassuring her that everyone will be fine. She comments that she knows things will be fine—after all, this is obviously Jahannam, Muslim Hell. And she's lived a good life, so she knows that Allah will judge her fairly and she can deal with whatever she encounters. The fact that she's now stuck in a shifting hotel with a couple of ''aliens'' is filed under "existential problems to worry about later". The Doctor promises to get her out and show her the stars. Rita asks the Doctor why he feels the need to be responsible for everyone, commenting that he has quite [[Title Drop|the God complex]]. The Doctor seems to take this to heart, but is distracted when he notices a CCTV camera nearby. He rushes off to find the room where all of the cameras lead, while Rita remains, staring into the camera wistfully. "Praise him," she says.


When the Doctor finds the security booth, he begins scouring the screens for signs of the Minotaur, but sees only Rita finding her door again and walking in. It has her father in it, mocking her for average grades. The Doctor calls Rita's room on the phone, begging her to let him find her and save her. She refuses, telling him that the hotel's shifting rooms would keep them miles apart. As the Minotaur approaches, the Doctor's pleas for Rita to save herself go unanswered. Rita hangs up and begs the Doctor to look away while she dies, in order to give her some final dignity. The Doctor sonics the screen off as Rita bravely faces her death.
When the Doctor finds the security booth, he begins scouring the screens for signs of the Minotaur, but sees only Rita finding her door again and walking in. It has her father in it, mocking her for average grades. The Doctor calls Rita's room on the phone, begging her to let him find her and save her. She refuses, telling him that the hotel's shifting rooms would keep them miles apart. As the Minotaur approaches, the Doctor's pleas for Rita to save herself go unanswered. Rita hangs up and begs the Doctor to look away while she dies, in order to give her some final dignity. The Doctor sonics the screen off as Rita bravely faces her death.
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The Doctor, Amy, Rory, and Gibbus return to the hotel's bar. The Doctor comes to realize that the beast is not feeding off of fear at all. It's feeding off the strong faith of each of its victims. Joe, the gambler, was savvy to luck; Howie was a conspiracy theorist that stuck to his convictions, and Rita was a devoted Muslim. He tries to rationalize why the others haven't been affected: Gibbus, being from the most cowardly race in the universe, naturally worshipped his conquerors, but would be too timid to hold any convictions of his own. Rory just has no faith to speak of. The Doctor suffers of bit of a [[Heroic BSOD]] when he realises that he's been ''encouraging'' the gang to focus on their faith, and that he's now caused their deaths. He's interrupted, though, when he hears that Amy is now uttering "praise him". Her faith in the Doctor is what brought them to the hotel in the first place and what is being challenged right now.
The Doctor, Amy, Rory, and Gibbus return to the hotel's bar. The Doctor comes to realize that the beast is not feeding off of fear at all. It's feeding off the strong faith of each of its victims. Joe, the gambler, was savvy to luck; Howie was a conspiracy theorist that stuck to his convictions, and Rita was a devoted Muslim. He tries to rationalize why the others haven't been affected: Gibbus, being from the most cowardly race in the universe, naturally worshipped his conquerors, but would be too timid to hold any convictions of his own. Rory just has no faith to speak of. The Doctor suffers of bit of a [[Heroic BSOD]] when he realises that he's been ''encouraging'' the gang to focus on their faith, and that he's now caused their deaths. He's interrupted, though, when he hears that Amy is now uttering "praise him". Her faith in the Doctor is what brought them to the hotel in the first place and what is being challenged right now.


The four race to the door that Amy opened previously, followed by the beast. Inside is young Amelia Pond, waiting in her coat with with her suitcase to join her Raggedy Doctor on the night she met him. As Rory and Gibbus try to hold the beast back, the Doctor, speaking to both Amys, insists he's not a hero. He took her along because he was vain and lonely. He ruins lives and lies to everyone. He invites along for a ride, ''knowing'' that his life is full of war, death and loss. Because he's not a God, and not a Devil -- just "a mad man with a box". And it's time for her, "[[Wham! Line|Amy Williams]]", to just go home. Amy's faith is broken, and the beast lets out a savage roar, falling to the floor. The Doctor races outside, finding the beast dying.
The four race to the door that Amy opened previously, followed by the beast. Inside is young Amelia Pond, waiting in her coat with with her suitcase to join her Raggedy Doctor on the night she met him. As Rory and Gibbus try to hold the beast back, the Doctor, speaking to both Amys, insists he's not a hero. He took her along because he was vain and lonely. He ruins lives and lies to everyone. He invites along for a ride, ''knowing'' that his life is full of war, death and loss. Because he's not a God, and not a Devil—just "a mad man with a box". And it's time for her, "[[Wham! Line|Amy Williams]]", to just go home. Amy's faith is broken, and the beast lets out a savage roar, falling to the floor. The Doctor races outside, finding the beast dying.


As they watch, the hotel starts to dissolve around them, revealing it to be a digital simulation within a large ship. The Doctor talks to the beast, a relative of the Nimon, in its own language. The beast tells him that for such an ancient creature, who caused so much destruction and has the blood of a billion galaxies on his conscience, death would be a mercy. The Doctor agrees. The beast curtly tells him that it wasn't talking about itself; it meant the Doctor.
As they watch, the hotel starts to dissolve around them, revealing it to be a digital simulation within a large ship. The Doctor talks to the beast, a relative of the Nimon, in its own language. The beast tells him that for such an ancient creature, who caused so much destruction and has the blood of a billion galaxies on his conscience, death would be a mercy. The Doctor agrees. The beast curtly tells him that it wasn't talking about itself; it meant the Doctor.
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=== Tropes: ===
== Tropes ==
* [[Abuse Is Okay When Its Female On Male]]: Mild example, but when Rory wakes up after getting knocked to the floor his first thought was that Amy hit him. It's mentioned that she has at least once in the past when he made a complaint about the Doctor.
* [[Abuse Is Okay When Its Female On Male]]: Mild example, but when Rory wakes up after getting knocked to the floor his first thought was that Amy hit him. It's mentioned that she has at least once in the past when he made a complaint about the Doctor.
* [[Alas, Poor Villain]]: The Minotaur feeds because it must, and wishes it didn't. The Doctor pities it as it dies and it pities the Doctor. [[Who Wants to Live Forever?|Because he won't die.]]
* [[Alas, Poor Villain]]: The Minotaur feeds because it must, and wishes it didn't. The Doctor pities it as it dies and it pities the Doctor. [[Who Wants to Live Forever?|Because he won't die.]]
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* [[What the Hell, Hero?]]: Done to the Doctor by ''himself''.
* [[What the Hell, Hero?]]: Done to the Doctor by ''himself''.
* [[Why Don't You Just Shoot Him?]]: The crazy worshiper who won't shut up. They tape his mouth shut.
* [[Why Don't You Just Shoot Him?]]: The crazy worshiper who won't shut up. They tape his mouth shut.
* [[Your Worst Nightmare]]: The maze brings people's fears into physical form. They include [[Monster Clown|clowns]], a gang of [[Alpha Bitch|Alpha Bitches]], [[Demonic Dummy|ventriloquist's dummies]], gorillas, P.E. teachers, paternal rejection, and ''[[Doctor Who/Recap/S29/E10 Blink|Weeping]] [[Doctor Who/Recap/S31/E04 The Time of Angels|An]][[Doctor Who/Recap/S31/E05 Flesh and Stone|gels]]''. Amy's is being abandoned by the Doctor, and while we don't see {{spoiler|whom the Doctor fears}}, it's evidently tied to {{spoiler|the Cloister Bell}}.
* [[Your Worst Nightmare]]: The maze brings people's fears into physical form. They include [[Monster Clown|clowns]], a gang of [[Alpha Bitch]]es, [[Demonic Dummy|ventriloquist's dummies]], gorillas, P.E. teachers, paternal rejection, and ''[[Doctor Who/Recap/S29/E10 Blink|Weeping]] [[Doctor Who/Recap/S31/E04 The Time of Angels|An]][[Doctor Who/Recap/S31/E05 Flesh and Stone|gels]]''. Amy's is being abandoned by the Doctor, and while we don't see {{spoiler|whom the Doctor fears}}, it's evidently tied to {{spoiler|the Cloister Bell}}.
* [[Zero-Approval Gambit]]: {{spoiler|The Doctor does this in order to save Amy from the monster — he tells her he's not worth believing in, and that he's done more harm than good to her. He was a bit nicer about it than he was [[Doctor Who/Recap/S26/E03 The Curse of Fenric|to Ace.]]}}
* [[Zero-Approval Gambit]]: {{spoiler|The Doctor does this in order to save Amy from the monster — he tells her he's not worth believing in, and that he's done more harm than good to her. He was a bit nicer about it than he was [[Doctor Who/Recap/S26/E03 The Curse of Fenric|to Ace.]]}}