Thasmin was at the heart of Jodie Whittaker’s penultimate episode
BY NIC CROSARA, IMAGE BY BBC STUDIES/JAMES PARDON
The highly anticipated Doctor Who special, Legend Of The Sea Devils, aired yesterday (April 17). It was a swashbuckling race against the clock adventure but it also had many of us emotionally preparing for the inevitable heartbreak to come in the final special airing later this year.
Ever since the release of Eve Of The Daleks which confirmed that Yaz has feelings for the Time Lord, Whovians have been on the edge of our seats waiting to find out whether the Doctor felt the same way and, if so, what she would do next.
Before we jump in, consider this your warning that spoilers lay ahead.
“The Fam” (the Doctor, Yaz and Dan) time travel to 19th century China, where Madame Ching has unintentionally released a throng of Sea Devils. Whilst there is certainly a lot going on, the exploration of Thasmin’s relationship was at the heart of the episode.
Amidst the chaos, the Time Lord takes Yaz down to the depths of the sea in the Tardis. As the two gaze out marvelling at their surroundings, the Doctor flirtatiously says to Yaz, “Not a bad date, am I?” And that most certainly was not the last pl exchange between the two.
Whilst the race to save the world escalates, we get to see some glorious sapphic moments between the two. From the Doctor naturally taking her companion by the hand whilst “Yaz, with me” easily rolls off her tongue to telling Yaz “I’m gonna dazzle you with a beautiful bit of improvisation.” But the bittersweet moment came when the Doctor brings up her earlier comment about dating, “Dates are not something I really do,” she says, struggling to make eye contact. The acting between Jodie Whittaker and Mandip Gill is phenomenal and you can see Yaz’s heart sink as she hears this. “If I was going to, believe me, it’d be with you,” the Doctor continues. “I think you’re one of the greatest people I’ve ever known.” LGBTQI viewers around the world were screaming at our televisions for the pair to kiss, but of course, there was a high stakes catastrophe to resolve.
Once balance to the universe is restored, the fam finally get the beach holiday they’ve been looking forward to. The pair sit together looking out at the waves and we see a tender moment where they continue to explore their feelings for each other with the upcoming inevitability of their futures hanging over their heads. “I can’t fix myself,” the Doctor tells Yaz. “… to anything … anywhere… or anyone.” She goes on to explain the unavoidable hurt that would come with doing so. Yaz takes a moment to quote her Nani, “Courage is knowing something will hurt and doing it anyway.” The two finally look at each other and love, longing and vulnerability are etched across their faces. Lightening the moment, Yaz passes the Doctor a pebble and tells her to make a wish and skim it. The Doctor says her wish aloud, because it’s not bad luck where she’s from. “I wish this would go on forever.” The episode ends and poignantly cuts to the trailer for the next special where the first words heard are “nothing is forever”.
Whilst Thasmin shippers were hoping for a big romantic kiss this episode, it may take place in the final special, which will sadly be Jodie’s last episode. Earlier this month reactions to the finale of Killing Eve proved how much we want more from WLW storylines than tragedy. That said, unlike the aforementioned show, we have long since known that Jodie is due to step down from the role with the Time Lord’s regeneration. We know that nothing lasts forever but, like the Doctor, we most certainly wish that this would.
How did fans react to the Easter special and how are they feeling in the lead up to the next episode?
The way my heart stopped
— mag_lex || thasmin is canon || doctor who spoilers (@_mag_lex) April 17, 2022
13’s little face…Yaz’s panic…oh my god #thasmin #DoctorWho pic.twitter.com/uaF2nzJ1Ju
“I wish this would go on forever.” pic.twitter.com/BVCntjrwUp
— comfort for thasmin stans (@thasminposts) April 17, 2022
genuinely one of the most beautiful scenes i’ve ever watched. thank you doctor who. and mandip and jodie 🤍 #DoctorWho pic.twitter.com/4V9PGsogzZ
— faith ✿ doctor who spoilers | 13 DONT LEAVE ME (@janinessuki) April 17, 2022
this is the most beautiful scene in all of doctor who i don’t care #doctorwho pic.twitter.com/IPlHXKTSR2
— serena swashbuckler ☽ doctor who spoilers (@spacethirteen) April 17, 2022
i’m not surviving her regeneration, like there really is no way i’m making it though that
— dyke drama || thasmin brainrot (@poloxsaum) April 17, 2022
We all knew this was coming but it doesn’t make the goodbye any easier. Saying goodbye to a regeneration of the Doctor will always hurt but we’ll never forget the adventures. 💔
— Cheyenne (@Cheyenne_G99) April 17, 2022
Looking for more Doctor Who content to tide you over to the next special? Have you checked out the new spin-off podcast yet?
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