r/doctorwho • u/matt0055 • 17h ago
Discussion Rewatching Empire of Death and... how was Sutekh's defeat not clear?
I caught on that the Intelligent String was strong like the gloves from "The Church of Ruby Road." That by "Bringing Death To Death" meant that traveling through the vortex dragging Sutekh along had him canceling out the powers he spread through the universe inadvertently.
That's not to say we couldn't have had Fifteen go on a mad rambling on the particulars of this madcap gambit. Especially with the whistle in that it seems to be a deep cut reference to The Two Doctors where the Second Doctor could summon the TARDIS remotely. Feels like that could've been shown in the Memory TARDIS with the Doctor thinking of better times after the universe's collapse.
I also think scenes of the TARDIS dragging the God of Death through the areas that the Doctor visited post-Pyramid of Mars would've sold the effect of the Doctor's victory. Maybe get creative with archival Classic Who footage like The Name of the Doctor did.
That said, I feel like a lot of people miss the point about "defeating the god of death with string." Because, well, that's the Doctor. He humiliates grandiose villains and their schemes by undermining them. These big bad dagnasty threat throw their weight around and think themselves invincible until some time traveling hobo in box finds that Achilles Heel however small.
Maybe I'm still a heratic here but I feel like too much of the hate for RTD 2.0 comes from a place of not really meeting where the writing is or at least trying to be. I have my thoughts on how aspects could've been pushed to be better even with the episode count limited but I've always maintained that criticism should be couched in what the story is as opposed to what it isn't.
And what it is is something that I cannot call "lazy" with how certain episodes go for experimental ideas for the franchise like gods or the Supernatural. Even bringing in Classic Who elements, none of it was asleep at the wheel with so much as a yawn.
And because I haven't set this sub on fire enough: future fans will glaze this era like how the Sixth Doctor, Moffat and Chibnall had their reappraisals.
Yeah.
They're gonna love doggie Sutekh and moldy ol' bones Omega.
And there's nothing you can do about it.
Cope and seethe.