Thinky thoughts

[jedi_of_urth]

I'be been doing some thinking about the last couple minutes of DW 4x12.

The actual running ALMOST reunion was awesome (except the ALMOST part, but for some reason (probably because I'm addicted to angst) I wind up focusing on the last bit in the TARDIS.

The thing is, Jack kind of bugs me in that scene. Not because he pulled Rose away from the Doctor, because even though I would have liked more cuddling even if in the midst of regeneration, it does seem like a safe idea to not be standing next to him. No, Jack bugs me because he really doesn't know what this is like.

Donna in many ways is where Rose was in PotW, having no clue what's happening except what people could manage to tell her while it's going on, and that hurts. Rose knows all too well what's going on because she's been through this before, and she probably does know he'll still be the same man after he changes, but it scares her because she's watched this happen before. Not to mention that the last time he was laid up for hours and they really need him to be able to save the world right now.

Jack however, may know all about regeneration, but he's never watched it happen. Never had to watch the man he loves blow up and change, never nursed him while the world was ending outside, never watched him relearn who he was. He also never got the "two heads, no head" speech which Rose probably has in the back of her mind. By the time Jack met Ten it had all happened long ago.

So when Jack says "You know what happens next," all I can think is that he really has no clue what Rose is afraid of. Which makes me kind of angry at him during the scene, of course part of that could be a hold over from not arriving earlier I suppose.

Comments

[a-white-rain.livejournal.com]

I kind of liked his reaction for that very reason. It was IC and I think it did a lot to highlight his flaws and how hardened he'd become.

[jedi_of_urth]

I'm not upset with RTD writing him that way, it was in character, but it made me mad at Jack for not getting it. Even though I refuse to believe DT is leaving, it would be an interesting this to explore if he was.

[a-white-rain.livejournal.com]

I'd like for Jack to get a few wake up calls. But I'm not sure if RTD will write that.

[principia.livejournal.com]

No, he doesn't know what it's like to watch someone you love regenerate. He's used to being the one doing the regenerating (of a sort), although at least he knows who he is when he wakes up.

For a second when he moved her away, I thought he was going to try planting the Kiss of Life on him...

[jedi_of_urth]

For a second when he moved her away, I thought he was going to try planting the Kiss of Life on him...

That'll have to wait til nest week I guess, can't have the Doctor's annual (though missed last season...just barely) male/male finale kiss until the finale I guess.

He's never been where Rose is, never even been where Donna is, not knowing what's going on. In a way I feel sorry for him, because if it does go through, he's going to get a crash course in what regeneration means when you're standing next to it, but I refuse to admit it will actually happen.

[shaela]

There were a lot of things that bothered me about the last few minutes of “The Stolen Earth.” And that’s definitely one of them. Jack has no idea how bad this could get. I wish Rose had said something like, “You can’t do this. We need you.” It might’ve tipped Jack off to what she was really afraid of.

(And then there’s his complete lack of surprise when he sees Rose. Has their reunion already happened off-screen?)

[jedi_of_urth]

Yeah, Jack's lack of reaction grates a bit (I can fanwank Rose not being surprised to see Jack since she knew he was alive in Turn Left, but this is a lot harder).

And seeing as I'm sure at least part of what Jack knows about regeneration is probably from the UNIT files on the subject, he ought to know it can get hairy and isn't something you want in the middle of the end of the world. I can kind of see him thinking he needed to keep it together since Donna doesn't understand and this is so hard for Rose, but like I said, I want to shout that he has NO clue why this is so hard for Rose, the closest he's ever been to a regeneration was the Master and that's hardly the same thing.