Day 781: The God Complex - Guest Writer Mitch

Hi all

I'm Mitch. For those of you that don't know me, check out my not so subtle assault on the phantom menace (its not worthy of capital letters) from around 18 months ago. Anyway, tonight I have a post for you on one of my personal favorite episodes. Whilst what I wrote in the end isn't where I was going to go, it's a crucial piece social commentary. Without further ado, I present The God Complex.

Humanity is fundamentally flawed (yes it’s going to be one of those articles) and nothing informs us of this more than science fiction. The God Complex to me is not necessarily my favourite episode, nor the most technically brilliant or interesting. What it is however is the most important episode of Doctor Who as it directly addresses what is the most elementary issue we face both individually and as a species. Weakness at its base. What is this weakness? What is its cause? Let’s investigate.

We begin with the dogmatic undertones in the establishing flashback. Swirling into the prison of a stereotypical 80s hotel which in its ambiguity could easily be conceived to be hell or something very close. Immediately we are positioned in the centre of the salient dichotomy of fear vs. belief and salvation. Fear is positioned front and centre as the power that overcomes us all. When faced with situations that grasp at the fringe of our sanity we will fall back on what makes us strong.

This is where belief and faith enter the picture. When fear is exploited everyone relies on something. Gibbis shows that our entire strength and identity can be drawn from what we are taught as well as what we see. When the only thing you know is that you are going to be invaded and enslaved, you rely on that, it is your salvation. The motif of the spiral staircase serves that in our hour of debilitating need we look up and climb towards that which lies above.

Here we begin to see the beast implanting itself at the top of the stairs and as everyone utters “Praise him” (the verbal equivalent to the searing on a steak) we surrender wholly. And this is the true downfall of man, the surrender and reliance.  When the inhabitants are forced into their faith entirely, they are met with death. This portrays the danger of unlimited reliance and belief that someone/thing will help; which we all experience.

Faith does bolster us, it can pull together the many piece of an otherwise bewildering existence. However when you let it consume you, when you surrender, it will drive you to destruction.

All this is summed up by Eleven with “It’s time to stop waiting”, recognising that it is necessary to stand up on your own legs. Nothing, ultimately is eternal or infallible. Eventually, even gods die.

In writing this I was reminded of many other fascinating talking points and reason I love The God Complex (I think there is a certain serenity in the futility the episode presents) however first and foremost this is the message that needs to be delivered. I say this at time when religious zealotry (in both traditional and contemporary forms) continues to destroy lives and the world in which we live. It’s a simple tenet, that when we use our faith to support and guide and recognise the flaws we move away from such extremes and move away from weakness.

To lighten the mood after tonight’s article I’ll leave you all with a question that I think deserves a little more though than you may have given it. What’s behind door 11?