Howling:Foreshadowing of Angels Take Manhattan in The Impossible Astronaut

I was rewatching The Impossible Astronaut (TV story) and there were a few lines that seem to be throwaway but I think may have relevance for The Angels Take Manhattan.

When the future Eleventh Doctor, River, Amy, and Rory, are picnicking on the shore of Lake Silencio, the Doctor states that "A lot more happens in 1969 than anyone remembers." Since River regenerates in New York City in 1970, it is likely to presume she was in New York City at some point in 1969. This may be a reference to what happens to River in 1969. It is possible that we will see "little girl" incarnation of River in The Angels Take Manhattan as it is set in New York City and features the return of River.

Also, when the current 909-year-old Doctor, River, Amy and Rory are in the TARDIS on their way to 1969, River and Amy are discussing the future Doctor's death. River states "The Doctor's death doesn't frighten me. Neither does my own. There is a far worse day coming for me." Could River be referring to the deaths or loss of her parents, which could occur in The Angels Take Manhattan? We know that this is the final episode for Amy and Rory. Will they leave on their own? Will they be killed? Will they be sent back in time by the Angels? Whatever happens, it is quite possible that this is the "far worse day" that River told Amy about back in Series 6. I know she tells Rory it is the day she encounters her Doctor and he doesn't know who she is. River says she lies. Maybe she is lying. She can't tell her dad that the far worse day is when he leaves her life before he even knows he has a daughter and it is River.

Emersoneells ☎  06:27, September 26, 2012


 * I just don't get the impression that River is excessively fond of her parents, at least not enough to call their deaths her worst day. If I understand River's timeline correctly, the River in The Impossible Astronaut has already experienced most of the rest of series 6 and whatever we'll see in series 7, so she's already experienced her parents' deaths. Shambala108 ☎  14:22, September 26, 2012 (UTC)


 * The Future Doctor in The Impossible Astronaut is now a Past Doctor, so he wouldn't know anything about The Angels Take Manhattan Yet. He was just referring to everything that happenned in The Impossible Astronaut/Day of the Moon. The reason that "a lot more happenned than anyone remembered" was that the Humans couldn't remember the Silence, and forgot that they basically fought a war against them. The "far worse day" already has an explanation, and it wouldn't make sense for it to be Amy and Rory's departure. If Amy and Rory's departure is in River's personal past, then it has already happenned, and it is no longer a day that is "coming for" her. If it is in her personal future, than she doesn't know that it will happen, and wouldn't be talking about it.Icecreamdif ☎  14:39, September 26, 2012 (UTC)


 * River's worst day is one we already saw—where she meets the Doctor and he doesn't have any feelings for her. Moffat called their first/last kiss "the central tragedy of River's life" in Confidential.


 * And I think Icecreamdif is right that "a lot more happened than anyone remembered" was about the immediately following storyline of the Silence and their memory-erasing powers. It's hard to imagine it being as effective a hint toward any other story than that. --70.36.140.233talk to me 17:07, September 26, 2012 (UTC)


 * After thinking about it more and reading everyone's comments I believe that we have seen her worst day and that the Doctor was referencing the Silence. But is it possible we may see little girl River in Angels Take Manhattan.  It's interesting how River is connected to New York City.  When adult River Song was on the run from Canton and the Silence, she was "caught" in New York City. Little girl River fled Florida for New York City where she regenerated although into which incarnation we haven't been shown yet. And now Adult River is reappearing in an adventure with her parents in New York City.  The fact that River has had more adventures there (3 counting ATM) than anywhere else seems more than just a coincidence. --Emersoneells  ☎  19:48, September 26, 2012 (UTC)


 * It's possible, though it hasn't been foreshadowed at all. I heard somewhere that there are old fashioned cars in some of the New York scenes, so it may take place in the 60s. Maybe the Doctor takes young Mels to Leadworth in the 90s in the next episode, though one would think that she would try to kill him if they crossed paths.Icecreamdif ☎  21:02, September 26, 2012 (UTC)


 * IIRC, Digital Spy had a picture of 30s cars, not 60s. But then they also teased a line something like "1938? We just bounced off it", so maybe that's not even from the main setting at all. Then again, the whole point of the story seems to be the Angels sending them back in time, so it doesn't seem too implausible that we'll see both 1969 and 1938, as well as 201x and a few other dates. (Although maybe not any dates between 1971 and 2001, because of the whole WTC issue.) --70.36.140.233talk to me 02:57, September 27, 2012 (UTC)


 * I haven't actually seen the pictures, I just heard they were old fashioned cars. If this is anything like Blink though, we may see more than one era. If they really need to show the 70s, 80s, or 90s for the episode to work, than they could either just show the WTC as part of the skyline (using old pictures or CGI) and assume that nobody will be offended by that, or just not show the skyline.Icecreamdif ☎  12:18, September 27, 2012 (UTC)