Theory:Doctor Who television discontinuity and plot holes/Face the Raven

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This page is for discussing the ways in which Face the Raven doesn't fit well with other DWU narratives. You can also talk about the plot holes that render its own, internal narrative confusing.

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Although it's what's on screen that ultimately counts, the filming script for Face the Raven, released on the BBC Writers Room website on 26 November 2015, indicates several plot points left unclear in the final episode were originally included. They include (among others):

• The old man (a.k.a. "Chronolock Guy") is not a Cyberman as some have interpreted Ashildr's dialogue to suggest.

• Ashildr's tattoo does not disappear for Clara's death because, according to the filming script, Ashildr no longer had control over the raven once Clara changed the terms of the deal. Thus the tattoo remains with her throughout.

This was included in the filmed episode.

• The disposition of Clara's body and the fact Rigsy keeps his memory is the subject of a cut sequence in which the Doctor carries her remains inside and instructs Rigsy to inform her family and Coal Hill School. He also demands that Ashildr not use retcon on Rigsy in order for him to both do this and remember the sacrifice Clara made for him.

As indicated, unfilmed references in this script really don't have any bearing on continuity or discontinuity.

• It is stated that no-one leaves the trap street without having their memory wiped, but Rigsy's mural for Clara shows that he somehow retained his memories.

That's their policy, but they of course don't have to enforce it. Ashildr may have chosen not to out of guilt over Clara's death, and/or fear of the Doctor's threatening tone. Alternatively, we don't know what Rigsy did or did not remember. He could have been given a retconned version of events that still allowed him to honour Clara's memory.

• (Related to the above) How can 'Chronolock Guy' be a Cyberman? He has a strong emotional attachment to the woman who is presumably his wife.

Nothing on screen ever indicates that he is a Cyberman.

• They said the death cannot be avoided, but what if Clara transferred the Chronolock to Ashildr? I mean if you cannot kill an immortal then what happens?

Since Ashildr controls the Chronolock, it's possible she may be immune to its effects.

The Chronolock might just lock her death before she heals.

• Another question, were the terms ever explained? If the terms were that "If Rigsy was innocent then Ashildr will remove the Chronolock" but he already was innocent. So how does Clara gaining the Chronolock suddenly invalidate already false terms?

I believe the terms were "if they could prove Rigsy's innocence", then the Chronolock would be removed.

It could be viewed that the Chronolock was promised a soul, and was promised Rigsy so long as he was deemed guilty. This was the agreement between the Chronolock and Ashildr. However Clara then made an agreement with the Chronolock to take it off Rigsy - hence Ashildir is no longer part of the agreement and thus cannot remove the Chronolock as Clara never made that part of the terms with the Chronolock. Cutting out the middleman (Ashildr) is a good way to think of this in short.

• We see an Ood bandaging up a Cyberman, but the Ood has a translation ball instead of a second brain. These balls were added by the humans who enslaved the Ood, but these humans hadn't reached the Ood Sphere yet. How does this Ood have the translation ball?

Time travel maybe?

• Just gonna ask an obvious question here: Cybermen? Why are there Cybermen in Trap Street? Being all friendly and junk? Why are they not, I don't know, attacking? Deleting? Upgrading?

We also see Sontarans and Judoon, the former being known for not being kind. It seems the trap street was a place of safety for individuals not unlike Strax; members of a species that would be considered defective or against what is the norm for them.

There have also been Cybermen that have gained emotions, maybe this was one that wasn't overwhelmed by them.

• The entire plot of THEY forcing Me to "build a mystery" to kidnap the Doctor does not make sense. THEY are far more powerful than Me. We've seen the Doctor kidnapped inside his own TARDIS with transmat, we've seen enemies hacking the TARDIS to make it explode, I can't believe that THEY don't have a way to kidnap the Doctor! (Maybe the Doctor devised a thingamabob to avoid this kind of external interferences? well, then the writers had to tell the audience about it!).

We don't know that much about the technologies that are being used against the Doctor in this and the next episode. The teleporter was way visible so it seems like it requires a station at the other side. And they wanted to use his desire for helping against him. Of course you could argue that this still isn't enough reasoning, but THEY never use their full potential if they don't have to. And well.. using his friends was always a good way to go for his enemies.

• Okay! Rigsy is given a countdown tattoo because he is allowed time to put his affairs in order before his death. But, Rigsy doesn't know he has to put his affairs in order! Plothole?

The Doctor straight up mentions this in the episode. Ashildr knows of this hole in her logic as well, but couldn't think of anything better as her rules state that nobody can leave this place with memories of it.

• What exactly was the terms of the deal? And how did they change? The original plan was that Me would remove the chronolock from Rigsy and all would be well, no one dies. How come Clara taking it from Rigsy changes the 'terms'? Surely either it could have been taken from Clara, or she could have given it back to Rigsy and then it taken from him?

The original deal was made between Rigsy and Me. Rigsy giving the chronolock to Clara is an entirely new part of the deal, that was technically allowed, but now Me doesn't have any direct control over the chronolock as the current wearer was not part of her deal. Giving the Chronolock back to Rigsy might still be a changed contract, as it was still altered. Also it would be reasonable enough if it can only be transferred once.

• Me/The Time Lords' plan is very specific and convoluted. Say if Rigsy didn't give the Chronolock to Clara and kept it, it was removed when they found out the woman was alive, that's one problem sorted. Now what if Clara put her hand in instead and turned the key? Or Rigsy?

The Time Lords' messed up big time. If they just sent someone back in time to 2015 and asked him to come, the Doctor probably would have gladly come, as he wanted a series prior.

The people behind the plan (in this episode it is still a spoiler who it was) wanted to get info from him he didn't want to share. Also they like exploiting his "weakness" with friends.