Warfare

Gallifrey #3.2

Released: June 2006

Listened: 4/6/21

Although this one is entitled “Warfare,” it seems more like politics. Romana’s troops are ensconced within the ruined Academy, so within the Capitol itself, so Pandora can’t move against them as easily. Darkel continues to be the Worst Ever by attacking under a flag of truce, while at the same time scheming to replace Pandora. Romana’s side has its own questionable entity, Lord Matthias, who may be a double or triple agent, or may just be playing both sides. To the story’s credit, we don’t know yet. Narvin continues to display loyalty to Romana while disliking her personally, bringing us dangerously close to liking him. Leela has supposedly become a crack strategist, and a dangerous hand-to-hand fighter despite being blind, which I think says more about Pandora’s soldiers. Pandora seems to be banking on the idea that with Pandora in Romana I’s body, that makes Romana II an anomaly...kind of? Except for a couple of lines as Romana I, poor Mary Tamm has nothing to do except spout cliche villain dialog. The ending is rather unexpected, though, as Romana makes a big sacrifice play that comes with great cost. The pacing of this series is very odd; Pandora was built up as a big threat from the first story in Series 2, and now it’s suddenly over halfway through Series 3? That doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense.