doctor who

The Bright, Shining Ones

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tillthenexttimedoctor:

So I was curious about the meaning of Danny’s names and looked them up. What I discovered made my jaw drop.

Danny’s original name is Rupert. Rupert is derived from the Latin Rupertus, which is in turn derived from the Old German Hrodebert (from which we get the modern name ‘Robert’). This is derived from the Germanic components hrod ”fame” and beraht ”bright”, so Rupert means “bright fame”. Bright and shining – the meaning of ‘Clara’.

So Rupert certainly ties in with the naming themes of this series, but in Doctor Who, it’s the name we choose that is important. We know that Danny chose to be known as Danny (maybe because of Dan the Soldier Man, maybe because it was his middle name already). The name ‘Daniel’ is derived from the Hebrew דָּנִיֵּאל meaning “God is my judge”. Clara’s surname, Oswald, is derived from the Old English os ”god” and weald ”rule”, i.e. “divine ruler”. This ties in with Danny not caring about whether the Doctor likes him or not. He cares about whether Clara likes him or not. God/Clara is his judge, not the Doctor. (How far we’ve come from the Doctor as the Lonely God!)

And of course, when Clara confesses she doesn’t like her surname (which symbolises the ‘bossy control freak’ part of her that she feels the need to hide), Danny immediately says that he does! He has no problem with her being a divine ruler, he just wants her to ‘judge’ him and the Doctor correctly.

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tillthenexttimedoctor:

Moffat Appreciation Week, Day 7:
A day in celebration of Steven Moffat

 “We change history all the time. I’m suggesting far worse.”

On a starship in the 29th century Amy Pond realises that she isn’t actually in the middle of the most terrible ethical dilemma but in a tale of kindness and misunderstanding. Far away, on a planet he shouldn’t even be able to land on, the Doctor has stolen a weapon of unimaginable power, but as it turns out this day of all days, using it might not be the only choice. Back, all the way on Earth in the 21st century, Clara Oswald’s heart beats, once, twice, before it stops. There is an endless amount of adventures inbetween.

The Moffat era is full of those twists and turns that leave the world a better place. Amy gets to claim back her past, her family, her Raggedy Doctor – everything that time had so rudely stolen from her. Fixed points in time are not enough to force River Song to do anything or to stop the Doctor from figuring out how to survive at Lake Silencio. And Bill Potts ends up traveling the universe with her magical immortal water girlfriend, no matter what tragedy befell her. Sometimes, the universe does not fail to be a fairytale.

In fact, this is never more obvious than in sadness and loss. Amy and Rory are inevitably ripped from the Eleventh Doctor’s – and our – side, but somewhere, some time, in New York, they are growing old together. Danny Pink burns the clouds for Clara, he sacrifices himself and saves the world, but he also gets to do what very few people are able to. He gets to right the biggest, most horrifying regret of his life. He gets to choose redemption.

Because ultimately, the Moffat era of Doctor Who believes in hope, against all odds. It believes in kindness. And it believes in telling better stories.

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