Absolutely (Not) The Same Man

Absolutely (Not) the Same Man

Regeneration and Identity

I really l like way Christmas Invasion presents regeneration and how Rose and Ten in-universe seem to understand.

Harriet Jones says that Ten is “absolutely the same man”. Rose does not agree despite being in the scene.

She agrees that 10 is the Doctor, but…not the same. She still loves him and sees the fundamental values being retained but she sees them as different.

She unequivocally says “you’re so different”. She’s beaming when she says it, clearly not missing Nine but rather mystified by Ten. It’s so subtle, (and a lot comes from Billie’s delivery) but even after accepting it, there is something alien about the process lingering.

It’s why I don’t fault her for being upset by the potential regeneration in Journey’s End, it’s the same reason we all are sad to see a Doctor go.

Because the fundamental character traits that we love will be there (you know…hopefully) but everything else will change. Their personalities and the ways they interact with the universe and the way they see themselves all changes. All the quirks and eccentricities that make up the characterization specific to one incarnation of the Doctor as a character, which are what we latch onto change.

We may like who gets tagged, whoever is now ‘it’. But there’s still a friend we’ll miss.

This Doctor wears pinstripes and trainers, instead of leather and combat boots. He willingly wears a paper crown.

He is domestic in a way Nine would never be. He doesn’t tempt Rose from a family dinner, he joins her at one of his own volition, then relishes in it while wearing a paper crown.

I do think this works particularly well here, because it feels like a character arc. It helps Ten feel like an actual extension of Nine. I think this why that it works for them to have the same TARDIS and first companion. It makes the change easier.

Nine was reminded of the beauty of living through Rose and humanity, and reminded ordinary humans that there was no such thing. I love the moment he has with the couple in Father’s Day for this reason.

Ten, in concept and practice, takes this love for humanity and runs with it. (Sometimes way too far depending on the writer. But that’s another meta). He’s more open with his feelings while still being deeply, deeply repressed.

Arguably, I think there’s a moment he tries to learn from his mistakes with Rose. He tries to relay the happy memory of Christmas dinner to Donna before it becomes something else he’s lost. All of her other attempts at connection are shut down.

Later, he’s able to find some respite with Donna in series 4. He’s able to live with his grief and heal for a bit. And he gives Donna a chance to realize that there’s no such thing as an ordinary human.

Then he has to take it all away. All of the edges Donna had softened out, the self-confidence she built up so she didn’t need to scream at the world to feel heard. Gone.

His best friend, just like the love of his life. Gone. And this time it’s like never happened at all.

It’s the last important arc before Time Lord Victorious for a reason.

(it’s honestly more thematically satisfying to go straight to Waters of Mars after series 4)

It’s why he comes to see regeneration as dying.

It’s how we get from “All I did was change” in Born Again, to “It’s like dying.” in the of End of Time

He just watched the identity of his best friend be ripped from her. Plus he feels emotions with more humanity than any incarnation. He feels the fear of identity loss like a human fears mortality.

(This was also before the Doctor had been given more regenerations, and post-war he was burning through them, and was over half through them, so there’s an added layer there)

I never for a second felt he was “throwing a tantrum” in Journey’s End.

I hate when people, including the in universe 11th doctor, say that Ten is vain.

I mean he is. Sometimes it’s done for laughs, but he is arrogant too. Usually it’s well-meaning. He does have more knowledge than anyone and wants to use that to help.

He might be a genius, but he doesn’t understand every intricate detail of human experience. And to be fair, 11 is talking about the metacrisis, but even before Donna’s fate, Ten has begun to project the human fear of death he’s adopted along with all the other emotions onto regeneration.

Journey’s End is the end of a vanity trip. He is stripped down and deeply, deeply scared. And he is allowed to be. And he can react in an intense, emotional way.

There is no hesitation between the knocks and the resignation falling across his face.

There is no doubt what he’s going to sacrifice for Wilf no matter how afraid he is.

Because as intensely as Ten feels fear, it is nothing to how much he loves.

More Posts from Theangelwithawand and Others

2 months ago

really really hate having to explain to people why relying on generative ai to do anything is bad. water consumption in a world thats already dying of thirst in places. the mental degradation it causes. the unavoidable capitalist exploitation of the weakness and reliance it builds.

"oh i just used it for a paragraph, and i cleaned it up and made sure it looked good."

you couldn't write a fucking paragraph on your own? there is literally no way you could say what you just said that would make me feel anything remotely positive.

2 years ago
Noah’s “judge My Wife If You Dare” Look Is Severely Underrated. It’s So Beautiful That He Loves

Noah’s “judge my wife if you dare” look is severely underrated. It’s so beautiful that he loves her so much even though everyone else thinks she’s weird. He sees the sweet, generous, thoughtful woman that Astrid is. Religion, the opinions of others, having children, none of it matters because he just loves her.


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2 years ago

Hello and welcome to my tumblr! I post about the following fandoms:

- Star Wars

- Good Omens

- The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

- Doctor Who (I am most familiar with series 1-4)

- How to Train Your Dragon

- Shakespeare

- The Last of Us

- More to be added

I love talking about media critically, so feel free to comment on my posts, send me a meta question or fic prompt for any of the above fandoms and I’ll try my best to respond!


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2 months ago

I'm a disabled and chronically ill writer. I can't write every time i want to. I can't use a keyboard or handwrite for disability reasons. The only way i can write is by typing in the notes app on my phone. This is also painful and i can write a few hundred words at most.

Isn't it interesting how i still wouldn't consider using AI to write my stories instead? If the only way for me to write my stories is by using voice to text and i can write only a single word everyday i still wouldn't choose AI

Fuck AI and fuck you for pretending to care about disability people just so you can steal art made by disabled people

1 year ago

Something I have realized the last few years that has made it so much easier to have fun consuming media:

I can choose whatever bits of a series/franchise I like and disregard the things I don’t. I am not obligated to acknowledge what is officially canon when engaging in media recreationally

The creator of a piece of media is not owed my unwavering support for every aspect of a story.

I can pick out the things I like, ignore anything I don’t then go make a Headcanon or write a fanfic that gives me what I personally want out of a character or property.

The canon content is still there for those who enjoyment and this doesn’t take away anything from the original author/creator. In fact, it just means that someone loves some part of their work enough to want to think about it and play in the world they made.

That isn’t to say I don’t critique media, it’s something I enjoy. I can still debate and disagree with other fans (as long as I do so respectfully). Other opinions and interpretations are valid and wonderful.

But I can engage with story or media however I want, in a way that makes me happy.


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2 months ago

I think the best way to fight this AI shit is just to support actual creators. The cat's out of the bag with AI; our data's going to be taken and used without our consent whether we like it or not, so maybe we should put efforts into holding up those who create their own stuff. Comment/interact on people's writings and art. Make it worth them posting; make it clear that what the people are interested in isn't generated stuff, but things that people have actually done themselves. It's a drop in the ocean, but showing creators that it's them that deserve the support at least serves to cut off a tiny bit of oxygen to these AI hogs - and make a difference to creatives who are trying against hope to share with a community.

1 year ago

The Bastile Summarized:

Aziraphale: I cannot speak French and I refuse to dress like someone that isn’t being actively guillotened right now. Also, I can’t perform miracles.

Aziraphale: Time for crepes, brioche, and a stint as damsel in distress.

Crowley, aka the one who turned Aziraphale into a hedonists: I have regrets.

Crowley: Are we going on a date or wot?


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2 months ago
Uh...yeah Cause It's Stealing From Real Actual Humans Who Are Good At It

uh...yeah cause it's stealing from real actual humans who are good at it

1 year ago

you know what the amazing thing is about the multiverse? everyone’s otp can happen. so please stop hating on people who don’t ship the same couples as you and also please stop posting hate about ships in their tag just use ‘anti shipname’.

2 months ago

Warner Bros will keep making Harry Potter media but not renew Sesame Street, a franchise that has done more public good than HP ever did. We are in hell.

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theangelwithawand - Angel With a Wand
Angel With a Wand

Posts about some of my fav fandoms.

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