Guestie: Tell me about it. It's stupid and contradictorily but I'll get to that below. Yep LOL!
Guest: You'll see. I really don't go into why he looks like Four.
Gallifrey 22.3: You'll see.
A policeman is walking outside Coal Hill Secondary School as Clara's voice is heard from inside. The bell rings and the class begins to disperse as a man runs up to Clara, out of breath. He tells her there was a call for her in the office from her doctor. Clara asks if he left an address and the man hands her a piece of paper.
"So she left being a nanny then," Martha noted and Jane smiled unpleasantly.
"A Space Siren has no use being a nanny. And I'm sure she got a kick out of being able to charm a horde of young men into doing her bidding," Jane said darkly.
"Brilliant," Donna grumbled as they all watched silently.
Clara grabs her helmet off her desk and runs out of the room. She is then seen driving out of the school parking lot and through town. Reaching the country road, Clara sees the TARDIS parked and drives towards it. The doors open and Clara drives inside. She pulls to a stop near the console, taking off her helmet as The Eleventh Doctor is sitting on the steps, reading a book with Amy's reading glasses. He complains about the draft and Clara snaps her fingers, causing the doors to close.
"OI! So now the Bloody Siren can command the TARDIS?" Donna asked, the past viewers looking at the screen in startled disbelief.1
"That one it can. It's why she made Dad change TARDISes, to have a TARDIS it could control," Jane said grimly.
"She really planned this out," Jack said darkly.
"She had centuries. She wasn't going to let anything stop her from her revenge," Jane said with a heavy sigh.
The Doctor closes his book and they begin making plans for what to do with the TARDIS before they happily embrace. They high five when the TARDIS suddenly rocks. The Doctor realizes they're lifting up into the air as outside, the TARDIS is shown being lifted into the air by a large claw attached to a helicopter.
"What the bloody Hell?" Mickey said in disbelief.
"It looks like someone's trying to abduct the TARDIS," Jack said, none of the past viewers able to believe what they were seeing.
"Not exactly," Jane said smiling slightly as she imagined their reactions.
At the Tower of London, Kate Stewart is reading a book on a bench while a dark haired woman answers her phone, which has the ringtone of the TARDIS. The woman walks up to Kate as she makes a comment about the ravens. "It's him," the woman says and Kate takes the phone, telling The Doctor the TARDIS was located in a field and she's having it brought in. Kate asks where he is as The Doctor is holding onto the TARDIS while halfway out the door. He holds the phone up so she can hear the helicopter blades and Kate realizes he was still inside the TARDIS.
"Rookie mistake Kate, never assume The Doctor isn't in the TARDIS," Jack said amused, laughing now that he knew the situation.
"Bloody Hell!" Mickey exclaimed as they all laughed, unable to help themselves.
"Oh I am never letting him live this down," Martha said with a giggle.
The pilot is ordered to change course but the change of direction causes The Doctor to fall out. He hangs onto the TARDIS by using his legs to hang on, frantically grabbing at the phone as Kate tries to talk to him. "Next time, would it kill you to knock?!"
"And now he's dangling like a bloody ornament!" Donna said as they all laughed harder.
"This just gets better and better," Jack said gleefully.
Kate explains she's having The Doctor taken to the scene and he jokes he's putting her on hold before jumping out of the TARDIS, to Clara's shock. The Doctor grabs on to the bottom of the TARDIS, hanging on as it's carried over London.
"Oh Spaceman," Donna said as they began laughing even harder.
"He never does anything halfway," Jane said with a smile.
Sometime later, Kate and a legion of UNIT soldiers stood outside the National Gallery as the TARDIS is lowered to the ground. The Doctor jumps down, saluting at them before Kate apologizes. Clara steps up behind The Doctor as he says he doesn't like to be picked up. Kate then pulls out an envelope, explaining she's acting on instructions from the throne, handing The Doctor the envelope and revealing the envelope is sealed instructions from Elizabeth the First.
The good mood evaporated as Martha crossed her arms, grumbling angrily.
"Queen Elizabeth. Why would she be contacting him?" Donna wondered.
"Well the last time they met in her life she tried to kill him. Could be anyone's guess," Martha said in a surly tone.
"You're gonna have to let that go eventually," Mickey pointed out.
"I'll let it go once I kill him," Martha said darkly.
Clara is stunned as Kate says the credentials are inside the museum. The Doctor and Clara head inside, Kate and the woman from earlier briefly discussing a cover story. As they walk through the museum, Clara asks The Doctor if he knew Elizabeth the First. The Doctor explains about UNIT, revealing he works for them. The Doctor and Clara bicker about whether or not The Doctor has a job before a painting is unveiled. Kata calls it Elizabeth's credentials as The Doctor and Clara stare at it in shock.
"Oi!" Donna exclaimed as the past viewers stared at the painting in shock.
"Is that…a 3D oil painting?" Wilf asked, not sure what he was seeing.
"Time Lord Art," Jane explained.
"How did it get on Earth?" Jack wondered.
"No one is really sure. It's one of the mysteries of the universe," Jane shrugged.
"You don't have a theory?" Martha asked.
"Not for this. Some things are too bizarre even for me," Jane said with a shrugged.
Clara stares at in in disbelief as a shot of The Doctor saying no more is seen. The Doctor repeats himself as Kate says the title of the painting is 'No More', also called 'Gallifrey Falls'. The Doctor says the painting does not belong here, as it depicts the fall of Arcadia, Gallifrey's second city.
"The Fall of Arcadia. The last day of the Time War," Jack realized and Jane nodded.
"The day he did it. The day he buried his shame and tried to repress it all," Jane said softly as the past viewers stated at the screen silently.
Clara wonders how it can be possible and The Doctor explains its Time Lord Art. Kate says Elizabeth directed them to the painting as The Doctor hears sirens, his mind flashing back to that day. Clara takes his hand as The Doctor explains 'he' was there, clarifying he means War. "I've had many faces, many lives. I don't admit to all of them. There's one life I've tried very hard to forget," The Doctor explains as War is seen. "He was The Doctor that fought in the Time War and that was the day he did it. The day I did it. The day he killed them all. The last day of the Time War, the war to end all wars between my people and the Daleks. And in that battle, there was a man with more blood on his hands than any other. A man who would commit a crime that would silence the universe. And that man was me." Inside the painting, War is seen from the back. On the last day of the Time War, the battle is raging in Arcadia. Daleks are flying around, exchanging fire with Time Lords. Civilians are running, trying desperately to escape as soldiers return fire with the Daleks and explosions fill the air.
"Blimey," Mickey whispered as the past viewers stared at the screen in horror.
"Welcome to the Time War," Jane said softly. "This is just a small taste of it."
The past viewers remained silent as they stared at the screen, understanding a bit better why The Doctor had done what he did.
A Time Lord soldier retreats into a structure mostly undamaged, sending a message to the High Council. He announces that Arcadia has fallen before he notices the TARDIS a few feet away. War then walks up to him, saying he'll need his gun. Once he has it, War begins firing at the wall as a group of civilians encounters a group of Daleks. But the Daleks attention is diverted once they detect The Doctor nearby. The civilians run off as War stops firing. Using the blaster, he has carved 'No More' into the wall. The TARDIS then bursts through the wall, ramming into the Daleks and taking them out as it flies off. A damaged Dalek lies on its side, staring at War's message in confusion before a shot kills it.
The past viewers stared at the screen, unable to help the surprise that colored them. The Doctor had done some pretty extreme things since they'd known him, but they couldn't recall him ever being so violent and ruthless in his approach. It was hard to reconcile this man as the same one they knew.
At the War Room of Gallifrey, the Time Lord military leaders are discussing War's message and the Daleks when a Time Lady rushes in, saying there's been a security breach in the Time Vaults. One of the generals brings up a holographic projection of the Vaults and they realize the Omega Arsenal where they keep their forbidden weapons has been breached. One of the Generals points out they've all been used against the Daleks. "No. No, we haven't." They headed into the Vault to find 'The Moment' is gone. One of the generals calls it the Galaxy eater, explaining it's a weapon so powerful it became sentient and allegedly developed a conscience.
"So that's what he used to do it then," Martha said softly and Jane nodded.
"The Moment. The most dangerous weapon in the universe, one capable of destroying an entire planet, a galaxy," Jane said softly as they all watched with dread. "If you can manage to convince it to be used."
"And we've never used it?" "How do you use a weapon of ultimate mass destruction when it can stand in judgment on you?" the general asks. "There is only one man who would even try." In a desert like area, the battle scarred TARDIS stands with footprints leading away from it. "Time Lords of Gallifrey, Daleks of Skaro, I serve notice on you all," War's voice says as he is seen walking through the desert with a bag thrown over his shoulder. "Too long have I stayed my hand. No more. Today, you leave me no choice. Today, this war will end. No more. No more." War stops outside a barn before entering it. Placing the bag down, War opens it to reveal The Moment inside.
"This is it then. This is the moment he…" Martha trailed as the importance of this scene truly hit them.
"Not yet. But soon," Jane said quietly.
"Bloody Hell," Mickey summed up what they were all thinking as they silently watched the screen, the room filling with a mounting tension.
As the gears begin moving, War tries to figure how it works, longing for a big red button when he hears a noise outside. Getting up, he opens the barn door and asks if anyone's there. "It's nothing," War turns around to see Rose Tyler sitting on The Moment. "It's just a wolf."
"What the Bloody Hell?" Mickey exclaimed as the past viewers stared at the screen in utter bewilderment.
"What…how?" Jack stammered, at a loss for words for once.
"Is anyone else seeing Rose Tyler?" Wilf asked, once more wondering if his old age had finally caught up with him.
"We're seeing it Gramps," Donna muttered in disbelief. "Still not sure how."
"This shouldn't be possible. She can't be there," Martha muttered to herself.
"So what is?" Jack asked uneasily, wondering what was happening.
War runs over, yanking her off as he yells at her that it's the most dangerous weapon in the universe. He shoves her outside and locks the door but Rose is back by The Movement when he turns back. She taunts him about parking so far away because he didn't want the TARDIS to see what he's about to do. They begin bickering and Rose reveals she could hear his thoughts as he came here. "No more," she repeats mockingly, repeating it several more times. War shouts at her to stop before they hear the gears of The Moment beginning to move. War moves to touch it but Rose's eyes flash gold and War takes his hands off, saying the interface is hot. "Well, I do my best," Rose says.
"No," Donna breathed as the pieces fell into place.
"That's not Rose. That's The Moment in human form," Jack realized.
"But why pick Rose?" Mickey wondered and Jack shrugged.
"It explains in a minute," Jane promised.
War realizes she's The Moment and she waves, pointing out The Moment has a conscience. The Moment reveals she chose this form for him, as it's from either his past or his future, she gets them mixed up. The Moment says she's Rose Tyler but in this form, she's Bad Wolf. "Are you afraid of the Big Bad Wolf, Doctor?" The Moment asks as her eyes glow gold.
"So it thought Rose would please him?" Martha asked in disbelief.
"Like it said, it got his past and future mixed up. Personally, I thought it was aiming for his granddaughter or Sarah-Jane but got confused about which version of Dad it was talking to," Jane shrugged.2
"That makes sense," Jack mused.
War tells her not to call him that, as he's lost the right to be The Doctor. The Moment accuses him of having an ego in thinking he's the one who can save them all but War points out if she's been in his head, she knows what he has seen. "Every moment in time and space is burning. It must end. And I intend to end it the only way I can," War says. The Moment says she could end it but there will be consequences for him and War reveals he has no desire to survive.
"Wait, you mean he planned to…" Martha trailed off in horror as the past viewers looked horrified.
"He was going to wipe out his entire race, his entire family. Would you want to live after that?" Jane asked softly.
"Guess not," Jack said after a moment.
"Spaceman," Donna said softly, her heart breaking for him.
They sit down and The Moment says that's the consequence, he gets to live after killing everyone else here: Time Lords, Daleks, and all the children on the planet. "How many children on Gallifrey right now?" The Moment asks as an image of Time Lord children playing is seen.
Jack averted his eyes, thinking of Steven once more as the past viewers stared tense.
"All those children," Wilf said softly.
"The consequence of war. It's not pretty or pleasant, but it was the only way," Jane said her voice no more than a whisper. "You can't always save everyone."
No one else said a word, merely staring at the screen silently, knowing it was about to happen.
The Moment warns War that one day, he will count them all and asks him if he'd like to know what that will turn him into. A yellow portal then appears in the sky as The Moment says she's opening a window into his future so he can see what today will make of him. A fez then drops out of the portal, bewildering The Moment.
"Okay, have to admit, wasn't expecting that," Mickey said as they eyed the screen oddly.
"She said she opened a window into his future. Does that mean what I think it means?" Martha asked as they looked at Jane curiously.
"Spoilers," Jane said with a tight smile.
Back in the National Gallery, Clara asks why they've been brought to look at a painting when the Time War is over. But Kate explains the painting is merely to prove that the letter is from Elizabeth. Eleven then opens it as Elizabeth is seen writing the letter, explaining she's appointing him Curator of the Under-Gallery, where a deadly danger to England is locked away. "Should any disturbance occur within its walls, it is my wish that you be summoned. Godspeed, gentle husband," Elizabeth's voice says as she seals the letter.
"I'm sorry, did she just say husband?" Jack asked in disbelief as the past viewers stared startled.
"Why do you think she hated him so much?" Jane asked, a slight smile crossing her face. "Although to be fair, Dad didn't intend to marry her."
"He never does," Martha said in exasperation. "I guess it explains a whole lot more. Still mad at him though."
"Blimey Boss. I thought Rose was bad," Mickey said in disbelief.
"Spaceman can never keep himself out of trouble," Donna said with a slight smile.
Eleven asks Kate what happened and she leads him and Clara away. As they exit, a member of UNIT receives a call on his cell phone. He stares down at the phone before looking back at the painting, asking why he would move it.
"Wonder what that's about," Jack said as the past viewers looked intrigued by this exchange.
"You'll find out later," Jane promised with a slight smile.
Kate leads Eleven and Clara into another part of the museum, where they see a painting of Elizabeth and the Tenth Doctor. Clara says he knew her and Eleven says he did a long time ago. In England, 1562, the Tenth Doctor rides a horse out of the TARDIS, Elizabeth sitting behind him. Ten was showing her his TARDIS and Elizabeth jokes about him nearly taking her head off.
"So I guess we're finally going to see what happened between them," Jack said intrigued. "This should be good."
"Easy for you to say," Martha grumbled although she did look interested.
Sometime later, Ten and Elizabeth are enjoying a picnic, discussing Ten's past conflicts before Ten makes her stand up and proposes. Elizabeth accepts and Ten victoriously shouts that she would never have accepted and accuses her of being a shape shifting alien. Ten pulls out a device that dings and Ten explains it detects shapeshifter DNA. Elizabeth is confused as Ten accuses her of being a Zygon. Elizabeth is confused as Ten scolds her on doing a bad impersonation of Elizabeth when he looks back to see his horse has turned into the Zygon and realizes it was the horse. "I'm gonna be king," Ten realizes in horror.
"Bloody Hell. Can you imagine The Doctor as the king?" Donna asked, to the horror of them.
"Good Lord," Wilf said horrified.
"Maybe it's a good thing he ran out on her," Martha decided begrudgingly.
"And it's not like he was actually proposing to her, he thought she was a Zygon," Mickey pointed out.
"Doesn't seem like she saw it that way," Jack noted.
Ten and Elizabeth run behind a stone wall, Ten hurriedly explaining the situation. The Zygon runs by and Ten tells Elizabeth to run while he holds it off. Elizabeth quickly kisses him before running off. "Oh good work Doctor. Nice one. The Virgin Queen. So much for history," Ten mutters before running out. As Elizabeth runs through the woods, the Zygon catches up to her. She screams.
"Never has 'may God save the Queen' seemed more appropriate," Jack noted as they all watched tense.
"Hurry up Spaceman," Donna whispered.
Ten runs through the forest and stops, seeing a rabbit. Thinking it's the Zygon, Ten begins threatening it before he realizes it's a rabbit. Hearing Elizabeth call to him, Ten runs off.
"Don't think that device works as well you think it does Boss," Mickey said, managing to find some amusement in the situation.
No one else said a word, merely watching uneasily to see what would happen next.
Ten finds Elizabeth on the ground and rushes over to her. He explains what the Zygon wants before a second Elizabeth walks up behind him, claiming its Elizabeth and that's the Zygon.
"Another of those 'which one is real' situation," Mickey noted.
"I really hate those," Jack muttered as they watched, wondering what Ten would do now.
The two Elizabeths circle each other, bickering over which is the real one as Ten tries to use his device to determine the fake but realizes it's not working. A portal open up behind them and Ten warns the Elizabeths to get back. Ten calls it a time fissure and warns that anything could happen now before a fez drops out and lands at his feet.
"A fez again," Wilf noted in surprise.
"So another one is gonna open up to the current Doctor at some point," Jack muttered.
"Seems likely," Martha agreed.
"Three Doctors. Is that even possible?" Donna wondered.
"There was an incident like this before, according to Torchwood files. There's a precedent for it," Jack revealed.
"Brilliant. One was hard enough to handle," Donna said in exasperation.
In 2013, Kate pulls on the corner of the painting and reveals a secret stairwell behind it. Kate leads Eleven and Clara inside, explaining this is the Under-Gallery, where Elizabeth stored art she deemed too dangerous for the public. Eleven notes that the floor is covered in stone dust and calls in the woman who answered Kate's phone, asking if she has a name. She says yes and Eleven notes he's always wanted to meet someone named 'yes' before instructing her to analyze the dust and give him a report on his desk, which he then instructs the woman to get him.
"Can't really imagine The Doctor sitting at a desk doing paperwork," Jack noted, almost laughing at the thought.
"The Doctor has many talents, having an ordinary job is not one of them," Martha said with a giggle. "Even one like UNIT."
"He's just not meant for that," Mickey said with a snicker.
Kate instructs the woman to get a team to analyze the stone dust before she leads Eleven and Clara further into the room. The woman wheezes and Kate reminds her to use her inhaler. As he walks passed a fez in a glass case, Eleven takes it out and puts it on.
"Well now we know how the Fez came in," Jack said with amusement.
"Him and Fezes," Donna said with a laugh.
Kate then leads Eleven and Clara into another room with paintings. Broken glass covers the floor from another Time Lord Painting, which Kate explains is why they were called here. Eleven picks up a piece of glass, revealing that it was broken from the inside. Kate explains while the paintings are only landscapes, that had not always been the case, handing Eleven a tablet which shows a picture of the Time Lord art with a group of people in it.
"So the paintings came to life and smashed their way out?" Donna asked as most of the past viewers looked at the screen in bewilderment.
"We've seen stranger things," Mickey pointed out and Donna couldn't argue.
Jack frowned, remembering the Night Travelers who had been trapped in old film reels. Could something just as dangerous have been trapped in these paintings? A sense of unease filled Jack as he continued watching.
Kate explains the museum has been searched and nothing has been found suspicious and nothing has escaped. A Time Fissure then appears behind them and Eleven complains that he's busy. Kate asks if this is related but Eleven, remembering this, assures her this is something else before taking off his fez. "This is where I come in." Eleven tosses his fez into the Fissure before rushing towards it. "Geronimo!" he shouts as he jumps inside. Eleven then appears in 1562, dropping face first on the ground in front of Ten and the two Elizabeths.
"Sees an unknown time fissure and he just jumps in," Martha said in disbelief.
"Did you expect anything less?" Jane asked with a slight smile.
"Not really no," Martha admitted.
"Sees something strange, go poke it with a stick," Donna said with a smile.
Ten puts the fez on as both Doctors stand up. One of the Elizabeths wonders who Eleven is as Eleven notices Ten and remarks upon how skinny he is. Ten realizes who Eleven is as the Doctors each pull out their screwdriver. The Doctors begins bickering as Eleven puts on his fez before greeting the Elizabeths. Ten tells him one is a Zygon, disgusting Eleven who teases Ten.
"This would be a great sitcom," Mickey noted with a snicker.
"The Doctors and the Zygon, following the romantic adventures of the two Doctors as they travel through time," Jack said amused as they both snickered.
The fissure seems to grow and the Doctors put on their glasses to look at it before Eleven tells the Elizabeths to run. They bring up the Zygon and Ten tells them to run in the opposite direction of each other. Both Elizabeths then kiss Ten before running off. Ten and Eleven are disgusted by the fact one was a Zygon.
"Ew," Martha said as everyone looked disgusted.
Except Jack.
"Hey, I've done worse," Jack said with a shrug.
"You would Immortal Man," Donna said as everyone looked at Jack disgusted.
Clara calls out to Eleven from 2013, asking where he is and Ten says 1562. Eleven and Ten tells Clara he's talking to himself, laughing before Eleven tosses the fez through the fissure to test they can get back. But Clara says it hasn't come through, making them wonder where it went. On Gallifrey, War picks up the fez.
"So now we're all caught then," Donna noted as they focused back on what's happening.
"Yeah," Jane said, tensing as she knew what was coming next.
Kate tells Clara to keep Eleven talking before walking off. Pulling out her phone, Kate requests one of her father's reports. Kate walks passed a shadow, which then begins moving.
"What was that?" Mickey asked as the past viewers eyed the screen uneasily.
"Probably whatever broke out of the paintings," Jack muttered, hoping whatever it was wasn't as dangerous as the Night Travelers.
In 1562, Ten asks Eleven how to get rid of the fissure but he doesn't remember. They begin bickering before trying to use their screwdrivers on the fissure to no success. They begin blaming each other before War jumps through, landing in front of them holding the fez as Ten and Eleven stare at him in horror.
"Well this should be interesting," Jack said as he eyed the screen with interest.
"Three different versions of The Doctor all together. I'm surprised the universe hasn't imploded," Martha muttered.
"Don't give it any ideas," Donna told her, only half joking.
War mistakes them for his future companions until Eleven and Ten hold up their screwdrivers. War is surprised by how young they are, wondering if he's having a midlife crisis.
"Not yet Boss," Mickey said as he barked out a laugh, all of them unable to help laughing at that.
He approaches them but Eleven and Ten hold their weapons as if they're guns. "Why are you holding your screwdrivers like that? They're scientific instruments, not water pistols!" War snaps as they lower the screwdrivers. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
"In a way they have," Jack noted as the mood turned grim. "The ghost of their past. Of their greatest shame. The one thing they've tried so hard to forget."
No one else said a word, merely watching to see what would come next.
The royal guard then rushes forward, pointing spears at the Doctors. They believe Ten has bewitched Elizabeth and want his head. "Well, this has all the makings of your lucky day," War says dryly.
"No more than usual," Donna said dryly as they all watched, wondering how The Doctors would get out of this one.
In 2013, Clara is listening to all of this as Kate wakes up behind her. Clara says there are three of them now and Kate says there's a precedent for that. The guards hear this and think its witchcraft. Eleven agrees, calling Clara the Wicked Witch of the Well.
"He's not wrong." Donna muttered, thinking of the Siren.
Kate says he means Clara, annoying her as Eleven tells Clara to threaten them. "What he said," Clara said unenthusiastically. At Elevens insistence, she threatens to turn them into frogs, frightening the guards. Clara asks what's going on and Eleven says it's a Timey-Wimey thing. War is in disbelief as Ten says he doesn't know where he picks this up.
"Oh please Spaceman, I lost count of how many times you said that," Donna said with a laugh.
"One of his favorite things to say," Martha agreed with a giggle.
"Stop trying to be cool Boss," Mickey said with a laugh.
Elizabeth then walks over and the guards bow. Ten asks what happened to the 'other one' and Elizabeth says she's been indisposed. "Long live the Queen," she says, a statement that is echoed by her guards. Elizabeth then orders The Doctors arrested and taken to the tower.
"Well this officially cannot get much worse," Jack noted as they all watched uneasily.
"A Zygon is now Queen of England. I really can't imagine a worse scenario Jack," Martha said horrified.
"She can destroy the world if she wants," Wilf said softly.
"Well somehow the real Elizabeth survived, because I doubt this is what you were talking about when you said The Doctor destroyed the universe," Donna said, looking at Jane who shook her head.
"No, different thing. Just keep watching," Jane told them.
Ten tries to convince the soldiers that Elizabeth is an imposter and Eleven teases him over 'really checking'. Eleven then loudly talks about going to the Tower with 'Sandshoes and Granddad', which Clara and Kate hear. Kate says Eleven is clever, telling Clara to come on as they head to her office, AKA the Tower of London.
"Looks like they've got a plan then," Jack noted.
"It better be a bloody good one, they need it," Donna said uneasily.
The three Doctors are thrown into a dungeon and Eleven finds a screw on the floor. As Eleven begins carving something into a stone pillar, Ten muses on the anomalies the three of them being in the same room will cause. Eleven says he's getting them out as he sees War scanning the door and says it won't work on something so primitive. Ten wonders why they're all here, noting that War came looking for them. As Ten and Eleven begin bickering, War sees The Moment standing in the corner and she gestures for him to keep quiet.
"What exactly is The Moment hoping to accomplish?" Martha said, not understanding.
"Like the General said, it developed a conscience. It doesn't want The Doctor to end the Time War that way," Jane explained.
"Unfortunately, there's no other option. Anything else would mean the destruction of the universe," Jack said grimly and a sad smile crossed Jane's face.
"You have no idea," she said softly.
At the National Gallery, Kate's assistant is working with another UNIT scientist, running tests on the dust. It's all from a different stone but none from the building. She notes it's like old statues have been smashed but is informed none are missing. The other scientist wonders why anyone would do that and Kate's assistant realizes the truth. She takes a dose from her inhaler and explains the statues were smashed so the figures in the painting could have somewhere to hide. The covered statues turn towards them and remove their tarps, revealing Zygons underneath.
"Shit!" Mickey exclaimed as the past viewers looked on in horror.
"The Zygons are attacking in the past and present," Martha said alarmed.
"Yes and no," Jane said, confusing them. "It'll make sense later."
"You enjoy confusing us, don't you?" Donna grumbled and Jane smiled tightly.
"Trust me Donna, I don't enjoy any of this," Jane said softly.
As the other Scientist is attacked, Kate's assistant run out and closed the door only for a Zygon to punch through the painting of Elizabeth and Ten. She rushes towards the door but finds herself locked out. She retreats into the corner, chanting to herself 'The Doctor will save me' as a Zygon approaches her. The Zygon then assumes her form. "Excuse me. I'm going to need my inhaler." The Zygon begins mocking Kate's assistant about her jealousy towards her sister when Kate's assistant yanks the Zygon's scarf, tripping it. She then grabs her inhaler before running off.
"That a girl," Jack said with a laugh.
"Teach you to never underestimate humanity," Donna said mockingly.
"Zygons believe they're superior to humans. That arrogance came back to bite them," Jane said with a smile.
"It always does," Jack noted.
Kate and Clara arrive outside the Tower of London in a limo, Kate announcing on the phone she needs access to the Black Archive. Kate then leads Clara inside, explaining the Black Archive is the highest security rating on earth with each member of the staff having their memories wiped after each shift due to automated memory filters from outside.
"That seems a bit excessive," Wilf said with a frown.
"Sometimes excessive is needed Wilf. You have no idea how dangerous some of that stuff can be in the wrong," Jack said darkly. "If half the things I've heard about what's in the Black Archive is true, I can't blame Kate for going to this extreme."
Kate and Clara reach the entrance and a man, Atkins lets them in, Kate explaining he's been her ten years but thinks it's his first day. As they head inside, Kate explains the entire building is designed to keep The Doctor out, as he wouldn't approve of their collection. Clara is confused on why she is being let in and Kate explains she has top level security access from her previous visit, stunning Clara. Clara them sees a board of pictures, one of which is of Clara with Kate being led in.
"Oi!" Donna exclaimed as the past viewers all saw their own picture on the board.
"So what, they took us and then mind wiped us?" Martha asked in disbelief.
"Apparently," Jack said, stunned that he didn't remember this.
"Blimey," Mickey muttered in disbelief.
"UNIT is very thorough on anything related to Dad," Jane explained.
"I can see that," Wilf said weakly.
"Let's just be glad The Siren didn't remember this when she took control of Clara's body," Jack said as they all shuttered at the thought.
Kate explains they screen all The Doctor's known associates to prevent information about The Doctor and the TARDIS falling into the wrong hands. Seeing Kate looking at something, Clara walks over to see a vortex manipulator behind a glass wall. Kate explains it belong to Jack and was retrieved after one of his deaths. Kate explains they keep it secret from everyone, including their allies, as she doesn't trust Americans with the ability to rewrite history.
"So that's where that went," Jack mused, wondered how UNIT had gotten their hands on it.
"What does UNIT want with a faulty vortex manipulator?" Donna wondered.
"The teleportation feature still works, with enough tampering they could also reactivate the time travel feature. Of course both are useless without the activation code," Jack said, to the relief of everyone.
"Thank bloody God. Can you imagine if UNIT had their hands on it when The Master was Prime Minister?" Martha asked and all of them shuttered at the thought.
"I don't trust UNIT with it any more than I would Americans," Mickey decided.
"Good Call," Jane said with a grimace.
"They guard all this technology. But who guards the guardians?" Wilf asked softly and no one had an answer.
Kate opens the room where they have the vortex manipulator as Clara asks if that's how they rescue The Doctor but Kate explains they don't have enough power for two uses and The Doctor had kept the activation code away from UNIT.
"With good reason. Nice job old friend," Jack said in relief.
"Then how do they plan to rescue The Doctor?" Wilf wondered, none of them seeing the grimace on Jane's face.
Kate then receives a phone call and instructs the person on the other end to send a photograph to her phone. A UNIT scientist then takes a photo of the carving Eleven had made into the pillar and sends it to Kate. Clara notices Kate's assistant and the scientist outside the room, wondering why they followed them. Kate dismissively says they finished disposing of the humans and Clara freezes as 'Kate' chuckles before shaping shifting into a Zygon.
"Fuck!" Mickey swore as the past viewers stared in horror.
"Zygons know how to use the Vortex Manipulator," Jack realized in horror.
"Could this get any worse!?" Donna exclaimed.
Seeing Kate's phone with the picture on the screen, Clara quickly puts it in her bag before grabbing the vortex manipulator. As the Zygons are distracted talking to reach other, Clara realizes The Doctor gave her the code and puts in it before vanishing.
"I'm really not sure what's worse, the Zygons with the Vortex Manipulator or the Siren," Jack said and Jane grimaced.
"It's about the same," Jane noted as they all continued to watch uneasily.
In 1562, Eleven is still carving into the pillar as Ten and War talk about the door, both agreeing even the screwdriver would take centuries to figure out the exact sonic shift to take out the door. War sits down, wondering why they seem ashamed of being a grownup and catches the way they look at him. Ten notes it must be recent for him and Eleven clarifies the last day of the Time War. The Moment explains it's already happened for Ten and Eleven. At The Moment's urging, War asks if they ever counted how many children there were on Gallifrey that day. Eleven briefly pauses in his carvings before saying he doesn't know.
"We can spot when you're lying by now Boss," Mickey noted.
"We know you don't like to talk about it, but maybe it would help," Donna said softly.
"Talking about something like that doesn't help. It usually just makes you feel worse," Jack said softly, his mind once again straying to Steven.
No one said a word, merely continuing to watch, knowing Jack was probably right.
Eleven and War begin to argue, Eleven saying there's no point when Ten says there were 2.47 billion. Eleven and Ten begin to argue, Ten accusing Eleven of forgetting but Eleven argues he moved on. Ten asks him where he moved to, wanting to know where he's going but Eleven warns him he wouldn't and Ten looks at him in surprise.
"Too many Paradoxes. Plus, where would he even start?" Jack wondered.
"The Pandorica, Demon's Run, Lake Silenco, Trenzalore. It's too much," Martha noted with a sigh.
War says he doesn't know who either of them are and The Moment says they're what he becomes if he destroys Gallifrey. The man who regrets and the man who forgets. "The moment is coming. The Moment is me. You have to decide," The Moment says as she is seen staring at the skies as Dalek ships exchange fire with Time Lords. "No," War says.
"You think it's that easy? Just no?" Jack said in utter disbelief.
"He can't just change history like that…can he?" Donna asked uncertainly.
"Not without consequence. Too many lives will be destroyed if he doesn't do this. Deep down, War must know this," Jack noted as he narrowed his eyes. "He knows what he has to do."
Jane remained silent. History would indeed change in this recording. And the results would doom the entire universe.
War repeats himself as Ten and Eleven look at him in confusion. Eleven then begins laughing; realizing War is what he's like when he's alone. The Moment then points out it's the same screwdriver, the same software. War looks down at his screwdriver before saying 400 years. The other Doctors look at him in confusion as War clarifies if it's still the same screwdriver and they are him, than the calculation to determine how to disintegrate the door is still going on. Ten turns on his screwdriver, realizing the calculation is still going and Eleven turns on his to find the calculation is complete.
"That…makes no sense," Martha said in confusion. "We've seen The Doctor's screwdriver be destroyed twice just in these recordings. It shouldn't still be running the calculation."3
"I don't know, didn't make sense to me either. I always figured The Moment did something," Jane shrugged.
"Makes more sense," Jack shrugged.
Eleven says while they have their differences, they are clever when Clara bursts into the room, revealing it wasn't locked.
"Seriously? Not one of them thought to check the door?" Jack said as the past viewers stared in disbelief.
"Well the current version of Dad was still under the influence of The Siren, which as I said seemed to make him dumber. And the other version was thrown by meeting him and War. War just seemed to be a witness," Jane shrugged.
Clara is incredulous that none of that thought to check if it was locked. Ten points out it should have been and Eleven wonders why it wasn't. Elizabeth than walks in, saying she wanted to see what they would do upon escaping. "I understand you're rather fond of this world. It's time, I think; you saw what's going to happen to it."
"Oh lovely, she's back," Donna muttered annoyed.
"And she's got a plan," Mickey said uneasily.
"There's a plan. Just not hers," Jane said, smiling slightly at their confused looks. "Spoilers."
In 2013, Kate's assistant walks down into the hidden room at the National Gallery to find Kate tied up in a Zygon nest. As her assistant begins untangling Kate, she informs Kate the Zygons have gone to the Tower of London. Kate fearfully notes if they head into the Black Archive, they might have lost earth.
"Which is why it was a stupid idea to store all that alien technology in one place," Donna grumbled.
"Human stupidity. It always comes up when alien technology is involved," Jack wearily.
In 1562, Elizabeth leads the Doctors and Clara into what seems to be a lair for the Zygons, explaining they lost their home world in the early days of the Time War and are now looking for a new one. Clara asks if they want this one and Elizabeth explains they will but find it too primitive at the moment. A Zygon then asks Elizabeth why the Doctors are here and she says she says they should be. "It's time you to were translated." The Zygon then places his hand on an orb in the center of the room and they watch as it vanishes, reappearing in one of the paintings.
"They're not attacking the past and the present, it's the same Zygons," Jack realized, the pieces falling into place.
"They waited for Earth to evolve enough and once they were satisfied, they made their move," Donna realized.
"And no one saw it coming," Martha whispered.
"How did they even get inside the paintings?" Mickey wondered.
"It's about to be explained," Jane promised.
War explains it's not a painting but a stasis cube, explaining its Time Lord art. Ten and Eleven realize its suspended animation, Ten explaining that the Zygons will wait a few centuries for the planet to evolve a bit more than they'll come out of the painting. Clara realizes the world is considered worth conquering to the Zygons in 2013.
"Yes, we already covered that Spaceman. Now how do we stop it?!" Donna asked as the past viewers watched uneasily.
Clara notes the Zygons are invading the future from the past as Ten walks up to Elizabeth, accusing her of being a bad copy and that the real Elizabeth would never reveal her own plan, wondering why she would do that. Because it's not her plan and she is, in fact, the real Elizabeth.
"Have to admit, didn't see that coming," Mickey said as they eyed the screen in surprise.
"She is a good actress," Wilf noted.
"Say what you will about her, she's an excellent strategist," Jane shrugged.
Elizabeth lifts up her dress, revealing a dagger strapped to her leg as she says the Zygon duplicate is dead, as she takes precautions. The Zygons never considered it was her, Elizabeth scoffs at their arrogance. Clara thinks she means Zygons but Elizabeth was talking about men.
"Oi!" Mickey shouted offended.
"To be fair, that's not entirely inaccurate for men at her time," Jack shrugged. "Don't worry so much about it Mickey Mouse."
Clara is surprised Elizabeth killed a Zygon and Elizabeth explains that the Zygon had the body of a weak, feeble woman at the time. Elizabeth says her kingdom is in peril and asks if she can rely on The Doctor's help. Ten says he needs his TARDIS and Elizabeth assures him it's been taken care. "But first my love, you have a promise to keep."
"So he was basically forced into marrying her then," Donna noted.
"Come on, you can't still be mad at him," Mickey said as he saw Martha's dark look.
"I had to run for my life because he ran out on a queen. That happens to you, then you can talk," Martha grumbled.
Outside the castle, Ten and Elizabeth stand before a bishop, Eleven, War and Clara acting as witnesses as the bishop announces them married. Elizabeth kisses Ten as Clara throws confetti on them. War wonders if there's a lot of kissing in the future and Eleven notes it does start to happen as they awkwardly watch Elizabeth continuing to kiss Ten.
"Okay, starting to feel a little bad for him," Martha allowed as they all awkwardly watched.
"I'd run out on her to," Mickey noted.
"She can kiss me like that anytime," Jack said flirtatiously and they all shot him odd looks.
"You need help, Immortal Man," Donna told him.
Once Elizabeth lets him go, Ten all but sprints to the TARDIS. The others follow him inside and War notes he's let the TARDIS go. Eleven assures him it's his grunge phase and they'll grow out of it. The console then beeps before flashing as the desktop changes. War explains the TARDIS is trying to compensate for having three Doctors from different times. Ten and Eleven then notice the walls have 'the round thing' and bond over their love of them.
"This they agree on?" Martha asked in disbelief.
"Hey, deep down, they're all still Dad," Jane shrugged with a slight smile.
Eleven then uses the friction contrafibulator to stabilize the TARDIS and the desktop changes to that of Eleven's TARDIS. Ten announces he doesn't like it before Eleven says they need to get to the National Gallery, where the Zygons are. Clara then reveals the Zygons followed them to the Black Archive and the three Doctors looks at her sharply. "Okay, so you've heard of it then."
"I do not like those looks," Wilf said as a sense of unease filled the room.
"What do they know that we don't?" Jack wondered as he narrowed his eyes.
"A lot," Jane said with a grimace. "It's explained in a second."
At the Black Archive, the Zygons are inside, taking stock of UNIT's technology, one of them noting they could conquer earth in a day. The door to the vault opens and Kate enters with her assistant.
"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Donna said smugly as they watched the recording, only Jack noticing Jane's grim look.
The door is locked at Kate's orders before she sits down at a table. One of the Zygons takes Kate's form before sitting down across from her. Kate points out there are protocols to protect the Black Archive and her assistant, Osgood reveals in the event of an alien incursion, the Black Archive will self-destruct. "Five minutes," Kate says before the countdown begins.
"Is she bloody mad!?" Donna exclaimed as the past viewers stared at the screen in horror.
"That'll take out half the UK, at minimum," Jack said horrified.
"What on Earth is she thinking?" Martha asked her voice almost a whisper.
"That she doesn't want the Zygons to get her hands on the technology in the Black Archive. Ends justify the means and all that," Jane said with a heavy sigh.
"Doctor, hurry," Wilf pleaded softly as they all watched tense.
Kate warns the Zygons there is a nuclear warhead 20 feet beneath their feet as she and the Zygon argue, the Zygon believing Kate is bluffing. "Somewhere in your memories is a man named Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart. I am his daughter," Kate declares and the Zygon becomes uncomfortable. "Science leads Kate," everyone turns as they hear Eleven's voice. "Is that what you meant Kate? Is that what your father meant?" Kate is confused how they can be hearing him as Eleven explains it's a space time telegram, a hotline to the TARDIS he had once given her father. A picture of the Brigadier is shown on the board of pictures as, on the TARDIS, Eleven pleads with Kate not to do something 'unbelievably stupid'. Kate apologizes and Ten warns her this is not a decision she will ever be able to live with.
"She's not planning on living with it though, she's planning on killing herself along with everyone else," Mickey noted as they all watched uneasily.
"A good Captain goes down with the ship I guess," Donna grumbled, her heart racing as she silently pleaded for The Doctor to somehow save them all.
The TARDIS jolts as they attempt to bring it into the Black Archive but are unable to do so. Kate turns off the telegram, ignoring Eleven's pleas. Ten realizes the Tower of London is TARDIS proof and Clara wonders how they can do that. "Alien technology plus human stupidity. Trust me, it's unbeatable," Eleven says.
"It can never be bloody easy, can it?" Martha groaned as the room continued to grow with tension.
"Spaceman, come on, you can do this. You have to," Donna pleaded softly, a mirror image of her mother in the first recording.
War then points out they don't need to land, picking the orb the Zygons had used to freeze themselves in the painting. The scene of the UNIT scientist receiving a phone call earlier replays, it being revealed it was Eleven who called him. Eleven orders him to take Gallifrey Falls to the Black Archive.
"That is brilliant," Martha said as they all put together War's plan.
"Just like the Zygons used the paintings in the museum, The Doctors can breaks out of Gallifrey Falls," Jack said with a smirk. "Well, done, all of you."
"They still need to find a way to stop Kate," Mickey pointed out uneasily.
"If anyone can figure it out, it's them. And now there's three of him," Donna said confidently.
At the Black Archive, the Zygon who has taken Kate's form tries to deactivate the countdown due to having Kate's form but Kate keeps stopping it. "We only have to agree to live," the Zygon says desperately. "Sadly, we can only agree to die," Kate says coolly. Osgood softly pleads for The Doctor to save them as, behind her, Gallifrey Falls hangs. Inside the painting, all three Doctors turn, using their screwdrivers to send a Dalek crashing through the painting. UNIT and the Zygons look in surprise at the damaged Dalek before the Doctors emerge from the painting.
"Have to admit, that was pretty awesome," Mickey noted.
"He always has to make an entrance," Martha said with a smile.
"He just likes to show off," Donna said with a laugh.
Clara climbs out of the painting as the Doctors confront Kate and the Zygon. Kate refuses to stop the countdown, even as War points out she's about to murder millions of people. "To save billions. How many times have you made that calculation?" Kate demands. "Once. It turned me into the man I am now. I'm not even sure who that is anymore," Eleven says. "You tell yourself its justified. But it's a lie, because what I did that day was wrong. Just wrong," Ten says. War looks over his shoulder, seeing The Moment standing there.
"Sometimes you have to do a bad thing to save billions of lives," Jack said, thinking of the 456 incident. "Doesn't make it right, but it still needs to be done."
As everyone else looked at Jack sadly, realizing he was thinking about what happened to Steven again, a dark look crossed Jane's face. Jack had no idea how right he was.
Eleven and Ten sit down, demanding that Kate and the Zygon are going to 'create the most perfect treaty of all time', one in which is fair to both sides. The two then reveal their plan: until they decided to let them out, neither UNIT or the Zygons will be able to remember which side they're on. The three Doctors use their screwdrivers on the memory filters, which go off and wipe everyone's memories. The Kates cancel the detonation with seconds to spare.
"That is…bloody brilliant!" Donna exclaimed with a laugh.
"You can't put any clauses that screw one side over since you don't know which side you're one, so both sides will be fair. Doctor, you've done it again," Jack said with a smile.
As the others began to relax, laughing with relief, no one noticed the dark look on Jane's face. It was almost time.
As the Kates begin negotiating, the Osgoods begin talking when one begins wheezing. The other Osgood hands her the inhaler before gesturing for her to keep quiet.
"Humans and Zygons acting friendly. Now I've seen everything," Jack noted with amusement.
"The Doctor tends to have that effect," Wilf said with a chuckle.
Clara is looking at the board of pictures before seeing War sitting alone. She walks over to him and introduces herself. War notices she's staring at him and Clara explains that Eleven is always talking about the day he ended the Time War and War notes one would. But Clara tells him Eleven regrets it and would do anything to change it. "Including saving all these people," War says. "How many worlds has his regret saved, do you think? Look over there. Humans and Zygons, working together in peace."
"He makes a good point. How different might so many of his adventures played out had he not done what he did?" Jack wondered as they all considered this line of thought. "He might not have fought as hard on several of these recordings had he not done that."
"I guess there's a bright side to it then," Martha sighed, although she didn't feel right about looking at the bright side of such a brutal act.
War asks how she knew and Clara explains his eyes are so much younger. "Then, all things considered, it's time I grew up," War says, to Clara's dismay. Over Clara's shoulder, The Moment watches him as War says he has seen what he needed to. "I'm ready," War says as he sees The Moment.
"He's gonna do it. He's gonna…" Donna trailed off, unable to say it.
No more words were spoken as Jane grew tense, knowing what would happen now. The past viewers merely stared, waiting for the recording to continue.
Seeing War looking over her shoulder, Clara looks behind her but sees nothing. Clara turns back to War to see him gone. Back on Gallifrey, War stares down at The Moment device, which now has a big red button sticking out of it. The Moment asks if he's sure and War says there's no other way. The Moment points out he's seen who he'll become but War argues that Ten and Eleven are extraordinary men. "They were you," The Moment says. "No. They were The Doctor," War argues. The Moment argues so is he but War disagrees. "Great men are forged in fire. It is the privilege of a lesser man to light the flame. Whatever the cost."
Everyone merely watched, tense. The past viewers had known about this, but they had never imagined a world where they would ever be witness to it. It was a sobering experience for all of the,.
War moves to press the button but his hand hovers over it, his mind plagued with images of the children on Gallifrey. The Moment points out that the sound of the TARDIS's arrival brings hope to anyone who hears it. War agrees as she points out anyone, no matter how lost. "Even you," The Moment says before they hear the sound of the TARDIS. War turns around to see two TARDISes appear behind him. Ten gets out of one while Eleven and Clara step out of the other.
"Okay, was not expecting that," Martha said as the past viewers stared at the screen in bewilderment.
"What's going on here?" Donna wondered and Jane smiled tightly.
"The end," she said in a voice that sent chills up their spines.
War tells them to go away but Ten and Eleven point out they shouldn't even be here, as these events are time locked so something let them through. "You clever boys," The Moment says.
"It's still trying to make sure this doesn't happen," Martha realized.
And it had gotten its wish, Jane noted silently. Although she doubted The Moment had ever imagined the consequences.
"Go back. Go back to your lives. Go and be The Doctor that I could never be," War says as he places his hand over the button. "All those years burying you in my memory," Ten says and War pauses. "Pretending you didn't exist. Keeping you a secret, even from myself," Eleven says. "Pretending you weren't The Doctor, when you were The Doctor more than anybody else," Ten says. "You were The Doctor on the day it wasn't possible to get it right," Eleven says as he walks up to War's side. Ten then walks up to War's other side, he and Eleven placing their hands over War's as they tells him he doesn't have to do this alone this time. "Thank you," War says gratefully as The Moment watches sadly.
"They're really gonna…" Donna trailed off as the past viewers stared stunned.
"Okay, I really didn't think I'd ever see this," Mickey stunned.
"They're all The Doctor. And they're willing to all share the burden, even if they've technically already done it," Jane noted.
"It's a kindness, a useless one but perhaps one of The Doctor's greatest examples of kindness," Jack said, his admiration for his friend growing even more.
"What we do today is not out of fear or hatred. It is done because there is no other way," Ten says as Clara cries silently behind them. "And it is done in the name of the many lives we are failing to save," Eleven says.
No one said a word as they stared at the screen, the past viewers tense as they waited for it to happen. On the other hand, Jane knew what was about to change, and that the others would finally understand what they needed to do after this.
Seeing Clara shaking her head, Eleven asks what. Although reluctant, at Eleven's instance, Clara explains while she had known he had wiped out his own people, she had never pictured Eleven doing it. "Take a closer look," The Moment says. The barn suddenly fades away and the four of them find themselves in the streets of Gallifrey, War explaining it's a projection. The Moment says it's the reality around them as they see Time Lords and Ladies running through the streets, trying to get away.
"Blimey," Mickey muttered as they all stared, once more reminded of the horrors of the Time War.
"What exactly are they hoping to accomplish here?" Jack wondered and a tight smile crossed Jane's face.
"You'll see soon enough," Jane promised.
Clara seems horrified at all the people the Doctors are going to burn but Eleven points out there's no other way, either he allows the universe to be destroyed or he wipes out his own people. "Look at you. The three of you. The Warrior. The hero. And you," Clara turns to Eleven. "And what am I?" Eleven asks. Clara asks if he's forgotten and Eleven admits maybe. "We've got enough warriors. Any old idiot can be a hero," Clara says as they hear sirens blare. "Then what do I do?" Eleven asks. "What you've always done: be a Doctor," Clara says. "You told me the name you chose was a promise. What was the promise?" "Never cruel or cowardly," Ten says. "Never give up. Never give in," War adds. The Moment smiles as they reappear in the barn. Ten looks at Eleven incredulously, asking if he's suggesting they change their own personal history.
"My God," Jack said as the realization hit him. "This is it. This is what The Siren made him change. What caused the end of the universe."
"Yeah," Jane said with a heavy sigh.
"But how? Why?" Martha said as the past viewers stared at the screen in disbelief.
"You'll see in a minute," Jane said eying the screen sadly.
Eleven argues they change history all the time and he is suggesting something worse. "Gentlemen, I have had 400 years to think about this. I've changed my mind," Eleven says before using his screwdriver to seal The Moment device back up. War agues about the Daleks but Ten points out the Daleks don't know something. "This time, there's three of us," Eleven says. War and Ten realize what Eleven is getting at and begin celebrating. War happily exclaims The Moment showed him exactly the future he needed. "Bad Wolf girl, I could kiss you!" Ten looks at War sharply as Clara asks what the plan is. War explains if Gallifrey disappears, the Daleks will be firing on each other, the Daleks would be destroyed and the universe would think the Daleks and Time Lords wiped each other out. Ten then explains that Gallifrey would be frozen away in an instant of time, hidden away forever. "Like a painting," War says gleefully.
"But that wouldn't end the Time War. Everything else fighting in it, everything The Doctor was panicking about coming through the Rift in the first recording," Donna said horrified.
"Exactly," Jane said darkly. "It would all come back; they just wouldn't be fighting in the Time War anymore. Not to mention the Time Lords would still be around and they were as bad as the Daleks by this point."
"How could they do this?" Jack asked horrified.
"The current version of Dad was charmed by the Siren, under its influence. And because of this, I think the other two were also affected by the Siren," Jane said darkly.
"This is why you brought us here. You want us to…" Martha trailed off as Jane looked at them sadly.
"I know it's a lot to ask. It shouldn't fall to you to make him do this, just like it shouldn't fall to him to do it. But you've seen the alternative," Jane said softly as they remembered the state of the earth when Jane took them to The Doctor's grave. "There is no other way."
The past viewers were silent as they considered this. It was not something they liked doing. But, seeing the alternative, how could they do anything less.
"Okay. Okay. I'll do it," Jack agreed, stealing himself.
"No Jack. We'll do it. We'll all share the burden equally," Martha said as she looked at Jack while gripping Mickey's hand tightly.
Donna merely stared ahead, an unreadable look on her face as Wilf lowered his head. No one else said a word as the recording continued.
As the Dalek ships rained down fire on Gallifrey, in the War Room, the Time Lord Generals have received another message from The Doctor: Gallifrey Stands. As the High Command try to figure out The Doctor's message, the three Doctors then massage the Generals. "Dear God. Three of them. All my worst nightmares at once," a General says in horror. Ten explains they have a plan, he and Eleven agreeing it's fairly terrible before the Doctors explain their plan to a disbelieving High Command. The general asks why they would do that and Ten and Eleven explain the alternative is for Gallifrey to burn, which they don't want.
There was a collective groan around the room, the past viewers now knowing they would have to make sure that happened when they returned home. None of them relished it. But they still had to do it.
The General argues they'd be frozen in a signal moment and have nothing but Eleven argues they'd have hope. The general calls their plan delusional and points out the calculations would take hundreds of years. Ten agrees but informs the general he started a very long time ago. In space, a TARDIS appears as the First Doctor messages the High Command. "You might say I've been doing this all my lives," Eleven says as several more TARDISes appear in space. The other Doctors message the High Command.
"All 12 Doctors," Martha breathed in shock.
"I really can't say what I'm thinking right now," Jack said and they all shot him an odd look.
The general is aghast at all 12 Doctors together but is informed there are in fact 13 as another TARDIS flies out of space, a man with grew hair pulling a lever.
"Wait, what?" Donna exclaimed as the past viewers looked at the screen in shock.
"Best I can tell, it's a version of Dad from a possible future. Not sure what version, but it really doesn't matter," Jane shrugged.
"Guess not," Jack noted, not sure why it seemed so familiar.4
The Daleks, sensing something is up, increase their fire power on Gallifrey. As the planet rocks, the general orders the Doctors to do it. "Geronimooooo!" Eleven cries as he flips the switch. "Allons-y!" Ten says as he does as well. "Oh for God's sake! Gallifrey stands!" War declares as he flips his switch. The 13 TARDISes surround Gallifrey before the planet glows. In a flash of light, it vanishes.
"So they did then," Martha noted.
"Yeah. At a cost," Jane said grimly and no one else said a word.
Sometime later, the three Doctors and Clara are having tea back at the National Gallery. War notes while they may never know if they succeeded, they at least tried. Ten and Eleven stare at Gallifrey Falls, with Ten wondering what it's called. Eleven explains the debate and Ten wonders how it got there, which Eleven doesn't know. War then stands up, saying it has been an honor and a privilege. Ten says likewise as Eleven calls him Doctor. War says he shall be happy to be half the man Clara is, pleasing her and annoying Ten and Eleven.
A dark look crossed the faces of everyone. But no one said a word, knowing it would do no point to dwell further on the Siren.
War realizes he won't remember this and Eleven confirms since the time streams are out of sync, he'll forget. War notes he'll have to live with the memory of destroying Gallifrey. "But for now, for this moment, I am The Doctor again," War says happily. "Thank you."
Another beat passed, all of them sad for having to take this away from War. But it had to be done; there was no other way to save The Doctor and the universe.
War jokingly asks which TARDIS is his before heading inside his TARDIS. As his TARDIS begins to dematerialize, War notices his hands glowing with Regeneration Energy, which he muses makes sense. "I hope the ears are a bit less conspicuous this time," War says as he begins to regenerate.
"Not a chance old friend," Jack said with a laugh, remembering his big eared Doctor he had first met.
"They were huge," Mickey said as he and Jack laughed, remembering the Ninth Doctor.
Back in the museum, Ten notes since he won't remember either, Eleven can tell him where he's going that Eleven doesn't want to tell him. Eleven tells him about Trenzalore, to Ten's dismay. "That's how the story ends, nothing we can do about it," Eleven tells him.
Jane silently mused that, in the timeline she was hopefully creating, they wouldn't go there. But only time would tell if that was the case.
Ten wishes Clara goodbye, kissing her hand before heading over to his TARDIS. "Trenzalore. We need a new destination because I don't wanna go," Ten says before heading inside. The TARDIS takes off as Eleven tells Clara he always says that.
"He was always so melodramatic about that," Donna noted with a slight smile.
"Seems to be his thing. Of course the imprint of Rose's DNA probably didn't help," Jane shrugged.
"Probably not," Jack mused.
Eleven heads over to Gallifrey Falls and Clara notes he needs a moment alone. She kisses him on the cheek before heading over to the TARDIS. Before heading inside, she mentions an old man, who she thinks is the curator, was looking for him. Once the TARDIS doors close, Eleven sits down on a bench, musing that he could retire and be the curator of this place. "You know, I really think you might." Eleven looks over, staring in shock at an old man a few feet away.
"My God," Jack said, starting as Jane smiled slightly.
"Like seeing a ghost, isn't it," Jane agreed.
"What are you talking about?" Martha asked as they all looked at the pair in bewilderment.
"That man looks just like the Fourth Doctor," Jack explained, still staring at the screen in disbelief. "Who is he?"
"Don't know. Another mystery that I'll probably never solve," Jane said with a shrug.
Eleven walks up to the old man, saying he never forgets a face, which the old man is unsurprised by. "And in the years to come, you might find yourself revisiting a few," the man says. "But just the old favorites, eh?" The curator tells Eleven about the painting, asking what he thinks of the title. Eleven points out there are 2 but the curator explains everyone is wrong. "It's all one title. Gallifrey Falls No More."
"So what, it was some kind of message about Gallifrey?" Jack asked as the past viewers looked at the screen.
"My best guess. But who could send it, not sure," Jane said with a shrug.
Eleven happily realizes that their plan worked but the curator says he wouldn't know. Eleven asks where it is and the curator says its lost. "Things do get lost you know. And now, you must excuse me. Oh, you have a lot to do," the curator says. Eleven asks if he has to go looking for Gallifrey now but the curator says that's up to him. The curator says if he were Eleven, the two chuckling at whether or not he is Eleven before the curator walks off. Eleven looks back at the painting.
Jane sighed tiredly, her dad had never lost hope of one day finding Gallifrey, but it had never come to fruition. Which was probably a good thing, given the Time Lords wouldn't have taken it lightly that he trapped them.
The scene then shows Eleven walking through the TARDIS. "Clara sometimes asks me if I dream," Eleven's voice says. "'Of course I dream', I tell her. 'Everybody dream.' 'But what do you dream about?' She'll ask. 'The same thing everybody dreams about' I tell her," Eleven says as he's shown opening the TARDIS doors. "I dream about where I'm going. She always laughs at that," Eleven's voice says as he walks out of the TARDIS, where his past incarnations are waiting. "'But you're not going anywhere. You're just wondering about'. That's not true. Not anymore. I have a new destination." Eleven joins his past selves in gazing up at the planet in the sky. "It's taken me so many years, so many lifetimes, but at last, I know where I'm going. Where I've always been going. Home. The long way round." A shot of all 12 Doctors gazing up at Gallifrey is seen before the screen goes black.
"So that's it then," Donna noted and Jane nodded as the TV turned off.
"Yeah, that was the last one. It's been a long day, so how about we have some dinner and then we can all talk in the morning with some fresh minds," Jane said, seeing how physically and emotionally drained they all seem to be.
Too tired to argue, they all nodded and the group got up, letting Jane lead them all out.
And at long last, we've finished. Hard to believe that I made it all the way through but I did it. We'll have two more chapters to wrap everything up and then we'll finally be done with this.
Now, regarding the episode, there are a lot of things I do like about it, in spite of some obvious Rose and Clara pandering/propping: John Hurt was amazing as War, the Doctors played off each other very well, it was a brilliant idea for the anniversary to explore how The Doctor has been affected by the Time War and what he had to do to end it. Unfortunately, all the good points of the episode are flushed down the drain by an ending that doesn't make much sense when you think about it a bit.
When I first watched this episode, I loved the ending. Then I thought about it a bit more. On the surface, it's a great way to end the Time War without wiping out the Time Lords. But if you look a bit deeper, there are several problems that arise.
The whole reason that The Doctor needed to wipe out both the Daleks and the Time Lords was because the Time Lords were now just as bad as the Daleks. It wasn't a situation of one good group versus one bad one; it was a war between two equally bad sides. And what about Rassilon's plan from The End of Time, a plan that a large group of Time Lords were shown to be in support of? Are we supposed to forget that? What happens if The Doctor ever does find Gallifrey? Do they go right back to trying their plan again? It's a very dark question that not only is never answered, but is never even considered.
Or just taking the Time Lords out of the Equation all together, this wasn't just a war between the Time Lords and the Daleks. Anyone remember the things Ten was freaking out about coming through the Rift in The End of Time? We just supposed to forget that to?
The ending makes no sense because there are so many things that contradict it and it honestly cheapens so much of what made The Doctor who he was when we first see him in the reboot. I honestly had to wonder after watching this if Moffat had watched any episodes of the show other than the ones he worked on.
1: And the first example of Clara propping, Clara can now apparently command the TARDIS doors by snapping her fingers. This would be stupid whether it was any other companion, as it cheapens the bond The Doctor has with the TARDIS, but it's even dumber with Clara because Clara is the only companion the TARDIS has been shown to have a problem with. IT's classic Mary-Sue syndrome.
2: The Moment taking Rose's form was beyond stupid. Not only would it mean nothing to War, but since this was supposed to be a tribute to the entire series, it would have meant so much more to have one of the classic companions be the form The Moment chose. Not to mention Rose's arc was tied up nicely in Journey's End, so this was little more than pandering to the Rose Tyler fangirls who just can't seem to let her go.
3: The whole 'same software' argument doesn't add up. In Eleven's era alone, we've seen the screw get damaged beyond repair or destroyed at least twice. For it to still be running that calculation Makes no sense.
4: A reference to Peter Capaldi's role on Torchwood as John Frobisher.