Summing up (good edition)
- killing is always deeply morally wrong, if you can manage not to, don't
- the idea of a planet being able to disintegrate the soul, because the frequencies affect your brain to such an extent that you lose control of emotions and lose memories (crunchy)
- neural balancers that counteract that but which are a scarce resource
- the Ux, who can shape the universe through faith and thought, who exist on a planet that can drive you crazy
- false idols versus the importance of meeting people, seeing other places, striving to develop multiple understandings of the world, even as the truth remains out of reach
- scaling up the conquest/trophy warrior culture stuff to planets
- brave people attempting to fight evil becoming part of an 'obscene' hoard
- the idea of one forcing another to commit atrocities in a species of two (yikes) and the martyr imagery
- the beginnings of new Doctor mythmaking in Andinio's eyes, 'how can you know him?', 'dont worry, I'll take care of him' 'true creator'
- imagery of the Doctor carrying a planet on her back like Atlas ( but, that's she's stuck bombs to because she didn't know what it was - what if it had still been alive??? Horror. Should have been the case.)
- parallel between Doctor as killer, genocider, Tzim-Sha and Graham which should have been explicit, should have been brought to the fore by making the Doctor strain - but it was there, sat somewhere in the history of the series and potential of the episode.
- the Doctor's 'always' changing and sharply enforced moral rules and hypocrisy - made uncomfortable (should have been even more so)
- Yaz' expression of loyalty and devotion. (That the Doctor should get punished for at one point (should have been this season). Or Yaz. Or both.)
- the theme of bringing together disparate strengths and people and resources to solve a problem/make a change
- hints of that dark glee and gloating from the Doctor in the confrontation with Tim
- Ryan saying he loves Graham