"Attack ships on fire..."

 

I have to admit to one distinct disappointment with the 50th anniversary episode of Doctor Who - I was underwhelmed by the mundanity of the weapons used by the Time Lords in their final struggle with the Daleks.

During the scenes showing the battle for Arcadia, as the Daleks strafe the ruined city and rumble through its shattered streets, the Gallifreyan soldiers seem to be fighting them with what are admittedly advanced weapons of some sort - lasers, plasma rifles, some form of energy weapon - but, when it comes right down to it, nothing extraordinary, nothing startling.

I've discussed the possibilities of a time war in the past, but let's apply some of those ideas to the milieu of Doctor Who.  Imagine a fleet of TARDISes*, freed from the humble illusion that cloaks the Doctor's home: gigantic constructs, armed and armoured for an ultimate war, powered by the energy of the universe itself and equipped with weapons created by a race that has mastered time and space, flickering in and out of existence as they strike in an instant and then vanish back into the time stream. Imagine a soldier wielding the Gauntlets of Rassilon, annihilating their foes with a gesture, or resurrecting fallen comrades with a touch of the hand.**

Logically, the Time Lords don't even need to restrict themselves to their own inventions - after all, they can choose from an arsenal which encompasses the entire span of history, find a shield against any assault within the blink of an eye, and discover an antithesis to any defense raised by their enemy.  When you consider all of the possibilities open to time travellers, it's surprising that the Daleks appear to be winning.

Which, come to think of it, is a damn good question.  Why are the Daleks winning? 

- Sid

* TARDISI?

** Okay, you got me.  They never definitively said that the Resurrection Gloves from Torchwood were in any way connected to the Gauntlet of Rassilon, but they do look surprisingly similar.