Colin Baker delivers the Rings of Akhaten speech and other moments I love

The Rings of Akhaten is unequivocally one of my favourite all time episodes of Doctor Who. The beautiful marriage between Murray Gold's majestic score and Matt's heart wrenching performance is perfection. Despite what some critics may say about the episode, I thought the blend of Moffat's influences, Neil Cross' script and Farren Blackburn's direction makes this one of the most memorable moments in Doctor Who history.

 

 

 

Admittedly, I don't generally believe crime writers make good sci-fi or fantasy writers, but Neil Cross is an exception. He may be the showrunner for Luther, but he also knows how to draw people in with simple moments. I've seen it multiple times all under a different perspective. One time I watched it in comparison to Star Wars while other times I may be searching for various nuances that might create a polarizing reaction.  

 

I am sure I am not the only one who fell in love with the song either. 

 

 

It is a bit sad to see there are no videos of the entire speech with Matt and the song, but there are audio files that I listened to on an endless loop.

 

 

 

 



If you want to hear how the same speech would have sounded delivered by Colin Baker, here is a video from Toronto's Fan Expo

 

 

As always, I appreciate the self references in the episode:

1. Amy's glasses

2. Possibly a reference to Billie and Chris' episode, Father's Day, with the woman saving the man from a car.

3. The future reference of "She's not possible"

4. Clara mentioning timey spacey, which takes us back to David's form of speech.

5. Clara observing the TARDIS, "I don't think it likes me", which has happened before to others and will again with Clara.

 

 

 

 

I also like the philosophies of destiny, space, reason and souls.

 

Dave: Because this exact leaf had to grow in that exact way in that exact place so that precise wind could tear it from that precise branch and make it fly into this exact face at that exact moment and if just of those tiniest little things had never happened I'd never have met you. Which makes this the most important leaf in human history.

 

I do feel bad for the amount of lines Matt must have to memorize. Some of these monologues are quite long, even if we only remember parts.

 

 

 

Clara: She didn't say stories. She said souls.

Doctor: Same thing. Souls are made of stories not atoms. Everything that ever happened to us. People we loved. People we lost and we found again against all the odds. He threatens to wake and they offer him a pure song, the Soul of the queen of years.

Clara: Stop it. You're scaring her.

Doctor: Good. She should be scared. She's sacrificing herself. She should know what that means. Do you know what it means Mary?

Mary: A god chose me.

Doctor: It's not a god. It will feed on your soul, but that doesn't make it a god. It is a vampire and you don't need to give yourself to him. Hey. Do you mind if I tell you a story? One you may not have heard. All the elements in your body forged many, many, millions of years ago in the heart of a faraway star. It exploded and died. That explosion scattered those elements across the decimations of deep space after so, so many millions of years and those elements came together to form new stars and new planets and on and on it went. The elements came together and burst and part forming shoes, shapes, ceiling wax, and cabbages and kings until eventually they came together to make you. You are unique in the universe. There is only one Mary Galel. And there will never be another. Getting rid of that existence isn't a sacrifice, it is a waste.

 

I also like the messages it spreads about courage:

 

Clara: Why are we walking away? We can't just walk away. This is my fault. I talked her into doing this.
Doctor: Listen. There's one thing you need to know about travelling with me. Well, one thing apart from the blue box and the two hearts. We don't walk away.

 

Clara: What about that stuff you said? We don't walk away.
Doctor: No, we don't walk away, but when we're holding onto something precious we run and we run fast as we can and we don't stop running until we are out from under the shadow.

I also like the humour in the episode too

Clara: Can you open it?
Doctor: Technically, no. In reality, also no. But still, let's give it a stab.

 

Clara: You're going to fight it, aren't you?
Doctor: Regrettably yes, I think I may be about to do that.
Clara: It's really big.
Doctor: I've seen bigger.
Clara: Really?
Doctor: Are you joking? It's massive.

 

Then there's always the behind the scenes