Beyond

Gallifrey: Time War #4.3

Released: 4 February 2021

Listened: 5/23/21

This boxed set has been a series of two-handers: Leela and Eris, Narvin and Rayo, and now Romana and Braxiatel. Brax hasn’t been seen since he dumped Ace on Earth back in Volume 1, and he only turns up now to rescue Romana from the cliffhanger she created for herself at the end of Volume 3. Unfortunately, it seems like the least interesting way to resolve that thread. (The extras admit they created the cliffhanger in case Lalla Ward was unavailable for Volume 4, as she was moving out of the country, but still.) Brax is after one of those apocalyptic Time Lord weapons, which requires going through one of those enigmatic Time Lord not-space-not-time places, this one called “the Beyond,” a name that at least Romana has the good sense to mock. They pass through various alternate timelines, pursued by some Ravenous, from the series of the same name, but nothing really comes of that. In the end, it’s not what it seemed at all, and it pretty much comes down to a reflection on responsibility -- how far will one go to win the war, what sort of collateral damage is justified, and is just running away from it all a moral choice? Speaking of running, the Doctor is mentioned, and although Romana hasn’t met him lately, it’s clear she knows about the War Doctor, and is saddened by what he’s become. Brax seems to be taken off the table for good this time, but c’mon, that never means anything when it comes to Brax. So we’ve had three stories in a row that didn’t really amount to a whole lot; just excuses to split the characters up and have them reflect on their journeys. And now with one episode left, we can bring the big three back together.