“When No Living Being … Fail[s] to Answer”

Let’s go back to the first question –

“On the fields of Trenzalore, at the fall of the eleventh, when no living creature can speak falsely or fail to answer, a question will be asked.”

No living creature can speak falsely – due to the truth field. But fail to answer?
The Doctor has to answer according to the prophecy, so he has to give his name at some point, right? And he didn’t… Right?

(We can assume that the prophecy is correct because otherwise it would just be annoying and if you know anything about this blog, I NEVER assume that)

This bothered me for a while. I thought that he’d whisper it – possibly to River – because that’s the only way he can give away his name and not announce it. But in the episode he doesn’t even do that.

Oh, but he does answer the question. In fact, he answers it right when he arrives to Christmas, Trenzalore.

“I’m the Doctor. I’m a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey. I stole a time machine and ran away and I’ve been flouting the principle law of my people ever since.”

This is a complete and accurate answer to the question, Doctor who?

This quote is also the most accurate description of the part of the Doctor Who canon that matters – the rest are details, the rest can be meddled with. This little quote is what the show is all about.

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