by Jen
Here there be spoilers. You have been warned! Do not scroll past the TARDIS if you have not already seen the episode (unless you like spoilers)!
As if last week's episode of Doctor Who ("World Enough and Time") wasn't heartbreaking enough, this week's season finale ("The Doctor Falls") took that poignancy to new heights. Here are my top five favorite moments:
- The return of the Mondasian Cybermen: Admittedly, we've seen plenty of cybermen in recent years, but I love a good throwback - and seeing the original cybermen excited me nearly as much as when the Autons appeared in the ninth Doctor's first episode!
- Bill Potts clinging to her humanity: The scenes where Bill refused to accept that she'd been made into a cyberman were simply gut-wrenching! I have throughly enjoyed getting to know the Doctor's newest companion this season, and I wish her story hadn't ended so soon - but honestly, the ending was somewhat ambiguous, so who knows?
- The Master and Missy: Although the return of John Simm as The Master had been hinted at online, the intriguing chemistry between him and Michelle Gomez's Missy was fantastic!
- Companion flashbacks: We all know the Doctor doesn't like to regenerate, but seeing his memories of all the companions of recent years (plus one older flashback) gave me goosebumps!
- The end...or is it? Peter Capaldi has announced he's leaving, and the 12th Doctor has begun showing signs of regeneration - but clearly he's not done yet, and the Christmas episode promises to bring not only the introduction to the as-yet-unknown 13th Doctor, but also a visit from the first - played by David Bradley, who first portrayed William Hartnell in the BBC's An Adventure Through Space and Time.
The only question that remains is - how are we supposed to wait nearly six months for the Christmas episode?!