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Jun. 18th, 2007 06:21 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
retro_eidasOk, this won't be much of a spec unless I find that passage in Hero with a Thousand Faces I'm looking for and I've been nosing through it for the past 10 min and can't find what I'm looking for. In any case, there has been plenty of spec around OG and elsewhere that the explosion we see in the midseason and "The Sound of Drums" promos....
....Is Martha's flat getting blown up.
An explosion in an apartment with a bay window and orange curtains. Considering the danger likely in store for the Doctor and Martha in the finale? I'd probably say it is a fairly safe bet that is indeed Martha's flat going boom.
Why am I bringing up Campbellian metaphor attached to that? In many stories that follow the Hero's Journey, a catalyst is sometimes needed to push the Hero into his/her Departure (usually when the call is rejected or possibly about to be if the Hero is facing a choice) and stepping through the First Threshold. Sometimes painful or symbolic and often in the literal destruction of the home. Luke Skywalker's aunt and uncle were murdered and his home was burned down. In Full Metal Alchemist, the Elric brothers burn down their home before they set off to find the Philosopher's Stone. Harry Potter's parents are murdered and his home demolished. Arthur Dent's home and planet are demolished before he heads off with Ford. Of course, the difference seemingly being between these Heroes and Martha Jones, instead of the destruction of her home happening at the beginning, it's seemingly in the finale of this season, or as some speculate, the end of her travels with the Doctor. However, if Martha's story does follow along the Campbellian archetypes, the destruction of her flat would make me think Martha's journey has only just begun (also tied to what I'm going to assume is an imminent catharsis for the Doctor and his issues, namely with Bad Wolf). Symbolized by the destruction of her flat. That she has yet to actually step through the Threshold and something has been holding her (and possibly the Doctor as well) back.
Now this might mean Martha may go on - due to being forever altered by her time with the Doctor - setting off on a new, perhaps drastically different path in life but not one that necessarily ties directly with the Doctor. However, Martha is something of a late bloomer where her companionship has been concerned. She didn't become "official" companion until "The Lazarus Experiment" and since then she's still often been undermined by the Doctor via the shadow of the companion that came before her. It's like she hasn't yet been able to completely become a proper companion with the Doctor unable to move on from his various issues. Kind of like Martha being Jonah and the Doctor is (or his issues are) the whale or perhaps for Who, Martha is Red Ridinghood and the Doctor is the [bad?] wolf. The Doctor himself consumed by memories of the companion (aka, "Bad Wolf") who came before Martha and thus keeping Martha unintentionally at arm's length. IOW, the Doctor also as Red Ridinghood trapped in the belly of the [Bad] Wolf.
That although the Doctor gave her a key and says she was never really just a passenger, at the same time she has been made to feel not entirely full-fledged either. Like this whole season has basically been the Doctor and Martha at the cusp of the Threshold, while Martha has desperately been trying to push him through... but he's been (again, unknowingly) extremely stubborn and resistant. Like he's terrified to take that final step, but until he does, the journey and their lives (and relationship) remain stagnant. They're both trapped in the belly of the beast. One way or another, the Doctor is going to have to breach that Threshold and most likely with Martha's direct assistance/guidance. It's interesting to note that in that same chapter of The Hero with a Thousand Faces, it mentions the Osiris myth (being trapped in a sarcophagus by his brother Set = belly of the whale). Upon return - rescued by Isis - his brother Set tears him into fourteen pieces. We're reminded of the Doctor's loss of his hand in "Utopia" from all the way back in "The Christmas Invasion". Of course, if there is any similar symbolism being used here via the Osiris myth, this would seem to indicate the Doctor possibly not being quite right - "torn to pieces" - all the way back in "The Christmas Invasion" (possibly indicative of the regeneration going not very smoothly at all). Since having the vortex within him in "The Parting of the Ways"? He has - perhaps literally - been consumed by Bad Wolf and he's been in it's belly for almost two whole seasons. A(n emotional and physical) sarcophagus - literal in the case of "The Last of the Time Lords" (as according to the press release he's being held prisoner by Saxon) - from where he's waiting to be released. Who holds the key in releasing him? Probably the one the Doctor gave the TARDIS key to back in "42". Also the one who liberated him from the Sun possession. Who brought him back to life not once (restarted his hearts), but several times. Not unlike how Isis brought Osiris back to life from being sealed in the sarcophagus and put him back together after being torn to pieces by Set.
It does make me think Martha kind of must still be in season 4 and the Doctor's companion and her real Hero's Journey (as his companion) won't start until either "The Last of the Time Lords" or the season 4 premiere. After the Doctor can be liberated of those issues holding him - and his relationship with Martha - back. Then the relationship, the Hero's Journey, can truly start for the both of them.
....Is Martha's flat getting blown up.
An explosion in an apartment with a bay window and orange curtains. Considering the danger likely in store for the Doctor and Martha in the finale? I'd probably say it is a fairly safe bet that is indeed Martha's flat going boom.
Why am I bringing up Campbellian metaphor attached to that? In many stories that follow the Hero's Journey, a catalyst is sometimes needed to push the Hero into his/her Departure (usually when the call is rejected or possibly about to be if the Hero is facing a choice) and stepping through the First Threshold. Sometimes painful or symbolic and often in the literal destruction of the home. Luke Skywalker's aunt and uncle were murdered and his home was burned down. In Full Metal Alchemist, the Elric brothers burn down their home before they set off to find the Philosopher's Stone. Harry Potter's parents are murdered and his home demolished. Arthur Dent's home and planet are demolished before he heads off with Ford. Of course, the difference seemingly being between these Heroes and Martha Jones, instead of the destruction of her home happening at the beginning, it's seemingly in the finale of this season, or as some speculate, the end of her travels with the Doctor. However, if Martha's story does follow along the Campbellian archetypes, the destruction of her flat would make me think Martha's journey has only just begun (also tied to what I'm going to assume is an imminent catharsis for the Doctor and his issues, namely with Bad Wolf). Symbolized by the destruction of her flat. That she has yet to actually step through the Threshold and something has been holding her (and possibly the Doctor as well) back.
Now this might mean Martha may go on - due to being forever altered by her time with the Doctor - setting off on a new, perhaps drastically different path in life but not one that necessarily ties directly with the Doctor. However, Martha is something of a late bloomer where her companionship has been concerned. She didn't become "official" companion until "The Lazarus Experiment" and since then she's still often been undermined by the Doctor via the shadow of the companion that came before her. It's like she hasn't yet been able to completely become a proper companion with the Doctor unable to move on from his various issues. Kind of like Martha being Jonah and the Doctor is (or his issues are) the whale or perhaps for Who, Martha is Red Ridinghood and the Doctor is the [bad?] wolf. The Doctor himself consumed by memories of the companion (aka, "Bad Wolf") who came before Martha and thus keeping Martha unintentionally at arm's length. IOW, the Doctor also as Red Ridinghood trapped in the belly of the [Bad] Wolf.
The idea that the passage of the magical threshold is a transit into a sphere of rebirth is symbolized in the worldwide womb image of the belly of the whale. The hero, instead of conquering or conciliating the power of the threshold, is swallowed into the
unknown, and would appear to have died.
The Hero with a Thousand Faces, pg90 (The Belly of the Whale), Joseph Campbell
Allegorically, then, the passage into a temple and the hero-dive through the jaws of the whale are identical adventures, both denoting, in picture language, the life-centering, life-renewing act.
The Hero with a Thousand Faces, pg92 (The Belly of the Whale), Joseph Campbell
That although the Doctor gave her a key and says she was never really just a passenger, at the same time she has been made to feel not entirely full-fledged either. Like this whole season has basically been the Doctor and Martha at the cusp of the Threshold, while Martha has desperately been trying to push him through... but he's been (again, unknowingly) extremely stubborn and resistant. Like he's terrified to take that final step, but until he does, the journey and their lives (and relationship) remain stagnant. They're both trapped in the belly of the beast. One way or another, the Doctor is going to have to breach that Threshold and most likely with Martha's direct assistance/guidance. It's interesting to note that in that same chapter of The Hero with a Thousand Faces, it mentions the Osiris myth (being trapped in a sarcophagus by his brother Set = belly of the whale). Upon return - rescued by Isis - his brother Set tears him into fourteen pieces. We're reminded of the Doctor's loss of his hand in "Utopia" from all the way back in "The Christmas Invasion". Of course, if there is any similar symbolism being used here via the Osiris myth, this would seem to indicate the Doctor possibly not being quite right - "torn to pieces" - all the way back in "The Christmas Invasion" (possibly indicative of the regeneration going not very smoothly at all). Since having the vortex within him in "The Parting of the Ways"? He has - perhaps literally - been consumed by Bad Wolf and he's been in it's belly for almost two whole seasons. A(n emotional and physical) sarcophagus - literal in the case of "The Last of the Time Lords" (as according to the press release he's being held prisoner by Saxon) - from where he's waiting to be released. Who holds the key in releasing him? Probably the one the Doctor gave the TARDIS key to back in "42". Also the one who liberated him from the Sun possession. Who brought him back to life not once (restarted his hearts), but several times. Not unlike how Isis brought Osiris back to life from being sealed in the sarcophagus and put him back together after being torn to pieces by Set.
It does make me think Martha kind of must still be in season 4 and the Doctor's companion and her real Hero's Journey (as his companion) won't start until either "The Last of the Time Lords" or the season 4 premiere. After the Doctor can be liberated of those issues holding him - and his relationship with Martha - back. Then the relationship, the Hero's Journey, can truly start for the both of them.
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Date: 2007-06-20 06:03 am (UTC)I still have a strong feeling that he was wrong on both counts.
As she says in her journal:
We all get scared. We all get upset. We all need comforting. And, sometimes, you have to be the grown-up. Sometimes, you have to be the Doctor.
And she's wearing his colours (red, blue) in the finale it seems. The only thing I'm curious about is her appearing to be working with UNIT. UNIT must not trust Saxon and his extraterrestrial friends. Interesting.
no subject
Date: 2007-06-20 08:19 pm (UTC)Really, it just seemed a little too casually cruel, didn't it? Granted, it functioned as catalyst to get her annoyed thus push him into a much needed talk about Gallifrey and those issues. However... it just struck me as a bit much. That tends to automatically set that placemark of Remember This For Later in my head.
I still have a strong feeling that he was wrong on both counts.
Then of course you got them both trapped in the Lazarus blender in TLE. I can't imagine I was the only one that thought - apart from white TARDIS - of "The Fly" when looking at that thing. We all know what happened in that story. Then there's the none-too-subtle Frankenstein connotations in DIM/EOTD (the horrible experiments, lightning giving life, the metal beds with the inanimate husks on them covered in white sheets... it was practically straight from James Whale spliced with Kenneth Branagh). Martha as Bride of Frankenstein
The Doctor? Ironic that would be considering one of the points being made this season seems to be the Doctor is the Doctor, but he's also the Monster. The one who saves and the one who destroys.And she's wearing his colours (red, blue) in the finale it seems.
Any bets on the Doctor back in the blue suit / red tie & Chucks by the finale?
The only thing I'm curious about is her appearing to be working with UNIT. UNIT must not trust Saxon and his extraterrestrial friends.
By the looks of things, UNIT seems to have been taken over by the Americans, even if it's a UN thing (I could imagine the UK gov't might have sekritly pushed UNIT out in favor of TW). Of course if the president / UNIT commanders are amongst those Saxon gases in TSofD? Yeah, I can't imagine that would make UNIT too happy. Martha + UNIT could be aligning against a common enemy (also gives her opportunity to flirt a bit with some hot SAS/Special Ops boys, I'm calling a new Riley somewhere in TSofD or TLotTL). It's also possible the Doctor orders Martha to stay with UNIT (who he trusts as opposed to Torchwood, even if Jack is at the helm), while he gallivants off muy macho like the Lone Ranger and confronts Saxon doing
manlyDoctor stuff. If that's the case, Martha probably will stick with being babysat by UNIT early on TLotTL, but then the Doctor / her family gets in trouble and she says frak it all then goes off alone to the rescue. With or without UNIT support. Heroes, after all, always come to that point they must stand alone.