Doctor Who‘s season 11 finale titled “The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos” saw Tzim-Sha’s return, Graham giving the tooth faced freak mercy, and the Doctor finally finding her footing. It’s been an uphill battle in season 11 with a bunch of random adventures that amazed us but sometimes left us feeling disoriented and not grounded. Things changed for the better in “The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos” and I hope that they remember the good of this episode when Doctor Who returns in 2020 with more Jodie Whittaker!
So without further ado, let’s get a shift on and talk about “The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos”!
The Season Finale the Doctor Deserved
The entirety of season 11 of Doctor Who, there’s been something missing. It was like a connection was lost between the Doctor we’ve known for years and this brand spanking new Doctor we were gifted with. And this isn’t me saying that I don’t love this Doctor. I do, with all my heart. But BBC’s want to draw in new viewers has neglected older viewers.
Let me explain.
Doctor Who is a show that builds itself on the vast and complicated history of it’s predecessors aka the other regenerations of the Doctor. When season 11 and the 13th Doctor came around, the show seemed to forget about it’s past and try to build something new for a new generation of Doctor Who viewers.
What we were left with in season 11 was a hodgepodge of adventures with barely any connections, risks, or moments that have you scoot to the edge of your seat because you connected the dots from previous episodes and know what’s coming. “The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos” challenged everything they’ve done this season with the Doctor and her fam.
Suddenly we were pulled, pushed, and prompted to remember what happened in the beginning, at the start of this new and crazy adventure. The stories now felt connected and not just like a bunch of random adventures to people, aliens, or places we really didn’t care about. The risks became real and we finally saw the Doctor come to life in it’s 13th regeneration.
Here’s hoping the New Year’s special, and the new season of Doctor Who which is premiering in 2020, remembers this episode and continues building on the life, adventures, and woes of the alien known as the Doctor and her companions.
Mercy is Strength
As soon as Tzim-Sha hit the scene, I knew trouble would start. And I’m not talking about the general trouble they had while trying to save these planets. I’m talking the kind of trouble that one gets into because emotions get the best of us and we are adamant that revenge is needed to right the wrong done to us.
In “The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos” Graham showed a monumental amount of conviction and restraint. He knew what Tzim-Sha had done and that he needed to pay for it. Even after the Doctor warned Graham and after Ryan tried to persuade him to come with them before the bomb went off, Graham knew he needed to punish Tzim-Sha.
The love that Graham holds for Grace and Ryan is the one thing that saved him from doing something that would get him kicked off the Tardis. Yes, he gave Tzim-Sha mercy. But it wasn’t without some sort of consequence. Tzim-Sha was jailed for the rest of his feeble existence. That’s this teeth covered freaks punishment for taking Grace away from them.
Graham didn’t allow himself to turn into a monster like Tzim-Sha. He showed the teeth covered freak that he was better than him on every level. And that right there is why I love Graham, his relationship with Ryan, and the late Grace. They’re a family and that’s what Doctor Who is all about.
Fuck You, Old Lady
Delph was way to kind and forgiving when it came to Andinio and her actions. Maybe Delph is just a kinder person/Ux than me and sees the best in people. I don’t know. But if I were Delph I would tell Andinio to A) fuck off and B) join me or ship out because I have no time for your nonsense.
Andinio betrayed Delph and made him suffer for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. That doesn’t warrant quick forgiveness or Delph listening to Andinio when they need to decide what to do next. Again, maybe Delph is just a nicer person than I am, but I would’ve left her ass on that planet and booked it with Paltraki.
The fact that her betrayal was never truly addressed, bugs me to the ends of the Earth. Yes, people make mistakes. And yes, people fuck up. But to set things straight, to make amends and move forward, you have to apologize for what you did. That’s the rules. Or they should be.
Favorite Moment from “The Battle of Ranskor Av Kolos”:
Doctor Who needs to invest, expand, and give us more Yaz and the Doctor. We already see the bond and dedication they have to each other. Now, it’s time to give us more!
Check out the trailer for the New Year’s Day special:
Doctor Who returns for it’s holiday special on January 1, 2019 on BBC America.
