#this dynamic fascinates me

[jadewithaj]

Imagine being 18, got to USO Juniors Final playing against this 17yo kid, and you’re 18, you’re supposed to be better. But you lost, and it’s okay, you’re a positive guy, it’s all good.

Fast forward a year and now both of you somehow got to the final of Next Gen Finals. Well…”somehow” was more meant for you, that tall white kid is everyone’s favorite. Doesn’t matter though because you’re both in the final and result is what matters. Then you lost that too. Ouch! Stings a little but it’s okay, you’re still happy, a positive guy! If you smile more than him in pictures, that’s nobody’s business!

Well that same kid became a sensation, a hot topic while you’re just doing your own thing. It’s all good!

Until Australian Open and somehow you both beat the top 10 to get into the next round. Suddenly you’re kinda big too! Maybe you finally catch up! And then he went to win an ATP title. So you’re behind again!

By mere coincidence or evil fate you both draw each other for first round of one of the biggest tournaments of the year. Well, you wanna win so bad, this has to be it right? This is the chance!

But no, once again you lose to him! In a painful three sets. It hurts because you have a legitimate chance! It hurts because it’s the third fucking time!

So now what? Will you ever beat him? Because while you’re climbing stairs to get better, he’s flying rockets to the next level! Maybe you’ll never be able to catch up…

And also now he’s your daddy but whatever

[abossycontrolfreak]

How does Clara bring out the Doctor's ruthless side? Do you have any particular examples in mind? He started out pretty ruthless so its hard to go up from there.

It’s more than she doesn’t tone it down like most of the other companions do. Amy calls him out when he goes to far, River doesn’t travel with him because she knows it’ll cause them both to maybe go too far, Donna also gives him lip, same with Martha, and Rose makes him not want to be like that.

But although Clara calls him out when he’s needlessly rude (and fair enough too), she follows him across the line. Instead of her convincing him to stay on the more conservative side of the appropriate behaviour line, it’s the other way round. Perhaps it’s more true to say that he brings out the ruthless side in her, but in doing so, he indulges that part of himself more, because it’s the role model she wants to see.

Until, of course, he realises that her behaviour that is so like his is actually not particularly good behaviour (in Flatline). She is the mirror that makes him notice how far he’s willing to go, what sort of impression he’s giving off to her, and therefore everyone.

And there’s the flaw in Missy’s plan. She didn’t account for self awareness, for noticing your own behaviour heading in dangerous directions and making decisions specifically to counteract that. And Twelve doing so was the undoing of Missy’s plan. Clara followed Missy’s expectations, growing more ruthless, drawing Twelve with her, enchanting him and making him want to follow her, and then demanding it of her, Twelve was the one who broke the game.

And that’s really why I’m particular interested in The Witch’s Familiar, because Twelve might have started on that self awareness thing, but I don’t think Clara has, and I’m nervous/excited to see how much Missy can take advantage of that before she triggers the same reactions in Clara that Clara did in Twelve in Flatline.