Was the River Song's final episode?

bananashakebananashake Posts: 2,635
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I am a big fan of the character and actress but tonight's episode felt quite final for the character so I was just wondering: was that the last time we'll see River?
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  • JCRJCR Posts: 24,028
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    Presumably not, as we don't know how she knew his name.

    Assuming Forest of the Dead still holds true, there is only one time he could tell her and only one reason he would.
  • Scorpio2Scorpio2 Posts: 5,632
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    Well she was a professor tonight so it couldv'e been.
  • PiippPiipp Posts: 2,440
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    I'll be sad if it was, I feel River needs an episode of her own for her goodbye. But it certainly felt like Moff was bringing the character to an end. :(
  • James FrederickJames Frederick Posts: 53,184
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    Well as Time Trail is involved and we know they meet at random places in both time lines they could bring back a version from before this.

    Plus Clara now appears to have a link with her so she could come back the same way
  • JCRJCR Posts: 24,028
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    Also River remains clearly Moffat's big idea regarding Doctor Who, it would be some what surprising if she is not in the 50th episode, in my 'umble opinion.
  • ea91ea91 Posts: 2,363
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    I really hope not, but it made it clear she won't meet Clara again and that Twelve isn't her Doctor. I do hope we at least see Eleven take River on that last date with Matt's new haircut.
  • bananashakebananashake Posts: 2,635
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    Glad to know I'm not the only River fan on here! Really hoping she does pop up in the 50th, I feel that she deserves too!
  • PiippPiipp Posts: 2,440
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    When I think about it, I'm sure we'd have some build up to River's send off. Tonight can't have been her goodbye; it wasn't just overshadowed by Trenzalore, the whole story was about Trenzalore. I'm sure Moffat would want to give her a proper send off with some actual build up. Alex Kingston hasn't done any interviews or anything regarding tonight's appearance and I'm sure if it was her finale, there would have been some mention beforehand.
  • RevengaRevenga Posts: 11,321
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    JCR wrote: »
    Presumably not, as we don't know how she knew his name.

    Assuming Forest of the Dead still holds true, there is only one time he could tell her and only one reason he would.

    Unless she just happened to read it in a book on prominent display in the Tardis library.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,402
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    Piipp wrote: »
    I'll be sad if it was, I feel River needs an episode of her own for her goodbye. But it certainly felt like Moff was bringing the character to an end. :(

    THIS. I think the episode had too much going on for this to really be River's exit. It's almost as if Moffatt placed River in this episode merely because of the fact that it was based around the Doctor's timeline/past.

    River definitely deserves a more focused goodbye.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 491
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    I think her saying "How am I still here?" is a hook for her to appear again. I hope so anyway.
  • CorwinCorwin Posts: 16,588
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    Revenga wrote: »
    Unless she just happened to read it in a book on prominent display in the Tardis library.

    She says in this episode that the Doctor told her his name but that it took a while to get him to do so.


    Of course River lies a lot so maybe she did just read it somewhere :D




    As to it being Rivers last story.



    I don't think we will see Post Library River again but we may see the living version every now and then.





    The Younger River could still contact the 11th Doctor or later ones.


    After all did she just guess her tombstone marked a secret passage into the TARDIS Tomb or was she the one who built it?


    If so it means that River was there when the Doctor died at Trenzalore or at least turned up for the Funeral and afterwards built the secret passage.
  • RevengaRevenga Posts: 11,321
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    Corwin wrote: »
    She says in this episode that the Doctor told her his name but that it took a while to get him to do so.

    Of course River lies a lot so maybe she did just read it somewhere :D

    Yep, and I do really believe that he did tell River at an important moment in his (and her) life. But as for it being the one time [he] could ... the book kind of negates that statement, unless it's addressed further on, or I've missed something.
    Corwin wrote: »
    As to it being Rivers last story.

    I don't think we will see Post Library River again but we may see the living version every now and then.

    Indeed. I think that'll be the last time in River's life (and post-life) we see her, but not necessarily the last time we see her. As far as I can see, the way her timeline is written can allow for her to pop up at any time in the Doctor's future as long as it's post-TWORS, pre-Library from her perspective.
  • So 3008So 3008 Posts: 2,052
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    I hope not. This could well be the last time River meets The Doctor but not the last time The Doctor meets River. That's the thing with River, the next time we see her she could still a newly graduated Doctor if Moffat wanted it so.
  • RevengaRevenga Posts: 11,321
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    So 3008 wrote: »
    This could well be the last time River meets The Doctor but not the last time The Doctor meets River.

    Sigh. This is the way I wish I had worded my post! Exactly :)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 611
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    I think this is it. A problem I've always seen with River's non-linear nature is that it may be difficult to have a real finale goodbye since we already saw her death.

    Here, it would seem we've finally said goodbye to her. I found the last minutes between her and the Doctor both heartbreaking and moving, so I think this will be the last time we see River Song.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 166
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    I hope we see more of River! She's a great character and Alex has done an amazing job playing her. I'll expect she'll pop up in the 50th.
  • CoalHillJanitorCoalHillJanitor Posts: 15,634
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    Spoilers.
  • SpencerLeveySpencerLevey Posts: 1,511
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    Hopefully. Can't stand the tart, but knowing Moffat he probably is gonna bring her back. UGH
  • PobattiPobatti Posts: 341
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    Hopefully. Can't stand the tart, but knowing Moffat he probably is gonna bring her back. UGH

    On at least two occasions - that's all but certain.

    She's a ghost now, with the power to appear and disappear at will, and another power to pick and choose who can see her. I think that's a huge piece of character development, but it does mean she's essentially as good as a permanent piece of the furniture now.

    We still have the episode which (thanks to the "spoilers" comment) explains how she got free of CAL, and how she gained all these powers she now has.

    There will be another episode no doubt, where a new monster or villain does something that can actually hurt or kill off her ghost form. That will be her real exit.

    Until then, what have we got?

    Plenty of episodes where the Doctor mentions River in some way, at which point River appears to show she's been listening in with great interest. Maybe there will be a mini episode by Chris Chibnall where River follows the Doctor to the toilet, or manifests herself while he's changing clothes.

    There might be some interesting ways to use her - but I fear for the most part she'll just pop in and out at inappropriate times just to say "Hi!" and embarrass the Doctor. That's what ghosts do.
  • mrkite77mrkite77 Posts: 5,386
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    Spoilers.

    That's one reason I hope she's gone. The whole "backward in time" concept fell apart.
  • Sara_PeplowSara_Peplow Posts: 1,579
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    I thought the whole point of the library was to give her a "life" to replace the one she lost.
    What happened to her adopted children?.Plus if she is just a ghost how could the tomb hear her speak the doctors true name?. Plus she wouldn't have been able to feel 11's kiss and touch . Liked the moments between her and 11. However wouldn't like her to be a "ghost" forever.11 should find a way to release her and tell her to to say hi to Amy and Rory from him when she meets them again. Give her back to her parents let her rest in peace for good this time.
  • claire2281claire2281 Posts: 17,283
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    That is the full end of River's story imo. It was made pretty clear in the dialogue that she couldn't move on until he said goodbye and that he was selfish to keep her around. She was an echo and he told her it was her time to go. He said goodbye to her which gave her the peace she needed to move on.

    River is gone. She doesn't even exist in the library any more. The whole 'spoilers' thing was to allow her to get her catchphrase in one more time. She said that if Clara was truly dead then she wouldn't still be there hence essentially telling the Doctor that Clara was still alive and he could save her.

    Of course she could turn up as her pre-library self at some point but the Doctor won't seek her out any more. That is how River's story ends.
  • OhWhenTheSaintsOhWhenTheSaints Posts: 12,531
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    No. He needs to give her his screw driver yet.
  • Steve9214Steve9214 Posts: 8,402
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    Also - on a practical basis - if she is a ghost , then Alex Kingston can film a scene anywhere against a green screen and they insert her via CGI.
    All Movie TV and effects studios have green screens, so they can hire one for an hour or two and get all her scenes in the can in no time.

    That means they are not hampered by her "availability" to shoot scenes with the other actors.

    Clever Moffatt !!
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