Concluding the story started in Silence in the Library, Forest of the Dead once again gives us a satisfying ending without giving a single thing away. Prof. River Song turns out to be someone of great importance to the Doctor later in this regeneration. But we never learn who or why, which is just the way it should be.
One of the great things about the Doctor, is that you know almost nothing about him personally. Yes, we know about Gallifrey and his people, the Time Lords, but, for heaven’s sake, we don’t even know his name! He is just The Doctor. And to be honest, I would be disappointed if any writer or producer tried to give him a proper name. John Smith is just fine if you truly need one, but really, The Doctor suits him just fine. And what about his family? You know he had to have one. He starts his travels with his Grand Daughter, Susan. So, he had to have had a wife and child/ren. In the new series, he’s even admitted to being a father, but nothing more. It’s the mystery around the Doctor that makes him so attractive and interesting.
The story ends in much of the same way that Moffat’s first Doctor Who two-parter did, though, not exactly in the same way. It’s still a happy ending. One I wouldn’t mind if I were given the choice between it or death. To live in a world forever with the total sum of human knowledge isn’t a bad way to pass the time. As long as I can read all the manga. 🙂
