The Gospel According to Who

Part 2

Episode Three of Series Two, School Reunion, reunites the Doctor with his former companions, Sarah Jane Smith and K-9 Mark III. Because of Mickey Smith’s suspicions about a local school, the Doctor and Rose Tyler go undercover to see if there is anything unsavory and alien going on there. Rose takes on the disgruntling role of a lunch lady while the Doctor becomes a teacher. Incidentally, Teacher is one of the most often used titles for Christ during His incarnate days. Sarah Jane arrives, not realizing that “John Smith” is her old friend, to investigate the matter herself. Her search leads her to the TARDIS and the Doctor’s admission of who he is.

Sarah Jane did not know her friend and mentor at first glance, though he knew her at once, despite the changes time had etched on her face. Their bittersweet reunion calls to mind a scene in Luke. Following the events of Good Friday and Easter morning, two disciples are walking on the road and encounter a stranger. They continue to walk and talk with this person, never realizing that their companion was the Teacher, Jesus Christ.

There is no time to indulge in nostalgia as the group learns what is going on at the school. The Krillatines have taken over the place and are using a special oil that they are allergic to, but is safe for humans, to increase the children’s mental acuity. The headmaster, a Krillatine in human form, explains to the Doctor, that the children are working on solving the equation that is at the base of creation. Once they have it, the Krillatine want to use the formula to reshape the universe. Furthermore, he invites the Doctor to join their cause and let his soul be the paradigm on which it is based. He could then have his companions with him forever; they would never age and die or desire to leave him. He could reform Gallifrey and the Time Lords from the ashes of the war. The temptation is profound, but the Doctor resists.

Though Anthony Head’s character of the head master was not the devil incarnate, he did portray a good imitation of the adversary. Just as Eve was offered the ability to be like God and Christ was enticed to just skip all the painful moments and go straight to establishing a kingdom, the Krillatine tried to lure the Doctor into his scheme. The temptation was real. It was plain on Sarah Jane and Rose’s faces that they feared he would accept, but the Doctor withstood the lure. In the end, he chose to be like Christ, not Eve.

A mad chase ensues until they reach the kitchen. Thanks to Mickey, all the children are now safe, leaving only the monsters and the Doctor’s party in the school. The intelligence enhancing oil is there, and Rose knows that one touch will be fatal to the aliens. Unfortunately, someone will have to stay behind and set off the explosion. K-9, the robot dog, volunteers. As the humans escape, the brave little dog gives his “life” in a successful effort to save the universe.

The next day, when the dust has settled and it is time for the TARDIS to leave, taking Mickey this time, Sarah Jane and the Doctor get to say good-bye. When she left Doctor Four, she did not get that opportunity. As the ship fades into eternity, she looks down and sees K-9, who explains that Doctor Master repaired him with new circuits that should not wear out. Sarah Jane realizes that the way he fixed her pet was to simply make a new, better one. The final moments of this episode are the most profound. The Doctor’s way of fixing things is the same way the Holy Ghost fixes us. He takes our deadness and replaces it with a new life.

The hapless travellers find themselves existing in multiple times at once next in The Girl in the Fireplace. Such a thing is what God does at all times. He truly stands over eternity, so that the past, present, and future are all now, all at once. Stopping in a stranded space vessel in the fifty-first century, they discover time windows that open onto Madame Pompadour’s life. For some reason, the robotic crew of this ship is monitoring the famous courtesan so that when she is thirty-seven, they can steal her brain to power the ship. The Doctor pops in and out of her life, saving her more than once from the clockwork robots who want her brain. In the process, the two begin to fall in love, much to Rose’s consternation. However, at one point, Rose is sent to deliver a message while the Doctor works on a plan. Madame Pompadour, Renate, knows about Rose thanks to a mindmeld with the Doctor. Rose explains about the monsters who are after Renate. At this point, Madame Pompadour is somewhat overwhelmed, but tells Rose that the Doctor is worth the monsters, as Rose herself well knows.

We may not have clockwork mosters, Daleks, Slitheen, etcetera out for our blood, but to follow Christ, one will have to endure some difficulties, of varying degrees. Yet, we must say that Christ is worth the “monsters.” As Peter pointed out in the gospels, He alone has the words of life.

In the end, the Doctor’s actions to save Renate from the space demons results in the time windows all shattering, trapping him on Earth of the past while Rose, Mickey, and his ship are trapped in the future. Fortunately, Renate was able to take one window off the loop so that there is a way for the Doctor to get back to his friends. When he gets to the ship, Rose tells him that a few hours have passed. She knew that the windows were broken, that they were stranded. He’s thrilled to be back with her and the TARDIS, telling her to always wait exactly that length of time, he will always come for her. Sometimes, Christians have to wonder if Christ will return; it has been so long, after all. Like Rose, we must be patient, though it is difficult. He will always come for us. Unlike the Doctor, however, who was unable to keep his promise to return for Renate, we can know our Lord will retrieve us in due time.